Monthly Archives: November 2012

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Palestine, UN General Assembly, 29 November 2012

30 Friday Nov 2012

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TEMPLATE REPORT

On 29 November 2012, the United Nations General Assembly voted to upgrade the status of the Palestinians to that of a “non-member state”.

The General Assembly voted by 138-9 to recognise the Palestinians as a non-member observer state, with 41 states abstaining.

The Palestinians can now take part in UN debates and potentially join bodies like the International Criminal Court (ICC). It follows a failed bid to join the international body as a full member state in 2011 because it had to be approved by the 15-member UN Security Council.

In the face of strong lobbying by Israel’s close ally, the United States, it could not secure the nine votes it would have required, and as a permanent member of the council, the US was expected to use its veto power to stop the bid.

Israel to build 3,000 new settler homes Click here

Israel disappointed by margin of UN defeat. Click here

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JR is Dead (this time its for real…)

24 Saturday Nov 2012

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Larry Hagman, known to millions around the world as oil baron JR Ewing, has died at the age of 81 following a battle with cancer and cirrhosis.

“Larry was back in his beloved Dallas, re-enacting the iconic role he loved most,” said his family in a statement. “He was surrounded by by Giant Savings” href=”#”>loved ones.”

Long-time friend Linda Gray, who played Sue Ellen, was by his bedside, when he died on Friday.

“Larry Hagman was my best friend for 35 years,” said Ms Gray in a statement released by her agent.

“He was the Pied Piper of life and brought joy to everyone he knew. He was creative, generous, funny, loving and talented and I will by Giant Savings” href=”#”>miss him enormously.

“He was an original and lived life to the full.”

Original cast member Victoria Principal, who played Pam Ewing, said Hagman had been “bigger than life, on-screen and off”.

“He is unforgettable, and irreplaceable, to millions of fans around the world, and in the hearts of each of us, who was lucky enough to know and love him.”

During 13 years as the most scheming oil tycoon in Dallas, JR in his Stetson became one of the most distinctive faces on television screens across the world.

It quickly became one of the network’s top-rated by Giant Savings” href=”#”>programmes – with its 356 episodes being seen by an estimated 300 million people in 57 countries – and was revived this year.

Born in Texas, Hagman later moved to Los Angeles where he was cared for mainly by his grandmother.

After a brief period spent working in the fields, Hagman followed his mother – stage and screen actress Mary Martin – into showbusiness and even toured and played in musicals with her.

Moving into television, he played astronaut Tony Nelson in the 1960s television comedy I Dream of Jeannie.

Hagman reportedly owned more than 2,000 cowboy hats

He first performed as JR Ewing in 1978 and became its highest-paid star, as the programme came to define 1980s excess.

The actor himself owned more than 2,000 cowboy hats, his character’s trademark.

When Dallas finally finished in 1991, Hagman went on to appear in hit films Nixon and Primary Colors.

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Winning the Peace

23 Friday Nov 2012

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A man in his 20s, named as Anwar Qdeih has been killed today, and at least 10 other people injured east of Khan Younis, near the no-go area of Gaza

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TEMPLATE ANALYSIS

Anyone who looks at the map of the Middle East, can not fail to notice the size of the land of the people of Israel. And whats more, she is wedged between the West Bank and Gaza, land like that of East Jerusalem, which is technically Palestinian. So, when Israel speaks of being threatened and surrounded by hostile neighbours, she does have a point. However, since the six-day war of 1967, she has been winning wars, and has been backed politically, economically and of course militarily by a Superpower that has always regarded her as special case.

The latest Gaza war and the obvious powerlessness of any of the Arab nations, including Turkey and Iran, to muster any kind of military response has meant that she remains the preeminent power in the region.

Yet, policy makers in Tel Aviv are going to have to face reality – they can not continue to behave in an appalling way towards the Palestinians, who remain the people without a land living on a land from which they wer displaced.

The astonishing thing about the Palestinians, according to those who meet them, is how little malice they actually hold towards Israel, considering how much they have suffered and had to endure since the proclamation of the Jewish state on May 14, 1948.

Even now, Israel’s leaders have an opportunity to solve the Palestinian Question.

It could start with a viable Palestinian state in Gaza, West Bank and East Jerusalem with the long-term view to breaking down the borders to create a single whole Israel-Palestine where Jews, Muslims and Christians co-exist in the much the same as they have for centuries.

Of course, the extremists will oppose it, and unfortunately the ones who live in and control Israel’s political system are less accommodating than are Hamas.

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Gaza War 2012: Facts and Figures

22 Thursday Nov 2012

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CASUALTIES

158 Palestinians – 103 were civilians, including at least 30 children and 13 women. (according to the UN’s Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs.  The OCHA will now by Giant Savings” href=”#”>investigate the figures.)

6 Israelis  – two soldiers and four civilians.

WHAT THE CEASEFIRE SAYS

 Israel to end all hostilities on Gaza Strip by sea, land and air, including incursions and the targeting of individuals

All Palestinian factions in Gaza to stop all hostilities against Israel, including rocket and border attacks

After 24 hours from start of ceasefire, talks to begin on opening crossings into Gaza and allowing free movement of people and goods

Egypt to receive assurances from both sides that they will abide by the deal, and will follow-up any reports its has been broken

And how this compares with Gaza War 2008/09

Palestinians, 1,417, of which 926 were civilians. 5,303 wounded. (Israel says, 1, 166 were killed, of which 295 were civilians, and 120 were captured)

Over 50,800 Gaza residents by Giant Savings” href=”#”>displaced.

Over 4,000 homes destroyed; around $2bn worth of damage to Gaza.

Israelis: 13  of which 3 were Civilians. 518  Wounded, of which  336 were soldiers and 182 civilians

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Roberto Di Matteo is fired

21 Wednesday Nov 2012

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TEMPLATE ANALYSIS

Chelsea were simply outclassed last night against a Juventus team that was sharper and far more creative than the Champion League Cup holders.

And their slide from the top of the Premier League was a clear indication that they had come off the boil, and would struggle to get back there even against two Manchester teams that are still not firing on all cylinders.

Even at the beginning of the season there were worrying signs – remember that 4-1 drubbing by Atletico Madrid at Monaco?

So, it should not be a surprise that owner Roman Abramovich was not happy.

However, the speed and ruthlessness of the sacking of the former head coach has taken everyone by surprise.

Di Matteo of course is in good company – even the special one himself suffered the indignity of the axe from an owner who wants to see his team play like Barcelona, and blood players of the calibre of Lionel Messi from its own ranks.

Truth is English clubs look out of their league when they play in Europe and even when they win the trophy there’s always that feeling that they were lucky – that the performance did not merit the outcome.

That a man like Abramovich is losing patience is a good thing for English football – our national side needs to shaken at its core, we need men like Abramovich to remind our underperforming  multi-millionaire Premiership players that a fat pay cheque does not mean that you have made it, only that you are lucky.

CHELSEA’S FALLEN MANAGERS

Claudio Ranieri: Sep 2000 to May 2004

Jose Mourinho: Jun 2004 to Sep 2007

Avram Grant: Sep 2007 to May 2008

Luiz Felipe Scolari: Jul 2008 to Feb 2009

Guus Hiddink: Feb 2009 to May 2009

Carlo Ancelotti: Jun 2009 to May 2011

Andre Villas-Boas: Jun 2011 to Mar 2012 (Click here for Template Report)

Roberto Di Matteo: Mar 2012 to Nov 2012

 Click here and here for Template Commentary about Chelsea Champions League win.

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‘One-Hundred Palestinians dead’

19 Monday Nov 2012

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TEMPLATE REPORT

At least 100 people have died in the Gaza Strip in six days of violence, Hamas officials say.

Monday’s fatalities include a commander of the Islamic Jihad militant group.

More than 500 Palestinians have been injured.

Three Israelis have died since Wednesday.

The Israeli Defence Force has attacked more than 1,350 targets in the Gaza Strip since the start of Operation Pillar of Defense, while more than 1,000 rockets have been fired at Israel,according to figures published in Hararetz.

Efforts to secure a ceasefire continue, with a senior Egyptian official saying there are “encouraging signs”.

Israel has presented conditions for a ceasefire, which include no hostile fire of any kind from Gaza and international efforts to prevent Hamas from rearming.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has described Israel as a “terrorist state”, citing the “massacre of children” during its bombardments of Gaza.

Meanwhile,  CNN poll released today shows a majority of Americans believe Israel’s military action in the Gaza Strip is justified.

The CNN/ORC International poll indicated that 57 percent of Americans support Israel’s offensive against Hamas, while 25 percent of U.S. citizens believe Israel’s attacks on Gaza are unjustified.

Click here for Israelis protesting against the war.

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Gaza War 2012

17 Saturday Nov 2012

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TEMPLATE LATEST

Israel hit 200 sites overnight, including PM Ismail Haniya’s office.

Gaza militants fired dozens of rockets into Israel, including one at the city of Tel Aviv that was intercepted Israel’s military says by a newly installed battery of its Iron Dome defence system.

At least 42 Palestinians and three Israelis have now died since Israel killed the Hamas military chief Ahmed Jabari on Wednesday.

Israel has 75,000 reservists on stand-by, on top of the 16,000 called up
in recent days.

Hamas has confirmed Mr Meshaal will meet the Emir of Qatar, Egypt’s President Mohammed Mursi and Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Cairo on Saturday night to discuss how a ceasefire can be achieved.

Ahead of the meeting, Mr Erdogan said: “It’s a tactic of Israel’s to point the finger at Hamas and attack Gaza.

“Israel continues to make an international racket with its three dead. In fact it is Israel that violated the ceasefire.”

Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas has accused Israel of carrying out “massacres”.

Tunisian Foreign Minister Rafik Abdessalem arrived in Gaza through the Rafah border crossing from Egypt to show support for Hamas. Later on Saturday he visited the wreckage of Mr Haniya’s HQ.

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