Charges dropped against pro-Palestinian protesters in Australia

Charges were dismissed against 11 pro-Palestinian protesters in Australia, while five others must wait to find out if they will be penalized for their part in a clash with police.

In dismissing the charges of trespassing and besetting, Magistrate Simon Garnett of the Melbourne Magistrates' Court said Monday that “It cannot be said that it was the actions of the protesters that caused any obstruction, hindering or impediment to members of the public.”

Multiple charges were brought against the 16 protesters, including a Melbourne Jew, following a protest last July outside Max Brenner, a franchise of the Israeli-owned chain of chocolate shops. Three policemen were injured in the protest, which was part of the global boycott, divestment and sanctions campaign.

The protesters claimed that Max Brenner’s parent company, the Strauss Group, engaged in “ongoing ethnic cleansing” by providing food packages to the Israel Defense Forces.

Rob Stary, a lawyer for some of the defendants, was quoted in reports as saying following the dismissals, “This is not Syria or Iraq or Egypt where there is a repression of people. This is Australia, where we should be able to engage in robust debate in these important issues.”

Vashti Kenway, one of the protesters, wrote on a blog Monday that “We have beaten back their attempts to criminalize dissent and their attempts to silence a public pro-Palestine voice in Australia.”

But Peter Wertheim, executive director of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, described it as “disturbing” that the charges of trespassing were dismissed.

“It seems counter-intuitive to suggest that someone has the right to remain on your property, or property you are responsible for controlling, when you order them to leave, merely because they say they are expressing their political views,” he said.

The five defendants charged with assaulting police and resisting arrest will appear in court at a later date.

Israeli Incursion, 3 Palestinians Wounded

http://www.poyi.org/64/15/index.php

Israeli forces carry a cross- border military raid eastern Gaza City. So far, three Palestinians were wounded, including one in critical condition. According to eyewitnesses, Israeli forces penetrated the borders near the industrial zone into the high density populated neighborhood of Al-Shja'iya eastern Gaza City, under heavy fire from artillery machineguns. 

Palestinian medical sources said that an Israeli artillery shell hit a Palestinian civilian car. Palestinian rescue teams managed to take out 3 wounded people from the car. Palestinian medical sources reported that one Palestinian was critically wounded and two others in moderate condition.

The Israeli ongoing cross-border military raid began at early morning hours of today, Thursday 12th July 2012.

Palestinian Collaborators in a New Documentary Film on Al-Aqsa TV

By - Adnan Mustafa

Al-Aqsa satellite channel will broadcast a documentary film that includes confessions of Palestinian collaborators. Tomorrow, Thursday 28^th June 2012, at 8:30 pm (Jerusalem timing) a documentary file about Palestinian collaborators

who participated and helped the Israeli army in assassination of a group of prominent Palestinian leaders like Ismail Abu Shanab  and Ibrahim Al-Maqadma (both were pro-Islamic activists and PhD degree in the Islamic University-Gaza).

According to the attached announcement which was on air several times at the channel, some persons speak about their role in role in the assassination of some Palestinians in addition to how they've been victims of Israeli abuse, and forced to collaborate with the Israeli army.

The collaborators' faces are hidden under dark photo effects , but their voices remain clear. It is uncertain whether they were executed or whether they are still alive in detention. Also, it's not clear whether they will be sentenced to death or they were included in amnesty declaration announced by the Government to those who surrender last year.

Al Qassam: Israel kills two Palestinian minors in cold blood in Gaza

Two Palestinian minors were killed on Tuesday morning 19/6/12 by Israeli military near the Israeli military base of Kesofim east of Deir Al Balah in Central Gaza Strip.

Al Qassam correspondent reported that Israeli military forces opened fire at a group of citizens in the area that led to the killing of the two 16 year-olds, Mohammed Bassam Abu Moa’liq and Yousef At-Tilbani.

He added that medical crews who removed the bodies of the two martyrs said that they were killed in cold blood at short range.

The medical sources in Al Aqsa hospital in Central Gaza said that the two bodies were totally disfigured by shelling them after death, it seems.

Israeli military forces claimed at dawn on Tuesday the kidnapping of two Palestinians after they were shot in east of Al Maghazi refugee camp in Central Gaza Strip.

Recent Israeli escalation against Gaza has resulted in the deaths of six Palestinians: Jihad Abu Shabab, Abdullah Hassan Azanin, Mohammed Shabat, Ismail Abu Odeh, Mohammed Abu Moa’liq and Yousef At-Tilbani.

Source: Gaza.Scoop.ps

Israel Bombs Motorcycle, One Palestinian Killed in Rafah

One Palestinian was killed in the latest Israeli bombing in Gaza Strip raises death tool up to 9 Palestinians killed and 10 others wounded in the last 48 hours.

Israeli Army bombed a motorcycle in the southern city of Rafah killing one Palestinian. Egyptian Representative, Yasser Othman, to the Palestinian authority in Ramallah said Egypt is trying to broker a "calm" to end the

Israeli attacks on Gaza, especially that the latest attack from Egyptian borders was not carried out by Palestinians. 


Othan believes that Israel should seize bombing Gaza before Palestinian factions do the same. 

Pulitzer Prize-Winner Rejects Israeli Translation of Book

Writer Alice Walker says an Israeli publisher can't release a new Hebrew edition of her Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, "The Color Purple," because of Israel's treatment of the Palestinian people.

Walker said in a letter to Yediot Books that Israel practices apartheid. She says Israel must change its policies before her works can be published there.

French advertiser buys 20 percent of Ramaalah Zoom Advertising

Maurice Levy says Publicis purchased a 20 percent stake in the Ramallah-based company Zoom Advertising. Levy, CEO of Publicis, is bringing the French advertising firm into the Palestinian and Israeli communications markets.

Levy announced a deal to buy the Israeli ad agency network BBR Group. On Monday, Publicis said it purchased a 20 percent stake in the Ramallah-based company Zoom Advertising. Publicis, one of the world’s largest advertising holding companies, said in a statement that it is the first publicly listed Western communications group to enter the Palestinian market.

Terms of the deals were not reported, according to Reuters.

The new company, Publicis Zoom, has clients that include Coca-Cola, Peugeot and the Bank of Palestine.

BBR Group, with 220 employees, is also the parent company of other agency brands with clients that include DeLak Motors; the cable TV concern Hot; the banking entity Isracard; Procter & Gamble; the food and beverage company Strauss; and the retailer Super Pharm.

Levy said in a statement that he believes the way to build lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians is through strong economies.

“Symbolically, this speaks to every man’s dream of seeing peace in the Middle East and between the Palestinian and Israeli peoples,” Levy said.

Bashar Masri, the board chairman of Zoom, also expressed his confidence that the deal was a positive signal for the Palestinian private sector.

"Today's deal is a key step towards the goal of fostering an enabling business environment for private sector growth and development, and I am confident that more investments like this one are on the horizon," Masri said in a news release.

Publicis has been expanding its presence in the Middle East with agencies in the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Qatar.