Ultra-Orthodox Stage Violent Jerusalem Protests; Israeli defense official: Israel preparing to attack Iran

Violence Rages in Jerusalem

Ultra-Orthodox Jews have staged violent protests in Jerusalem, setting fire to trash cans and attacking police and government ministries in opposition to perceived interference by the authorities in their community. Police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said 28 protesters were arrested overnight and one officer was lightly wounded.

On Wednesday, Jerusalem mayor Nir Barkat ordered his municipality to halt all services to the ultra-Orthodox neighborhoods of Geula and Mea Shearim in fear that the safety of municipality employees would be at risk.

The BBC reported that protests were touched off after the arrest of an ultra-orthodox woman who allegedly is said to be suffering from a mental disorder and deliberately starved her three-year-old son. The 3-year-old had been in and out of hospitals for two years, but doctors couldn't determine the cause of what seemed like chronic and severe malnutrition. The absence of a medical explanation suggested the problem resided elsewhere and surveillance cameras eventually confirmed the suspicions of hospital staff and welfare workers, after the mother was seen repeatedly disconnecting the toddler’s feeding tubes.

However, posters on the bulletin boards in ultra-Orthodox neighborhoods told a different story, of a mother devoted to her sick child whose doctors had been tempted to try experimental treatments after failing to find the cause for his condition. According to the LA Times, the posters called the affair a modern version of a Middle Ages blood libel and called on the public to avoid seeking treatment at Hadassah hospitals, where Judaism haters are said to lurk.

The protests are taking place in two ultra-Orthodox neighbourhoods, Mea Shearim and Bar-Ilan and could be said to be the culmination of anger at grievances such as the Sabbath opening of a private car park near the religiously sensitive Old City area, when Orthodox Jews abstain from work.

Israeli defense official: Israel preparing to attack Iran

Israel's recent deployment of warships across the Red Sea should be seen as serious preparation for an attack on Iran, an Israeli defense official told the Times of London on Thursday. Earlier this week, two Israel Navy gunboats openly sailed through the Suez Canal into the Red Sea. The ships that passed through the Suez Canal on Tuesday were two Sa'ar 5 gunboats, the Hanit and the Eilat. The move, apparently coordinated with Egypt, is seen as a warning message to Middle Eastern radicals, first and foremost Iran.

This move comes at the same time Secretary of State Hilary Clinton said Iran must respond to President Barack Obama's diplomatic overtures now or face more isolation over its nuclear program.

HEADLINES

Iranian nuclear chief 'resigns' (BBC)

Mousavi to make public appearance (BBC)

Obama to set binding timetable for Israel-PA talks (Ha'aretz)

Israel tells US envoy firm on terms for Syria talks (Reuters)

Report: Egypt drops bid for Palestinian unity government (Ha'aretz)

Palestine and the Palestinians

Hamas' Haniyeh: Jews are not the enemy (Ma'an)

PA releases woman who sheltered Hamas fighters (Ma'an)

High-tech Israeli-Palestinian firm defies barriers (AFP)

Official: PLO made no statement on Qaddoumi conspiracy accusations (Ma'an)

Civilians find body of Gazan man in Rafah tunnel (Ma'an)

An Integrated Program to Strengthen Palestinian Institutions (Center for American Progress)

Israeli barrier adds nightly wait to Palestinian workday (AFP)

Israel

Netanyahu mulling UN speech (Ynet)

Israel stocks steady; CPI above estimates; budget passes (Market Watch)

Elbit Systems gets $55 mln Israel defence deal (Reuters)

Israel Sees Evidence of Hezbollah’s Rearming in Explosion (New York Times)

Israel says anti-rocket system aces first live try (Reuters)

Israeli authorities shut down Palestinian NGO in Jerusalem (IMEMC)

Israeli soldiers assault unarmed Palestinian teenager, threaten his mother with rape (IMEMC)

The Neighbors

Report: Syria ready for talks with Israel (Ynet)

Syria: We want entire Golan (Ynet)

Palestinian President Abbas arrives in Turkey (Ynet)

Iran plane black boxes 'damaged' (BBC)

US Foreign Policy

Top Mitchell aide meets with Syrian FM (Jerusalem Post)

Clinton urges Arabs to make gestures now toward Israel (AFP)

What Palestinians really think about Obama (Christian Science Monitor)

International Relations/Law

Blair: Improved PA security opens many doors (Jerusalem Post)

Israel bars French diplomats' Gaza visit (UPI)

Israel to be barred from journalists meeting in Amman (Ha'aretz)

Balearic Government Spends €300,000 in Pro-Palestinian Comic Book (JTA)

Arts and Activism

Film festival rejects Palestinian activists (JTA)

Misc.

US marshals here to collect alleged white power offender (Jerusalem Post)

Commentary

Cook: Israel offers Palestinians day shoppers, not statehood. (Antiwar.com)

Levy: Man responsible for Israel's cruelest wars only attracts praise (Ha'aretz)

Hammad: Decolonizing Israel (Counterpunch)

Shavit: Arad's summer (Ha'aretz)

Abou-Shakra: Who will hold us accountable? (Electronic Intifada)

Abunimah: Obama's prizes for Israel are not 'pressure' (Electronic Intifada)

Nachman Shai: Army must thoroughly probe 'Breaking the Silence' claims (Jerusalem Post)

Khader: An open letter I couldn't send "from Palestine" (Ma'an)

Kuttab: Are settlements blocking peace? Of course they are (Daily Star)

Views expressed on this post or on linked web pages do not represent the Palestine Center, the educational program of the Jerusalem Fund for Education and Community Development. All content is for educational purposes only.

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