MY PALESTINE

Israel Frees Palestinian Detainee After Hunger Strike of Weeks

2012-04-02T11:45:00.001+05:30

Shaikh Ahmad Yaseen(1938- 2004)

2012-02-22T19:10:00.000+05:30

One person who can't move, moved a whole nation

Sheikh Ahmed Ismail Yassin was born in the village of Al-Jora, Majdal district, in 1938 and sought refuge alongside his family in the nearby Gaza Strip following the 1948 Nakba or the usurpation of most of Palestine at the hands of Zionist gangs.
The Sheikh was paralyzed in his youth as a result of an accident while exercising on the beaches of Gaza.
He worked as a teacher of Arabic language and Islamic religion then as a Khatib (preacher) and teacher in the Gaza mosques. He turned into one of the most vociferous and most famous Khatibs in the Gaza Strip following its occupation in 1967.
He also worked as a chairman of the Islamic Complex in Gaza before his arrest in 1983 for possession of weapons, establishing a military organization and championing the annihilation of the Hebrew state. The Sheikh was court-martialed and the Israeli judges passed a 13 years prison term against him.
He was released in 1985 in line with a prisoners’ exchange deal between the Zionist authorities and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine – The General Command after spending 11 months in prison.
The Sheikh founded the Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, along with a number of Islamic activists in the Gaza Strip in 1987.
Zionist occupation forces broke into and ransacked his house in late August 1988 and threatened to push him along with his wheelchair across the borders into Lebanon.
On the evening of 18/5/1989 the occupation authorities arrested Sheikh Ahmed Yassin along with hundreds of Hamas activists in a desperate attempt to curb the armed resistance that started to take the form of attacks on settlers and soldiers.
On 16/10/1991 a Israeli army court passed a life sentence in addition to 15 years imprisonment sentence against Sheikh Ahmed Yassin after an indictment list leveled nine charges against him including inciting the kidnap and killing of Israeli soldiers and the establishment of the Hamas Movement’s security and military wings.
Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, other than his complete paralysis, suffered a number of other disabilities and diseases including loss of eyesight in his right eye due to Israeli blows during interrogation in addition to weakness in his left eye. He also suffered from chronic inflammation in his ear, lung infection and other diseases in his abdomen.
The detention of the Sheikh in jails further worsened his health conditions, which necessitated carrying him to hospital on numerous occasions.
On 13/12/1992 a commando cell affiliated with the Qassam Brigades, military wing of Hamas, kidnapped an Israeli soldier and offered to set him free in return for the release of Sheikh Ahmed Yassin and a number of other detainees in jails including sick and elderly and Arab captives. However, the Israeli government refused the offer and stormed the house where the soldier was held leading to his death along with commander of the attacking unit and two other soldiers before the martyrdom of the three members of that cell in Bir Nabala near occupied Jerusalem.
Sheikh Ahmed Yassin was released on 1/10/1997 in accordance with an agreement between Jordan and the Israel that stipulated the release of the Sheikh in return for delivering to Tel Aviv two intelligence agents, who were arrested in Jordan following an aborted assassination attempt of Khaled Mishaal, political bureau chief of the Hamas Movement.

Sheikh Ahmed Yassin survived a assassination attempt on 6th September 2003 when Zionist army choppers fired missiles at a house in Gaza. He was only lightly injured in his right arm.
Ahmad Yassin was assassinated in an Israeli helicopter missile strike on 21 March 2004.
Israeli helicopter gunships fired missiles at Hamas' spiritual leader, Shaikh Ahmed Yassin, as he left a mosque after performing the Monday dawn prayers, killing the Hamas leader and six other worshippers. A reporter who rushed to the scene after hearing three loud explosions found the blown-up remains of Yassin's blood-soaked wheel-chair.
Witnesses at the mosque said Yassin's body had been evacuated to Al-Shifa Hospital.
Al-Manar TV reported that the Israeli Prime Minister, Sharon, personally supervised the assassination of Shaikh Yassin, whose death may be an attempt by Sharon to distract public attention from his personal scandals.
Dr. Abdul al-Aziz Rantisi was appointed head of Hamas in the Gaza Strip following the assassination of Ahmad Yassin on 22 March 2004.

Statehood with Palestine Issues and Implication - Grand Expo @Hyderabad

2011-10-10T12:29:00.000+05:30

India welcomes reconciliation between Palestinian rivals

2011-05-07T14:18:00.000+05:30

TNN & Agencies May 7, 2011, 03.43am IST
NEW DELHI: India on Friday welcomed the reconciliation between Palestinian groups Fatah and Hamas, paving way for the creation of a joint caretaker Palestinian government ahead of national elections scheduled to be held next year. Israel has described the pact as a setback for peace in West Asia.

"The Government of India welcomes the reconciliation agreement between Fatah and Hamas which ends the differences between the West Bank and Gaza and hopes that this would promote the realization of the aspirations of the Palestinian people, and leads to peace and stability in the region," a Ministry of External Affairs statement said.
The Palestinian agreement prompted angry reactions from Israel. Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu told Tony Blair in London that "the agreement between the Palestinian Authority and Hamas is a hard blow to the peace process." Blair is the West Asia envoy for the diplomatic quartet of the United Nations, the United States, the European Union and Russia.
"How is it possible to achieve peace with a government, half of which calls for the destruction of the State of Israel and even praises the arch-murderer Osama Bin Laden?" Netanyahu asked.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/India-welcomes-reconciliation-between-Palestinian-rivals/articleshow/8183088.cms

India, Israel planning to create $50 mn agriculture fund

2011-05-06T19:36:00.000+05:30

May 2, 2011, 11.26pm IST
NEW DELHI: India and Israel are in talks to create a fund worth $50 million for mutual cooperation in the agriculture sector.

Both the governments are planning to create a fund dedicated to agricultural co-operation with each side contributing $25 million each, Israel Agriculture Minister Orit Noked said here today.
The minister was speaking at an interactive session on Indo-Israel Cooperation in Agriculture and Food Processing organised by the industry chamber CII.

India is a huge market and has a great potential in the agriculture sector, while Israel has strengths in the areas of research and development, irrigation technology, dairy and biotechnology, Noked said.

There is a scope for both the countries to collaborate in this area and learn from each others expertise, she added.
Israeli Ambassador Mark Sofer said, "The key areas for co-operation are management of water resources through efficient irrigation technology, agro technology, post-harvest know-how to minimise wastages and dairy development through breed improvement."
Last month, Haryana and Israel had formed a joint working group to promote agricultural co-operation between the two nations.
Under this, Israel would train Haryana's agricultural development officers and the state would emulate Israel's model of building reservoirs for rain water harvesting.
During 2009-10, the bilateral trade between the two countries stood at $3.8 billion.
India's major exports to Israel include precious stones, metals, chemical products, textile and textile articles, while imports comprise chemical and mineral products, base metals, machinery and transport equipment.
http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2011-05-02/news/29496287_1_agricultural-co-operation-agriculture-sector-dairy

Organize agro-tech fair in Guj: CM to Israel

2011-05-06T19:27:00.001+05:30

May 4, 2011, 11.45pm IST
AHMEDABAD: Chief minister Narendra Modi told visiting Israel consul general Orna Sagiv on Wednesday that farmers in Gujarat were eager to adapt new technology in farming. "If business houses of Israel involved with agriculture arrange an agro fair in Gujarat, the state government will give full support to them," Modi said.

"Partnerships in developing human resources in the area of agricultural technology, water, power and safety were discussed," a press release issued here said. Earlier, Sagiv told TOI that Israel has for the first time launched a specific travel campaign targeting Indians when 40,000 people from India have reportedly visited Israel in 2010, the highest in Asia.
"We realize that Gujaratis constitute a big per cent of outbound tourists from India. More Gujaratis should visit Israel. We also have a range of vegetarian food, including those for Jains, as Israeli cuisine is an amalgamation of food from over 75 countries," Sagiv said, during her visit to the city on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the consul general said that Gujarat will soon see a number of Israeli companies establishing businesses in Gujarat, majorly in the areas of water treatment, agriculture and ports. A number of companies had expressed interest during the Vibrant Gujarat summit. "Nearly 75 per cent water in Israel is recycled, the highest in the world. Next comes Spain which recycles 17 per cent of water used," Sagiv said.

Organize agro-tech fair in Guj: CM to Israel

Israel formulates programme to boost exports to India, China

2011-03-23T13:00:00.000+05:30

PTI, Mar 9, 2011, 02.58am IST
JERUSALEM: Israel has formulated a three-year programme with a budget of 100 million shekels (approx USD 26 million) to boost its exports to target destinations, India and China.
A joint committee of the Finance and Industry Ministries formulated the programme at the instructions of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who had asked to examine ways to increase exports to the two Asian giants, Israel National News reported today.
The committee is headed by the Director General of Israel's Finance Ministry, Haim Shani. "The plan presented today is the first component of a series of measures to support increasing trade with China and India and is coming out of a strategic economic grasp of their place in the global economic map.
"Future steps will emphasise the relative advantages of Israel, in innovation, higher education and entrepreneurship," Shani told the news portal.
The programme aims to increase the number of Israeli exporters operating in markets in India and China, to diversify the composition of Israel's exports and to generate sustainable growth avenues that will strengthen the Israeli industry and increase its resilience in the face of the challenges it faces in coming years.
Israel's Foreign Trade Policy describes China and India's as target countries for trade due to their rapid economic growth, which poses great opportunities for the Israeli economy and constitutes an enormous potential for its companies.
The Israeli Ministry of Industry, Labour and Trade is said to have conducted comprehensive consultations with representatives from the industries in recent months to build the programme. It has been designed for SMEs who have proven excellence and innovation in their fields of activity.
India has leaped to become Israel's second largest export destination, only next to close ally the United States. As per the figures provided by Israel's Export and International Cooperation Institute, India jumped from the eighth position to second as the favoured destination for Israeli exports in the first half of 2010.
Israeli exports to India in the first half of last year equalled USD 990 million, an increase of 102 per cent compared to the year before.
http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2011-03-09/news/28672460_1_second-largest-export-destination-foreign-trade-policy-india-and-china

Israel has started giving prominence to promoting tourism in India

2011-02-11T11:17:00.001+05:30

February 2011

Windows to the world

Israel

The India connection:
Israel Tourism still does not have an exclusive office in India but in the recent years Israel has started giving prominence to promoting tourism in India.

Success so far
Earlier few thousand tourists used to visit Israel annually, mostly for religious reasons (pilgrimage). Over the years Israel has emerged as a vibrant tourist destination famous for diverse sites and scenery, food, fashion and eco-tourism. The number of Indian tourists visiting Israel has touched 40,000 per annum. Business and agro-tourism has been growing significantly as well.

Key campaigns and promotions
A senior delegation of the Israeli Ministry of Tourism visited India last year and met leading tour operators. As part of the tourism promotion campaign Israel plans to participate in important tourism exhibitions including MTDC Tourism Expo in February 2011. In the last few years several Indian delegations of lifestyle journalists, fashion photographers and tour operators were taken to Israel. Beautiful coverage from them is helping us to promote Israel as a tourist destination .

Primary target market
We wish to have visits to Israel by people who are experienced travellers and are now looking for a new, exciting, exotic destination. Israel has lots to offer to everyone from snowy mountain peaks to camel rides in the desert, scuba diving and surfing in the Red Sea and the Mediterranean Sea to enjoying spas of the Dead Sea. Places like Jerusalem or Nazareth attract people of all religions. It also has very modern and lively cities like Tel Aviv or Haifa. Israel has lots of history and archeology, and at the same time very modern shopping centers, art and craft markets and much more.

Strategy for 2011
Our strategy is to increase this awareness further by participating in travel events in India, taking more delegation of journalists and tour operators, run a tourism promotion campaign through web and social networking sites.

http://www.expresstravelworld.com/201102/management40.shtml

Vegetables centre comes up in Haryana with Israeli help

2011-01-21T14:33:00.001+05:30

2011-01-17 23:10:00

Chandigarh, Jan 17 (IANS) Aiming to give a boost to agriculture in Haryana, a centre of excellence for vegetables has come up at Gharaunda town in the state's Karnal district, with support and expertise of Israel.

This centre was inaugurated by Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar Monday.

This centre, which is part of the India-Israel bilateral agreement on agricultural cooperation that was signed in 2006, has been set up at a cost of Rs.6 crore.

'Besides this centre of excellence for vegetables, another centre of excellence for fruits is being set up at village Mangyana in Sirsa district at a budget of Rs.9.7 crore. Haryana farmers have the capacity to meet the growing demand of vegetables and fruits of Delhi market,' Pawar said on the occasion.

'The two projects would empower the farmers with modern technology to increase the yield. It would also help them in ameliorating their economic status,' added Pawar.

Pawar said that a third centre of excellence for flower, with Israeli support, will be established at Haryana Agricultural University in Hisar in the coming months.

Israeli Ambassador to India Mark Sofer also attended the inauguration ceremony.

'This excellence centre set up in Haryana would serve as model for farmers from throughout the region. I must stress that this is not the end of the story. Work is going on towards the establishment of more such excellence centres and the sky is the limit,' said Sofer.

http://www.sify.com/news/vegetables-centre-comes-up-in-haryana-with-israeli-help-news-national-lbrxkoeicda.html

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/demandsupply-gap-behind-rising-prices-says-pawar/738850/

India plans use of Israeli spy sats for coastal surveillance

2011-01-17T17:04:00.004+05:30

http://www.siasatepaper.com/SS/SS/2011/01/17/ArticleHtmls/17_01_2011_001_017.shtml?Mode=1

Published: Sunday, Jan 16, 2011, 16:35 IST
Place: New Delhi | Agency: PTI
Aiming to enhance surveillance capabilities along the coastline, India is planning to use Israeli spy satellites to keep an eye over its maritime boundary with Pakistan.
Under the plan, New Delhi is looking to use the spy satellite coverage over the maritime region off the coast of Gujarat near Kutch, the region which was used by the terrorists involved in the 26/11 terror attacks to enter India through the sea route, sources said.
A discussion in this regard between the two sides was held recently during the visit of a high-level Indian defence delegation to Israel, they added.
After the 2008 Mumbai attacks, cooperation between India and Israel in anti-terrorism efforts has been on the rise and New Delhi is taking Tel Aviv's help in securing its maritime and land borders with Pakistan.
Once in place, the planned system would help the sea-guarding agencies such as the navy and the Coast Guard to keep an eye over a large area and keep a check on the vessels moving through the region and also verify their identity, they said.
The satellites would also be used to forewarn the authorities in case of any suspicious movement of ships or smaller vessels moving from Pakistan towards India.
With the satellites covering all the suspicious routes which the terrorists can possibly use in future, it will help the navy and the Coast Guard to locate, check, and if necessary, destroy such vessels.
The navy is going to commission its squadron of its Israeli Searcher and Heron unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) tomorrow at Porbandar in Gujarat for enhancing its capabilities to tighten the vigil over the maritime traffic there.
India has a over 7,500-km long coastline, which was not well-guarded till recently and after the Mumbai attacks, several steps are being taken by the Centre to plug the gaps in coastal security.
With an increased threat perception, the government has sanctioned procurement of equipment including fast attack craft, offshore patrol vessels and reconnaissance aircraft for the navy and the Coast Guard.
The navy is also raising a new force called the Sagar Prahari Bal (SPB) to protect naval bases and the coastline areas.
The SPB will be deployed to carry out shallow water operations in both day and night for seaward anti-terrorist patrols for security of naval assets, besides interception at high speeds and perform search and rescue operations.
http://www.dnaindia.com/india/report_india-plans-use-of-israeli-spy-sats-for-coastal-surveillance_1495207

PRESS INVITATION:FIRST ASIA TO GAZA CARAVAN RETURNS TO INDIA

2011-01-11T11:31:00.000+05:30

ASIAN PEOPLE'S SOLIDARITY FOR PALESTINE -- INDIA LIFELINE TO GAZA

PRESS INVITATION

MEET THE FIRST EVER INDIAN ACTIVISTS TO ENTER GAZA, PALESTINE!!

Afghanistan, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, Iran, Japan, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Malayasia, Pakistan, Palestine, Syria, Turkey, UK

Venue: Press Club of India, Raisina Road, New Delhi - 110 001

Time: 2.45 pm

Date: January 10, 2011/Monday

Chased by Israeli warships and warplanes in the Meditteranean Sea... held hostage in a cargo ship off Egypt without passports.. the amazing story of grit and determination of more than a 120 activists from 17 Asian countries, over 50 of them from India alone, who entered Gaza (Palestine) last week after a historic month-long 8,000-km bus-ride through Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon and Egypt.

With them, they took life-saving medical equipment, food items, clothes and other aid worth $1 million, weighing 170 tons, for the people of Gaza who continue to suffer unspeakable hardship for nearly five years under the illegal blockade imposed by the Israeli-US regimes.

Through its journey, the caravan was greeted by tens of thousands of people and their leaders that included, among others, Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmednijad, Hamas chief Khalid Mishal and Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haaniya.

You are cordially invited to meet the delegates at the press conference and share their experience through our testimonies, as well as their rich collection of videos and photographs that documented the historic journey.

The activists included a diverse range of representation from the civil society -- Magsaysay Award winner social activist Sandeep Pandey, West Asian expert and peace activist Feroze Mithiborwala, Gandhian activist Suresh Khairnar, trade union leader Ashim Roy, noted journalist Ajit Sahi, student activists from Vidyarthi Bharati in Mumbai, and students from JNU and Jamia Millia. The Indian delegates hailed from UP, Punjab, Kerala, Maharashtra, Delhi, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Bihar, Jharkhand, among others.

SQR ILYAS, Spokesperson, All India Muslim Personal Law Board

ZAFARUL ISLAM KHAN, Editor, Milli Gazette,

ANIL CHAUDHARY, President, Insaaf

ANAND SWAROOP VERMA, Editor, Teesri Duniya

KISHOR JAGTAP, Vice-President, Awami Bharat

GAUHAR IQBAL, President, Palestine Solidarity Forum

BIRAJ PATNAIK, Right to Food Activist with Supreme Court commission

TASLEEM RAHMANI, President, Muslim Political Council of India

ASLAM KHAN, Vice-President, AISA

SHEHEEN, Solidarity Youth Movement

BISHRUDDEN SHARQI, ex-President, Students' Islamic Organisation

BADAR KHAN, Student, Jamia Millia Islamia

KHUSHBOO KUMARI, Student, JNU

MOHAMMAD IRFAN, General Secretary, Subjects Association, Nelson Mandela Centre, Jamia Millia

SALEEL CHEMBAYIL, Student, Jamia Millia

POOJA BADEKAR, President, Vidyarthi Bharati

ARIF KAPADIA, President, Marathi Bharati

http://mulnivasibharat.blogspot.com/2011/01/fwd-press-invitation-first-asia-to-gaza.html

Asian Solidarity Brings Aid To Gaza

2011-01-05T15:31:00.000+05:30

By Saleh Hasan

GAZA, Jan 4 (Bernama) - A month after embarking on its mission, the "Asia 1" aid convoy arrived in Gaza on Monday in an attempt to break the Israeli embargo on the Palestinian enclave.

The convoy comprised 112 members from Malaysia, Indonesia, India, Pakistan, Japan, Kuwait and New Zealand.

They entered Gaza through the Rafah border crossing after their flotilla docked at the Egyptian Al-Aresh Port.

Upon arrival at the Rafah crossing, Palestinian officials and people crowded around to welcome the convoy which started its long trip from India on Dec 2 to Syria and finally sailed to Egypt .

The group succeeded in bringing 1,000 tonnes of food supply, medicines and children's toys.

Their arrival coincided with the second anniversary of Israel's three-week offensive on Gaza that began on Dec 27, 2008.

During their visit in Gaza, the pro-Palestinian group visited the headquarters of the Palestinian parliament destroyed during the war.

At the headquarters of the International Red Cross in Gaza, the Asian activists attended a protest along with the families of Gazan prisoners calling for the immediate release of Palestinian prisoners held in Israel's jails.

They chanted slogans and held placards, which among them, read "Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves".

They also visited families of Palestinians who were killed during the assault to show their solidarity with them.

Meanwhile, the head of the Palestinian committee on breaking the siege, Ahmed Youssef greeted the convoy members and expressed the Palestinians' appreciation for their humanitarian effort.

"We highly appreciate your effort and we extend our thanks to your governments," he said when addressing the delegation.

Fayrouz Mesbrola from India, who was leading the "Asia 1" convoy, told a news conference that the mission was aimed at ending the inhumane siege of Gaza.

-- BERNAMA
http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsindex.php?id=554115

Shame on Egyptian Government !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2011-01-05T11:04:00.002+05:30

http://www.mehrnews.com/fa/NewsDetail.aspx?NewsID=1224353

The Hindu : News / International : Five Israeli naval ships tracking Asian aid ship

2011-01-03T14:44:00.001+05:30

News » International

DUBAI, January 3, 2011

Five Israeli naval vessels are tailing the ship carrying humanitarian supplies from Asia to the besieged residents of Gaza.

Speaking via satellite phone, Shaheen Moidunny, who is on board the ship Salam, told The Hindu that Israeli ships had been tracking the movements of their vessel for the last six hours. Radio contact had been established with the Israeli navy. “We are only one hour away from the Egyptian port of Al-Arish, where the ship would be docked,” Mr. Moidunny said. He clarified that there were no plans to take the ship to Gaza. “All the humanitarian supplies would be taken overland from Al-Arish to the Rafa crossing on the Egyptian Gaza border,” he said.

Mr. Moidunny said only eight persons were on board the aid ship, while the rest of the activists, from several Asian countries had been flown into Egypt from Syria.

According to the Egyptian website Ahram Online, the “Asia to Gaza Solidarity Caravan” had remained stuck for nearly a week at the Syrian port of Latakia, before Egyptian authorities granted it permission to enter Al-Arish port. Activists from more than 15 countries, the majority of whom are Indians ,but also include nationals from Iran, Japan, Indonesia, Pakistan, Malaysia, New Zealand and Kuwait are participating in this initiative

The convoy, which set off from New Delhi on December 2, was scheduled to reach Gaza by December 27, a day ahead of the second anniversary of Israel's 22-day war on Gaza.

Earlier, Egypt's Al-Ahram newspaper quoted Palestinian sources as saying that the Egyptian embassy in Damascus had issued visas to 120 activists, but had denied entry to another 46 hailing from Jordan and Iran. Some of the aid material, including 10 generators donated by Iran, were not allowed on the ship, and the size of the cargo was kept below 300 tonnes.

Keywords:

The Hindu : News / International : Five Israeli naval ships tracking Asian aid ship

Asian aid convoy reaches Gaza Strip

2011-01-03T11:36:00.001+05:30

An aid convoy carrying food and medical supplies for the besieged Palestinians, as part of an Asian aid mission, has arrived in the Gaza Strip.

The Asia to Gaza Solidarity Caravan, (Asia 1) entered the coastal strip through the Rafah border crossing with Egypt on Monday.

Some 105 human rights activists gathered at the crossing. Most of them flew to Egypt from Syria. And eight activists arrived at the Egyptian port of El Arish onboard a ship.

Egyptian authorities had prevented Iranian activists with the convoy from entering Egypt.

The convoy had travelled 7,000 kilometers, but was stuck in Latikia, in the northwest of Syria, for more than a week awaiting Egypt's permission.

The aid convoy started its journey in the Indian capital, New Delhi. It had passed through Iran, Turkey, Lebanon and Syria to reach Egypt and finally the Gaza Strip.

The activists say they want to display solidarity with the Palestinian people in their resistance against Israel.

Tel Aviv has been enforcing an all-out land, aerial and naval blockade on the 1.5 million Palestinians in the enclave since mid-June 2007.

The embargo persists while Gaza is far from recovering from the December 2008-January 2009 Israeli war that claimed the lives of over 1,400 Palestinians, inflicting a damage of above $1.6 billion on the enclave's economy.

http://previous.presstv.com/detail.aspx?id=158381&sectionid=351020202

Iran President welcomes Asia to Gaza Solidarity Caravan

2010-12-19T10:34:00.000+05:30

By TCN News,
New Delhi: The 17-nation Asia to Gaza Solidarity Caravan got warm welcome in Iran on December 13 when President Ahmadinejad came up to welcome the caravan. He also had dinner with the peace activists. The caravan began its journey on December 2 from Rajghat, the resting place of Mahatma Gandhi in Delhi.
Set out under the leadership of eminent rights activist Feroz Mithiborewala of Awami Bharat, the caravan consists of dozens of human and civil rights groups, mostly from India including Palestine Solidarity Movement and Students Islamic Organisation of India.

Iran President Ahmadinejad (2nd from right in front row), Gauhar Iqbal of Palestine Solidarity Movement (1st from left in front row), and others in Iran on December 13
Addressing the Asian People’s Solidarity for Palestine convoy, which is traveling through Iran before heading to Turkey, President Ahmadinejad said in Tehran on Monday that “Palestine is the mirror of today's humanity and the past history of mankind.”
“The issue of Palestine and efforts to alleviate the sufferings of the Palestinian people is a humanitarian issue, and the responsibility of all nations, all colors, all races, all ethnic origins and all religions should hand-in-hand enter into a collective effort to solve this greatest problem of humanity today,” the President said.

Shaheen KM, Central Advisory Council Member of SIO, at Wagah border
The caravan has eminent figures including Feroz Mithiborewala, senior journalist Ajit Sahi, Gauhar Iqbal of Palestine Solidarity Movement and Shaheen KM, Central Advisory Council Member of SIO and Bashiruddin Sharqi, former president of the students group. The caravan, which was denied entry into Pakistan via Wagah border on December and consequently had to fly its members to Iran, is scheduled to set sail for El Arish from the Syrian port of Latakia on December 26, and cross into Gaza at the Rafah border checkpoint, provided Egyptian authorities approve its passage. Their arrival in Gaza on the day will coincide the second anniversary of Israel’s Operation Cast Lead.
En route to Gaza, the convoy will be joined by activists from Indonesia, Iran, Turkey, Syria, and Lebanon besides other Asian countries.

Members of caravan at Wagah border
On 2nd December in New Delhi, the convoy was flagged off by former union minister and senior ruling Congress party leader, Mani Shankar Aiyer from Rajghat. It is said to be Asia’s first humanitarian aid caravan to Palestine. Praising the initiative, Aiyer said: “I congratulate the organisers for taking Mahatma Gandhi’s message of non-violence from Rajghat to Gaza.” The event was also attended by senior Congress leader and former Madhya Pradesh chief minister Digvijay Singh.

http://twocircles.net/2010dec15/iran_president_welcomes_asia_gaza_solidarity_caravan.html

Gadkari gets warm welcome in Israeli parliament

2010-12-16T23:53:00.001+05:30

BJP president Nitin Gadkari today received a warm welcome when he visited the Israeli parliament along with his party delegation.
The Speaker welcomed Gadkari and the delegation to the Israeli Knesset (Parliament) where the BJP chief was joined by the treasury as well as opposition benches.
Later, Gadkari met Israel''s deputy premier Dan Meridor and discussed agricultural cooperation between the two nations

India, Israel should work together in fighting terrorism: Gadkari

2010-12-16T23:33:00.002+05:30

The Hindu BJP national president Nitin Gadkari.

BJP president Nitin Gadkari has underscored an urgent need for India and Israel to enhance cooperation in combating terrorism and promoting joint ventures in agro-based industries.

Mr. Gadkari, who is on a six-day goodwill visit to Israel along with a BJP delegation, said that Indian states facing Maoist violence could benefit from the Israeli homeland security systems which are based on advanced technology.

Speaking after a presentation, Mr. Gadkari said he has advised the security companies to organise special presentations in Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Bihar which are facing the challenge of Maoist violence.

The goodwill visit was aimed at promoting political dialogue as well as people to contact between the two countries, the BJP chief said.

Friendly relations between the two nations have been making steady progress and they have expanded cooperation in various fields including high-end technology, he said later at a reception hosted by the Israel-India Friendship Association and the Marathi Jewish Community here.

During the last two days, Mr. Gadkari has visited some joint venture research and development projects relating to homeland security, agriculture, water management and irrigation.

Several Israeli trade and industry delegations also called on Mr. Gadkari expressing keen interest in starting joint ventures in the areas of water management, irrigation, dairy and other agro-based industries in the BJP-ruled states.

Mr. Gadkari is scheduled to meet the political leadership here and interact with the Israel-India Parliamentary Friendship League tomorrow.

The BJP president is accompanied by party general secretary Vasundhra Raje Scindia and Vijay Jolly, in-charge of the party’s Foreign Cell among others.

The Hindu : News / National : India, Israel should work together in fighting terrorism: Gadkari

Iranians welcomed Asia To Gaza caravan in the city of Kerman

2010-12-15T22:58:00.001+05:30

Gaza-Bound Asian Aid Caravan Continues Ground Journey in Iran

2010-12-11T21:51:00.001+05:30

TEHRAN (FNA)- The Asian continent's first humanitarian aid convoy to Gaza arrived in Iran's Southeastern province of Kerman on Friday.

The Asian People's Solidarity for Palestine (APSP) convoy, which plans to travel through Iran to Turkey, arrived in provincial capital city of Kerman on Friday.

The convoy arrived in Iran on Wednesday after completing their ground journey in India.

A number of 55 activists accompany the Asian Gaza Solidarity Caravan, organized by the Asian People's Solidarity for Palestine, a coalition of social movements, trade unions and civil society institutions of the region.

The current members of the caravan are from India, Pakistan, Japan, Nepal, Malaysia and Singapore and it is expected that they will be accompanied by their counterparts from Iran, Bahrain, Turkey, Australia and Azerbaijan.

Thirty-two Indians and eight others from Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Malaysia and Japan were not allowed by the Indian Border Security Force to cross over to Pakistan on foot for want of an NoC from New Delhi and they took a flight to Iran.

The convoy will carry medical aid and donate two ambulances to the authorities in Palestine.

The Asian peace activists hope that the move would provide a good opportunity for breaking the siege of Gaza.

The move came nearly seven months after Israeli forces raided the Gaza Freedom Flotilla on May 31. Over 100 Israeli soldiers supported by military choppers boarded a Turkish ship, Mavi Marmara, leading the six-ship convoy in international waters.

The Israeli commandoes killed 20 international human rights activists and wounded 80 more. Nine of the victims were Turkish nationals. Some members of the European parliaments, former western diplomats, reporters and human rights activists were among the victims of Israel's brutal act.

The siege of Gaza started in June 2007 when Israel imposed a blockade on the Gaza Strip. This was supported by the governments of Egypt and the US.

The blockade consists of a land blockade along Gaza's borders with Egypt and Israel and a sea blockade. It immediately followed the 2006-2007 economic sanctions against the Palestinian National Authority following the election of Hamas to the Palestinian government.

The blockade has attracted criticism from many Human Rights organizations. September 2009 UN fact-finding mission found that the blockade of Gaza "amounted to collective punishment", was likely a war crime and a crime against humanity and recommended that the matter be referred to the International Criminal Court (ICC).
http://english.farsnews.com/newstext.php?nn=8909190731

People in Zahedan welcoming Asian solidarity for Palestine caravan

2010-12-10T22:00:00.000+05:30

Peace group to Gaza stopped at Wagah

2010-12-06T12:26:00.000+05:30

Activists stage a dharna at the Wagah border point

Indian peace activists planning to take humanitarian aid to Palestinians in the Gaza Strip sat in dharna briefly at the Wagah border point with Pakistan. They later returned to Delhi as the government denied them permission to cross over on foot.

“Permission was not denied. They had valid passports and visas and were free to use the established means of transport to cross over into Pakistan. Going on foot is not one of the established means such as bus, train or plane,” said informed sources in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) here.

‘No response’

Members of the “India lifeline to Gaza” claimed that the Ministry did not respond to their plea for permission to cross over even though it was sought a month ago. “We thought the Indian government has a stated policy of support to the Palestinian people. But such unresponsiveness makes us have serious doubts,'' said Sunil Kumar who sat in dharna with the others at Wagah.

The mission, first such from the country, is part of the Asian Peoples Solidarity for Palestine.

“Crossing over by foot is not the normal practice. Foreigners, diplomats and sometimes journalists can cross over on foot. For jathas and other groups, the norm is to take the established means like bus, train or flights,'' said the sources.

This group planned to travel through six nations on its way to Gaza. The caravan was flagged off from Rajghat on December 2 by senior Congress leader Digvijay Singh along with Mani Shanker Aiyer, MP, Planning Commission Member Syeda Hameed and National Advisory Council member Harsh Mander. The convoy was to travel through Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Egypt, and to enter Gaza on December 27.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/article931949.ece

Indian government stops peace activists from visiting Pakistan

2010-12-06T12:11:00.000+05:30

Staff Report
LAHORE: The Indian government, on the influence of the US administration, has halted 41 peace activists and denied them permission to visit Pakistan for joining the Asian People’s Solidarity for Palestine Caravan, this was disclosed by the Pakistanis for Palestine (PoP) on Saturday.

PoP held an urgent press conference at the Lahore Press Club and condemned the act of the Indian government demanding a review in the visa policies of both the neighbouring countries, India and Pakistan for each other.

Activists of some of the prominent civil society organisations, political parties, trade and students’ unions, the Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research (PILER), the South Asia Partnership, SAFMA, the Labour Party Pakistan, the Labour Federation and National Students Federation were also present in the press conference.

PILER’s director Karamat and Farooq Tariq of LPP said influence of the US and Israel had increased in the South Asian region and they had pressurised the Indian government not to issue visa to 32 Indians and restrict nine peace activists from Australia, Japan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Malaysia to become a part of Peace Caravan in Pakistan.
Karamat said Pakistanis and Indians had set some unique example as they were issuing visa of some specific cities which was a discriminatory and uncivilised act of both the countries. He demanded governments of India and Pakistan that they should relax visa rules for each other following the wishes of their people who wanted to meet each other without any hindrance.

Condemning the Indian government’s act of halting the peace activists who were campaigning against Israel’s aggressive moves towards Palestinians, Karamat and Farooq said although the Indian government had not given visas to 41 peace activists, the caravan would not stop and set off on its journey from Pakistan to Iran, Turkey, Syria and Lebanon to Gaza where they would show solidarity with the deprived nation.

Farooq said the governments as well as bureaucracy of Pakistan and India was working against the people of Gaza under the US and Israel pressure.
He said the Palestinians, especially the people in Gaza, have been under siege by the Israeli forces for a long time. All human rights activists of the world would continue their struggle to end the siege of Gaza, he added.

A Palestine national and peace activist Muhammad Khalid, while addressing the press conference, stated that the US administration had influenced the Indian government to stop the caravan against the Israeli aggression.

Replying to a question about the Palestine government of Mehmood Abbas, he showed dissatisfaction with him, said the government was collaborating with the White House.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2010%5C12%5C05%5Cstory_5-12-2010_pg13_2

Asian People's Solidarity For Palestine Announces

2010-12-06T12:06:00.000+05:30

05 October, 2010

500 civil resisters from 17 Asian countries will join the caravan from India and march through 18 Asian cities of Pakistan, Iran, and Turkey to break the siege of Gaza through the sea route in December 2010

The Asia to Gaza Solidarity Caravan is being organised by the Asian People's Solidarity for Palestine , an alliance of peoples' organisations, social movements, trade unions, and civil society institutions of Asia. This struggle is broad-based, varied and multi-dimensional. It is humanitarian and for peace, freedom and human dignity . It is against occupation, imperialism, apartheid, Zionism and all forms of discrimination including religious discrimination . Simultaneous press conferences are being held in 5 countries today – India, Turkey, Iran, Indonesia and Lebanon – to announce the launch of the Asia to Gaza Caravan. Similar press conferences will be held next week in Syria, Palestine, Malysia, Nepal and Bangladesh.

The Asian People's Solidarity for Palestine extends solidarity to the courageous people of Palestine in their struggle, resistance, and intifada against the Zionist Israeli occupation and affirms its commitment to Palestinian Self-Determination; Ending the Occupation; Equal Rights for All within historic Palestine; the Right of Return for Palestinian refugees; and the Establishment of a Sovereign, Independent and Democratic state of Palestine with Jerusalem as the capital.

The Asian People's Solidarity for Palestine commits to build the solidarity of Asian people for the freedom of Palestine, provide materials, resources, and volunteers to support the struggle of the people of Palestine and oppose our own governments' decisions and actions that give economic, financial, military and diplomatic support to Israel and allow it to behave with impunity.

India Lifeline to Gaza , which is a constituent of the Asian People's Solidarity for Palestine will have a conference and a large flag off programme in New Delhi on 2nd December 2010. The Caravan will carry relief material for the people of Gaza. The Asia to Gaza Caravan will cross into Pakistan via the Wagah border where members of the Pakistan Solidarity for Gaza will join the Caravan onwards to Iran. In every country and city that the caravan travels through, public meetings will be organised as more activists and participants join the caravan. We also support the United Palestinian call of July 2005 for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) to compel Israel to comply with international law; the Palestinian Campaign for Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI); and all other initiatives to end the occupation of Palestine.

TENTATIVE CARAVAN SCHEDULE
01 Dec	Participants from East and South East Asia reach New Delhi, India	15-17 Dec	Tabriz , Iran to Eskandarun, Turkey
2-3 Dec	Flag off from New Delhi and travel to Wagah border, India-Pakistan Border	18-19 Dec	Eskandarun , Turkey to Damascus, Syria
04 Dec	Reach Lahore, Pakistan	20-21 Dec	Damascus , Syria to Amman Jordan
5-7 Dec	Lahore to Karachi/Quetta, Pakistan	22-23 Dec	Amman , Jordan to Beirut Lebanon
08 Dec	Karachi/Quetta, Pakistan to Zahedan, Iran	24-26 Dec	Beirut back to Turkey
9-14 Dec	Zahedan, Iran to Tabriz, Iran	26 Dec	We Sail for Gaza (Palestine)

Peaceful Resistance

The civil resisters have resolved to resist the Israeli sea siege in a peaceful manner and following the example of civil resisters such as Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr., and Nelson Mandela as well as the long tradition of peaceful resistance from all ethical and religious traditions. The civil resisters are willing to be convicted for their peaceful resistance.

India Lifeline to Gaza

This process has been initiated by Indian people's movements, social movements, trade unions, civil society organisations and multi-faith and ecumenical organisations. In the two months prior to departure of the Asia to Gaza caravan there will be multi-city programmes in solidarity of the people of Gaza and Palestine. Film festivals of Palestinian films and films of resistance, music concerts, photo exhibits, and theatre productions are being organised by the supporters of the people of Gaza and Palestine.

Palestinian Film Festival: Celebrating Cultures of Resistance

A week-long film festival screening Palestinian films and documentaries is being planned across several cities of India in the last week of October (tentatively 23-30 October). Several other initiatives such as solidarity concerts, theatrical performances, photo exhibits, panel discussions and seminars will also be planned in the days leading up to the flag-off of the Caravan.

End the Siege of Gaza • Freedom to Palestine • Boycott Israel

Endorsed by:

[

Organisations

All India Students Association

Aman Bharat

Asha Parivar

Awami Bharat

Ayodhya Ki Awaaz

Bahujan Sewak Sangh

Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha

Bharat Bachao Andolan

Bharat Jan Vigyan Jatha

Campaign for Peace & Democracy (Manipur)

Chhattisgarh Mukti Morcha (Mazdoor Karyakarta Committee)

CPI(ML)

CPI-ML (New Democracy)

Forum against Oppression of Women

Free Gaza - India

Global Gandhi Forum

Hard News

Indian Isladhi Movement

India Palestine People's Solidarity Forum

Indian Fed of Trade Unions

Insaaniyat

Intercultural Resources

Jamiat-i-Ulema-i-Hind

Jamat-e-Islami-Hind

Le Monde Diplomatique

Loknaad

Mahatma Phule-Dr Ambedkar Vichar Manch

Mazdoor Ekta Manch

Muslim Intellectual Forum

Muslim Political Council of India

National Association of Peoples Movements

National Forum of Forest People and Forest Workers

New Socialist Initiative

New Trade Union Initiative

Palestine Solidarity Movement

People's Union for Civil Liberties

Phule-Ambedkar Vichar Manch

Programme against Custodial Torture and Impunity

Progressive Students Union

Republican Panther

Saheli Women's Resource Centre

Sarva Seva Sangh

Solidarity Youth Movement

South Asia Peace Alliance

South Asian Network of Gender Activists and Trainers

Students Islamic Organisation of India

Trade Union Centre of India

Teesra Swadheenta Andolan

Vidyarthi Bharti

Yuva Koshish

All India Majlis-i-Mushawarrat

Individuals:

Achin Vanaik

Agdish Nagarkar

Ambarish Rai

Amol Madame

Amit Sengupta

Anand Grover

Anand Patwardhan

Anand Swaroop Verma

Anil Chaudhary

Arif Kapadia

Ashish Kothari

Asif Khan

Aslam Ghazi

Bajrang Sonawane

Brig. Sudhir Sawant

Chetna Birje

Dr Sunilam

Ghazala Azad

Gopal Rai

Ihtishaam Ansari

Jai Sen

Javed Naqvi

Kabir Arora

Kalyani Menon-Sen, New Delhi

Khalid Riaz

Medha Patkar

Mehmood Madni

Mukta Srivastava

Mukul Sinha

Mulniwasi Mala

Munawwar Azad

Munawwar Khan

Pandit Jugal Kishore Shastri

Qurratulain Sundus

Reshma Jagtap

Ritu Menon

Rohini Hensman

Salman Usmani

Sandeep Pandey

Sanjay Shinde

Savyasaachi

Sayeed Khan

Sayeeda Hameed

Shabnam Hashmi

Shahid Siddiqui

Sheikh Muhammad Hussain

Shyam Sonar

Sudhir Dhawale

Sumi Saikia

Syed Iftikhar Ahed

Thomas Matthew

Tusha Mittal

Varsha V V

Vasanthi Raman

Vilas Gaikwad

Winnie Thomas

Yawar Ali Qazi

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India Lifeline to Gaza c/o ICR 33-D, 3rd Floor Vijay Mandal Enclave
DDA SFS FLATS
New Delhi, 110016 Email: asiatogaza.india@gmail.com We b site: http://www.asiatogaza.net/ Phone: 09711178868; 09911599955; 09820897517

Asian People's Solidarity For Palestine Announces The Asia To Gaza Solidarity Caravan

Peace caravan

2010-12-03T14:44:00.000+05:30

Civil activists raise free Gaza slogans at the Mahatma Gandhi memorial in New Delhi, Thursday. About 50 civil activists from India began their journey to Gaza as part of the first Asia to Gaza Solidarity Caravan. The caravan plans to travel across Pakistan, Turkey, Syria, Lebanon and Egypt to reach Palestine to express solidarity with the people of Palestine in their resistance against Israel.

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