Latest news with #NaelBarghouti
Arab Times
05-03-2025
- Politics
- Arab Times
The ‘Palestinian laboratory'
Israel released Nael Barghouti after he spent 45 years in prison as a freedom fighter. However, there are still some among our own people who shamelessly continue to sympathize with the Zionist entity, and justify its actions under the pretext that Hamas is affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood Group. They insist on refusing to differentiate between a fundamental disagreement with Hamas's ideology and positions, and the Palestinian right to a free and secure state. It seems they have little desire for Palestinians to enjoy a free and secure homeland, for reasons that are no longer a mystery. Jewish-Australian freelance investigative journalist Antony Loewenstein recently released his book titled 'The Palestinian Laboratory'. Few people in our countries, especially those concerned with the issue, have heard of this book, which was first published nearly a year ago. In his book, Loewenstein exposes Israel's crimes, not only within its own borders but also against many peoples governed by merciless dictatorial regimes. These regimes import weapons, mass surveillance devices, and abuse systems from Israel. According to the book, Israel ranks ninth globally in exporting weapons, spying systems, surveillance, and eavesdropping technologies. It highlights how Israel has benefited from its occupation of Palestinian territories by using it as a testing ground for developing its weapons. With a population of seven million people, the occupied territories serve as an illegal laboratory, where these individuals are subjected to experiments, all of them monitored by highly advanced systems. Consequently, Israel managed to collect a tremendous amount of information about every Palestinian citizen, and it resorted to hiring vast storage capacities from Google and Amazon to store the collected data. The Israeli military-industrial complex uses the occupied Palestinian territories as an open field to test the effects of weapons and surveillance technologies before exporting them to many countries around the world. This unethical exploitation has provided Israel with great experience in controlling the population of any country through surveillance, home demolitions, long-term imprisonment of Palestinians, and the abuse of highly advanced systems and high-tech tools such as the Pegasus spyware, all used in a brutal manner. The book has been praised by leading international intellectuals and politicians as a tragic and sordid record of how Israel, once seen as a moral model in their eyes, has transformed into a supplier of the most brutal tools of sabotage in world history. It highlights Israel's disregard for ethics and its insistence on treating the Palestinian people as human laboratory subjects for criminal experiments. Loewenstein based his book and the television report on certified research, studies, and interviews with a wide variety of Palestinians and former Israeli security officials. The video link is available at the end of this article. The renowned intellectual Noam Chomsky commented on the book, stating that it is highly recommended for reading because it exposes the hidden and shocking face of Israeli colonialism and the way it uses its oppression of the Palestinians to strengthen its military and security industries, in blatant violation of global human rights principles. Prominent and independent Jewish intellectuals have regarded the book as a valuable resource for anyone seeking to understand the horrific story of how Israel established its technological economy, built on spyware, drones, and horrific devices that enable it to enslave the Palestinians and deprive them of their basic rights, including the right to possess their own nationality in their homeland. These are testimonies from prominent Jewish witnesses, including Israelis. Yet, there are still those among us who are unashamed to openly express their support for Israel! Here is the link to the book:
Saba Yemen
01-03-2025
- General
- Saba Yemen
First phase of "Free Flood" deal: A victory that confirms will, nobility of resistance
Sana'a - Saba: The Palestinian resistance closed the file of the last operation of the first phase of the prisoner exchange agreement between the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) and the Zionist occupation today, Thursday; in which hundreds of prisoners were released in exchange for the bodies of four prisoners of the occupation. The feelings of the families of the Palestinian prisoners were indescribable, as they waited for their sons and relatives after long years of captivity; feelings that the pen is unable to describe and comprehend about the moment of that meeting, the moment of freedom, as the wait began on Wednesday evening, and the longing for the meeting continued to escalate until the date was reached. The scenes in Ramallah, Gaza and elsewhere were filled with a clear truth that the release of this large number of prisoners, including child prisoners and female prisoners, confirms the extent of the resistance's ability to achieve victory in many languages, and how great this achievement is, which the resistance has achieved, and through which families have been reunited with their sons after decades of loss and hope. Perhaps the story of the prisoner Nael Barghouti, who lived half a century as a prisoner in the occupation's prisons, encapsulates the greatness of this act on the one hand, and on the other hand, it confirms the courage of the Palestinian as a resister and a prisoner at the same time. Barghouti was released after fifty years, clinging to his freedom and believing in the freedom of his country and people. He obtained his freedom as part of the "Freedom Flood" deal. "The resistance project is to liberate a nation, not just to liberate prisoners," with these powerful words, the longest-serving freed prisoner in the world, Nael Barghouti, expressed his gratitude to the Palestinian resistance hours after his release as part of the seventh batch of the Freedom Flood deal, within the framework of the ceasefire in Gaza. While on the bus taking him to Egypt, the dean of Palestinian prisoners said, "The taste of freedom is indescribable, but our freedom will not be complete without the success of the resistance project," addressing the people of the Gaza Strip, "from women, children, men, and resistance fighters, soldiers and leaders, and to the soil of Gaza with greetings. All words do not do justice to the people of Gaza, and all that the occupation has done and destroyed is not worth the fingernail of a Palestinian child in Gaza.' The Director of the Prisoners' Media Office, Ahmed Al-Qudra, confirmed that today marks a new chapter of glory, as freedom flows in the veins of those who have endured behind bars. The Qassam fighter released in the Al-Aqsa Flood deal, Ammar Al-Zaben, from Nablus and deported to Egypt, saluted the martyred leaders, the resistance and the Qassam Brigades, stressing that the blood of the people of Gaza will not be in vain, and that the Palestinian people have learned a lot from their patience, steadfastness and sacrifices. Here is the occupation entity that committed the most heinous crimes in order to release its prisoners, and has failed to liberate them, and has continued to be stubborn for more than 15 months, threatening the Hamas movement with destruction, until it had no choice but to recognize the resistance, through negotiating with it to release the prisoners and cease fire, and in doing so it has admitted its defeat and defeat before history. Over the weeks that it took to implement the first phase of the agreement, amid the occupation's attempts to stop its implementation and its procrastination in implementing what concerns it, the resistance wrote bright lines about the extent of its commitment and respect for the agreements as part of its religious culture, while the occupation appeared in a position of one who breaks and violates its covenant and commitment; so that the resistance could tell the world: Here is the resistance and here is the occupation in their true form. The diseases, ailments, weakness and emaciation that appeared on the Palestinian prisoners as a result of what they were exposed to in Israeli prisons reflects the extent of the ugliness of the occupation's culture, while the resistance handed over its living prisoners in a state befitting the resistance as a noble act; and the kissing of one of the Zionist prisoners on the forehead of the resistance soldiers during one of the exchange operations was nothing but evidence and testimony from them of the greatness and nobility of the Palestinian resistance; and this is not strange as they seek freedom and defy the storm! Whatsapp Telegram Email
Arab News
01-03-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
New demand by Israel risks shaky Gaza truce
CAIRO: The fragile truce in Gaza was hanging by a thread on Friday after Israel demanded a six-week extension to the first phase of the deal. The 42-day first stage of the ceasefire — under which Hamas released 33 Israeli hostages, more than 2,000 Palestinian prisoners were freed from Israeli jails and its forces partially withdrew from Gaza — ends on Saturday. Talks on the second stage — the release of all remaining hostages and Israel's complete military withdrawal from the Palestinian enclave — should have begun last month, but Egyptian security sources said on Friday that Israeli negotiators in Cairo were insisting on a further 42 days of the first stage. Hamas opposes the extension and insists on proceeding to the second phase of the deal as originally agreed. 'We call on the international community to pressure the occupation to... immediately enter the second phase of the agreement without any delay,' it said on Friday. Palestinian Foreign Minister Varsen Aghabekian also said on Friday that she would like the ceasefire phases to move ahead as originally planned. 'I doubt anyone in Gaza will want to go back to war,' she said. However, there is also no sign of consensus on Gaza's future. That uncertainty is complicating efforts to negotiate a lasting resolution. A hostage-prisoner swap early Thursday was the final one under the initial stage of the truce. Hamas returned the bodies of four Israelis and 643 Palestinians were released from Israeli jails. Many were awaiting treatment on Friday at a hospital in Khan Younis in southern Gaza. Among those freed was Nael Barghouti, the longest-serving Palestinian prisoner who spent more than four decades behind bars. Another released prisoner, Yahya Shraideh, said: 'We were in hell and we came out of hell.'
Al-Ahram Weekly
28-02-2025
- Politics
- Al-Ahram Weekly
Hamas urges pressure on Israel to start next phase of Gaza truce - War on Gaza
Palestinian resistance group Hamas called on Friday for international pressure on Israel to enter the next phase of a ceasefire that has largely halted the Israeli genocidal war on Gaza, as negotiations were resuming in Cairo. With hours to go before the first phase of the truce is due to expire, mediator Egypt said on Thursday that Israeli, Qatari and US delegations were in the capital Cairo for "intensive" talks on a second phase that should bring a permanent end to the war. Hamas said in a statement that "with the end of the first phase of the ceasefire", the group "affirms its full commitment to implementing all the provisions of the agreement in all its stages and details". "We call on the international community to pressure the Zionist occupation (Israel) to... immediately enter the second phase of the agreement without any delay," it said. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday "instructed the negotiation delegation to depart for Cairo", his office said shortly after Hamas handed over the remains of dead Israeli captives under the truce, in exchange for hundreds of Palestinians held under harsh conditions in Israeli jails. The ceasefire, agreed after months of gruelling negotiations, has largely halted Israel's 15-month assault on Gaza, which has killed more than 48,000 Palestinians, mostly children and women. 'We were in hell' The detainees swap early Thursday was the final one under the initial stage of the truce that took effect on January 19. Israel's Prison Service said that 643 Palestinians were freed after Hamas returned the bodies of four Israelis. The Palestinians freed Thursday were meant to be released at the weekend, but Israel delayed the process. Among those freed was the longest-serving Palestinian prisoner in an Israeli jail, Nael Barghouti, who spent more than four decades behind bars. Member of Fatah, the movement of current Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas, Barghouti arrived in Egypt on Thursday, after being expelled from the Palestinian territories upon his release. Nearly every Palestinian has a friend or family member who has been jailed by Israel. Most are incarcerated for months or years without trial in what is known as administrative detention. Around 500 of them had been kidnapped by Israeli forces from Gaza. AFP images showed some prisoners, back in Gaza, awaiting treatment or being assessed at a hospital in Khan Younis after their release. Several freed Palestinian prisoners were hospitalised following earlier swaps. Yahya Shraideh, released on Thursday, said: "We were in hell and we came out of hell." *This story was edited by Ahram Online. Follow us on: Facebook Instagram Whatsapp Short link:
Telegraph
27-02-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
Israel is paying a terrible price in this ‘deal' with Hamas
In the negotiations between Jerusalem and Hamas, the jihadis have tried to secure the release of the very worst murderers serving the longest sentences in Israeli prisons as a matter of priority, with women and teenage inmates to come later. Israel, on the other hand, has emphasised freeing women, children, the elderly and infirm first, and only then come men of fighting age. This simple fact tells you everything you need to know about the values of the two societies. Thousands of Israelis have been forced to watch as criminals are released to secure the freedom of their innocent compatriots who were snatched from their homes for no greater crime than simply being Jewish. On the list of those released last night was 67-year-old Nael Barghouti, Israel's longest-serving Palestinian inmate. That sinewy killer, affiliated to Hamas, was first jailed in 1978 for the murder of Israeli bus driver Mordechai Yekuel near Ramallah. He was about the same age as my father was at the time. After serving 33 years of a life sentence, Barghouti was released in 2011 in exchange for Israeli hostage Gilad Shalit; but three years later he was once again arrested and convicted on terrorism charges. By the time of his latest release, he had spent 44 years in prison. Another Palestinian icon to have walked free last night was Abdel Nasser Issa, a founding member of the West Bank wing of Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military wing of Hamas. A protege of Yahya 'the Engineer' Ayyash, the mastermind behind the group's suicide bomb strategy in the 1990s, Issa was serving two life sentences plus an additional seven years for his role in multiple atrocities. Hamza al-Kaluti, a Hamas operative involved in planning suicide bombings in the same period, had his life sentence commuted and returned home to East Jerusalem after 24 years in prison. These are not small concessions. More than 500 men were released last night in return for a handful of innocent Israeli hostages, some living but many dead. And to see the frenzied carnival as they walked free, in which many were immediately draped in the colours of their jihadi groups and armed with automatic weapons, was a sobering reminder of the blood-price paid by the Jewish state. Hillel Fuld, a high-tech consultant who watched the release of the man who stabbed his brother to death in 2018, described the experience as 'like a punch in the gut'. He said: 'On the one hand, we're releasing hundreds of monsters for every single Israeli hostage. It's just tragic, it's horrible. On the other hand, we see these hostages being reunited with their families. How could we not pay that price? Who could look a mother in the face and say we're not going to bring your daughter back from the dungeons of hell?' Some of the convicts have been deported to other Arab countries but Israelis are under no pretence that giving freedom to such numbers will produce anything other than blood and tears. Israel is a practical country and it is quite obvious that the very dynamic of the deal provides a powerful incentive for further hostage taking. There have been reported cases of released convicts slipping immediately back to lives of jihad, to be arrested or killed later in the pursuit of further murders. Yet this is the nature of the Israeli social contract. The Jewish state is a remarkable outlier when set alongside other liberal democracies. Its birth rate is high, not low; its population young and growing; its social bonds are powerful, with the nation relating to itself as an extended family, not atomised, unpatriotic and demoralised; its innovation, economy and GDP are vibrant; its health system and quality of life are excellent; and its people are among the happiest in the world (after October 7 it fell in the international league tables from fourth happiest in the world to fifth, behind only the Scandinavian countries). At the heart of this miraculous paradox lies the ancient Talmudic motto, 'Kol Yisrael Arevim Zeh Bazeh,' meaning 'all of Israel hold a responsibility for each other'. It is this that motivates hundreds of thousands of men, both young and not-so-young, to leave their families, their children and their businesses and place their necks on the line for the sake of defending the family of the nation. It is time to face the truth of both cultures. By comparison to Israel, which is not without stain but is nonetheless a beacon of liberalism and hope in the region, Palestinian society is in the grip of a monstrous cult of death. There is nothing inherent in Palestinians that condemns them to live in this way. Rather, it has been engineered by the international community. The history and anguish comes together with each exchange of innocent hostages for hundreds of murderers, such as we saw last night. The conclusion, however, is unavoidable. Look at the relative achievements of both societies. Look at Israel's place in the Middle East; its wealth, its social cohesion, its military might, its quality of life, its levels of happiness. And look at the existence the Palestinians must endure. In truth, as the deputy director of the FBI pointed out this week, 'Arabs in Israel have more freedoms than Arabs in Arab countries'. For all the pain that fills the heart of every Israeli right now, they know that ultimately life will triumph over death. That the other side has failed to learn this lesson, or has been forbidden from doing so by those harbouring cruel political interests, is the most unspeakable tragedy of all.
