Lukasz

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I'm doing Palestine!

3/1/10 =Israeli police, Palestinians clash at holy site.=

Yahoo News http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100228/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_israel_palestinians

Palestinian youth were protesting in the old city of Jerusalem. wearing t-shirts to cover their faces. the Israeli riot police were called in to quell the supposed uprising, they fired rubber bullets and stun/smoke grenades to lower the possible casualties. The youth were throwing rocks at the riot police. Even though it was just a minor clash, the Palestinian president called it a malevolent "attack" against an Islamic holy site. The Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas, going so far as to call it an attempt to "spark a religious war in the region".

I think that calling an attempt to spark a religious war, is a step too far. I think that this shouldn't be as big of a deal as it is made out to be. The Palestinian youth were just protesting against the Israeli government but were not trying to spark anything major, if they were... it's definitely not the way to go. I do think however the Israeli riot police went a bit far by trying to quell it using humane grenades and rubber bullets, possibly hurting the suspected rioters. To me this is just another reason for Palestinians and Israelis to push off the U.S. planned peace talks.

3/1/10 =Hamas to extend detention of British reporter.=

Yahoo News http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100228/wl_mideast_afp/mideastconflictgazahamasbritainmedia

The Hamas-run government of Gaza, is calling to hold the British reporter for a little longer due to not finishing their investigation. He was arrested due to testifying for a Palestinian friend accused of "collaborating with Israel". He has been charged with no major crime. He has been accused of "violating Palestinian law and security in the Gaza Strip".

I think it is a bit unjust, but in times of war no man can be trusted. Since Gaza is in a state of war, I think they should be allowed to take any person accused of being a spy for the enemy government.

3/2/10 =Palestinian Cabinet stakes claim amid shrine furor.=

Yahoo News. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100301/ap_on_re_mi_ea/ml_israel_palestinians

The Palestinian Cabinet moved its weekly meeting to Hebron, on manday, a protest against Israel's addition of a contested shrine in the volatile West Bank city. The shrine was claimed by Israel, and a shock rose across the world. This only fuels the suspicion the Palestinians have over Israel not wanting the peace talks. Israelis and Palestinians have clashed frequently in the past over two West Bank shrines added to the heritage list: the Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron and Rachel's Tomb in Bethlehem. The city's brewing tensions were on sharp display on Monday, when a group of settler youths, some as young as 4 years old, threw rocks and cursed at Palestinians not far from the traditional grave of Abraham, considered the father of both Judaism and Islam. Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas denounced Israel's actions as an "attack on the holy site" and his militant rivals the Hamas called for an uprising. It is a city with only about 500 Jewish settlers (heavily guarded) and over 17000 Palestinians. These types of clashes against the Israeli riot police is a natural occurrence. But this one was different.

I think that Israel in a way is trying to withhold peace talks and they are trying to take over the whole of the Holy land. I think that the Palestinians have every right to do what they are doing unless it turns violent, like it did. I do think the Palestinian government deserves their own nation back and their holy shrines protected.