U.S. Withdraws Fulbright Grants To Gaza

Sad news from Gaza. Rabbi Melchior describes this as collective punishment. It is certainly disappointing. This in from ATFP. And we had our own troubles bringing our own media award winner, Sami Abdul Shafi, out of Gaza. We failed for the second year running. Very disappointing.

By Ethan BronnerIn The New York Times May 30, 2008
The American State Department has withdrawn all Fulbright grants to Palestinian students in Gaza hoping to pursue advanced degrees at American institutions this fall because Israel has not granted them permission to leave.
Israel has isolated this coastal strip, which is run by the militant group Hamas. Given that policy, the United States Consulate in Jerusalem said the grant money had been “redirected” to students elsewhere out of concern that it would go to waste if the Palestinian students were forced to remain in Gaza.

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Heartening News on the Israel/ Syria Front

The BBC reported this week that Turkish mediated peace talks have been confirmed between Israel and Syria. Olmert has said these talks will be 'continuous'. Let's hope they are indeed more continuous than the last lot.

Israel have said they are now ready to exchange the Golan heights in return for peace.

Even Mahmoud Abbas has said he hopes the two countries will reach 'a peaceful solution'.

There must be something in the water!

To view the bbc article click here

Fuel Supply To Be Resumed To Gaza Power Plant

Omar Suleiman is back at work. Which means there is hope of a cease-fire. If that is still relevant. I was never that sure a mere cease fire was a productive way forward in the first place.

APLast updated: May 12, 2008, 10:53
Gaza City: A Gaza power plant shut down by the ruling Hamas party will start operating again later on Monday, an official said.Hamas said the plant was shut down on Saturday because it ran out of fuel supplied by Israel. Israel claimed that Hamas was creating an artificial crisis, raising tensions ahead of a visit by the Egyptian mediator trying to broker a truce between the two enemies, and severely limited shipments to pressure Palestinian militants to halt their rocket barrages at nearby Jewish communities.On Sunday, Gaza militants fired three rockets at Israel, the military said. One exploded next to a school bus transporting children, another hit a factory and the third landed at a college. No one was hurt. At Sunday's meeting of Israel's Cabinet, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert pledged to stop the daily barrages.

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City of David

Felix sent this link - The 3rd Worldwide contest for the best web site on the net just took place in the city of Venice . . . and an Israeli site on Jerusalem won the main prize:

To view the City of David Website CLICK HERE