Awaz Apni

This is an email that I sent to some friends about my feelings during this visit to Israel: I know I haven't written anything to people about Israel, other than a few Facebook updates (all they said was that I had arrived and have watched some soccer games - the World Cup is definitely the most important public event going on now). I guess I've been feeling a bit depressed about the situation here. It just seems like such a mess. When I arrived the immediate issue was of a court case involving a Haredi community in the West Bank where they were accused of discriminating against Sephardi girls in admission to the local school (state-funded by the way). The Israeli Supreme Court ruled that the discrimination was illegal, and then took the further step to order the Haredi Ashkenazi parents who had taken their daughters out of the school (in protest of the order to integrate it) - to go to jail for two weeks, both mothers and fathers. That happened a week ago. Most of the fathers ...

This is an email that I sent to some friends about my feelings during this visit to Israel: I know I haven't written anything to people about Israel, other than a few Facebook updates (all they said was that I had arrived and have watched some soccer games - the World Cup is definitely the most important public event going on now). I guess I've been feeling a bit depressed about the situation here. It just seems like such a mess. When I arrived the immediate issue was of a court case involving a Haredi community in the West Bank where they were accused of discriminating against Sephardi girls in admission to the local school (state-funded by the way). The Israeli Supreme Court ruled that the discrimination was illegal, and then took the further step to order the Haredi Ashkenazi parents who had taken their daughters out of the school (in protest of the order to integrate it) - to go to jail for two weeks, both mothers and fathers. That happened a week ago. Most of the fathers ...

It has been over a year now, since a power transition had taken place in Pakistan. The mandate was given to the democratic forces and the political parties projecting Musharraf’s agenda were rejected by the nation. Everyone was aware of the adverse challenges the country is facing and there were no quick solutions for the challenges. The parliamentary forces recognising the complexity of issues and understanding confrontation will do no good to the cause unanimously voted for the Prime Minister Gillani. It seemed like we were entering into politics of “Reconciliation”. But the government lost that support by withdrawing back from series of publicly made commitments. Pakistan is facing major challenges such as energy crisis, power shortage, subservient foreign policy, unemployment and internal threats like extremism in NWFP region. Restoring the judiciary was not a major issue as it required an executive order by PM for reinstating the judges; however it is a separate issue which can be...

Palestine War/Ghaza Truth On Mfarhanonline Network

British telecommunications firm FreedomCall has terminated its cooperation with Israel's MobileMax due to the IDF operation in Gaza. "We received an email from the British company informing us that it is severing all ties with us and any other Israeli company following Israel's strike in Gaza," said CEO Raanan Cohen."We weren't expecting this from them and there was no prior warning. I don't intend to appeal to them or answer the letter."The email from FreedomCall said, "As a result of the Israeli government action in the last few days we will no longer be in a position to consider doing business with yourself or any other Israeli company."MobileMax, established in 2004, produces a program providing cellular phones with inexpensive international service.

Awaz Apni London: The confrontation between the Israeli army and the Hamas movement following the ground invasion of Gaza is similar in many aspects to the confrontation between Israel and Hezbollah in summer 2006. The same method was adopted in both cases: systematic and gradual escalation of the attack, starting with intensive air strikes followed by a ground invasion, in addition to the large number of victims and the huge destruction through which Israel aims at spreading terror. But there are also other common points which cannot be overlooked: the common ideology between the two Islamist organizations, which is the same ideology governing the mentality and practices of the Israeli Army, an ideology that solely rests on power as a means to settle problems, regardless of the negative repercussions the use of power and the perpetuation of such heinous carnages will have on the future of any potential peace process and on Israel's chances to live peacefully alongside its neighbor...

Awaz Apni GAZA: Tens of thousands of Israeli troops battled Hamas fighters in Gaza early on Monday amid tank, artillery and air strikes, as the death toll from the offensive passed 510.Israeli forces moved into the fringes of Gaza City as families fled or hid on the second night of combat.The Israeli government fought off intense international pressure over its biggest military operation since its 2006 war in Lebanon, with French President Nicolas Sarkozy due in the region, as well as Russian and EU delegations.At least 70 Palestinians have been killed since the ground offensive began on Saturday night, Gaza medics said.Israel said one soldier was killed by a mortar shell and another 19 were wounded, bringing the total to 49 since the beginning of the incursion.Columns of troops and tanks surrounded Gaza City and fighting was reported in outer districts.Witnesses said tanks had cut off Gaza City and the far north from the rest of the strip, which would prevent the entry of arms, suppl...

CNews Russia has continued air raids deep inside Georgia, after it rejected Tbilisi's announcement that it had called a ceasefire and wanted talks. Jets bombed targets near Tbilisi, including the airport, and a Georgian boat was later sunk, reports said. Earlier Georgia said its troops had pulled out of the breakaway region of South Ossetia and Russia was in control of its capital, Tskhinvali. Thousands of civilians have fled - it is not clear how many have been killed. Georgian President Mikhail Saakashvili told the CNews his forces had observed a ceasefire since 0500 on Sunday morning, but had still been bombed by Russian planes. He said his government had been trying "all day" to contact Russia to discuss a ceasefire. Peace mission Russian jets were still carrying out bombing raids late on Sunday. Witnesses said jets had hit Tbilisi International Airport, as well as a military airfield close to the Georgian capital. The airport was hit only a few hours before French Fo...

جورجیا اور روس کی فوجوں میں علیحدگی اختیار کرنے والے صوبے جنوبی اوسیٹیا پر شدید لڑائی کے دوران جورجیا کے حکام نے اعلان کیا ہے کہ وہ جنوبی اوسیٹیا سے اپنی فوجیوں واپس بلا رہا ہے۔ اس اثناء روس کے جنگی بحری جہازوں نے بحیرہ اسود کے ساحل پر جورجیا کی بندرگاہوں کا محاصرہ کر لیا ہے جہاں سے گندم اور تیل کی درآمدات کو روکا جا رہا ہے۔ روس نے اس بات سے انکار کیا ہے کہ وہ تیل کی ترسیل میں خلل ڈالنا چاہتے ہیں تاہم انہوں نے کہا کہ وہ اس بات کا اختیار رکھتے ہیں کہ کسی بھی جہاز کو روک کر اس کی تلاشی لیں۔ یوکرین نے دھمکی دی ہے کہ وہ روس کے جنگی جہازوں کو سیواستوپول کی بندگارہ میں نہیں آنے نہیں دیں گے۔ بحریہ اسود میں یہ بندگارہ یوکرین اور روس کی فوجیوں مشترکہ طور پر استعمال کرتی ہیں۔جورجیا کے ایک اعلی اہلکار شوتا اوتیشاولی نے کہا ہے کہ جنوبی اوسیٹیا کا مرکزی شہر شیخنوالی اب مکمل طور پر روسی فوجوں کے قبضے میں ہے۔ جورجیا نے اس بات کی تردید کی ہے کہ اسے فوجی شکست کا سامنا ہے۔ انہوں نے کہا کہ جنوبی اوسیٹیا سے شہری اور فوجی جانی نقصان سے بچنے کے لیے نکالا گیا ہے۔ انہوں نے کہا کہ جورجیا کو اب بڑے انسانی بحرا...