[This is a roundup of news articles and other materials circulating on Occupation, Intervention, and Law and reflects a wide variety of opinions. It does not reflect the views of the O.I.L. Page Editors or of Jadaliyya. You may send your own recommendations for inclusion in each biweekly roundup to OIL@jadaliyya.com by Monday night of every other week]
News
"In Syria, New Influx of Weapons to Rebels Tilts the Battle Against Assad", Liz Sly, Karen DeYoung
Sly and DeYoung of The Washington Post report on the Free Syrian Army`s procurement of weaponry donated from outside Syria, as opposed to purchased on the black market. The donation is highly secretive in nature, so much that even the rebels receiving the weapons are reportedly uncertain of where the weaponry came from.
"Palestinian Officials Accuse Israel of Torturing Inmate to Death", Edmund Sanders and Maher Abukhater
The Los Angeles Times` special correspondent interviews a Palestinian Authority Prison Affairs Minister Issa Qaraqi on the data of Arafat Jaradat; Issa describes Jaradat`s torture at the hands of Israeli officials as causing psychological shock relating to his death. Also reported is Israel`s announcing its intention to release a month`s worth of tax revenue to the Palestinian Authority, apparently in an attempt to ease tensions caused by Jaradat`s death in Israeli custody.
"Teen, Police Officer Die as Crowds Protest in Bahrain on 2nd Anniversary of Uprising", Schams Elwazer
CNN reports on protests in Bahrain on the second anniversary of protests demanding political reform, over the course of which a 16-year old and a police officer were killed. Al-Wefaq, an opposition party, is quoted claiming the teenager was killed at the hands of Bahrain security forces.
"West Bank Protests Raise Fears of Third Intifada", Dalia Hatuqa
Al-Monitor`s Palestine Pulse reports on fears of a potential third Intifada as a reaction to the death of a Palestinian prisoner in israeli custody and recent settler violence, including speculation that the Israeli government might use such an event to justify further military occupation in the West Bank and that the Palestinian Authority might use a potential intifada as a bargaining chip to persuade Israel to release withheld tax payments.
"Palestinian Detainee Dies in Israeli Prison", Saed Bannoura
The Palestinian Ministry of Detainees announces the death of Arafat Jardat, 33, in Israeli custody on Saturday, 23 February after being tortured and held "under harsh conditions". Jardat is the latest of 79 detainees who have died in Israeli custody due to torture, medical neglect, or execution.
"An Ivy League University Wants to Recruit Local Immigrants for an Interrogation Study", Leandro Oliva
Controversy has risen surrounding a partnership between Yale University and the Department of Defense seeking to train military officers in interrogation techniques, including ascertaining when subjects are engaging in deception. Opponents of the program take issue with the lack of transparency behind the program`s introduction, collusion of academia and the military and use of New Haven`s "local immigrant" population as test subjects.
"U.S. Troops Arrive in Niger to Set Up Drone Base", Craig Whitlock
Whitlock, writing for The Washington Post, reports on the establishment of a US drone base in Niger for the purpose of reconnaissance missions in Mali and Niger. President Obama reportedly has not ruled out arming drones from the Niger base in the future.
"Inside the Islamic Emirate of Timbuktu", Harald Doornbos
Foreign Policy describes a series of recovered court documents from abandoned offices in al Qaeda-controlled Timbuktu and elsewhere in Northern Mali; detailing the prosecution of defendants for offenses such as "murder, adultery, alcohol, smoking, swearing, and magic" and a number of cases relating to marital and land disputes, Doornbos and Moussa write the documents detail evidence of the development of a theocratic legal system--and a military plan to defend it.
Commentary
"Iran Talks--Don`t Get Your Hopes Up", Gideon Rachman
Gideon Rachman writes in FInancial Times that while the location of Kazakhstan represents an interesting development for the US` upcoming talks with Iran over the country`s nuclear activity, the specter of an upcoming Iranian presidential election and the reluctance of Iran to engage in direct talks leaves little room for optimism about their outcome. One former diplomat involved with nuclear talks with Iran is quoted giving the talks a 10% chance of success.
"About Those Black Sites", New York Times Staff
The New York Times staff issues an editorial on the US` use of "black sites" and extraordinary rendition with terror suspects, bemoaning the lack of accountability associated with the program and the program`s inherent violations of international law. The editorial also praises two recent court rulings in Europe, one convicting a CIA official in absentia of abducting a suspect and sending him to Egypt and another ruling that the treatment of a German citizen mistaken for a terrorist and abducted by the CIA amounted to torture.
"22 Ways al-Qaeda Tries to Avoid Death-By-Drone", Peter Weber
Weber writes in The Week of a recent list advising al-Qaeda operatives on how to avoid drone strikes, found by the Associated Press in Mali. Weber argues that the list`s preface, which writes that the drones` appeal lies in its relative cheapness and low human cost, demonstrates al-Qaeda "has a clear-eyed understanding of what they`re up against", and quotes an Air Force Colonel as saying the attacks are "astute" in thwarting drone strikes.
"Clueless in Gaza", John B. Judis
The New Republic details the Bush Administration`s numerous blunders in attempting to broker a peace agreement between Israel and Palestine "while pretending Hamas does not exist" and argues the Obama Administration has largely acted according to this same paradigm in its own dealings with the Palestinian Authority.
Blogs
"DOJ Gives Blackwater a Whitewash on Felony Charges", Marcy Wheeler
Emptywheel summarizes the "stunning" decision of the Eastern District of North Carolina to give two former Blackwater executives a misdemeanor plea and a sentence of four months of house arrest, three years probation and a fine of $5,000 for charges of weapons trafficking in Jordan and elsewhere.
"At Least 20 CIA Prisoners Still Missing", Cora Currier
ProPublica reports that despite President Obama`s ordering the closure of CIA`s black site operations in 2009, nearly 20 people known to have been held in such prisoners remain missing, noting Obama gave the CIA the power to render and detain prisoners "for the short-term" at the time. Also reported on are the fates of 6 former black site detainees.
"Documents Reveal how US Let Israel Off the Hook Over `Execution` of American Furkan Dogan", Alex Kane
Kane, writing for Mondoweiss writes of a series of recently obtained documents relating to the death of Furkan Dogan in 2010 at the hands of Israeli commandos aboard a flotilla to Gaza. The documents, generally consisting of a number of declassified emails between US government officials in Washington and Istanbul, reveal the US declined to investigate the death of an American citizen, insisting on deferring to Israel.
"`Oops…One Less Arab`: Even More Disturbing Instagram Images from the Israeli Army", Ali Abunimah
Abunimah posts a series of instagram photos from the accounts of Israeli soldiers, including images of Palestinians in the crosshairs of guns, night raids on Palestinian homes, and a soldier playing a "card game" with the seized identity cards of Palestinians, putting such disturbing images in context of the Israel Defence Forces` mission of occupation of Palestinian territory.
Conferences
"Reaching Critical Mass: International and U.S. Law in the Wake of Modern Exigencies"; 22 March 2013, Vermont Law School; Register here.
"New Directions in Global Thought: the Institute for Global Law and Policy at Five"; 3-4 June 2013; Harvard Law School; Submit a proposal here.
On Jadaliyya
Lajee Center Media Unit, Aida Camp, Bethlehem ,"من فكرتنا بنصور صورتنا"
"New Texts Out Now: Na`eem Jeenah, Pretending Democracy: Israel, An Ethnocratic State", Na`eem Jeenah
"Statement from Global Palestinian Right to Return Coalition", Jadaliyya Reports
"If You Are From the North, You Are Guilty: On the Alienation and Abandonment of Internally Displaced Northern Malians", Andrew Herman
"Judith Butler`s Remarks to Brooklyn College on BDS", Jadaliyya Reports