The Latest from Iran (24 April): Speaking of Rights

1850 GMT: Political Prisoner Watch. A relative of an Evin Prison detainee has confirmed that a group of political prisoners began their "election anniversary" hunger strike on Friday. The strikers intend to fast every Thursday and then increase the days as they approach the 12 June anniversary of the election.

1840 GMT: Ahmadinejad's Media Strategy --- Get Rid of It.Iranian journalist Mashallah Shamsolvaezin, noting the ban of 20 publications since 2005, contends that the President seeks to exclude critics and concentrate on pro-government voices.

1835 GMT: Corruption Watch. Amin Hossein Rahimi of the Majlis Judiciary and Legal Commission has said the necessary laws exist to confront corruption, but Iran's government and judiciary do not implement them.

NEW Iran: The List of 101 Journalists Who Have Been Jailed
NEW Iran Document: Mousavi on the Green Movement's Strategy and Goals (22 April)
Iran’s Nuclear Programme: The US Strategy
The Latest from Iran (23 April): Rounding Up the News

1830 GMT: Countdown to 12 June. We began this morning by noting the build-up in Mir Hossein Mousavi's statement to a show of opposition on the anniversary of the Presidential election.

Count Mehdi Karroubi in. The cleric has told the German magazine Der Spiegel that he will be seeking a permit to march on 12 June.


1825 GMT: The Teachers Protest. The Coordinating Council of Iranian Teacher Trade Associations has issued a statement to announce that a group of its members will go on hunger strike on 2 May, National Teacher's day, to protest the “illegal execution [of] and imprisonment sentences” handed down to a number of teachers.

The Council's statement says that the executive members of the Teachers Association and associated labour activists will start the hunger strike and called on all Iranian teachers to join the effort throughout 2 May.

The Council called for the “immediate and unconditional release” of all teachers from prison, a withdrawal of all legal and official action against “critical educators”, and an end to the “security atmosphere” in the Ministry of Education. It also demanded job security, better provisions for public schools through oil and gas revenues and the avoidance of all partiality and political manoeuvring in development of school curricula.

1740 GMT: A Serious Look at "Boobquake". As the Facebook comic protest grows against the declaration by Iranian clerics that immorality causes earthquakes --- rallies are now planned in New York City and Washington --- Rah-e-Sabz makes some important points.

The website notes that the Friday Prayers by Hojatoleslam Seddiqi and Ayatollah Jannati are part of the regime's theme of fighting the "soft war" of opposition and that the statements point to more suppression of Iran's youth.

1730 GMT: Labour Watch. After Iranian authorities rejected the request by the "House of Workers" for demonstrations on 1 May, a group of Green supporters in the organisation has invited the people to celebrate the day in support of workers. The gathering is planned for 4 p.m. local time in front of the Vezarate Kar (Ministry of Work). If this is prohibited, there will be a march to the Ministry of Interior.

1450 GMT: Journalists as Political Prisoners. With deepest thanks to our German Bureau, we post their list of more than 100 journalists who have been detained during the post-election crisis.

1445 GMT: A Very Different Video. In contrast to the video below of the apparent boasting of a  Revolutionary Guard commander about torture and rape, a clip from the Nowruz meeting of Green Movement women with publisher Shahla Lahiji (the first speaker in the video), Zahra Rahnavard, lawyer Nasrin Sotudeh, and many other important activists.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQs5MwSxgQg[/youtube]

1430 GMT: In Praise of Abuse? This video of a speech by Revolutionary Guard Commander Sardar Saeed Ghasemi is racing around the Internet. Critics claim that Ghasemi is endorsing the abuse and rape of detainees (see translated passage below the video). Readers' feedback is welcomed:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=13JaMr9_cUo&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]

If they want to oppose the regime intellectually, there isn't a problem, we pray for them, but if they dare to come on the streets and challenge the establishment, be it if they are my own child or even if they are a martyr's son, the establishment is duty bound to deal with them, so be aware..and you lot [the audience] tell them not to be obstinate; otherwise they will be taken to a place with sauna and jacuzzi [laughter by the audience] or those things that Karroubi has claimed [laughter again --- Note: Mehdi Karroubi claimed in July 2009 that detainees had been abused and raped], which haven't happened of course, but you never know things can happen,

Of course one can't play with convictions, you see a lot of them are still putting up a resistance, but those who have broken down have really broken down, so tell them they will be taken to those kind of places and then they will confess to everything in less than twenty days [laughter].

1330 GMT: Political Prisoner Watch. Another purported letter from detainees to senior clerics --- in this case, Ayatollahs Mousavi Ardebili, Makarem Shirazi, Safi Golpayegani, Vahid Khorasani, Sane'i, Bayat Zanjani, and Dastgheib --- is published today in Kalemeh:

We know and also heard that you are also against these behaviours and actions, but we expect from you to act and defend the oppressed and to show your beliefs to the people. Don’t let some individuals who call themselves the unknown soldiers of the hidden Imam (the agents and interrogators of Intelligence Ministry) and who have caused us all these sufferings damage you, your religious teachings and our hope. Is there anyone who would answer to the cry for help of us, the oppressed?

1325 GMT: Today's Revolutionary Guard Chest-Puffery. Another day, another declaration by the IRGC of how tough it is and will be against the threat of the "West". Brigadier General Amir Ali Jazideh, "The super advanced bomber drone, manufactured by the Revolutionary Guards, will be operational in the second half of this [Iranian] year," which ends 20 March 2001.

1315 GMT: IRGC "We'll Take Care of the Oil". Revolutionary Guards Brigadier General Yadollah Javani has told the Iranian Labor News Agency, ''Today the Revolutionary Guards are proud to have the ability and know-how to easily replace large international firms; for example, we can replace Total and Shell in Assalouyeh big projects''

Shell has recently pulled out of development of a natural gas field in Iran, but Javani, the head of the IRGC's Political Bureau, said western sanctions were ''baseless''.

1300 GMT: Prominent reformist and former Deputy Minister of Interior Mostafa Tajzadeh has been ordered to return to prison to serve his six-year sentence, after his request for an extension of temporary release was denied.

The order came soon after Tajzadeh was contacted by Ayatollah Mousavi Ardebili, who wished him good health after the recent surgery on his back. Mehdi Karroubi visited the recuperating Tajzadeh yesterday.

Tajzadeh agreed to report to the prison Sunday morning after consultations with his doctors.

0715 GMT: Political Prisoner Watch. Foad Shams, arrested by Intelligence Ministry agents in front of Tehran University on 2 December and subsequently detained for 97 days in Evin Prison's Ward 209, has been sentenced to 6 months imprisonment and 6 months suspended detention on the charge of propaganda against the Islamic Republic.

As journalist Emaduddin Baghi enters his fifth month in detention, RAHANA reports that a new charge has been filed against him, relating to his book --- written 21 years ago --- Of Realities and Judgements.

0640 GMT: A fairly busy Friday gives way to a quieter start to Saturday. In the lull, two stories continue to ripple.

Mir Hossein Mousavi has now established a pattern of speaking to reformist parties and activists, and his latest statement, presented to the National Religious Front, re-asserts his general vision of the Green Movement: “What happened in the 25th of Khordaad [15 June] last year in Tehran with that heavy and kind presence of people together accompanied by an environment of peace, endurance, perseverance and kinship along with their reaction as civil dissidents is a perfect example of a desired civil society.”

We have a full summary, courtesy of Khordaad 88, in a separate entry, but mark this down: it is now seven weeks until the 1st anniversary of the Presidential election, and both the rhetoric and substance of Mousavi's words are pointing towards a renewed show of the opposition challenge on and around that date. Whether 12 June will see mass action and whether Mousavi will back his statements with participation, well, that's a matter for specualtion rather than certainty right now....

On the international front, the ripples are over Tehran's reported withdrawal of its candidacy for a seat on the UN Human Rights Council. It's important here, I think, to separate the global political spin from the significance within Iran.

The non-Iranian media will make great play today of a "Western victory" over Iran, as the core issue of rights is entangled with the manoeuvring over Iran's nuclear programme and the discussion of sanctions. I am far more interested in how this news is received, or even if it is known, inside Iran. Will the regime acknowledge a setback for its self-presentation as a defender of rights and will the opposition use the development as a marker of the shallowness, and even hypocrisy, of that claim?

Iran: The List of 101 Journalists Who Have Been Jailed

Compiled by EA's German Bureau. There may be even more names of detainees, as the list does not include the staff of Kalemeh, who were imprisoned last summer (most were subsequently released). Conversely, some of these journalists, may now have been freed on bail:

1. Adnan Hassanpour, Aso
Arrested: 25 January 2007

2. Mohammad Seddigh Kaboudvand, Payam-e Mardom
Arrested on: 1 July 2007

3. Mojtaba Lotfi, a freelance journalist
Arrested: 8 October 2008

4. Hossein Derakhshan, a freelance journalist, Blogger
Arrested: November 2008

5. Nader Karimi Jooni, Jahan-e-Sanat, Sharq, Gozaresh, Fekr and Siasat-e-Rooz
Arrested in: December 2008


6 Ahmad Zaid-Abadi, a freelance journalist
Arrested on: June 2009

7. Omid Salimi, Jahan e Jehan
Arrested: 14 June 2009

8. Kayvan Samimi, Nameh
Arrested: 14 June 2009
Bail: 16 March 2010
Return to prison: 20 March 2010

9. Saeed Laylaz, Sarmayeh
Arrested: 17 June 2009

10. Bahman Ahmadi Amoui, freelance journalist
Arrested: 19 June 2009
Sentence: 5 years imprisonment confirmed

11. Isa Saharkhiz, freelance journalist
Arrested: 3 July 2009

12. Massoud Bastani, Farhikhtegan Jomhoriyat
Arrested: 5 July 2009

13. Marjan Abdollahian, Hamshahri
Arrested: 9 July 2009

14. Saeed Matin-Pour, Yar Pag Mouj Bidari
Arrested: 12 July 2009

15. Reza Nourbakhsh, Farhikhtegan
Arrested: 4 August 2009

16. Mohammad Hossein Sohrabi Rad, Saham News
Arrested: September 2009

17. Mohammad Davari, Saham News
Arrested: 5 September 2009

18. Javad Mahzadeh, freelance journalist
Arrested: 22 October 2009

19th Mazdak Ali Nazari, Nasim Haraz Monthly and Journalism for Peace
Arrested: November 2009

20. Sassan Aghaee, freelance journalist
Arrested: 22 November 2009
Bail: 28 March 2010

21. Saeed Jalalifar, Committee of Human Rights Reporter
Arrested: 2 December 2009

22. Kouhyar Goudarzi, Committee of Human Rights Reporters
Arrested: 20 December 2009

23. Shiva Nazar Ahari, Committee of Human Rights Reporters
Arrested: 20 December 2009

24. Mohammad Nourizad, freelance journalist, Keyhan
Arrested: 20 December 2009
Sentence: 3 1/2 years imprisonment and 50 lashes

25. Emaduddin Baghi, a freelance journalist
Arrested: 23 December 2009

26 Alireza Beheshti Shirazi, Kalameh Sabz
Arrested: 23 December 2009

27. Arvin Sedaghat Kish, Farhang va Ahang
Arrested: 27 December 2009

28. Khalil Darmanki, Asr Azadegan, Shargh, Etemad-e Melli
Arrested: 27 December 2009

29. Mostafa Izadi, Etemad-e Melli
Arrested: 28 December 2009

30. Badressadat Mofidi, Iranian Journalists Association
Arrested: 29 December 2009

31. Omid Montazeri, freelance journalist
Arrested: 30 December 2009

32. Rouzbeh Karimi, Kargozaran
Arrested: 2 January 2010

33. Yadollah Eslami, Jonbesh-e-Rah-e-Sabz
Arrested: 4 January 2010

34. Mostafa Dehghan, freelance journalist
Arrested: 8 January 2010

35. Mehraneh Atashi, freelance photojournalist, artist
Arrested: 11 January 2010

36. Lili Farhadpour, freelance journalist
Arrested: 21 January 2010
Released: 13 March 2010

37. Nilofar Laripour, Chelcheragh
Arrested: 1 February 2010

38. Ali Mohammad Eslampour, publisher Návay Vaght, Kermanshah
Arrest: 3 February 2010

39. Jamileh Darolshafaie, Etemaad
Arrested: 5 February 2010

40. Na'imeh Doostdar, Jaam-e Jam, Hamshahri
Arrested: 6 February 2010

41. Hamid Mafi, Farhang-e Ashti, Etemad-e Melli, Kargozaran
Arrested: 9 February 2010

42. Mohammad Ghaznavian, freelance journalist, human rights activist
Arrested: 9 February 2010

43. Fouad Sadeghi, chief editor of online magazine Ayande News
Arrested: 10 February 2010

44. Hengameh Shahidi, journalist and women's rights activist
Re-arrested: 25 February 2010

45. Naghi Ahmadi Azar, five years imprisonment for "espionage against Armenia"

46. Ali Anjam-Rouz, in Gilan
Arrest date unknown

47. Behzad Mehrani, journalist, blogger and human rights activist
Arrested: 3 March 2010
Bail: 16 April 2010

48. Nasour Naghipour, Blogger, Khuzestan
Arrested: 2 March 2010

49. Abolfazl Abedini Nasr, weekly newspaper, Bahar Ahvaz
Arrested: 3 March 2010

50. Houtan Abolfathi, freelance journalist
Arrested: 15 February 2010

51. Ali Moazzami, Shargh
Arrested: 8 March 2010

52. Sadegh Javadi-Hessar, Toos
Arrested: December 2009 (Mashhad)

53. Kambiz Nouruzi, Head of Association of Iranian Journalists
Arrested: 28 June 2009
Sentenced to 1 year imprisonment

54. Mehdi Khazali, no data
Arrested: 29 June 2009

55. Satyar Emami, no data
Arrested: 11 July 2009

56. Reza Rafiee Foroshani, freelance journalist
Arrested: 26 June 2009
Sentenced: 5 years in prison for "espionage"

57. Pirhasanlou Ali, journalist and blogger "Alpar"
Arrested: 18 September 2009

58. Alireza Rajai, no data
Arrested: no further information

59. Amanollah Shojaie, reporters and bloggers, Bushehr
Arrested: no further information

60. Behzad Bashou, journalist and cartoonist
Arrested on: no further information

61. Esmail-Haqq parasternal, Farhikhtegan
Arrested on: no further information

62. Farhad Sharfai, in Khorramabad
Arrested: no further information

63. Fariborz Soroush, freelance journalist in Karaj
Arrested on: no further information

64. Farshad Azizi, Atrak, Mashhad
Arrested: no further information

65. Fereydoun Amozadeh, publisher Chelcheragh
Arrested: no further information

66. Massoud Lavasani Saeed, journalist and blogger
Arrested: 26 September 2009
Sentenced: six years imprisonment, prohibited from journalism for 10 years

67. Ehsan Mehrabi, Farhikhtegan
Arrested: Unknown

68. Babak Bordbar, 25, photojournalist Aks-e Fars, Shiraz
Arrest: 26 December 2009

69. Mohammad Pour Abdollah, freelance journalist
Arrest: 13 February 2010

70. Morteza Moradpour, Yazligh
Arrested: 22 May 2009

71. Hamzeh Karami, Website Jomhooriyat
Arrested: 19 June 2009

72. Zeynab Kazemkhah, ISNA
Arrested: 7 February 2010

73. Ali Malihi, Etemaad, Irandokht, Shahrvand-e Emruz and Mehrnameh
Arrested: 9 February 2010

74. Mojtaba Gahestooni, freelance journalist
Arrested: 5 March 2010

75. Sousan Mohammadkhani Ghiasvand, blogger, Kurdistan
Arrested: 11 March 2010

76. Morteza Kazemian, Jonbesh-e Rah-e Sabz
Arrested: 29 December 2009

77. Nooshin Jafari, Etemaad
Arrest: 3 February 2010

78. Naeemeh Doostdar, Jam-e Jam
Arrested: 6 February 2010

79. Somayeh Momeni, Nasim-e Bidari
Arrested: 7 February 2010

80. Rahim Gholami, freelance journalist, Ardebil
Arrested: 11 April 2008
Sentenced: one year in prison, 28 October 2009

81. Hassan Maadikhah
Arrested: No information

82. Khalil Mir Ashrafi, journalist, TV producer
Arrested: No information

83. Kayvan Farzin, Farhang-e ahang
Arrested: No information

84. Kourosh Javan, photojournalist
Arrested: No information

85. Mansoureh Shojai, freelance journalist, feminist websites
Arrested: No information

86. Mashallah Heidarzadeh, journalist from Bushehr
Arrested: No information

87. Mehdi Gilani, Atrak, Mashhad
Arrested: No information

88. Mehdi Hosseinzadeh:
Arrested: No information

89. Mehdi Yazdani Khorram, Etemad-e Melli, Shargh, Hammihan, Kargozaran
Arrested: December 2009
91. Mehrdad Rahimi, freelance journalist and blogger
Arrested: No information

91. Mirhamid Hassanzadeh, editor of Ghalam News Website
Arrested: No information

92. Mohammad Javad Saberi
Arrested: No information

93. Mohammadreza Yazdanpanah, Shargh, Kargozaran, Hammihan and Farhikhtegan
Arrest: No information

94. Hassan Assadi Zeydabadi, blogger, student, human rights activist
Arrested: No information

95. Mohammadreza Zohdi, publisher, Arya
Arrest: No information

96. Rouhollah Shahsavar, in Mashhad
Arrested: No information

97. Rokhsareh Ghaem-Magham, journalist and documentary filmmaker
Arrested: No information

98. Saeed Allah-Behdashti
Arrested: No information

99. Saeed Movahedi, photojournalist
Arrested No information

100. Sayed Amar Kalantari, Ayandeh Website
Arrested: No information

101. Tahereh Riahi, editor of Jahan-e Eghtesad
Arrested: No information

Iran Document: Mousavi on the Green Movement's Strategy and Goals (22 April)

Khordaad 88 translates the Rah-e-Sabz report of Mir Hossein Mousavi's meeting with the National Religious Front on Thursday:

In a meeting...with a group of religious-nationalist activists, Mousavi said: “To achieve our national interests and a desired society, there is no solution other than insisting on Green Movement. This is a process that needs patience, perseverance and call for great endurance against the hardships and challenges ahead.”

The Latest from Iran (24 April): Speaking of Rights

Mousavi expressed that the Green Movement sets and follows up on goals that are originated in the values and demands of the Iranian people. He said: “We must create a coherent civil society using all the available resources in the country.” He then expressed how necessary it is to create “people’s green institutions” in different affairs of the country to push forward for gradual creation of the desired civil society. He added: “What happened in the 25th of Khordaad last year in Tehran with that heavy and kind presence of people together accompanied by an environment of peace, endurance, perseverance and kinship along with their reaction as civil dissidents is a perfect example of a desired civil society.”


He further insisted on the “necessity to live with political goals and value” and said: “Our task is challenging, and the road ahead of the Green Movement is long and full of twists and turns. Although it is possible that the Green Movement would reach its goals much earlier than what many expect, however, we must be patience and maintain our perseverance. To continue the Green Movement, we must live with the Green Movement.”

Being patience, and maintain perseverance is costly

In this meeting Mousavi said: “Of course it is costly to remain patience and maintain perseverance on the goals of the Green Movement. There is no escaping that. Hardships, challenges, constrain, pressures, clampdown, and prisons are there, but we have no way other than going through these costs and hardships.” He alluded to discussions on how parties tend to orient themselves to gain power and added: “That is not a flaw for parties, but in the green movement the goal of acquiring power is only something on the side relative to the main goals of the Green Movement. The purpose of the Green Movement is to revolutionize the society to achieve a civil society that Iranians deserve. This approach that insists on sidelining the acquiring of power can bring us calm. If we can somehow expand this view in the society, it will be very beneficial and affective for us.”

Change is brought about through new Ideas

Mousavi insisted that “raising awareness is to be a very important priority” and said: “Change would be possible through birth of new ideas. In our case, it seems that the idea has been born already. The more we expand it, the more we can expand the range and possibilities of the Green Movement.” He added: “More than ever, we must try to raise awareness among the citizens living in the ‘gray area’ who neither accompany the Green Movement nor advocate the authorities. We must tell them about the ‘lucid area’, and attract them to the Green Movement.” He further added: “Those who hold the power are most wary about the increase in awareness. In fact, they are so worried that they are react extremely harshly to raising awareness on the number of martyrs in the movement, the realities of what happened in the clampdowns, clarifications of the movement goal, or publishing news of inhumane behaviour towards the detainees."

Press and media are critical issues for us

Mousavi said: “Press and media are critical issues for the movement but unfortunately, for different reasons, we lagging behind on these fronts [Press, media, and raising awareness in the society]. He went on: “We are still not fully utilizing the Internet and the Cyberspace.”

In another part of his talks, he emphasized: “We must all be together, stand by each other. We must agree on some of the minimums, and choose aims and slogans that are capable putting the most of together. Just as all dissident citizens have realized the Green color as a minimum common point, we must find minimum requirements that we can all share and push together to expand the Green Movement.”

We are concerned with National Interests

In this meeting Mousavi said: “It must be clear to all that we are only concerned about national interests. There is not self interest here. We do not want to stand behind oppression and the oppressor. We stand behind the oppressed. I must add though that the Green Movement is in favour of talks and negotiating to settle somewhere. We must all participate in a dialogue, put our thoughts together with all the groups who care about Iran and follow up on our national interests so that we can continue on this long and challenging path ahead.”

Advocates of Compassionate Religion

He emphasized that “we are advocates of a compassionate reading of religion, a reading that necessitates the maximal tolerance for differences of opinion.” He added: “Promoting such compassionate readings is a difficult task, but the Green Movement can feel it weigh on its shoulders. I feel a danger lurking in how our new generations are getting away from religion, and religious values. Harsh reactions, violence, clampdowns under the name of Islamic Governance could possibly push away many of the youth from any religion.”

Mousavi also alluded to recent changes and the point that “instead of sticking to one way of governance, we must be more flexible [to switch to other forms that would meet our needs better.]” He explained: “Modern artists have two approaches. A group of them put what they have seen or imagined into the painting. The other group, start without any vision of what the final piece would look like, and gradually give birth to images that create the painting. What is going on in the Green Movement could be characterised as the latter.”

Israel: Colonising East Jerusalem, Deporting Palestinians (Cole)

Parallelling the assessment of EA's Ali Yenidunya, Juan Cole considers the latest steps by the Israeli Government:

The new Israeli policy of deporting Palestinians from the West Bank on arbitrary grounds has kicked in with Ahmad Sabah, who has just been deported to Gaza and separated from his family in the West Bank. The measure contravenes the Geneva Convention of 1949 on the treatment of occupied populations, and it also goes contrary to the undertakings Israel made toward the Palestine Authority in the course of the Oslo peace negotiations.

Palestine Analysis: Breaking Down Israel’s Counter Offer on Talks

The episode underlines the ways in which their forced statelessness leaves Palestinians (almost uniquely among major world nationalities) completely vulnerable to loss of the most basic human rights. That he was forcibly moved to Gaza by the Israelis suggests that many of those singled out for potential deportation from the West Bank may be moved to the small slum along the Mediterranean, which the Israelis have cut off from its traditional markets and which they keep under a blockade of the civilian population (a war crime). The Israeli establishment has decided not to try to colonize Gaza, and its isolation and hopelessness make it an attractive place for them to begin exiling West Bank residents, thus making more room for Israeli colonists.


The new policy, which is illegal six ways to Sunday in international law, is the brainchild of the government of far rightwing Likud leader Binyamin Netanyahu.

Netanyahu, an Israeli hawk and expansionist, slapped President Barack Obama in the face again Thursday when he confirmed that he refused to halt construction of new homes in Palestinian East Jerusalem, which is militarily occupied by Israel.

Netanyahu’s announcement is probably the nail in the coffin of any two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict (in which the Israelis have thrown most Palestinians now living beyond the Green Line off their land and deprived them of citizenship in a state and all the rights that go with such citizenship). Palestinians are so despairing that only 57 percent even believe in having an independent Palestinian state any more. The rest are resigned to becoming Israelis in the distant future, when demographic realities and perhaps world-wide boycotts of Israel for its Apartheid-style policies toward the occupied Palestinian will force Israel to accept them.

At the same time, Netanyahu tried to throw sand in peoples’ eyes by talking about recognizing an ‘interim’ Palestinian state with “temporary” borders.

Palestinian leaders reject this formulation, which is intended to allow the Israelis to continue aggressively to colonize Palestinian territory while pretending that they are engaged in a ‘peace process.’ The Palestine Authority, established in the 1990s, was already a sort of interim state then, and Palestine’s borders were then ‘temporary.’ So temporary that Israel has made deep inroads into them through massive colonies and building a wall on the Palestinian side of the border, cutting residents off from their own farms and sequestering entire towns and cities.

Netanyahu’s various moves this week, from illegally expelling a Palestinian from the West Bank to Gaza to blowing off the president of the United States and hitching his wagon to massive increased colonization of Palestinian land: all of these steps are guaranteed to mire Israel in violent disputes for years and perhaps decades. And the US, which has already suffered tremendously in Iraq and elsewhere from its knee-jerk support of illegal and inhumane Israeli policies toward the Palestinians, will suffer further.

Meanwhile, in the wake of a vicious attack on Barack Obama by New York senator Chuck Schumer, Steve Clemons of the Washington Note frankly wonders whether Schumer understands he is in the US Senate or whether he is under the impression he is serving in the Israeli Knesset.

Iran Withdrawing Bid for Seat on UN Human Rights Council?

United Nations diplomats and human rights observers are telling journalists, including Reuters and Laura Rozen of Politico, that Iran will withdraw its candidacy for a seat on the UN Human Rights Council before the 13 May vote.

Iran's attempt, coming amidst the continuing post-election crisis and allegations of abuses of justice and rights by the regime, faced a rising tide of opposition. This week, 12 prominent Iranian human rights activists had written an open letter declaring:

The Latest from Iran (23 April): Rounding Up the News

The election of Iran to the Human Rights Council would seriously jeopardize the legitimacy of the Human Rights Council, and undermine the efforts of Iranian human rights defenders.  It would belittle the sacrifices of those who have given their lives for the cause of human rights.