West Bank strike over Israeli tomb heritage claim, Islamic World News, NewAgeIslam.com

Islamic World News

West Bank strike over Israeli tomb heritage claim

A strike has been called by the Palestinian Authority in Bethlehem in protest at Israel's move to claim two West Bank shrines as heritage sites.

Businesses, schools and universities remained closed as people observed the first day of the three-day walk-out.

Local TV stations broadcast the PA's call following Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu's addition of the shrines to Israel's heritage list at the weekend.

The PA also called for a rally to be held on Friday in Bethlehem.

Israel's prime minister announced on Sunday that Rachel's Tomb in Bethlehem and the Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron would be included in an Israeli-funded $107m (£69m) restoration plan.

Bethlehem residents said businesses were shuttered and universities and schools empty as the strike began.

Staffs at Bethlehem University were told on Monday not to report for work for three days because of the strike.

Separation

Rachel, the biblical matriarch holy to Jews, Christians, and Muslims, is believed to be buried in a tomb near the entrance to Bethlehem.

Some Muslims say the tomb is also a mosque.

The shrine is on the Israeli side of the separation barrier. The Israelis say this is for security reasons, but Palestinians say it constitutes a land grab, illegal under international law.

http://newageislam.com/west-bank-strike-over-israeli-tomb-heritage-claim/islamic-world-news/d/2495

The real choice before Pakistan, Islam and Politics, NewAgeIslam.com

Islam and Politics

The real choice before Pakistan

By Beena Sarwar

On the other hand, there lurks the danger of a 1977-like situation when all those opposed to Z.A. Bhutto and the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) — right, left and centre — came together in the Pakistan National Alliance (PNA). Many of their complaints were entirely justifiable. There were good reasons to suspect that Bhutto was taking the country towards autocracy (Nawaz Sharif made similar moves in his second term). Many PNA activists, although they were clearly for democracy, allowed their dislike of the PPP and Bhutto to cloud their judgment, creating conditions for a military takeover. Their argument that Bhutto was equally or even more responsible for the situation bears weight, but after General Zia overthrew and hanged him, many of the same PNA activists had to join hands with the PPP in the Movement for the Restoration of Democracy (MRD) to oppose Zia. But by then the damage had been done.

http://newageislam.com/the-real-choice-before-pakistan/islam-and-politics/d/754

Pakistan: Wise Gesture expected from Chief Justice Choudhry to help save democracy, Islam and Politics, NewAgeIslam.com

Islam and Politics

Pakistan: Wise Gesture expected from Chief Justice Choudhry to help save democracy

Minus one, minus two

By Beena Sarwar

Plus, “for the first time the higher judiciary is working with the people rather than with the army or the bureaucracy. And right now there is only one issue in Pakistan — the restoration of the chief justice.” A year later, this observation too remains valid, despite all the changes since then, including the transformative experience of Benazir Bhutto’s assassination. The year that was saw a new hope dawn when the Supreme Court restored the chief justice to office, a decision Musharraf accepted even if reluctantly. Over the next few months, the superior courts were seized of several significant cases with the potential to deeply impact Pakistani politics. Some related directly to restrictions imposed by the military dispensation, like the right of an exiled politician to return and participate in politics, or police brutality on lawyers and journalists.

http://newageislam.com/pakistan--wise-gesture-expected-from-chief-justice-choudhry-to-help-save-democracy/islam-and-politics/d/156