Middle East

Women began protesting in large groups of women in late March However, because women were not seen street-protesting in the first few electrifying days of massive protests especially in Dara March 18-24, the Syrian revolution was early typified by the viewer reaction, “Where are the women?” This characterization of women’s absence deserves to be overturned, however.

As the Canadian and the Irish two ships approach and are too close to reach the Gaza’s Harbor, Israel has begun a massive propaganda-offensive against the new “flotilla” which set sail from Turkey on last Wednesday, carrying medical supplies, medicines and humanitarian support for the impoverished people from Gaza Strip.

Israel navy boarded two Gaza-bound boats that were trying to break the blockade of the impoverished Gaza Strip.
The Irish Saoirse and the Canadian Tahrir boats were carrying 27 activists from 9 countries and a symbolic cargo of $30,000 in medication. They
have been intercepted and boarded about 35 kilometers north of the Gaza Strip, as activists announced Friday afternoon.

The tensions has increased in the Gaza Strip after an Israeli airstrike
killed at least 9 Palestinians and injured 11 others on Saturday evening.
Gaza Health Ministry spokesperson Adham Abu Salmia said, the first airstrike on Rafah, south Gaza killed five members of the Islamic Jihad movement, while the others were killed in a separate strike.

Despite the big Egyptian efforts and intensive contacts led by senior
Egyptian intelligence service officials to activate the truce agreement and reach an informal mutual cease-fire between Palestinian militants and Israel, israeli aircrafts launched an airstrike on Gaza Strip, killed two men and also injured another.

The United Nations human rights office called on Israel to stop attacks by Israeli settlers against Palestinian civilians in the occupied West Bank, citing a spike in violence in recent weeks resulting in serious physical injury, property loss and damage.

Palestinians gathered in Jerusalem on Sunday night to protest the October 9 killing of Egyptian Copts in Cairo. The mass demonstration was followed by Christian and Muslim prayers and speeches denouncing the incidents, in which Egyptian soldiers from the ruling Supreme Council of Armed Forces (SCAF) clashed with Coptic Christians, resulting in 25 deaths.

This day will be considered in Palestine as the day of the appointment with freedom for hundreds of the Palestinian prisoners, and the day of meeting the loved ones for hundred of families. The largest prisoners swap in history between Hamas and Israel has begun it first step
releasing 477 Palestinian prisoners including 27 women in exchange of
Israeli soldier Gila’ad Shalit

Success of the 3rd Conference of the Iraqi Civil Society Solidarity Initiative and 1st International Marathon in Iraq
Both events, organized by ICSSI members, took place successfully in Erbil on 7-9 October 2011 and gave tremendous visibility to the Iraqi civil society, its struggle for a laical state, peace and human rights.

Thousands of Palestinians hit the streets of Gaza and West Bank 11 October to celebrate the prisoner swap deal between Israel and Hamas. This will exchange 1,027 Palestinians for the captured Israeli soldier, Gilad Shalit. Hamas leader in Damascus Khaled Messhal, in a congratulatory speech, considered the swap deal as a proud national achievement for all Palestinians.