Ahmad Jaradat – Alternative Information Center – Palestine
Most reports and documentation of human rights institutions, national bodies
and civil society indicate that the Israeli violations against the Palestinians in
occupied Jerusalem have escalated and increased significantly. Violations on more
than one level: arrests, especially those of children and women, demolishing
homes and facilities, leveling lands, decisions to increase the construction of
settlement units in various areas in Jerusalem, and direct assaults on citizens,
which resulted in the injury of many of them with live and rubber bullets and tear
gas canisters.
The storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock by extremist settlers
also escalated, incursions that were under the protection of the Israeli police and
security men, which confirms the official coordination with the Israeli
government, and its support for these incursions and violations that occur
continuously. During these incursions, Muslim worshipers are expelled from the
mosque and beaten by the police. Extremist settlers raise racist slogans against
the Palestinians during these incursions.
With regard to the repeated incursions into Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the
Rock, the incursions by settlers continued on an almost weekly basis, especially in
the mornings. The participation of 6,542 settlers who participated in these
incursions during the months of July and August were documented by the
Jerusalem Governorate and the Islamic Commission. This is considered by a large
number of settlers, which indicates that there is a decision and policy to intensify
the incursions into Al-Aqsa Mosque, which leads to more tension in the Al-Aqsa
Mosque and in Palestine in general, especially since these incursions come within
the framework of a general policy taken by the Israeli authorities to support and
support these incursions, and the statements of many Extremist ministers' control
of the mosque has been repeatedly denied, especially by Israeli National Security
Minister Ben Gavier and Finance Minister Smotrich. On the other hand, the
Palestinians in Jerusalem reject this policy and this behavior of the settlers and
confront it permanently by being present in the courtyards of Al-Aqsa, which

always leads to clashes with the settlers and the police, who arrest many people,
especially young men and women, beat them up and spray tear gas.
In addition, the policy of direct house demolition or self-demolition by the owners
to avoid paying large financial fines in return for their demolition by the
occupation municipality in Jerusalem has increased during the last two months
and in various neighborhoods and areas of Jerusalem: Documentation from the
Palestinian governorate of Jerusalem indicates the demolition of 36 homes and 14
facilities. It is self-destructive. Also, 5 families were handed notices to demolish
their homes in Jerusalem. In the same context, the Sub Laban family was
evacuated from its house in Aqabat Al-Khalidiyah area in the Old City of
Jerusalem, and the occupation police handed over the house to the settlers. As
for the arrests, 151 were arrested, including 14 children under the age of 18. and
4 women.
With regard to settlement expansion in Jerusalem, the occupation authorities
decided to build 450 new settlement units in the towns of Umm Lisoun and Jabal
Mukaber, south of the city. For this purpose, 12 dunums of Palestinian lands were
confiscated from the two towns. Planning is also underway to build 670 new
settlement units in the town of Beit Safafa, southeast of the city.
Mr. Zakaria Odeh, coordinator of the Civil Coalition for Human Rights in
Jerusalem, stated to the Alternative Information Center - Palestine that "the
Coalition has monitored a serious escalation in recent weeks of human rights
violations in Jerusalem, and that these violations affected most aspects of citizens'
lives, such as house demolitions, arrests, beatings and the use of force , land
confiscation and a significant increase in the storming of Al-Aqsa Mosque and the
Dome of the Rock. This reality that the extremist Israeli government is trying to
impose in Jerusalem is a continuation of gross human rights violations, which are
a violation of the Geneva Conventions, international laws and United Nations
charters. This policy is an escalating continuation of the displacement of the
Palestinians by putting pressure on it and imposing a difficult fait accompli on
them."
Ahmad jaradat- Alternative Information Center – Palestine

NIGER: A COUP AGAINST FRENCH CONTROL AND DOMINANCE
Chandra Muzaffar*
Malaysia - 9 August 2023

The situation in Niger is still in flux. On 26 July 2023 a military coup took place in that West African state that led to the ouster of its elected President, Mohamed Bazoum, by Brigadier General Abdourahmane Tchiani. The Brigadier General has proclaimed that he is the new president of the National Council for the Safeguard of the Homeland (CNSP).

The coup has been condemned by the 15 member Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) of which Niger is a member, the African Union, the European Union and the United States of America. On the 30 th of July, ECOWAS whose current head is Nigeria (not to be confused with Niger) issued an ultimatum to the coup leaders to restore Bazoum to power within one week, or face the consequences including possible military action. The deadline has expired. ECOWAS has not acted. It is alleged that the regional grouping would now prefer diplomacy.

One of the reasons why ECOWAS has changed its stance is because of strong opposition to any military intervention from some of its member states. Mali and Burkina Faso have made it explicitly clear that they would view military intervention as a “declaration of war” against the people of Niger and would defend the newly installed military junta. Besides, Niger is geographically one of the biggest countries in West Africa and possesses a well-trained army.

But an even more compelling reason why military intervention may not be an option for ECOWAS or anyone else for that matter is because the 26 th July coup, it is obvious to most observers, has widespread support among the people. The people see the coup as an attempt to end continuous Western --- mainly French and now also American--- exploitation and dominance of Niger. Niger, once a French colony, is rich in natural resources, uranium, oil and gold.

Its uranium industry for instance is owned and operated by a so-called  joint venture, between Niger and France, the Societe des mines de l’Air ( Somair). 85% of Somair is owned by France’s Atomic Energy Commission and two French companies, while 15% is owned by Niger’s government. Niger is the world’s seventh largest producer of uranium, vital for nuclear energy while France relies heavily upon nuclear energy for 70% of its domestic power supply. As Vijay Prasad and Kambala Musavuli put it in a recent article, “One in three lightbulbs in France are powered by uranium from Niger, at the same time as 42% of the African country’s population live below the poverty line.”

France’s grip over Niger’s uranium is just one example of the former colonial power’s hold on Niger’s economy. This neo-colonial dominance expresses itself in many other ways. Niger, like other ex- French colonies in Africa, is tied to the French currency and the French financial system. It uses the Communaute Financiere Africaine (CFA) for its domestic and foreign financial transactions.

50% of the reserves of these African states are held in the French Treasury as part of an arrangement forged between the ex-colonies and France. Consequently, when France devalued the CFA, the impact upon the African economies including Niger was disastrous. If we look at these economies as a whole, it is only in the fields of external trade and investments that some positive changes have occurred in recent years largely because of the emergence of China as an important partner.

Outside the Nigerien economy, the neo-colonial presence is most visible in the form of French and American soldiers and bases. French and American militaries were brought in by the government to fight Muslim insurgents. The rise of these insurgents is linked --- to some extent at least --- to the US-NATO overthrow of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011 which paved the way for the growth of so-called jihadist groups in parts of North and West Africa. Of course, the Jihadist phenomenon cannot be divorced from US and British intelligence operations in the post 911 period.

Resentment against French and American troops has reinforced the perception that leaders like Bazoum, though elected, were mere puppets of Western interests. This explains why in the huge demonstrations that have taken place in the Nigerien capital, Niamey, and elsewhere Bazoum was denounced for betraying the people. It is not just in Niger that anti-French and anti-Western sentiments have peaked. In three other states, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Guinea such sentiments have also found expression. The presence of French and American troops in those states has also played a role in the mounting anger towards Western power.

Economic difficulties faced by the people which are often attributed to Western dominance have exacerbated popular feelings. It is significant that in all 3 states military coups had taken place between August 2020 and September 2021. As feelings against France in particular and the West in general have become more pronounced in West Africa, the mood towards Russia seems to have become more positive. An article in the Guardian ( 5 August 2023) notes that “ Russian flags were brandished by those demonstrating outside the French embassy in Niamey, with many calling for Vladimir Putin to replace Macron as their biggest global backer.” Putin himself has been critical of the coup and has expressed the hope that civilian rule would be restored.

And indeed, civilian rule should prevail in Niger and other states in the region. But civilian rule should reflect the people’s legitimate desire for liberation from neo-colonial dominance. Civilian rule should uphold the dignity of the human being and the sovereignty of the people. It should protect the independence of the people which must include their right to own and control their economy and define and defend their own security.

 Dr Chandra Muzaffar is the president of the International

Movement for a Just World (JUST)

Ahmad Jaradat – alternative Information Center – Palestine

On the morning of Tuesday, July 18, dozens of settlers stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque
and its courtyards. The settlers, as usual, stormed the mosque on the western
side of the Magharba Gate. The raid was carried out under the protection of the
occupation police, who also accompanied them on their provocative tours against
the Palestinians in the courtyards of Al-Aqsa. The policemen, under threat, forced
the Palestinians out of the mosque's courtyards, with the aim of providing
protection for the settlers. This means that the violations committed by extremist
groups of settlers are approved and supported by the Israeli official level,
especially under a right-wing government. This time of the raid, the number of
settlements was large, as the Islamic Endowments Department stated in a
statement that 252 settlers participated in the raid, and dozens of Israeli
policemen accompanied them.
Facts and events indicate that Al-Aqsa Mosque is subjected to storming almost
daily by settlers, and the intrusions are in large numbers during the Jewish
holidays, as happened, for example, on May 25, when hundreds of settlers
stormed Al-Aqsa courtyards during the Jewish holiday, which is called the Jewish
Harvest holidays (Shavuot). During this incursion, which took place in the
morning, the Palestinians were expelled and forced to leave the mosque, and
they were forbidden to pray. The Palestinians were forced to pray outside the
mosque at the gates and in the alleys and streets surrounding the mosque, and
this often happens when the Israeli police close the mosque's gates or put military
checkpoints on them.
The violations committed by the settlers in the Al-Aqsa Mosque through the
continuous incursions, attacks on Palestinian worshipers, tours in the mosque, its
courtyards and the courtyards of the Dome of the Rock, and the revival of Jewish
religious holidays in it. And all of this is under the protection and care of the
occupation police, who in turn attack Palestinian worshipers, including them from
expressing their religious rites or even protesting against settler violations, and





they also issued dozens of orders against many Palestinians, preventing them
from entering the mosque for long periods of time. And the continuous arrests
against them, especially young men and women. Closing the mosque gates and
setting up military barriers at the mosque's doors and in the places that lead to it.
And the practice of violence against worshipers by firing tear gas and live and
rubber bullets, which led to the injury of dozens, and the attempt to build iron
gates at the entrances to the mosque, less than three years ago, which the
Palestinians confronted and thwarted this project. All these measures and
violations by settlers and Israeli governments, especially this right-wing
government, whose ministers are involved in violations against the Palestinians in
Al-Aqsa, such as the Minister of Internal Security, Ben Gavier.
But the Palestinians reject this policy and these measures and always confront
them, despite the suffering they suffer from arrest, beatings, and expulsion from
the mosque. This means that what is happening in Al-Aqsa Mosque constitutes a
dangerous escalation of the security situation, not only in Al-Aqsa Mosque and
Jerusalem, but also in all of Palestine. Because what is happening in Al-Aqsa
Mosque is a violation of the freedom of worship in Al-Aqsa Mosque, as well as the
practice of the occupation to proceed with the Judaization of Jerusalem after
annexing it and declaring it the capital of the Israeli State , even though Jerusalem
is occupied lands in the year 67, and the occupation authorities are prohibited
from taking any measures that affect this legal status of the occupied territories
according to legitimacy decisions international law, the Fourth Geneva
Conventions and international humanitarian law. Despite international criticism of
Israel, it continues its Judaization policy in Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa.
Written by Ahmad Jaradat ( AIC-P)