Analysts say conditioning peace talks on new demand will thwart progress

RAMALLAH — "Intifada," scream the animals as they chase Jones from the farm. Strobe lights flash and loud music blares as the packed audience sits captivated, eyes trained on the stage below.

Any variation of the words "Palestine" and "massacre" are sure to yield millions of results on major search engines on the World Wide Web. These results are largely in reference to hundreds of different dates and events in which numerous Palestinians were killed by the Israeli army or settlers. Throughout its history, this bloodletting project has been carried out for one specific purpose, that being the illegal acquisition of land and the suppression or extermination of those who dare to resist.

The U.N. Human Rights Council this week announced the formation of a U.N. fact-finding mission to investigate war crimes during the Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip earlier this year.

Mieh Mieh Palestinian Camp, Sidon — Yesterday afternoon, Kamal Medhat, 58, known in Lebanon's Palestinian camps affectionately as "Kamal Naji," a senior member of the Palestinian Fatah movement, was killed exiting Mieh Meih Camp by a 25-30 kilogram bomb.

JERUSALEM (IPS) — Based on testimony from Israeli soldiers who took part in the recent war in Gaza, Israel is being confronted directly with the serious charge that permitted rules of engagement allowed for the killing of Palestinian civilians and widespread destruction of Palestinian property.