Studies show that US coverage is Israeli-centric. The main bureaus for CNN, Associated Press, Time, etc. are located in Israel and often staffed by Israelis. The son of the NY Times bureau chief is in the Israeli army;"pundit" Jeffrey Goldberg served in the IDF; Wolf Blitzer worked for AIPAC. Because the U.S. gives Israel over $8 million/day - more than to any other nation - we feel it is essential that we be fully informed on this region. Below are news reports to augment mainstream coverage.

Friday, February 5, 2010

Two Palestinians & One American Detained Following Pre-Dawn Incursion in Bil'in

IMEMC
26 Israeli soldiers entered the West Bank village of Bil’in, near Ramallah, on Wednesday at 3 am. They detained 2 Palestinians, one a journalist, and an international journalist.
...soldiers entered Bil’in, initially with the intention of arresting local man, Ibrahim Abed El Fatah Bornat, only.

As the soldiers passed through the village, they encountered another local man, Ashraf Abu Rahmah, who was handcuffed and removed from the vicinity of Bornat’s although not arrested.

The Israeli military then proceeded to enter the home of Bornat, who was subsequently arrested and taken away.

At approximately 3:30 am, a military convoy of 7 jeeps entered Bil’in and Bornat’s home was thoroughly searched. Items belonging to the family were removed, including Bornat’s computer and documents belonging to his brother, Mohammed.

During the search, the military closed the area of the home, and established a perimeter of 50 meters. The soldiers declared the area a closed military zone...

Local journalist, Hamde Abu Rahmah, also a volunteer with Israeli human rights group, B’Tselem, approached the house, in an attempt to take photographs and was subsequently arrested. ...an international journalist of U.S. citizenship... was also detained.

These arrests follow the detention of Mohammed al-Khatib, leading member of the Popular Committee Against the Wall and Settlement Construction in Bil’in, last week, in a similar pre-dawn raid, and recent incidents involving internationals.

On Monday, 11th January, International Solidarity Movement media co-ordinator, Eva Novakova, was arrested and deported, following a night time raid by the Israeli military into the West Bank city of Ramallah, and on the Wednesday, 20th January, chief English editor of Ma’an News Agency was deported following 8 days in detention. His girlfriend, Faith Rowald, a volunteer for the Lutheran Church in Jerusalem, had been deported six days prior.

Ibrahim Abed El Fatah Bornat and Hamde Abu Rahmah are the 36th and 37th residents of Bil’in to have been arrested since June 2009, in the escalating crackdown on organizers of non-violent protest, with similar events occurring regularly in the West Bank, including the villages of Ni’lin and al-Ma’sara  Full story