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.

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

Israel imprisons abducted engineer in solitary confinement

Ma'an – Abducted Gaza engineer Dirar Abu Sisi and a second man in Israeli jail were transferred into solitary confinement this week, a statement from the Gaza Ministry of Prisoners Affairs said Wednesday.

Accused by Israel of nine charges regarding activity in a terrorist organization, hundreds of counts of attempted murder, conspiracy to commit murder and arms production offenses, Abu Sisi was indicted on April 4, after being abducted from a train in the Ukraine by Israeli intelligence and held at the Shikma prison in the southern port city of Ashkelon.

Abu Sisi's family, however, believe Dirar was abducted because he had been able to engineer a switch in fuel source for the Gaza Power Plant.

At the close of 2010, the Gaza Strip halted its import of Israeli industrial diesel, and initiated a trial-run using purified fuel brought in through smuggling tunnels from Egypt.

A second man, Murad Abu Irkab, from the West Bank city of Ramallah who is sentenced to 27 years in Israeli prison, was also moved into solitary confinement this week, the ministry statement said, adding that the move came with no explanation.
at 4/13/2011 05:48:00 AM