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.

Sunday, June 5, 2011

Thousands rally in Tel Aviv against occupation

Ma'an, AFP -- Thousands of Israelis on Saturday marked the 44th anniversary of the Six-Day War by demonstrating in Tel Aviv against the continued occupation of Palestinian territories captured in the conflict.

The predominantly Jewish crowd marched through the center of Tel Aviv calling for the creation of a "Palestinian state in the interests of Israel" along the borders prior to the Six-Day War, which began on June 5, 1967.

Protesters carried a placard featuring a caricature of the country's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cast as the Pied Piper of Hamlin and bearing the slogan "Netanyahu, you are leading us into catastrophe."

Waving Palestinian and Israeli flags, the protesters chanted: "Israel, Palestine: two states for two peoples" and "Solidarity with the Palestinians."

The demonstration, which was authorized by the police and protected by security services, was organized by a grouping of left-wing, anti-occupation movements including leftist Zionist party Meretz, Marxist non-Zionist Hadash and anti-colonization group Peace Now.

The protest was markedly different from one held in Jerusalem on Wednesday, when Israel celebrates the "reunification of Jerusalem," on the anniversary of the day the eastern part of the city was captured from Jordanian control. A march of some 40,000 entered Palestinian areas of the city, shouting racist slogans and calling for the ethnic cleansing of Jerusalem.

In the West Bank, Christians organized a religious service for "peace and justice" at a military checkpoint near Bethlehem, which also denounced the continuing occupation.

The Israeli military was put on alert Friday before Palestinian demonstrations planned for Saturday's 44th anniversary of the "Naksa," or the occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip by Israel during the Six-Day War.

Israel also deployed reinforcements to its northern border with Lebanon, and to the Golan Heights where the ceasefire line with Syria is drawn, as well as to the West Bank and Gaza Strip.