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Wednesday, December 09, 2020
Our 'concrete jungle' is winning: Human-made materials now outweigh all living things on Earth, study says
In one "contest" between humans and nature, humans are moving out in front.
In one "contest" between humans and nature, humans are moving out in front.
© Itai Raveh According to a new study, the mass of all the human-produced materials – concrete, steel, asphalt, etc. – has grown to equal the mass of all life on the planet, its biomass.
Doyle Rice, USA TODAY
According to a new study, the mass of all the planet's human-produced materials – concrete, steel, asphalt – exceeds the mass of all life on Earth, its biomass.
In fact, humans are adding buildings, roads, vehicles and products at a rate that is doubling every 20 years, leading to a “concrete jungle” that is predicted to reach more than 2 million million tons – or more than double the mass of living things – by 2040.
"Humanity has become a dominant force in shaping the face of Earth," according to the study, which was published Wednesday in the peer-reviewed British journal Nature.
The study said that as of 2020, all human-made materials weigh roughly 1.1 trillion metric tons.
“The study provides a sort of ‘big picture’ snapshot of the planet in 2020," study co-author Ron Milo of Israel's Weizmann Institute of Science, said in a statement. "The message to both policymakers and the general public is that we cannot dismiss our role as a tiny one in comparison to the huge Earth. We are already a major player and I think with that comes a shared responsibility.”
Buildings and roads make up the majority of human-made mass; other examples include plastics and machines.
It wasn't always that way, of course: In 1900, human-produced mass equaled only about 3% of the total biomass. How did we get from 3% to an equivalent mass in just over a century?
The study found that not only have we humans quadrupled our numbers in the intervening years, but the things we produce have far outpaced population growth: Today, on average, for each of the 7.7 billion people on Earth, an amount of human-produced mass greater than their body weight is produced every week.
In addition, since the first agricultural revolution, humans have cut the world's plant biomass in half, through land use changes such as agriculture and deforestation.
"By contrasting human-made mass and biomass over the last century, we bring into focus an additional dimension of the growing impact of human activity on our planet," said study lead author Emily Elhacham, also of the Weizmann Institute of Science.
Milo said that "we hope that once we all have these somewhat shocking figures before our eyes, we can, as a species, take responsibility.”
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Our 'concrete jungle' is winning: Human-made materials now outweigh all living things on Earth, study says
Doyle Rice, USA TODAY
According to a new study, the mass of all the planet's human-produced materials – concrete, steel, asphalt – exceeds the mass of all life on Earth, its biomass.
In fact, humans are adding buildings, roads, vehicles and products at a rate that is doubling every 20 years, leading to a “concrete jungle” that is predicted to reach more than 2 million million tons – or more than double the mass of living things – by 2040.
"Humanity has become a dominant force in shaping the face of Earth," according to the study, which was published Wednesday in the peer-reviewed British journal Nature.
The study said that as of 2020, all human-made materials weigh roughly 1.1 trillion metric tons.
“The study provides a sort of ‘big picture’ snapshot of the planet in 2020," study co-author Ron Milo of Israel's Weizmann Institute of Science, said in a statement. "The message to both policymakers and the general public is that we cannot dismiss our role as a tiny one in comparison to the huge Earth. We are already a major player and I think with that comes a shared responsibility.”
Buildings and roads make up the majority of human-made mass; other examples include plastics and machines.
It wasn't always that way, of course: In 1900, human-produced mass equaled only about 3% of the total biomass. How did we get from 3% to an equivalent mass in just over a century?
The study found that not only have we humans quadrupled our numbers in the intervening years, but the things we produce have far outpaced population growth: Today, on average, for each of the 7.7 billion people on Earth, an amount of human-produced mass greater than their body weight is produced every week.
In addition, since the first agricultural revolution, humans have cut the world's plant biomass in half, through land use changes such as agriculture and deforestation.
"By contrasting human-made mass and biomass over the last century, we bring into focus an additional dimension of the growing impact of human activity on our planet," said study lead author Emily Elhacham, also of the Weizmann Institute of Science.
Milo said that "we hope that once we all have these somewhat shocking figures before our eyes, we can, as a species, take responsibility.”
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Our 'concrete jungle' is winning: Human-made materials now outweigh all living things on Earth, study says
GREEN PLUNDERING
US dependence on China for rare earth minerals is a disaster waiting to happen
In May 2019, amid the escalating U.S.-China trade war, the Chinese Communist Party's official newspaper published a warning that its government might cut off all exports of rare earth minerals to the United States
.
© istock US dependence on China for rare earth minerals is a disaster waiting to happen
In 2010, it had already followed up on a similar threat, that time temporarily cutting off Japan over a minor diplomatic dispute. The United States Geological Survey reports that China not only holds 35 percent of the world's entire rare earth supply, but it's also been turbocharging production, now accounting for 70 percent of global production. Crucially, China directly supplies 80 percent of the U.S.'s rare earth imports. The geopolitical, economic and environmental risks of this status quo can no longer be ignored. The inclusion of a "proposal to make us less dependent on China and other unstable, unreliable and hostile regimes for critical minerals" in the most recent Senate Energy Committee COVID-19 relief package offer is therefore very welcome.
Rare earth minerals consist of a variety of 17 different mineable natural elements, which can be extracted from the earth's crust. They make up crucial components of many modern technological innovations, from electric cars and solar panels to fighter jets and satellites. The worldwide rare earth industry is therefore expected to nearly double from $8.1 billion in 2018 to $14.4 billion in 2025, as demand for cell phones, microchips and electric vehicles increases dramatically. In short, they are what drives the modern, technologically-advanced economy. President-elect Joe Biden's promise to install 500,000 new electric charging stations around the country by 2030 therefore only makes sense if we can reliably supply the critical minerals needed to power these electric vehicles in the first place.
This is why the U.S. must preempt Chinese threats. When China briefly blocked all rare earth exports to Japan in 2010, the policy backfired because Japan retaliated by building a new supply chain outside of China and expanding domestic mineral research and development. As a result, China's global market share dropped from 95 percent to 70 percent. The U.S. now finds itself in a unique position to further dent China's control of the global market, and move toward rare earth independence. Of particular importance is ensuring that the U.S. military does not continue its reliance on Chinese rare earth imports, which are now used for lasers, night vision systems, missile guidance, radar and sonar and more.
The rare earth industry is also crucial to the United States' clean energy future. As Manish Negam, an analyst at Credit Suisse, emphasizes clean technologies such as solar panels and wind turbines, as well as electric vehicles, would be the worst hit by any supply chain disruptions. If the U.S. is serious about transitioning to a low-carbon economy, as it should be, then we must realize that doing so without a reliable supply chain of rare earth minerals is literally impossible. Mark Mills of the Manhattan Institute (RIGHT WING THINK TANK) recently published a study outlining the material requirements of the clean energy transition; he found that any major expansion of clean energy technologies will require an unprecedented increase in rare earth mining, yet the U.S. is 100 percent reliant on imports for some 17 critical minerals, and 50 percent reliant for a further 29.
Aside from the recent relief package proposal, there are other encouraging signs of a political evolution on this matter. For example, the bipartisan Reclaiming American Rare Earths (RARE) Act, introduced in the House on Sept. 1, offers a comprehensive framework of tax incentives to stimulate more investment into the U.S.-based rare earth reserves and mineral production, as well as a series of grants for mining and mineral recovery projects. Similarly, Sen. Lisa Murkowski's (R-Alaska.) American Mineral Security Act is another step in the right direction, and is likely what the Senate Energy Committee relief package is referring to. Meanwhile, entrepreneurs are also playing an important role. From Alaska to Texas, companies and startups are advancing mining development, and a site in Colorado will be the first non-China facility for refining rare earth ores, a crucial process that has been outsourced to China for decades. The latter in particular, a joint venture between Japan, Australia and the U.S., also shows the potential for international collaboration with like-minded countries on rare earth exploration. Moreover, a mountain in Wyoming called Bear Lodge is America's largest known deposit of rare earth minerals, with approximately 18 million tons that could supply the U.S. for years to come, although extraction has proven a challenge.
Ultimately, however, more can and must be done. As Mills reports, the permitting process in the U.S. is ridiculously long, taking up to three decades where Australia and Canada only require two years. A regulatory minefield of labyrinthine local, state and federal rules precludes much-needed investment from taking place, stifling mining companies compared to their Chinese competitors. Meanwhile, mineral exploration and development on federal lands have been all-but-banned.
These rules and regulations are absurd not only from an economic perspective, but also from environmental and geopolitical ones. The current situation forces the U.S. to rely on countries like China for our long-term economic development, clean energy transition and military innovation. If we are to stand up to China, recover the American economy and play our role in combating climate change, the U.S. must rapidly find a way to become rare earth independent - or, at least, non-China dependent.
Christopher Barnard is the national policy director at the American Conservation Coalition (ACC). Follow the organization on Twitter @ACC_National.
In 2010, it had already followed up on a similar threat, that time temporarily cutting off Japan over a minor diplomatic dispute. The United States Geological Survey reports that China not only holds 35 percent of the world's entire rare earth supply, but it's also been turbocharging production, now accounting for 70 percent of global production. Crucially, China directly supplies 80 percent of the U.S.'s rare earth imports. The geopolitical, economic and environmental risks of this status quo can no longer be ignored. The inclusion of a "proposal to make us less dependent on China and other unstable, unreliable and hostile regimes for critical minerals" in the most recent Senate Energy Committee COVID-19 relief package offer is therefore very welcome.
Rare earth minerals consist of a variety of 17 different mineable natural elements, which can be extracted from the earth's crust. They make up crucial components of many modern technological innovations, from electric cars and solar panels to fighter jets and satellites. The worldwide rare earth industry is therefore expected to nearly double from $8.1 billion in 2018 to $14.4 billion in 2025, as demand for cell phones, microchips and electric vehicles increases dramatically. In short, they are what drives the modern, technologically-advanced economy. President-elect Joe Biden's promise to install 500,000 new electric charging stations around the country by 2030 therefore only makes sense if we can reliably supply the critical minerals needed to power these electric vehicles in the first place.
This is why the U.S. must preempt Chinese threats. When China briefly blocked all rare earth exports to Japan in 2010, the policy backfired because Japan retaliated by building a new supply chain outside of China and expanding domestic mineral research and development. As a result, China's global market share dropped from 95 percent to 70 percent. The U.S. now finds itself in a unique position to further dent China's control of the global market, and move toward rare earth independence. Of particular importance is ensuring that the U.S. military does not continue its reliance on Chinese rare earth imports, which are now used for lasers, night vision systems, missile guidance, radar and sonar and more.
The rare earth industry is also crucial to the United States' clean energy future. As Manish Negam, an analyst at Credit Suisse, emphasizes clean technologies such as solar panels and wind turbines, as well as electric vehicles, would be the worst hit by any supply chain disruptions. If the U.S. is serious about transitioning to a low-carbon economy, as it should be, then we must realize that doing so without a reliable supply chain of rare earth minerals is literally impossible. Mark Mills of the Manhattan Institute (RIGHT WING THINK TANK) recently published a study outlining the material requirements of the clean energy transition; he found that any major expansion of clean energy technologies will require an unprecedented increase in rare earth mining, yet the U.S. is 100 percent reliant on imports for some 17 critical minerals, and 50 percent reliant for a further 29.
Aside from the recent relief package proposal, there are other encouraging signs of a political evolution on this matter. For example, the bipartisan Reclaiming American Rare Earths (RARE) Act, introduced in the House on Sept. 1, offers a comprehensive framework of tax incentives to stimulate more investment into the U.S.-based rare earth reserves and mineral production, as well as a series of grants for mining and mineral recovery projects. Similarly, Sen. Lisa Murkowski's (R-Alaska.) American Mineral Security Act is another step in the right direction, and is likely what the Senate Energy Committee relief package is referring to. Meanwhile, entrepreneurs are also playing an important role. From Alaska to Texas, companies and startups are advancing mining development, and a site in Colorado will be the first non-China facility for refining rare earth ores, a crucial process that has been outsourced to China for decades. The latter in particular, a joint venture between Japan, Australia and the U.S., also shows the potential for international collaboration with like-minded countries on rare earth exploration. Moreover, a mountain in Wyoming called Bear Lodge is America's largest known deposit of rare earth minerals, with approximately 18 million tons that could supply the U.S. for years to come, although extraction has proven a challenge.
Ultimately, however, more can and must be done. As Mills reports, the permitting process in the U.S. is ridiculously long, taking up to three decades where Australia and Canada only require two years. A regulatory minefield of labyrinthine local, state and federal rules precludes much-needed investment from taking place, stifling mining companies compared to their Chinese competitors. Meanwhile, mineral exploration and development on federal lands have been all-but-banned.
These rules and regulations are absurd not only from an economic perspective, but also from environmental and geopolitical ones. The current situation forces the U.S. to rely on countries like China for our long-term economic development, clean energy transition and military innovation. If we are to stand up to China, recover the American economy and play our role in combating climate change, the U.S. must rapidly find a way to become rare earth independent - or, at least, non-China dependent.
Christopher Barnard is the national policy director at the American Conservation Coalition (ACC). Follow the organization on Twitter @ACC_National.
TRUMP MINI-ME
'Alberta bashing:' Kenney rejects criticism he waited too long on COVID rules
EDMONTON — Premier Jason Kenney is rejecting criticism he waited too long to bring in tighter COVID-19 measures, labelling such talk as “Alberta bashing.”
© Provided by The Canadian Press
The comment came in a radio interview Wednesday with Edmonton's CHED radio station. Kenney lauded Alberta’s pandemic response in the spring, including when Edmonton hosted the National Hockey League playoffs in an isolation “bubble.”
That prompted host Shaye Ganam to interject: “Premier Kenney, with all due respect, you’re talking about things that happened several months ago, and we’re in a drastically different situation now.
“Things are far, far worse when you talk about our record in terms of pandemic response. It’s among the worst, especially in Canada."
Kenney countered: “I don’t accept the Alberta bashing that is going on here.”
The premier said Alberta’s high COVID-19 case counts don’t reflect the number of people who are sick. He said comparable jurisdictions are facing similar rates and the key metric is death rates.
TRUMP EXCUSE
“The truth is Alberta’s fatality rate of COVID cases, which is the most important statistic, is ... significantly below that of Ontario, of Quebec, of Manitoba and only slightly ahead of British Columbia,” Kenney said.
On Tuesday, the premier rejected taking responsibility for the soaring case numbers at a news conference where he announced more strict public-health measures.
“From a health perspective, it’s clear your approach hasn’t worked to date and has arguably even cost people their lives. Do you acknowledge any responsibility and apologize for the way you’ve handled the second wave of the pandemic?” asked Postmedia reporter Sammy Hudes.
“That sounds a lot more like an NDP speech than a media question, Sammy,” replied the United Conservative premier. “I reject the entire premise of your question.
"You have just joined folks who are doing drive-by smears on Alberta.
"We've tried to do this in a balanced way and now it's up to Albertans to rise to the challenge," Kenney said.
Alberta reported more than 21,000 active cases Tuesday with 654 people in hospital — 112 of them receiving intensive care. There have been 640 deaths.
The province's health system has been reassigning patients, staff, wards and spaces to free up more intensive care beds.
The Opposition NDP and hundreds of doctors had for weeks been calling for a lockdown, saying case rates were projecting a dire situation.
In response, Kenney banned extended indoor private gatherings two weeks ago and put further limits on customers in stores and businesses. But he said it was critical to keep shops, casinos, waterparks, and other businesses open as much as possible to prevent further damage to the economy, community well-being and mental health.
NDP Leader Rachel Notley said Kenney ignored public health advice for a month and Albertans are now paying for it.
“We could have acted four weeks ago,” Notley said Tuesday.
The comment came in a radio interview Wednesday with Edmonton's CHED radio station. Kenney lauded Alberta’s pandemic response in the spring, including when Edmonton hosted the National Hockey League playoffs in an isolation “bubble.”
That prompted host Shaye Ganam to interject: “Premier Kenney, with all due respect, you’re talking about things that happened several months ago, and we’re in a drastically different situation now.
“Things are far, far worse when you talk about our record in terms of pandemic response. It’s among the worst, especially in Canada."
Kenney countered: “I don’t accept the Alberta bashing that is going on here.”
The premier said Alberta’s high COVID-19 case counts don’t reflect the number of people who are sick. He said comparable jurisdictions are facing similar rates and the key metric is death rates.
TRUMP EXCUSE
“The truth is Alberta’s fatality rate of COVID cases, which is the most important statistic, is ... significantly below that of Ontario, of Quebec, of Manitoba and only slightly ahead of British Columbia,” Kenney said.
On Tuesday, the premier rejected taking responsibility for the soaring case numbers at a news conference where he announced more strict public-health measures.
“From a health perspective, it’s clear your approach hasn’t worked to date and has arguably even cost people their lives. Do you acknowledge any responsibility and apologize for the way you’ve handled the second wave of the pandemic?” asked Postmedia reporter Sammy Hudes.
“That sounds a lot more like an NDP speech than a media question, Sammy,” replied the United Conservative premier. “I reject the entire premise of your question.
"You have just joined folks who are doing drive-by smears on Alberta.
"We've tried to do this in a balanced way and now it's up to Albertans to rise to the challenge," Kenney said.
Alberta reported more than 21,000 active cases Tuesday with 654 people in hospital — 112 of them receiving intensive care. There have been 640 deaths.
The province's health system has been reassigning patients, staff, wards and spaces to free up more intensive care beds.
The Opposition NDP and hundreds of doctors had for weeks been calling for a lockdown, saying case rates were projecting a dire situation.
In response, Kenney banned extended indoor private gatherings two weeks ago and put further limits on customers in stores and businesses. But he said it was critical to keep shops, casinos, waterparks, and other businesses open as much as possible to prevent further damage to the economy, community well-being and mental health.
NDP Leader Rachel Notley said Kenney ignored public health advice for a month and Albertans are now paying for it.
“We could have acted four weeks ago,” Notley said Tuesday.
(NINE MONTHS AND FOUR WEEKS AGO)
“Since then, an additional 317 Albertans have died. The number of people in hospital has shot up 469 per cent. The number of ICU patients is up 300 per cent. We have the highest number of active cases of COVID-19 in the country.
“And now all of us are staring down the barrel of the most restrictive Christmas we could ever have imagined.”
The new rules, in place for at least four weeks, shutter almost all public activities while keeping retail businesses open at sharply reduced capacity.
There is a ban on indoor social gatherings beyond those who live under the same roof. No outdoor gatherings are allowed except for fitness activities, like running, skiing and skating, as long as the participants follow health and distancing rules.
Jobs Minister Doug Schweitzer also announced $500 million in supports to help small and medium-sized businesses survive the shutdown.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 9, 2020.
Dean Bennett, The Canadian Press
“Since then, an additional 317 Albertans have died. The number of people in hospital has shot up 469 per cent. The number of ICU patients is up 300 per cent. We have the highest number of active cases of COVID-19 in the country.
“And now all of us are staring down the barrel of the most restrictive Christmas we could ever have imagined.”
The new rules, in place for at least four weeks, shutter almost all public activities while keeping retail businesses open at sharply reduced capacity.
There is a ban on indoor social gatherings beyond those who live under the same roof. No outdoor gatherings are allowed except for fitness activities, like running, skiing and skating, as long as the participants follow health and distancing rules.
Jobs Minister Doug Schweitzer also announced $500 million in supports to help small and medium-sized businesses survive the shutdown.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 9, 2020.
Dean Bennett, The Canadian Press
Scientists clarify origins of pterosaurs,
the dinosaur era's flying reptiles
By Will Dunham
© Reuters/Rodolfo Nogueira
Head of Ixalerpeton, a Triassic Period reptile from a group called Lagerpetidae that once inhabited Brazil
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Scientists may have solved one of paleontology's enduring mysteries - the evolutionary origins of the flying reptiles called pterosaurs that ruled the skies at the same time that dinosaurs dominated the land.
Researchers said on Wednesday a poorly understood Triassic Period reptile group called lagerpetids, known from a few partial skeletons from the United States, Argentina, Brazil and Madagascar, appears to have been the evolutionary precursor to pterosaurs.
Lagerpetids, first appearing about 237 million years ago, were generally small and may have been bipedal insect-eaters. They could not fly. Pterosaurs became Earth's first flying vertebrates, with birds and then bats appearing much later.
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Scientists may have solved one of paleontology's enduring mysteries - the evolutionary origins of the flying reptiles called pterosaurs that ruled the skies at the same time that dinosaurs dominated the land.
Researchers said on Wednesday a poorly understood Triassic Period reptile group called lagerpetids, known from a few partial skeletons from the United States, Argentina, Brazil and Madagascar, appears to have been the evolutionary precursor to pterosaurs.
Lagerpetids, first appearing about 237 million years ago, were generally small and may have been bipedal insect-eaters. They could not fly. Pterosaurs became Earth's first flying vertebrates, with birds and then bats appearing much later.
© Reuters/Sterling Nesbitt Scientists excavate the remains of a Triassic Period reptile in Argentina in this undated handout photograph
"The origin of pterosaurs has been one of the most enigmatic issues of paleontology since the first discovery of pterosaurs in the late 18th century," said paleontologist Martin Ezcurra of the Argentine Museum of Natural Sciences in Buenos Aires, lead author of the study published in the journal Nature.
The oldest-known pterosaurs appear in the fossil record about 220 million years ago, with anatomies fully developed for flight including wings formed by a membrane extending from the ankles to an exceptionally elongated fourth finger.
Studying previously discovered and newly unearthed fossils using sophisticated scanning technology and three-dimensional modeling, the researchers identified at least 33 skeletal traits suggesting an evolutionary link between lagerpetids and pterosaurs. These included the shape of the inner ear, braincase and teeth, as well as similarities in hand, leg, ankle and pelvic bones.
"The origin of pterosaurs has been one of the most enigmatic issues of paleontology since the first discovery of pterosaurs in the late 18th century," said paleontologist Martin Ezcurra of the Argentine Museum of Natural Sciences in Buenos Aires, lead author of the study published in the journal Nature.
The oldest-known pterosaurs appear in the fossil record about 220 million years ago, with anatomies fully developed for flight including wings formed by a membrane extending from the ankles to an exceptionally elongated fourth finger.
Studying previously discovered and newly unearthed fossils using sophisticated scanning technology and three-dimensional modeling, the researchers identified at least 33 skeletal traits suggesting an evolutionary link between lagerpetids and pterosaurs. These included the shape of the inner ear, braincase and teeth, as well as similarities in hand, leg, ankle and pelvic bones.
© Reuters/Scott Hartman
Skeleton of a Triassic Period reptile from a group called Lagerpetidae based on fossils from several species
"We show that lagerpetids are the closest-known relatives to pterosaurs and bridge the anatomical gap between pterosaurs and other reptiles," Ezcurra added.
Lagerpetids also appear to be closely related to dinosaurs, the researchers said. The oldest-known dinosaur dates to about 233 million years ago. Pterosaurs disappeared 66 million years ago in the asteroid collision that also doomed the dinosaurs.
While starting relatively small, pterosaurs eventually achieved huge dimensions, with wingspans reaching 35 feet (10.7 meters).
"We have been studying how birds transformed their bodies for flight for the last 50 years and most of this was driven by extraordinary fossils of dinosaurs and early birds," Virginia Tech paleontologist and study co-author Sterling Nesbitt said. "Pterosaurs have not experienced this renaissance of understanding yet because we didn't have the fossils."
(Reporting by Will Dunham; Editing by Sandra Maler)
"We show that lagerpetids are the closest-known relatives to pterosaurs and bridge the anatomical gap between pterosaurs and other reptiles," Ezcurra added.
Lagerpetids also appear to be closely related to dinosaurs, the researchers said. The oldest-known dinosaur dates to about 233 million years ago. Pterosaurs disappeared 66 million years ago in the asteroid collision that also doomed the dinosaurs.
While starting relatively small, pterosaurs eventually achieved huge dimensions, with wingspans reaching 35 feet (10.7 meters).
"We have been studying how birds transformed their bodies for flight for the last 50 years and most of this was driven by extraordinary fossils of dinosaurs and early birds," Virginia Tech paleontologist and study co-author Sterling Nesbitt said. "Pterosaurs have not experienced this renaissance of understanding yet because we didn't have the fossils."
(Reporting by Will Dunham; Editing by Sandra Maler)
Palestinian Journalists Syndicate calls for boycotting Israel media
A Palestinian journalist seen after Israeli forces fired tear gas at Palestinian protestors on 4 September 2018 [Dawoud Abo Alkas/Apaimages]
December 5, 2020
Palestinian Journalists Syndicate (PJS) called for Palestinian journalists to boycott Israeli mass media following "distorted" reports about Palestinians broadcast by Israeli Channel 13.
In a statement posted on its Facebook page, the PJS called for Palestinians to take their role in preventing "such dangerous distortions".
The PJS said that it had repeatedly called for boycotting Israeli media and Israeli reporters, who enter the Palestinian territories as "occupiers" and "under the protection of the Israeli occupation forces".
According to the PJS statement: "Any treatment or meeting with the Israeli media, or offering logistic assistance for them during their entry to the Palestinian territories are considered a normalisation crime which is nationally and popularly rejected."
Referring to the "distorted" report, which ignored the misery of Palestinian life caused by the Israeli occupation, the PJS indicated that the owners of Palestinian restaurants, coffees shops and hotels appeared in the report as "inferior".
Read: Israel committed 414 violations against Palestinian journalists in 2020
The PJS reiterated that the Israeli reporters: "Reinforced the narrative of the Israeli occupation which does not reflect the reality on the ground and cut the shows which reflect the consequences of the Israeli crimes and the occupation's restrictions on the Palestinian economy."
Concluding the statement, the PJS expressed: "Palestinian journalists and mass media are subjected to Israeli suppression, sometimes in front of Israeli journalists or with their support. The PJS considers any assistance to Israeli media and journalists as an encouragement of these Israeli crimes."
The PJS stressed that it: "Will not forgive or show mercy to the Palestinians who deal with the Israeli media."
A Palestinian journalist seen after Israeli forces fired tear gas at Palestinian protestors on 4 September 2018 [Dawoud Abo Alkas/Apaimages]
December 5, 2020
Palestinian Journalists Syndicate (PJS) called for Palestinian journalists to boycott Israeli mass media following "distorted" reports about Palestinians broadcast by Israeli Channel 13.
In a statement posted on its Facebook page, the PJS called for Palestinians to take their role in preventing "such dangerous distortions".
The PJS said that it had repeatedly called for boycotting Israeli media and Israeli reporters, who enter the Palestinian territories as "occupiers" and "under the protection of the Israeli occupation forces".
According to the PJS statement: "Any treatment or meeting with the Israeli media, or offering logistic assistance for them during their entry to the Palestinian territories are considered a normalisation crime which is nationally and popularly rejected."
Referring to the "distorted" report, which ignored the misery of Palestinian life caused by the Israeli occupation, the PJS indicated that the owners of Palestinian restaurants, coffees shops and hotels appeared in the report as "inferior".
Read: Israel committed 414 violations against Palestinian journalists in 2020
The PJS reiterated that the Israeli reporters: "Reinforced the narrative of the Israeli occupation which does not reflect the reality on the ground and cut the shows which reflect the consequences of the Israeli crimes and the occupation's restrictions on the Palestinian economy."
Concluding the statement, the PJS expressed: "Palestinian journalists and mass media are subjected to Israeli suppression, sometimes in front of Israeli journalists or with their support. The PJS considers any assistance to Israeli media and journalists as an encouragement of these Israeli crimes."
The PJS stressed that it: "Will not forgive or show mercy to the Palestinians who deal with the Israeli media."
BDS slams Bahrain's recognition of Israel settlement goods
December 5, 2020
Israeli Foreign Affairs Minister Gabi Ashkenazi (L) bumps his elbow with Bahrain Foreign Affairs Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayan (R) as Ashkenazi welcomes Al Zayan upon arrival of him at the Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, Israel on November 18, 2020
December 5, 2020
Israeli Foreign Affairs Minister Gabi Ashkenazi (L) bumps his elbow with Bahrain Foreign Affairs Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid Al Zayan (R) as Ashkenazi welcomes Al Zayan upon arrival of him at the Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, Israel on November 18, 2020
[Israeli Foreign Ministry / Anadolu Agency]
December 5, 2020 at 2:26 pm
The Boycott, Divest and Sanctions (BDS) movement on Friday slammed Bahrain's recognition of settlement goods as "war crimes", Quds Press reported.
Bahrain's Commerce and Tourism Minister Zayed Al-Zayani announced that his country would not boycott the products of Israeli settlements built on Palestinian lands, and would deal with them in a similar manner to which it deals with products made in Israel.
BDS Coordinator Mahmoud Nawajaa expressed in response: "This is a flagrant deviation from the Arab and Islamic stance and makes Bahrain, according to international law, involved in Israeli crimes."
Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Nawajaa also stated: "Israel's building of settlements on Palestinian lands occupied in 1967 is a war crime," pointing out that Bahrain's recognition of these settlements "makes it a participant in the perpetration of war crimes against the Palestinian people."
Read: Bahrain, Israel on same front against Iran, Manama minister says
Nawajaa believes that this measure: "Reveals the extent to which Bahrain is carrying out the agenda of the current US administration and that of the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu."
He concluded: "We are confident that the Bahraini people will boycott all the Israeli products, not only those of the settlements."
On 15 September, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain signed normalisation deals with Israel. On 23 October, the Sudanese Foreign Ministry also announced the normalisation of ties with Israel.
In 2016, the United Nations Security Council considered Israeli settlements built on Palestinian lands occupied in 1967 as "illegal".
Most European countries do not deal with settlement products in the same way as Israeli products. They do not label them as being produced in Israel.
December 5, 2020 at 2:26 pm
The Boycott, Divest and Sanctions (BDS) movement on Friday slammed Bahrain's recognition of settlement goods as "war crimes", Quds Press reported.
Bahrain's Commerce and Tourism Minister Zayed Al-Zayani announced that his country would not boycott the products of Israeli settlements built on Palestinian lands, and would deal with them in a similar manner to which it deals with products made in Israel.
BDS Coordinator Mahmoud Nawajaa expressed in response: "This is a flagrant deviation from the Arab and Islamic stance and makes Bahrain, according to international law, involved in Israeli crimes."
Speaking to Anadolu Agency, Nawajaa also stated: "Israel's building of settlements on Palestinian lands occupied in 1967 is a war crime," pointing out that Bahrain's recognition of these settlements "makes it a participant in the perpetration of war crimes against the Palestinian people."
Read: Bahrain, Israel on same front against Iran, Manama minister says
Nawajaa believes that this measure: "Reveals the extent to which Bahrain is carrying out the agenda of the current US administration and that of the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu."
He concluded: "We are confident that the Bahraini people will boycott all the Israeli products, not only those of the settlements."
On 15 September, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Bahrain signed normalisation deals with Israel. On 23 October, the Sudanese Foreign Ministry also announced the normalisation of ties with Israel.
In 2016, the United Nations Security Council considered Israeli settlements built on Palestinian lands occupied in 1967 as "illegal".
Most European countries do not deal with settlement products in the same way as Israeli products. They do not label them as being produced in Israel.
Israel 'whitewashing' crime after soldier cleared of shooting 9-year-old Palestinian boy
Israeli forces in Ramallah, West Bank on 27 November 2020 [Issam Rimawi/Anadolu Agency]
December 8, 2020
Israeli authorities have said that the case of nine-year-old Palestinian boy, Malik Eissa, who was shot in the eye was "sad" but there was insufficient evidence to prosecute anyone even though eyewitnesses claim that occupation soldiers had opened fire as Malik got of the school bus.
Malik was struck on the face by what appeared to be a sponge-tipped munition last February and lost vision in his left eye. According to Haaretz, at the time, an Israeli soldier admitted to having used his weapon but he claimed that he had fired the bullet against a wall.
The Israeli officer apparently did not notice that Malik had been hit on the face and claimed that he may have been hit by a stone thrown by other Palestinians. His father, Wael Eissa, disputed the claim and insisted that no stones were thrown at the time the Israeli officers opened fire.
"At the spot where they got off [the bus], the police were trying to take somebody and a lot of people had gathered. There were no rocks being thrown or anything. The police saw a lot of people and fired. The boy received the bullet between the eyes," Wael is reported saying.
Read: Israel's detention of Palestinian children amounts to torture, says new report
Footage from the scene apparently supports the family's claim, and show no unusual activity in the moments before the shooting which put Malik in a life threatening condition in the intensive care unit of Hadassah hospital in Jerusalem.
The family says Malik hasn't returned to school since because of recurring medical treatments and the embarrassment of being disfigured and reliant on a prosthetic eye.
9-year-old Palestinian boy, Malik Eissa, who was shot in the eye by Israeli occupation forces [Saudis2018/Twitter]
Absolving the Israeli soldier, the occupation state's Justice Ministry said that the unit for internal police investigations concluded that while the incident was "sad", there were insufficient grounds for prosecution after interviewing witnesses and reviewing video footage and other evidence.
Responding to the judgement, Wael told AP that his family had been the victims of injustice twice — first when the boy was shot and now with the investigation being closed. "When my son was shot, the members of the investigative unit came to the hospital. They were about to cry," Wael said. "They told me, 'Don't worry, those responsible for shooting him will be held accountable. But 10 months after investigating, they decided to close the file."
B'Tselem, Israel's leading human rights group, said the case "exemplifies whitewashing at work."
"Every individual case is isolated to a series of technical details, as though this was a singular incident, rather than an open fire policy," said B'Tselem. It accused police of operating within "an oppressed civilian population to enforce an occupation and annexation," leading to civilian casualties and impunity for those who harm them.
Last week the UN called for a probe into Israeli injuring of four Palestinian children in past two weeks.
Report: Israel killed 7 Palestinian minors in 2020
Israeli forces in Ramallah, West Bank on 27 November 2020 [Issam Rimawi/Anadolu Agency]
December 8, 2020
Israeli authorities have said that the case of nine-year-old Palestinian boy, Malik Eissa, who was shot in the eye was "sad" but there was insufficient evidence to prosecute anyone even though eyewitnesses claim that occupation soldiers had opened fire as Malik got of the school bus.
Malik was struck on the face by what appeared to be a sponge-tipped munition last February and lost vision in his left eye. According to Haaretz, at the time, an Israeli soldier admitted to having used his weapon but he claimed that he had fired the bullet against a wall.
The Israeli officer apparently did not notice that Malik had been hit on the face and claimed that he may have been hit by a stone thrown by other Palestinians. His father, Wael Eissa, disputed the claim and insisted that no stones were thrown at the time the Israeli officers opened fire.
"At the spot where they got off [the bus], the police were trying to take somebody and a lot of people had gathered. There were no rocks being thrown or anything. The police saw a lot of people and fired. The boy received the bullet between the eyes," Wael is reported saying.
Read: Israel's detention of Palestinian children amounts to torture, says new report
Footage from the scene apparently supports the family's claim, and show no unusual activity in the moments before the shooting which put Malik in a life threatening condition in the intensive care unit of Hadassah hospital in Jerusalem.
The family says Malik hasn't returned to school since because of recurring medical treatments and the embarrassment of being disfigured and reliant on a prosthetic eye.
9-year-old Palestinian boy, Malik Eissa, who was shot in the eye by Israeli occupation forces [Saudis2018/Twitter]
Absolving the Israeli soldier, the occupation state's Justice Ministry said that the unit for internal police investigations concluded that while the incident was "sad", there were insufficient grounds for prosecution after interviewing witnesses and reviewing video footage and other evidence.
Responding to the judgement, Wael told AP that his family had been the victims of injustice twice — first when the boy was shot and now with the investigation being closed. "When my son was shot, the members of the investigative unit came to the hospital. They were about to cry," Wael said. "They told me, 'Don't worry, those responsible for shooting him will be held accountable. But 10 months after investigating, they decided to close the file."
B'Tselem, Israel's leading human rights group, said the case "exemplifies whitewashing at work."
"Every individual case is isolated to a series of technical details, as though this was a singular incident, rather than an open fire policy," said B'Tselem. It accused police of operating within "an oppressed civilian population to enforce an occupation and annexation," leading to civilian casualties and impunity for those who harm them.
Last week the UN called for a probe into Israeli injuring of four Palestinian children in past two weeks.
Report: Israel killed 7 Palestinian minors in 2020
Saudi prince: 'Israel incarcerating Palestinians in concentration camps'
December 7, 2020
Former Saudi ambassador to the United States, Prince Turki Al-Faisal on 10 December 2017 [Twitter]
December 7, 2020 at 3:30 pm
A Saudi prince and former senior government official Turki Al-Faisal called out Israel for building an "apartheid wall" and denying equal rights to its non-Jewish citizens, the Times of Israel reports.
Speaking at the Bahrain summit yesterday, in the presence of Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi, Prince Turki launched a blistering attack against Israel, describing the self-proclaimed Jewish state as a belligerent and apartheid-practicing occupier.
"Israeli governments have arrested thousands of the inhabitants of the lands they are colonising and incarcerated them in concentration camps under the flimsiest of security accusations — young and old, women and men who are rotting there without recourse or justice," said Prince Turki.
He also stressed the importance of resolving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict with a two-state solution.
"They're demolishing homes as they wish, and they assassinate whomever they want to. And yet, the Israeli Knesset passed a law that defines the citizenship of Israel as exclusively Jewish, denying the non-Jewish inhabitants of Israel equal rights under the law. What kind of democracy is that?" he asked.
Ashkenazi, who spoke immediately after Prince Turki, said: "I would like to express my regret on the comments of the Saudi representative. I don't believe that they reflect the spirit and the changes taking place in the Middle East."
Last Friday, Prince Faisal Bin Farhan Al Saud said Saudi Arabia would only normalise ties with Israel within a plan that would deliver a sovereign state to Palestinians, quashing speculation that the kingdom may soon become the latest Arab country to establish full diplomatic relations with the occupation state.
The UAE, Bahrain, Jordan and Egypt have now all signed peace deals with Israel, while Sudan has said it is willing to normalise relations with the occupation but at only if certain conditions are met.
December 7, 2020
Former Saudi ambassador to the United States, Prince Turki Al-Faisal on 10 December 2017 [Twitter]
December 7, 2020 at 3:30 pm
A Saudi prince and former senior government official Turki Al-Faisal called out Israel for building an "apartheid wall" and denying equal rights to its non-Jewish citizens, the Times of Israel reports.
Speaking at the Bahrain summit yesterday, in the presence of Israeli Foreign Minister Gabi Ashkenazi, Prince Turki launched a blistering attack against Israel, describing the self-proclaimed Jewish state as a belligerent and apartheid-practicing occupier.
"Israeli governments have arrested thousands of the inhabitants of the lands they are colonising and incarcerated them in concentration camps under the flimsiest of security accusations — young and old, women and men who are rotting there without recourse or justice," said Prince Turki.
He also stressed the importance of resolving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict with a two-state solution.
"They're demolishing homes as they wish, and they assassinate whomever they want to. And yet, the Israeli Knesset passed a law that defines the citizenship of Israel as exclusively Jewish, denying the non-Jewish inhabitants of Israel equal rights under the law. What kind of democracy is that?" he asked.
Ashkenazi, who spoke immediately after Prince Turki, said: "I would like to express my regret on the comments of the Saudi representative. I don't believe that they reflect the spirit and the changes taking place in the Middle East."
Last Friday, Prince Faisal Bin Farhan Al Saud said Saudi Arabia would only normalise ties with Israel within a plan that would deliver a sovereign state to Palestinians, quashing speculation that the kingdom may soon become the latest Arab country to establish full diplomatic relations with the occupation state.
The UAE, Bahrain, Jordan and Egypt have now all signed peace deals with Israel, while Sudan has said it is willing to normalise relations with the occupation but at only if certain conditions are met.
Palestinian teen killed by Israel forces in protest, Palestinians say
Israeli soldiers fatally shot a 15-year-old Palestinian today during protests in the occupied West Bank
December 4, 2020
Israeli soldiers fatally shot a 15-year-old Palestinian today during protests in the occupied West Bank, Palestinian officials said, although the Israeli military said its forces had not used live fire, Reuters reports.
The teenager, named as Ali Ayman Saleh Nasser, was hit by a bullet in his abdomen and was taken in critical condition for treatment at a hospital in the occupied Palestinian city of Ramallah where he succumbed to his wounds, the Palestinian Health Ministry said.
An Israeli military spokeswoman said soldiers had used what she described as "riot dispersal means" to confront dozens of Palestinians who were hurling rocks at soldiers and trying to roll rocks and burning tyres at Israeli vehicles.
"The reports of the use of live fire during the riot are not true and claims about a number of rioters injured and one killed are known," the spokeswoman said.
READ: It is time to make it official and brand Israel as an apartheid state
The Palestinian teenager was involved in a weekly protest against illegal Israeli settlements at Al-Mughayyir village near Ramallah, said Marzouq Abu Naeem, a member of the village council.
"This ugly crime is a war crime and a crime against humanity," the Palestinian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Palestinians want to establish a state in the occupied West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip, territories Israel captured and occupied in the 1967 Middle East war.
Palestinians believe Israel's illegal settlements deny them a viable state and, like many countries, see the settlements as an obstacle to peace. Israel disputes this view.
READ: Israel's detention of Palestinian children amounts to torture, says new report
Israeli soldiers fatally shot a 15-year-old Palestinian today during protests in the occupied West Bank
December 4, 2020
Israeli soldiers fatally shot a 15-year-old Palestinian today during protests in the occupied West Bank, Palestinian officials said, although the Israeli military said its forces had not used live fire, Reuters reports.
The teenager, named as Ali Ayman Saleh Nasser, was hit by a bullet in his abdomen and was taken in critical condition for treatment at a hospital in the occupied Palestinian city of Ramallah where he succumbed to his wounds, the Palestinian Health Ministry said.
An Israeli military spokeswoman said soldiers had used what she described as "riot dispersal means" to confront dozens of Palestinians who were hurling rocks at soldiers and trying to roll rocks and burning tyres at Israeli vehicles.
"The reports of the use of live fire during the riot are not true and claims about a number of rioters injured and one killed are known," the spokeswoman said.
READ: It is time to make it official and brand Israel as an apartheid state
The Palestinian teenager was involved in a weekly protest against illegal Israeli settlements at Al-Mughayyir village near Ramallah, said Marzouq Abu Naeem, a member of the village council.
"This ugly crime is a war crime and a crime against humanity," the Palestinian Foreign Ministry said in a statement.
Palestinians want to establish a state in the occupied West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip, territories Israel captured and occupied in the 1967 Middle East war.
Palestinians believe Israel's illegal settlements deny them a viable state and, like many countries, see the settlements as an obstacle to peace. Israel disputes this view.
READ: Israel's detention of Palestinian children amounts to torture, says new report
EU orders Israel to investigate Palestinian child's death
December 7, 2020
December 7, 2020
15-year-old Palestinian, Ali Ayman Saleh Nasser, shot dead by Israeli soldiers in the occupied West Bank on 4 December 2020 [MarkStokeSouth/Twitter]
December 7, 2020
The European Union (EU) has ordered a further investigation into the case of a 15-year-old Palestinian shot dead by Israeli soldiers in the occupied West Bank on Friday.
Ali Ayman Saleh Nasser was hit by a bullet in his abdomen during a protest he was observing against illegal Israeli settlements at Al-Mughayyir village, near Ramallah, on Friday.
"This shocking incident must be swiftly and fully investigated by the Israeli authorities in order to bring the perpetrators to justice," said the EU delegation responsible for Palestinian affairs.
Israeli forces attacked the Palestinians who were throwing stones at them with bullets from the entrance to the village as "riot dispersal means".
A statement released by the Israeli military said that its security forces had used 0.22 Ruger ammunition during the protest. Those bullets are smaller and less powerful than normal rounds but are still lethal.
"The [Israel Defense Forces] is aware of the claim that there were wounded Palestinians, and one Palestinian fatality. Following this incident, a military police investigation has been launched," it added.
READ: Israel bus driver kills 2 Palestine workers at military checkpoint
Ali was rushed to a hospital in the occupied Palestinian city of Ramallah where he was declared dead, the Palestinian Health Ministry said.
Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh condemned the shooting of Ali as "a new crime added to the occupation's long record".
"May Ali's soul rest in eternal peace," he added.
The EU further denounced the "shocking" killing on Twitter, adding the "incident must be swiftly and fully investigated".
"How many more Palestinian children will be subject to the excessive use of lethal force by the Israeli security forces?" it asked.
US Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Nickolay Mladenov, also took to Twitter to express his outrage at the killing, calling it "appalling and unacceptable." He wrote: "Children enjoy special protection under international law and must be protected from violence."
Ali's funeral was held in Al-Mughayyir village on Saturday with thousands of Palestinians attending.
December 7, 2020
The European Union (EU) has ordered a further investigation into the case of a 15-year-old Palestinian shot dead by Israeli soldiers in the occupied West Bank on Friday.
Ali Ayman Saleh Nasser was hit by a bullet in his abdomen during a protest he was observing against illegal Israeli settlements at Al-Mughayyir village, near Ramallah, on Friday.
"This shocking incident must be swiftly and fully investigated by the Israeli authorities in order to bring the perpetrators to justice," said the EU delegation responsible for Palestinian affairs.
Israeli forces attacked the Palestinians who were throwing stones at them with bullets from the entrance to the village as "riot dispersal means".
A statement released by the Israeli military said that its security forces had used 0.22 Ruger ammunition during the protest. Those bullets are smaller and less powerful than normal rounds but are still lethal.
"The [Israel Defense Forces] is aware of the claim that there were wounded Palestinians, and one Palestinian fatality. Following this incident, a military police investigation has been launched," it added.
READ: Israel bus driver kills 2 Palestine workers at military checkpoint
Ali was rushed to a hospital in the occupied Palestinian city of Ramallah where he was declared dead, the Palestinian Health Ministry said.
Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Mohammad Shtayyeh condemned the shooting of Ali as "a new crime added to the occupation's long record".
"May Ali's soul rest in eternal peace," he added.
The EU further denounced the "shocking" killing on Twitter, adding the "incident must be swiftly and fully investigated".
"How many more Palestinian children will be subject to the excessive use of lethal force by the Israeli security forces?" it asked.
US Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process, Nickolay Mladenov, also took to Twitter to express his outrage at the killing, calling it "appalling and unacceptable." He wrote: "Children enjoy special protection under international law and must be protected from violence."
Ali's funeral was held in Al-Mughayyir village on Saturday with thousands of Palestinians attending.
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