Syria pushes for dialogue with opposition as fighting intensifies [BBC Arabic, UK]

Presenter, Female #1
The defected Syrian prime minister, Riad Hijab, confirmed during a news conference held in the Jordanian capital Amman today that the Syrian regime controls only 30 percent of the country, and that the Syrian army is quote, "cracking from the inside."

Guest, Male #1 (Riad Hijab, Defected Former Syrian Prime Minister)
I confirm to you, through my experiences and the position I held, that the regime is collapsing morally, financially, and economically, and is cracking militarily. The army is not effectively controlling more than 30 percent of the Syrian territories.

Guest, Male #1
So may the revolution continue with its civilized approach, to fulfill its bright image through maintaining the unity of the country and its coherent social fabric, and through preserving the state's institutions, its vital facilities and infrastructure, which we all built with hard work and our children's blood.

Guest, Male #1
As for the factions of the opposition abroad, they are invited today, today more than ever, to unite their efforts, and refute the accusations of being fragmented and fractured. So differences in views do not eliminate a united goal.

Presenter, Female #1
The National Coordination Committee for the Forces of Democratic Change in Syria, which is a coalition of local opposition figures, announced an initiative to stop the violence and bring about democratic change to Syria. In addition, Bouthaina Shaaban, the Syrian president's adviser, is holding consultations in China on the crisis in her country, as Beijing is considering holding talks between the government and the opposition on its soil.

Reporter, Male #2
From the east to the west, everyone is talking about the need to put an end to the bloody conflict in Syria. But there is no end in sight, according to several indicators and the facts on the ground. In Washington, which is keen to unite the fronts of the opposition to President Bashar al-Assad, US Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said that implementing a no-fly zone in Syria is one of the options available to confront the changing events there, but it is not at the front burner at the moment.

Guest, Male #3 (Leon Panetta, US Defense Secretary)
We have planned for a number of contingencies that could take place, and one of those possible contingencies is developing a no-fly zone. But we've also pointed out the difficulties in being able to implement it. What I want to say is that any decision President Obama takes, we will prepare and work on implementing.

Reporter, Male #2
The statements made by the American official come despite increasing calls by the Syrian opposition for assistance in confronting the escalating aerial attacks by the Syrian forces. But Panetta expressed confidence that if it were up to his country to intervene, it would do so successfully. Panetta added that a decision of this magnitude must be preceded by a major policy decision. To the east, and issued at the same time as Panetta's statements, the Iranian response was opposition. Iran also warned of the dangers of moving toward imposing a no-fly zone in Syria.

Guest, Male #4 (Ramin Mehmanparast, Iranian Foreign Ministry Spokesman)
This conspiracy that we are hearing about would pave the way to an armed conflict through imposing a no-fly zone. For this reason, countries in the area must be cautious of the outcome of this American-Zionist initiative.

Reporter, Male #2
In a related development, which aims to exclude such an option, Chinese officials said that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's adviser, Bouthaina Shaaban, is discussing different Chinese ideas in Beijing with the aim of finding a solution to the Syrian crisis. The officials clarified that China is considering inviting members of the Syrian opposition next, but the Syrian embassy in Beijing refused to comment on the visit by President Assad's adviser. This comes as the Syrian crisis is expected to dominate the agenda of the Islamic summit tonight in the holy city of Mecca.

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Kadima MK Avi Dichter appointed Israel's Minister for Home Front Defense [IBA, Israel]

Another political shakeup in the Israeli government: the prime minister's office announced that Kadima MK Avi Dichter has been chosen to become the new Minister for Home Front Defense, replacing outgoing minister Matan Vilnai, who is set to take over as Israel's ambassador to China. Dichter will take the post as an independent and will not be affiliated with any political party.

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Egypt temporarily opens Rafah Crossing for humanitarian cases [IBA, Israel]

Egypt has temporarily reopened the Rafah terminal, letting Palestinians cross out of Gaza for the first time since the attack last week that killed 18 border policemen. The crossing will be opened for three days only, for humanitarian cases. Cairo has accused of Palestinians of aiding militants in the Sinai attack, which was also seen as a blow to Hamas, who had hopes of establishing better ties with Egypt's new Muslim Brotherhood-led government.

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Fifty new Israeli immigrants from North America welcomed at Ben Gurion Airport [IBA, Israel]

A special ceremony was held at Ben Gurion International Airport to welcome 350 new immigrants from North America. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Jewish Agency Chairman Natan Sharansky, and Major-General Orna Barbivai, who heads the army's Manpower Directorate, were among those on hand the greet the American, Canadian, and British newcomers, who included five sets of twins and two sets of triplets. Many plan to join the IDF.

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New Israeli regulation blocks Palestinians and migrant workers from seeking justice [Al Jazeera, Qatar]

Presenter, Male #1
Israeli Justice Minister Yaakov Neeman proposed a legal amendment that would bar those who do not have Israeli citizenship from filing a lawsuit in Israeli courts.

Presenter, Female #1
The amendment is expected to hurt illegal immigrants in Israel and Palestinians in the occupied West Bank who do have a Palestinian passport, or any other foreign passport.

Presenter, Male #1
The amendment was met with wide-scale criticism by rights and legal associations in Israel.

Reporter, Male #2
The Israeli justice minister's intentions do not seem compatible with the concepts of justice and fairness. The legal amendment he is proposing will deprive all those who do not have Israeli citizenship or foreign citizenship from filing lawsuits in Israeli civil courts. This would prevent many Palestinians from being able to sue the occupation army over the arbitrary measures it uses against them, leading to criticism by many rights organizations in Israel. They considered the amendment to be a blatant violation of a basic right of many vulnerable groups.

Guest, Male #3 (Yishai Menuhin, Public Committee Against Torture)
This is not apartheid; it is worse, because in the apartheid system, there is a first class citizen and a second class citizen. But what the justice minister is suggesting is a third class citizen who is completely deprived from all their human rights.

Reporter, Male #2
In any case, the Palestinians are denied compensation for their properties if they are damaged during a military operation. The proposed change targets a vulnerable group of Palestinians that is estimated at thousands. They are those who Israel refused to register as Palestinian citizens, and they do not hold a Palestinian or foreign passport. This group is not able to receive compensation for a demolished home or confiscated land, or compensation for being mistreated by the forces of the occupation, or even for the settlers' infringing on their properties.

Guest, Male #4 (Shawan Jibarin, Al-Haq Rights Organization)
Since 2000, Israel banned reunification, and there is a number of people, especially in the West Bank, who do not have identification cards and passports, so they are not able to go to Israel civil courts to file a lawsuit to ask for compensation.

Reporter, Male #2
A substantial share of the amendment is devoted to African migrants. It also bars them from filing lawsuits against their Israeli employers if a work conflict erupts, or to file a lawsuit because of a traffic accident, or even object to their deportation procedure from Israel.

Reporter, Male #2
The Israeli justice minister's decision exemplifies a right-wing government that targets Palestinians and minorities, and seeks to seize from them what it considers to be excessive civil and legal rights. It also prevents them from seeking justice in the face of this government's limitless racist policies. Elias Karram, Al Jazeera, West Jerusalem.

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Iraqis in Basra demand expulsion of Western security contractors [Al-Alam, Iran]

Presenter, Male #1
In the southern Iraqi province of Basra, Iraqi officials and citizens expressed concern over the presence of US and British security contractors in the province. The local government described security companies as "an extension of the occupation," and held them responsible for a series of recent bombings witnessed in Basra.

Reporter, Male #2
Despite the growing capabilities of the Iraqi security agencies in the past few years, which has helped stabilize security across broad areas, the presence of foreign security contractors, notably US and British companies, is still causing concern among both officials and citizens.

Guest, Male #3 (Ali al-Kana'ani, Deputy Head of the Islamic Supreme Council in Basra)
These companies, especially those that are being funded by the US and Britain, are posing a great danger to Iraq. The US announced that it withdrew from Iraq. However, it re-entered Iraq from another window, through commercial and security companies.

Reporter, Male #2
The local authorities accused these companies of being behind the recent terrorist bombings that targeted several markets across Basra with the aim of striking at trade activities in the city in the service of the interests of certain neighboring Arab countries, amid fears that the city is turning into a powerful economic hub.

Guest, Male #4 (Ahmed al-Sulaiti, Deputy Head of the Basra Provincial Council)
We have information confirming that some of these companies were involved in a series of terrorist acts that targeted certain areas in a bid to destabilize the economic situation.

Reporter, Male #2
The local government in Basra said the presence of foreign security contractors is part of an international protocol, which stipulates that oil and energy investment companies must be accompanied by security contractors. It stresses that such firms adhere to strict regulations.

Guest, Male #5 (Ali al-Maliki, Head of the Basra Provincial Security Committee)
If it is an international protocol for oil companies to be accompanied by private security companies, then we cannot go against the central government. But we are in favor of verifying the identities of the workers and inspecting these vehicles.

Reporter, Male #2
Popular parties called for relying on army and security forces instead, and demanded a quick end to the mandate of these companies, since they represent a major security gap.

Guest, Male #6 (Yarub al-Mohamedawi, Iraqi Tribal Leader)
There are security companies that may be Israeli or British security companies, and could be partly responsible for the deteriorating security situation. I heard one of the security leaders say that some of the security companies operate like militias.

Reporter, Male #2
Iraqis retain painful memories from their experiences with foreign security companies. The memory of the Blackwater massacre remains on the minds of many. In addition, these companies' constant roaming on the streets of Iraqi cities take citizens right back to the unbelievable years of the occupation. Na'em Abdel Razzak, Al-Alam, al-Basra.

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Violence continues against Myanmar's Rohingya Muslims [Press TV, Iran]

In Myanmar, violence against the country's minority Muslims is on the rise. Thousands of buildings have been set on fire, and unspecified number of people has been killed. Security forces, along with Buddhist extremists, are being blamed for the brutality against the Muslims. Parts of Mynmar's Rakhine Province resemble a war zone, and Rakhine Buddhists have blamed Rohingya Muslims for the violence. However, Buddhist refugees in the province have been able to return to homes, which are still intact.

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Ex-regime loyalists attack Yemeni Defense Ministry, kill soldiers [Press TV, Iran]

Yemen's elite Republican Guard has attacked the Defense Ministry headquarters in the capital Sanaa. The Republic Guard remains loyal to the former Yemeni ruler Ali Abdullah Saleh and is led by his son, Ahmed. Witnesses say Ahmed's forces laid siege to the Defense Ministry before attacking it with machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades. The attack comes a week after President Abd Rabbu Mansur Hadi ordered the restructuring of the army.

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Armed men attack checkpoint in Egypt's Sinai [Press TV, Iran]

The situation remains tense in the Sinai Peninsula following the recent clashes between Egyptian security forces and militants; fighting has once again erupted on the northern border. Similar clashes took place on Monday after armed men attacked a checkpoint in al-Arish City.

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Funeral held for Palestinian martyrs after 21 years [Palestine TV, Ramallah]

Presenter, Female #1
With the attendance of officials and the people, crowds of Palestinians held a funeral procession for Ramsey Shahine and Anees Shukree Khalil from the village of Ein Arik in the city of Ramallah. The funeral was held after the Israeli occupation authorities handed over their remains as part of the last transfer of the remains of the martyrs of al-Arkham Cemetery. Their burial had been delayed until their identities were confirmed with a DNA test.

Guest, Male #1
We have waited for this moment for 21 years, right? So as sad as feel, let us be happy that their remains are returned to Ein Arik.

Reporter, Male #2
With these words, Salim Khilla, the coordinator of the national campaign to retrieve the bodies of the martyrs, spoke to the mothers of martyrs Ramsey Shahine and Anees Shukree Khalil from the village of Ein Arik, west of Ramallah City. Their remains were carried over the people's shoulders as they were taken back to the place of their birth.

Guest, Male #1 (Salim Khilla, Coordinator of National Campaign to Retrieve Palestinian Bodies)
They were martyred together and on November 11, 1991, Israel denied that it had their bodies, and confiscated them in the worst conditions. Today, the entire Palestinian nation retrieves the remains of Ramsey Shahine and Anees Shukree Khalil, and we celebrate them as national heroes.

Reporter, Male #2
The official procession was launched from the Palestinian medical complex in Ramallah. The remains of the two martyrs that were retrieved from al-Arkham Cemetery were wrapped in the Palestinian flag after having just been numbers for years. Prayers for Anees Khalil were held at the Ein Arik al-Omry Mosque, and he was buried in the Muslim cemetery. Meanwhile, the procession bidding martyr Ramsey Shahine farewell was held at the Virgin Mary Transfiguration Greek Orthodox Church.

Guest, Male #3
This is proof of the unity of the Arab Palestinian people with all of its national and Muslim facets. So the symbolic events witnessed today express that our struggle, Muslims and Christians, is one. We are fighting for a just issue; we struggle together for independence, and the establishment of a state of Palestine with Jerusalem as its capital.

Reporter, Male #2
The village of Ein Arik was gloomy as it received its children. Sadness prevailed years after the martyrdom of Ramsey and Anees. And as they embodied unity and brotherhood in resisting the occupier, they embodied unity as they brought Muslims and Christians together in one funeral, under the sky of Palestine.

Reporter, Male #2
Shahine and Khalil were martyred in 1991 while participating in al-Naqab operation. Their remains had been unburied since the last transfer of martyrs, awaiting identification through necessary tests.

Reporter, Male #2
They went out 21 years ago to retrieve this land and the dignity of its residents. Today they return together to this land that refused to allow their burial outside of its territories. From the village of Ein Arik, west of Ramallah, Haroun Omairah, Palestine TV.

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Muslims in Washington DC hold Ramadan Iftar dinner to promote interfaith dialogue [Dubai TV, UAE]

Presenter, Male #1
As during every Ramadan, the ADAMS Mosque, one of the largest in the US capital Washington, held its annual Iftar. In attendance were followers of the other monotheistic religions, American government officials, and police officers. The event was an opportunity to introduce the guests to the true face of Islam and its universal values, in addition to the customs of the holy month. Naser Abu Diab reports from Washington.

Reporter, Male #2
As Muslims prayed, guests sat on the sidelines observing with interest, and learning about Islam up close during an inclusive night of Ramadan. It was hosted by ADAMS Mosque in the Washington area, inviting guests from the various religions to partake in the Iftar.

Guest, Male #3 (Joel Siphon)
This night proves that the US is a place where good people can come together and share food, which is evidence that were are all alike, and there is no difference between us.

Reporter, Male #2
This annual Ramadan event is part of the interfaith dialogue initiative that the Mosque organizes, and whose importance has grown after the 9/11 events. Christian and Jewish representatives from the area are invited to Iftar, in addition to a number of politicians and representatives of the American security establishment. The goal is rapprochement and building trust.

Guest, Male #4 (Chris Heinz)
It's very important to always have a lasting and good relationship between American security agencies and the Muslim communities, and to share with them occasions like this, because, in a time of need, we can assist each other, and work together more effectively.

Reporter, Male #2
The evening started by raising the flag, and honoring the scouts of the mosque. It was followed by a celebration during which a number of guests confirmed the integration of Muslims into American society, saying Muslims are an inseparable part of it. They also rejected all forms of discrimination Muslims may be subjected to.

Guest, Male #5 (Mohammad Sanusi, Muslim Alliance of North America)
There is a large number of elected officials from in this area in particular, in Virginia, and in this district specifically, who participated in this gathering. They care a lot about celebrating with the Muslim community, which is clear evidence that the Muslim community has an effect on the American society in general.

Presenter, Male #1
After the call to prayer and as the time to feast neared, the attendants sat next to each other, exchanging conversation and sharing food. It was a rare scene that showcased the spirit of coexistence and integration.

Presenter, Male #1
A Ramadan tent brought together different segments of the American society with its various religions. They were introduced to the true face of Islam during the month of Ramadan, the month of communication and forgiveness. And with that, they contributed to bridging gaps and building closer ties.