Subscribe to Print Edition | Tue., May 20, 2008 Iyyar 15, 5768 | | Israel Time: 19:09 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Rosner's Domain Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Advertising Books Arts & Leisure Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

Last update - 19:06 18/05/2008 Gaza cafe bombed amid crackdown on Western pop culture By News Agencies Tags: Internet censorship  Assailants detonated a bomb outside a popular cafe in Gaza City early Sunday morning, apparently part of a campaign by shadowy extremists to eliminate perceived symbols of Western influence. The pre-dawn blast smashed the cafe's windows and damaged its door. No one was hurt. Cafe owner Khalid Harbid said another bomb went off outside his cafe last m Advertisement onth. He charged that Gaza's Islamic Hamas rulers are not protecting his business. "My cafe has become Sderot, Harbid said, referring to the western Negev town targeted daily by Palestinian rocket fire. A Hamas official said police were investigating the situation. On Friday, assailants detonated a bomb outside a Christian school, causing no injuries. Over the past two years, extremists in Gaza have detonated bombs near cafes, hairdressers, record stores and institutions linked to the area's tiny Christian community, an apparent campaign to shut down Western-style or non-Islamic outlets. Hamas, the militant Islamic group that rules Gaza, said it offers protection to institutions that ask for it. At the same time, the Hamas regime is pursuing a policy of enforcing a strict Islamic moral code. The latest step is an attempt to block Internet Web sites Hamas considers unsuitable. The Hamas Information Ministry said in a statement that it signed a deal with the Palestinian telecommunications company to start blocking licentious Web sites beginning May 15. So far, 5,000 Web sites have been blocked, said a senior telecom official, speaking on the condition of anonymity because of the issue's sensitivity. He did not list the sites The official said Hamas demanded all inappropriate sites be blocked. However, the telecom company cannot bring suitable equipment into the Gaza Strip to ban a large number of Web sites, the official said. Israel tightly regulates equipment, fuel and commercial goods entering the Gaza Strip to pressure Palestinian militants into halting their rocket fire at neighboring Israeli communities. In the past, unidentified assailants have planted bombs at the entrances of Internet cafes, accusing them in printed statements of allowing customers to view pornographic Web sites. Related articles: Assailants set off bomb outside Christian school in Gaza Bombs hit Christian bookstore, two Internet cafes in Gaza City Bookmark to del.icio.us   Fear of extinction The state of over 20 species of birds in Israel has worsened considerably. Taking advantage Jerusalem police probe possible gang rape of disabled woman.   1.   Respect 19:17  |  Respect 18/05/08   2.   come on 19:32  |  beni 18/05/08   3.   i knew hamas would be so good for my people, the ones they didn`t 19:43  |  Trembling Palestine 18/05/08   4.   Sounds more like the Mafia 19:48  |  Gershon Reed 18/05/08   5.   Way to go! 19:55  |  Hans 18/05/08   6.   Islamism Is Racism To Those Not Humble Or Teachable 19:55  |  Lavi 18/05/08   7.   Website blocking 19:56  |  newsreader 18/05/08   8.   Memers of the Islamist movement, who adher to the religion of ... 20:26  |  Nisan 18/05/08   9.   #6 newsreader 21:07  |  Sarah 18/05/08   10.   Democracy in Gaza 21:32  |  utagawa 18/05/08   11.   Here we go again...a group of people 21:33  |  Lynn 18/05/08   12.   The Mafia in Gaza. 21:34  |  Stephen. 18/05/08   13.   Hamas, The Paragon of virtue. 21:56  |  H 18/05/08   14.   Poor Sarah 22:26  |  Nevaagen 18/05/08   15.   Reasonable action 22:26  |  Clickfool 18/05/08   16.   Predictions and fantasies... 22:40  |  Esther 18/05/08   17.   # 7 newsreader.....next it will be books, then 23:24  |  Lynn 18/05/08   18.   Get what you vote for 23:25  |  don 18/05/08   19.   WOMAN OF PAL ASTINE GET READY 23:43  |  TOBIA 18/05/08   20.   Freedom of speech 00:43  |  Sam C 19/05/08   21.   Gaza cafe bombing 00:53  |  Cyasher 19/05/08   22.   Weren`t they starving? 01:18  |  MR 19/05/08   23.   Clicktool 01:45  |  Hannah 19/05/08   24.   Israel`s fault 02:02  |  Lev 19/05/08   25.   CAFE WAS FORTUNATE 03:05  |  * BEN JABO 19/05/08   26.   Bush`s Vision of Democracy, Hamas-style. 03:42  |  Fortuna Benmayor 19/05/08   27.   #15 C-fool, reasonable action? 17:22  |  DR 19/05/08   28.   I`m not surprised 18:04  |  Douglas Fireman 19/05/08   29.   Hamas is now related to the Taliban... 19:10  |  Silvienne 19/05/08   30.   #28 Silviienne 20:32  |  * BEN JABO 19/05/08   31.   Porn Sites for Hamas to Blck 06:21  |  David Kopel 20/05/08   32.   #31 David Kopel NY 18:55  |  * BEN JABO 20/05/08

Read & React Israel-Hamas truce in Gaza could take effect later this week Responses: 64 Amos Harel: Iran's fingerprints all over Gaza strife Responses: 70 McCain blasts Obama for Iran threat comments Responses: 119 Jerusalem, Petah Tikva ban 'Sex in the City' film adverts Responses: 56 Rosner's Domain Guests: In regard to Hezbollah, Israeli deterrence works Hyping the threat from Iran (WTR) Poll: Meeting the president of Iran - good or bad? "Controlled Unclassified Information" and the AIPAC trial (WTR) What makes Nancy Pelosi pro-Israeli? More Headlines 18:47 Supreme Court denies Olmert bid to block testimony against him 17:19 Three Palestinians killed in IAF strikes on Gaza 13:17 Israel-Hamas truce in Gaza could take effect later this week 11:51 ANALYSIS: In Gaza conflict, Iran's fingerprints are everywhere 17:44 Comptroller: Olmert waited 18 months to make decision on Darfur refugees 18:04 Orthodox Jewish youths burn New Testaments in Or Yehuda 18:44 German firefighting team apologizes for Hitler quote 16:11 Sexless city: 'Sex in the City' adverts banned in Jerusalem 16:00 Al Gore, in Israel: We face a planetary emergency 18:11 Egypt PM wants Israel to pay more for its natural gas 14:55 Ex-Sephardi Chief Rabbi Eliyahu hospitalized in critical condition 14:54 German Muslim sentenced to 3 years in jail for stabbing rabbi 11:52 McCain blasts Obama for saying Iran poses lesser threat than Soviets Previous Editions Select Day 19 may 18 may 16 may 15 may 14 may 13 may 12 may 11 may 09 may 08 may 07 may 06 may

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