The International Court Of Justice in the Hague has judged the wall, built by Israel and cutting through the occupied territories, to be illegal - on the same day War on Want launched its new Palestine campaign. Roger Waters, launching War on Want’s ‘The Writing’s on the Wall’ campaign said of the wall “The poverty inflicted by the wall has been devastating for Palestinians. It has kept children from their schools, the sick from proper medical care and continues to destroy the Palestinian economy.” Read more about War on Want launches "Writing's on the Wall" campaign
Seventeen individuals have joined in on the hunger strike protesting Israel’s Apartheid Wall. Toufic Haddad writes from day five of the solidarity tent in Ar Ram. Despite the heat wave (36 centigrade) there is a good atmosphere in the tent, and the hunger strikers - though visibly more weary n are in high spirits. Today there were questions regarding Dr. Azmi Bishara’s health. Bishara was the first to go on hunger strike, but he is also a kidney transplant receiver (via his brother). Since there haven’t been so many kidney transplant receivers who have gone on hunger strike, his doctors are especially worried. He is bravely pressing on. He never refuses interviews and is always active. Read more about Window into the Hunger Striker Tent Protesting Israel's Apartheid Wall
Azmi Bishara’s hunger strike against the construction of the Israeli Apartheid wall is now entering its fourth day. The hunger strike is a call to focus attention and rally support against the Apartheid Wall being built by Israel which will cantonize the West Bank and Jerusalem, severing Palestinians familial, social, cultural and economic ties and separating parents from children and brother from sister. The Hunger Strike and solidarity tent set up at the northern entrance of Jerusalem at the point where the wall is currently being built has seen a continuous stream of solidarity delegations from all over the country. Read more about Hunger strike against Israel's Apartheid Wall enters fourth day
Member of Knesset Azmi Bishara of the National Democratic Assembly (NDA) has declared an open hunger strike protesting the Israeli government’s construction of the separation wall in the occupied West Bank and in the surrounding areas of Jerusalem. Upon declaring his hunger strike, Bishara was immediately joined by Palestinian national figures Ahmed Ghneim, Hatem Abdel Qader, Abdel Latif Gheith, As’ad Musilmani, Suheir Khader, Terry Bulata, Jamal Jum’a, Musa Abu Gharbiyeh and Judeh al Jamal. The hunger strikers will remain in a protest tent that has been pitched in the town of Ar-Ram, adjacent to one of the sites of on going Israeli wall construction. Read more about Azmi Bishara on Hunger Strike Protesting the Construction of Israel's Separation Wall
American peace activist Ann Petter who has been detained for 14 days at Ben Gurion airport, appeared today before Judge Oded Mudrik at Tel Aviv District Court. Petter was charged with being a security threat to the State of Israel. Judge Mudrik postponed the decision on Petter’s case until Thursday, July 8, 2004 at 11:30 a.m. in Tel Aviv District Court. Petter is a 44-year old graphic designer from New York who planned to attend a nonviolent peace march organized by the International Solidarity Movement (ISM) in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Judge Mudrik refused to release Petter from detention while the decision is pending. Read more about U.S. Peace Activist Remains in Detention After Hearing
It had been planned meticulously. The initiative came from the Al-Ram municipality — a huge demonstration including as many Israelis as could be convinced to come on the weekend before the Supreme Court’s decision over the fate of Al-Ram. But, from how it went it seems that somebody up there decided that it was not in their interest to have today an orderly demonstration of Palestinians together with Israelis. That, so short before the Supreme Court was to give its decision, it was much better to transform it into something in which “anything could happen.” Read more about Report of the June 26 Al-Ram demo against the Wall
A member of Britain’s House of Lords said Saturday that Israeli soldiers shot at her and two other lawmakers during a fact-finding visit to Gaza the day before. Baroness Northover, the Liberal Democrat party’s spokeswoman on international development issues, said the group was traveling under U.N. supervision near the Rafah refugee camp Friday when soldiers in an Israeli observation post fired machine guns over their heads. A large number of children were nearby, she said. The group then moved closer to marked U.N. vehicles and another shot hit a building next to them, chipping off pieces of masonry near Northover, she said in a statement. Read more about British lawmaker alleges Israeli soldiers fired at group during visit to Gaza
Irish American political activist Ken O’Keefe is on hunger strike in an Israeli jail whilst fighting deportation after being arrested for attempting to enter Gaza on Thursday. Last year, the former US Marine and Gulf War veteran returned to Iraq with more than 500 Human Shields. After entering Gaza via a settlement, he was detained by 10 Israeli soldiers whilst walking along the beach into the Palestinian area. O’Keefe wished to strengthen his contact with Palestinian militant groups Islamic Jihad and Hamas, and personally discuss with leaders in Gaza his P10K plan to bring 10,000 western citizens to act as international observers in the Palestinian Occupied Territories. Read more about P10K Founder on Hunger Strike in Israeli Jail for attempting to enter Gaza
On June 1, 2004, in Washington, D.C., a delegation of prominent national Jewish, Christian and Muslim religious leaders, members of an unprecedented united, interreligious effort for peace between Israel, the Palestinians and the Arab states, met with Secretary of State Powell to present an urgent appeal for immediate U.S. action to pursue the Road Map to Peace. Recalling President Bush’s recent declaration that, “the United States remains committed to the two state solution for peace in the Middle East … and to the Road Map as the best path to realize this vision,” the religious leaders express their urgent concern that “the Road Map has effectively been put on hold until after the elections.” Read more about Delegation of prominent religious leaders deliver urgent appeal for peace to Powell
Ex-US Marine/Gulf War Veteran & Founder of the Human Shield Action to Iraq Ken O’Keefe announces P10KFORCE’ plan to Mobilize 10,000 International Observers from Western Nations to the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT) — Launching September 11, 2004. Press conference details — When: Wednesday June 9th, 1300 1300-1330, Questions 1330-End. Where: American Colony Hotel - East Jerusalem. Who: Ken O’Keefe, Ian Hodgson (P10K Coordinator), Rihab Aisawi (who has lost three loved ones to the occupation). Read more about P10K: 10,000 international observers needed in Palestine
