For the past four and a half years, Israel has severely restricted freedom of movement to and from the Gaza Strip. These restrictions further strangled the Gaza Strip, so much so that the area resembles one gigantic prison. One Big Prison documents the ongoing violations of human rights and international law resulting from Israel’s restrictions on the movement of people and goods between Gaza and the West Bank, Israel, and the rest of the world. The report also warns against Israel’s attempt to avoid its responsibility toward residents of the Gaza Strip following disengagement. B’Tselem portrays affected people. Read more about Video testimonies: One big prison 

EI co-founder Ali Abunimah gave a lecture at the University of Pittsburgh. His appearance at Carnegie Mellon University was picketed by about a dozen pro-Israel students, most of whom went in to hear his lecture. He talks about the latest developments in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. What is the significance of the election of Mahmoud Abbas and of Israel’s plan to “disengage” from Gaza? What are the latest developments on the ground in the occupied territories? Has the two-state solution failed and should we be seeking a single state as a way to fulfil the rights and aspirations of Israelis and Palestinians? Read more about Audio: Ali Abunimah speaks in Pittsburgh 

EI co-founder Ali Abunimah and Norman Finkelstein, professor of Political Science at DePaul University in Chicago discuss and debate the latest developments in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. What is the significance of the election of Mahmoud Abbas and of Israel’s plan to “disengage” from Gaza? What are the latest developments on the ground in the occupied territories? Has the two-state solution failed and should we be seeking a single state as a way to fulfil the rights and aspirations of Israelis and Palestinians? The discussion, moderated by Martha Reese, was recorded at a forum held at Oak Park River Forest High School on 30 January 2005, an event organized by the Committee for a Just Peace in Israel and Palestine. Read more about Audio: Panel discussion with Ali Abunimah and Norman Finkelstein in Chicago 

EI’s Arjan El Fassed visited Gaza last week to observe the first Palestinian presidential elections since eight years as part of an election mission of UCP, officially accredited by the Palestinian Central Election Commission. El Fassed visited some 10 polling centers in the northern part of the Gaza Strip, including Beit Lahia, Beit Hanoun, Jabalya refugee camp and Gaza City. Mahmoud Abbas (“Abu Mazen”) won the elections with 483,039 votes. His main challenger, Mustafa Barghouti, received 153,516 votes. Observers noted Israeli obstructions and a number of irregularities caused by the Central Elections Commission during the elections. Read more about Photostory: Elections in Gaza 

In October 2004, EI’s Arjan El Fassed traveled to Jordan and Lebanon. He visited a number of refugee camps and offices of the Palestine Red Crescent Society in Lebanon and Syria. In Lebanon he also traveled along Lebanon’s southern border where he visited what is left of Khiam Detention Camp, a prison and interrogation camp, used by Israel and the South Lebanese Army from 1985 until the Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon in May 2000. The detention camp is now empty. The prisoners’ testimonies and the cells bear witness to what went on inside. Prisoners were crammed into tiny, filthy spaces where they ate and slept. Read more about Photostory: Khiam Detention Camp 

In October 2004, EI’s Arjan El Fassed traveled to Jordan and Lebanon. He visited a number of refugee camps and offices of the Palestine Red Crescent Society in Lebanon and Syria. In Lebanon he visited Rashidieh, Ein al-Hilwa, and Wavel camp. Wavel camp is located in the Beqaa Valley, near Baalbek. Originally a French army barracks, the camp hosts more than 8,000 refugees. French authorities provided shelter to the refugees in 1948 in the original twelve buildings. Although the camp has suffered less destruction than other camps during the war in Lebanon, living conditions are particularly severe. Read more about Photostory: Palestinian refugees, Wavel 

In October 2004, EI’s Arjan El Fassed traveled to Jordan and Lebanon. He visited a number of refugee camps and offices of the Palestine Red Crescent Society in Lebanon and Syria. In Lebanon he visited Rashidieh, Ein al-Hilwa, and Wavel camp. Ein Hilweh refugee camp lies 45 km south of Beirut near Saida. It is the largest Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon, both in area size and population. Ein el-Hilweh has been frequently assaulted, particularly between 1982 and 1991, resulting in a high number of casualties and near total destruction of the camp. Read more about Photostory: Palestinian refugees, Ein Hilweh 

In October 2004, EI’s Arjan El Fassed traveled to Jordan and Lebanon. He visited a number of refugee camps and offices of the Palestine Red Crescent Society in Lebanon and Syria. In Lebanon he visited Rashidieh, Ein al-Hilwa, and Wavel camp. Rashidieh camp lies on the Lebanese seashore, 10 km from the northern part of Palestine and 5 km from the southern port of Tyre or Sour. Rashidieh camp was heavily affected by the war in Lebanon and the Israeli invasion of 1982. The camp’s inhabitants are only able to find work in seasonal agriculture and construction. There is no sewerage network and sewage flows into open ditches along roads and pathways. Read more about Photostory: Palestinian refugees, Rashidieh 

In October 2004, EI’s Arjan El Fassed traveled to Jordan and Lebanon. He visited a number of refugee camps and offices of the Palestine Red Crescent Society in Lebanon and Syria. In Jordan, he visited Wihdat, or Amman New Camp, south east of the Jordanian capital. Wihdat, Jordan’s second largest Palestinian refugee camp is one of the four refugee camps established after 1948 in Jordan. The camp was set up in 1955 to host some 5,000 refugees on an area of 488,000 square meters. Currently, more than 50,000 registered refugees are living in Wihdat. Jordan has the largest concentration of Palestinian refugees, with nearly two million in 13 camps. Read more about Photostory: Palestinian refugees, Wihdat