Four international volunteers with the International Solidarity Movement were arrested today while maintaining a presence at the peace camp set up by Arrabony villagers and the ISM to protest the confiscation of Palestinian land for the Apartheid Wall. Read more about Four ISM activists arrested at peace camp
At Tel Aviv airport, doctors belonging to Gretta Duisenberg’s Medical Fact Finding Mission Palestine, have been denied entry to the country. Mrs. Duisenberg said: “We have not only been informed, but have now even experienced, that the Israeli state is conducting a policy of deliberate obstruction of both foreign and Palestinian medical workers.” Read more about Israel sabotages medical mission Gretta Duisenberg
On Sunday, three Palestinian factions, Fatah, Hamas and Islamic Jihad, declared the beginning of a temporary ceasefire. While Fatah declared a six-month ceasefire, Islamic Jihad and Hamas announced a three months ceasefire. Read more about Full texts of Palestinian ceasefire statements
The Palestine Children’s Relief Fund (PCRF) hosted a fundraiser in Washington, D.C. on June 21, 2003 featuring special guest Dr. Hunter “Patch” Adams. Dr. Adams — a medical doctor, professional clown, social activist, and D.C. native whose life was celebrated in a 1997 motion picture starring Robin Williams — led a clown delegation into Israel and the occupied Gaza Strip in December 2002 on a tour of schools and hospitals. Read more about Patch Adams: Clowning around in Gaza
Queers Undermining Israeli Terrorism staged a protest at the San Fransisco Lesbian/Gay/Bi/Trans film festival showing of the Israeli military propaganda movie, “Yossie and Jagger”. The movie is about two Israeli army officers who fall in love while stationed on the Lebanon border in 1980s. Read more about QUIT! disprupts Israeli military propaganda film at Queer Film Festival
The trial of Neta Golan and Shelly Nativ, Israeli citizens and members of the International Solidarity Movement, opened this morning in Hashalom court house in Kfar Saba. The two are accused of blocking IDF bulldozers in the village Dir Istya near Salfit to prevent them from uprooting Palestinian olive trees. Golan and Nativ are charged with interfering with police work, interfering with a public servant’s work (the bulldozer driver) and disobeying a decree of “closed military zone”. Read more about Trial of ISM olive grove defenders begins
Brooks de Wetter-Smith and Michael F. Brown16 June 2003
On 5 April 2003, Israeli troops shot International Solidarity Movement (ISM) activist Brian Avery in Jenin. Avery, a 24-year-old American citizen from Albuquerque, New Mexico, experienced serious wounds to his face after Israeli troops shot at him with heavy machine gun fire from an armoured personnel carrier (APC). On 14 June 2003, Brian finally returned home after months of hospitalisation, to be greeted by a crowd of 60 people that included family and well-wishers at Raleigh-Durham International Airport in North Carolina. Photos by Brooks de Wetter-Smith. Read more about Photostory: Injured ISM activist Brian Avery returns home
“As soon as US Secretary of State Colin Powell sat down I decided to seize the moment to go and speak with him. I had been stewing in my seat, listening to Powell give an address to the packed banquet hall in which he offered Arab-Americans and Arab people no positive message, except for pro forma declarations of how valued Arab-Americans are as a part of US society.” EI’s Ali Abunimah recounts a brief encounter at the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee’s (ADC) annual convention on 14 June, at the Crystal Gateway Marriott in Arlington, Virginia. Photos by Nigel Parry. Read more about My (almost) conversation with Colin Powell
The Mideast was new territory for Mary-Lou Leiser Smith before her first trip to the Holy Land. Now, it’s the center of her heart’s work. These days, Smith is preparing for a conference in November at UNC-Chapel Hill — one focus will be the role of U.S. aid in the conflict. On Saturday, she was part of an enthusiastic group at Raleigh-Durham International Airport greeting peace activist Brian Avery on his return to the United States. Ann S. Kim of The News and Observer reports. Read more about Working her own road map