February 2007

Israeli army detains TV director, attacks journalists during Nablus raid

28 February 2007


The Committee to Protect Journalists is deeply concerned by the Israel Defense Forces’ (IDF) arrest of a local television director and harassment of several journalists during a military operation in the West Bank city of Nablus. At around 3:00 a.m. on February 26, Israeli soldiers detained Nabegh Break, owner and managing director of the local Sanabel TV, after raiding his home in Nablus’ Old City, an eyewitness told CPJ. When the troops arrived at Break’s apartment, they ordered his family to leave and took Break to the first floor, which houses Sanabel TV’s office. 

Illegal construction approved in the Modi'in Illit settlement

28 February 2007


In early January, the Civil Administration’s Supreme Planning Council approved the amended outline plan for the new neighborhood in the Modi’in Illit settlement, which is located west of Ramallah. The plan for the neighborhood, called Matityahu East, took effect on 23 February and retroactively “rendered fit” forty-two buildings, containing hundreds of new housing units, that were built in violation of the relevant planning and housing laws. 

Adalah proposes draft democratic constitution for a multicultural state of Israel

28 February 2007


On the tenth anniversary of its founding, Adalah: The Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel issues “The Democratic Constitution,” as a constitutional proposal for the state of Israel based on the concept of a democratic, bilingual, multicultural state. This proposed constitution draws on universal principles and international conventions on human rights, the experiences of nations and the constitutions of various democratic states. 

IOF Extra-Judicially Execute Three Palestinians in Jenin

28 February 2007


PCHR strongly condemns the ongoing escalation of attacks by Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) in the West Bank, which has peaked with the extra-judicial execution of three members of the Islamic Jihad in Jenin on Wednesday morning. This latest crime has coincided with an ongoing IOF military operation in Nablus, which has been the second of its kind this week. PCHR holds IOF responsible for such escalation, which aims at increasing tension in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT). 

Lebanon Bloggers Roundup: Academia, Agriculture and Construction

Moussa Bashir Lebanon 27 February 2007


Let us begin this week’s roundup of the Lebanese blogosphere with non-political posts. Let us start from a post about two Lebanese salads that are used as appetizers during meals. Skylark shows us (Fr) how to prepare Fattush and Tabboule, which are two delicious Lebanese salads that are usually found whenever Lebanese spread the table for a guest. Now that we have satisfied our taste buds, let us move to publishing and academia. Lazarus wrote at the Lebanese Blogger Forum about A Lost Summer: Postcards from Lebanon which is a book that compiles quotations, written during the summer war in Lebanon. 

Coming Home: Palestinian Cinema

Annemarie Jacir 27 February 2007


In the late 1960s, a group of young Arab women and men devoted to the struggle for Palestinian freedom chose to contribute to the resistance through filmmaking — recording their lives, hopes, and their fight for justice. Working in both fiction and documentary, they strived to tell the stories of Palestine and to create a new kind of cinema. Most were refugees, exiled from their homes in Palestine. And additionally there were fellow Arabs who stood in solidarity with them, devoting their work to a just cause. Their films screened across the Arab world and internationally but never in Palestine. 

UN Rapporteur compares Israel to Apartheid South Africa

27 February 2007


The UN’s Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, John Dugard, has issued a harshly critical report on Israel’s human rights record in regards to its treatment of the Palestinians in occupied Palestine. “The international community, speaking through the United Nations, has identified three regimes as inimical to human rights - foreign occupation, apartheid and colonialism,” Dugard says. In a report posted on the UN Human Rights Council’s website, due to be tabled this week, the South African law professor accuses Israeli regime of all three. 

Committee on Elimination of Racial Discrimination considers Israel

23 February 2007


Last week, the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination has considered the tenth to thirteenth periodic reports of Israel on its implementation of the provisions of the International Convention on the Elimination of all Forms of Racial Discrimination. In preliminary concluding observations, Morten Kjaerum, the Committee Expert who served as country Rapporteur for the report of Israel, welcomed the information provided by the Israeli delegation on affirmative action plans. However, relying on jurisprudence of the Supreme Court according to which the principle of equality was derived from the Basic Law on dignity was not sufficient. 

Traditional Egyptian Influence Begins to Decline

Adam Morrow and Khaled Moussa al-Omrani 27 February 2007


CAIRO, Feb 27 (IPS) - The Mecca Agreement was hailed throughout the Arab world earlier this month for putting an end to Palestinian infighting, which had claimed scores of lives. But some local analysts see the deal — which was sponsored by Egypt’s diplomatic rival Saudi Arabia — as an indication of Cairo’s waning influence as the principal mediator in inter-Palestinian disputes. “Egypt’s diplomatic role has declined and has turned into that of a spectator,” Abdel-Halim Kandil, editor-in-chief of opposition weekly al-Karama told IPS. 

UN official urges world community to match 'courage' of Palestinian unity government

27 February 2007


The agreement to form a new Palestinian Unity Government challenges the international community to “match the courage and compromises” shown by the rival parties with “bold steps of its own,” a senior United Nations official said today. “The inter-factional fighting that raged across parts of Gaza posed a genuine threat to the existence of the Palestinian polity,” UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) Commissioner-General Karen Koning AbuZayd told a meeting of the agency’s Advisory Commission in Amman, Jordan. 

Settlers assault family as soldiers look on: Three testimonies

27 February 2007


Shopkeeper Dahud Jabber testifies to B’Tselem: “We heard stones hit the door of the grocery store. They [the settlers] threw stones for about an hour. They swore and shouted, “We want to slaughter Arabs.” A neighbor of mine, Tareq, said that they also threw stones at his house. They did all this with Israeli soldiers next to them. We did not file a complaint with anyone. Who could we complain to? We had already complained and never got any results. Another neighbor, Sufyan, told me that settlers broke into his house the same night and assaulted his family.” 

How to Live with Hunger

Ran HaCohen 27 February 2007


When I was a child, a popular argument in favor of the Israeli “liberation,” i.e., occupation, of the Palestinian territories was its being a blessing for the Palestinians themselves. “When we took it over,” I was told at school, “there were just a couple of cars in the entire West Bank. And look how many they have now!” Indeed, in the first decades of the Israeli occupation, the Palestinian standard of living was on the rise — not because of Israeli investments (Israel never invested a cent in Palestinian welfare or infrastructure), but mainly because Israel exploited the Palestinians as a cheap labor force, and even a cheap labor force gets paid. 

Three women killed in separate Gaza City crimes

27 February 2007


PCHR strongly condemns the killing of three women from Gaza City during the past 24 hours, in three separate crimes that took place under similar circumstances. The Centre calls upon the Palestinian National Authority (PNA), represented by the Attorney General, to seriously investigate these crimes, and bring the perpetrators to justice. PCHR’s preliminary investigation indicates that at approximately 22:15 on Monday, 26 February 2007, people found the body of a female in the Salatin area, west of Beit Lahia. 

Gaza: Non-Entity

Philip Rizk Gaza Strip, Palestine 26 February 2007


Leaving Gaza requires one to walk through a long tunnel made up of turnstiles, X-ray machines, gates, cages and passport controls. This past Wednesday I found the tunnel ending abruptly ahead of me, a crudely fashioned wall barred me from the usual way of entry — instead, an opening to the right lead to an unknown place. I turned the corner and found myself in an Orwellian passage leading to a huge building with four automatic doors that were shut tight. Along this fenced-in passageway runs an anachronistic, medieval ditch, beyond it a mound made of rubble and dirt of the once magnificently fruitful region of Beit Hanoun. 

Honk for Suzi's Freedom: Palestinian family still detained at Haskell Prison

Greg Moses 26 February 2007


For many miles of his protest walks, whether against border walls or children’s prisons, Jay Johnson-Castro has walked alone. His four-day walk from Abilene to Haskell, Texas this week may be no different, as he protests the cruel and unusual treatment of the Hazahza family and immigrant prisoners like them. But there are two things to remember about Jay’s walk this week. The first thing is how many people will be honking. “There are literally thousands of people every day who honk, wave, and take photographs as they drive by,” Jay explains over the telephone from his home in Del Rio. 

Second day of "Operation Hot Winter" in Nablus

26 February 2007


For the second executive day, Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) have continued their wide-scale military operation inside Nablus. No casualties among the Palestinian civilian population have been reported, but the IOF military operation has paralyzed all aspects of daily life in the city, which has been placed under a curfew. PCHR strongly condemns this latest operation, and remains concerned over its outcome, especially as IOF declared that their Operation “Hot Winter” in Nablus could continue for several days. 

Israeli forces invade and impose curfew on Nablus

25 February 2007


Nablus - Ma’an - Israeli occupation forces initiated a huge operation in Nablus, in the occupied Palestinian West Bank, considered to be the biggest operation there in two years. Ma’an’s correspondent reported that more than 60 Israeli military vehicles and several bulldozers entered the city and imposed curfew. Palestinian security sources told Ma’an that a large force participated in the incursion, focused on the old city, particularly Al Yasameen neighborhood, where dozens of Israeli soldiers were deployed in the streets. 

Ali Abunimah discusses current developments on CounterSpin

24 February 2007


“[The Mecca Agreement] is not an obstacle to peace — what it is is an obstacle to US and Israelis’ railroading of the Palestinians into an unjust, untenable and unsustainable deal. The Israelis and the Americans want the Palestinians basically to capitulate, to give up on what Palestinians see as their most fundamental rights.” Ali discusses Condoleezza Rice’s latest trip to the Middle East in an interview on CounterSpin. 

Israeli army prohibits fishing off Gaza coast and abuse fishermen

24 February 2007


B’Tselem’s research indicates that, since the abduction of Cpl. Gilad Shalit, on 25 June 2006, Israel has forbidden boats, including fishing boats, to sail off the Gaza coast. The prohibition has struck a severe blow to the fishing sector, which provides a livelihood for tens of thousands of residents of the Gaza Strip. Lacking other means of employment, and despite the Israeli navy’s patrol of the coast and occasional shooting at Palestinian fishermen, some fishermen have risked their lives and violated the prohibition. 

Survey: 70 percent of Palestinians support one-state solution

24 February 2007


In the period 12-15 February, 2007, Near East Consulting (NEC) conducted a phone survey of over 1200 randomly selected Palestinians in the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, and Jerusalem of which 806 were successfully completed. It is worth noting that the margin of error is +/- 3.4% with a 95% confidence level. The main findings: 75% of Palestinians do not think that [in principle] Israel has the right to exist, 70% support One State. Furthermore, 51% of Palestinians feel less secure since the January 2006 elections, as compared to 48% last month, and 44% in December 2006. 

Apartheid looks like this

Jonathan Cook 23 February 2007


The scene: a military checkpoint deep in Palestinian territory in the West Bank. A tall, thin elderly man, walking stick in hand, makes a detour past the line of Palestinians, many of them young men, waiting obediently behind concrete barriers for permission from an Israeli soldier to leave one Palestinian area, the city of Nablus, to enter another Palestinian area, the neighbouring village of Huwara. The long queue is moving slowly, the soldier taking his time to check each person’s papers. The old man heads off purposefully down a parallel but empty lane reserved for vehicle inspections. A young soldier controlling the human traffic spots him and orders him back in line. The old man stops, fixes the soldier with a stare and refuses. 

Weekly Report of Human Rights Violations

22 February 2007


During the reporting period, 12 Palestinian civilians, including two journalists and 5 children, and an Israeli solidarity activist, were wounded by the IOF gunfire in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. In the West Bank, 11 Palestinian civilians, including 5 children and two journalists, were wounded by the IOF gunfire. On 15 February 2007, a Palestinian civilian was wounded when IOF fired at a number of Palestinian demonstrators. On the same day, a Palestinian child was wounded in ‘Azzoun village in similar circumstances. On 16 February 2007, a Palestinian civilian and a journalist were wounded when IOF fired at demonstrations. 

Death and injuries in weapons misuse

22 February 2007


PCHR’s preliminary investigation indicates that at approximately 16:30 on Wednesday, 21 February 2007, Adham Atallah Sha’ath, a 25-year resident of Gaza City, was killed by a bullet in the back. Ahmad Khader El-Shamali (23) was injured by a bullet in the right foot. They were hit when bullets were accidentally fired from a firearm they mishandled in Johr El-Deek village, southeast of Gaza City. They were taken to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, where Sha’ath was pronounced dead upon arrival and transferred to the forensic medicine department in Shifa Hospital. El-Shamali’s injury was listed as moderate. 

Travel restrictions imposed on human rights advocate

23 February 2007


As a Palestinian organisation dedicated to the protection and promotion of human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT), Al-Haq would like to call your attention to the severe travel restrictions that have been imposed on its General Director, and longstanding human rights defender, Shawan Jabarin. Mr. Jabarin’s case is illustrative of the numerous difficulties faced by human rights defenders who volunteer or work with non-governmental organisations in the OPT. The Israeli authorities have refused to grant Mr. Jabarin permission to travel abroad. 

Day of Action Against Indigo Books and Music Inc.

Coalition Against Israeli Apartheid 23 February 2007


Chanting “Fight the power, turn the page: Heather, Jerry, hear our rage!”, one hundred and fifty protesters marched from the Israeli consulate to a nearby Indigo Books and Music store in Toronto on Saturday afternoon. They were protesting Indigo’s majority shareholders’ support for Israeli Apartheid. The day of action was organized by the Coalition Against Israeli Apartheid (CAIA) as the culmination of the third annual Israeli Apartheid Week. Israeli Apartheid Week was a series of lectures held on campuses in Canada (Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa), the UK (Oxford, Cambridge), and the US (New York) to highlight Israel’s apartheid policies. 

Growing poverty, unemployment threaten Palestinians' ability to feed their families

22 February 2007


Rising unemployment, poverty and “economic suffocation” in the occupied Palestinian territory are posing acute challenges to food security, leaving many families entirely dependent on outside aid as well as threatening vital sectors of the Palestinian economy, United Nations agencies warned today. “The poorest families are now living a meagre existence totally reliant on assistance, with no electricity or heating and eating food prepared with water from bad sources. This is putting their long-term health at risk,” UN World Food Programme territory Director Arnold Vercken said. 

Palestinian Security Forces Under Attack

22 February 2007


As a human rights organisation dedicated to the promotion and protection of human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT), Al-Haq is gravely concerned by the killing of two Palestinian security officers in the Bitouniya neighbourhood of Ramallah on 2 February 2007. After thorough investigation, Al-Haq has learned that at approximately 2:45 am on that morning, a resident of al-Dik building heard someone attempting to open the door of his fourth-floor apartment. Upon receiving no reply when he inquired as to the identity of the intruders, the resident called the Palestinian Preventative Security Forces. 

Cluster Bomb Victims Push for Ban

Tarjei Kidd Olsen 22 February 2007


OSLO, Norway, Feb 22 (IPS) - As Branislav Kapetanovic brushes aside some grass to get a better view, his arms and legs are ripped off by a cluster bomb dropped by NATO. His eardrums burst. On the way to hospital his heart stops, but he survives to tell the tale. Four years and more than 20 surgical operations later, he recounted the fateful day to delegates at a large non-governmental organisation and civil society forum in Oslo Wednesday. In his wheelchair, gesticulating with stumps where hands and arms once were, Kapetanovic laid out the case against cluster bombs. 

DJ Revolutions: Spinning Beats for Freedom

Ismail Khalidi 22 February 2007


With the announcement earlier this month that the British group Massive Attack was holding a series of concerts in London to support Palestinian refugee communities was another piece of good news: that Checkpoint 303 was going to be performing a DJ set to open the three benefit shows. The international group of DJs or SCs (“Sound Catchers” and “Sound Cutters”) and musicians that make up Checkpoint 303 has quietly been bringing the noise on the internet by unleashing wickedly original sound tapestries and instrumentals (free of charge) on their website, www.checkpoint303.com for over two years now. 

Gaza power supply under pressure

22 February 2007


The Gaza Strip in the Occupied Palestinian Territories continues to suffer daily power cuts eight months after Israel bombed its only power station, leaving health services relying on expensive generators and residents without regular electricity or water. The cuts have continued despite new transformers being installed in November 2006 at the privately owned Gaza Power Generating Company (GPGC) power station. All six of the original transformers were destroyed by Israeli warplanes days after Palestinian militants kidnapped an Israeli soldier last June. 

PCHR: Palestinian killed, 2 wounded, in weapons misuse

21 February 2007


PCHR’s preliminary investigation indicates that at approximately 8:50 on Wednesday, 21 February 2007, Mahmoud Awad El-Sumeiri (34) from Wadi El-Salqa village (east of Deir El-Balah) was killed by shrapnel throughout his body. The shrapnel was the result of the explosion of a homemade bomb that exploded when the victim handled it in a farm near his house. El-Sumeiri was taken to Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, where he was pronounced dead upon arrival. He was transferred to the forensic medicine department at Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. 

Rice Faces Formidable White House Foe

Jim Lobe 21 February 2007


WASHINGTON, Feb 21 (IPS) - If, as she insists, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is determined to make concrete progress toward achieving George W. Bush’s vision of a two-state solution, one in which Israel would be required to make major territorial concessions, it appears that she faces a major foe in the White House. No, not only Dick Cheney and the surviving members of the neo-conservative clique that surrounded him and former Pentagon chief Donald Rumsfeld during Bush’s first term — although the vice president’s office remains a formidable force against any concessions to a Palestinian government of national unity that includes Hamas, despite Saudi Arabia’s role in midwifing its birth at Mecca last week. 

Reinforcing the Occupation: Israel's High Court

Louis Frankenthaler 21 February 2007


Journalist Gideon Levy wrote in the Israeli daily Haaretz: “From now on, the [Israeli] Supreme Court will act without Aharon Barak. It will, however, presumably continue to act within his legacy, which has authorized nearly all injustices in the territories. Barak, meanwhile, will continue to be depicted in Israel and the world as a pursuer of justice.” The Israeli High Court of Justice under the presidency of Professor Barak has impressed many observers as being many things: progressive, daring, precedent setting. However, the actual results of the Barak Court offer little in the way of comparison to a Court like the Warren Court in the United States. 

Israeli authorities destroy crops of Bedouin citizens

21 February 2007


At this moment the Israeli government is plowing the crops, in order to destroy them, of Bedouins in the Negev. 500 dunams (120 acres) of Halil al-Zarqan’s lands, of the small village Al-Mazraa in the Eastern Negev are being destroyed this morning by governmental tractors. Israel does not recognize the traditional ownership of its Bedouin citizens over land in the Negev. Since 1948, Israel has used one method or another to confiscate 98 percent of the lands that were owned and used by the Bedouins prior to the establishment of the State. Now the government is battling its poorest citizens over the last 2 percent of their traditional lands. 

EI's Ali Abunimah discusses Rice trip on Flashpoints

21 February 2007


EI co-founder Ali Abunimah was interviewed on Flashpoints Radio on Tuesday, 20 February 2007. He discussed the previous day’s talks in Jerusalem with Condoleezza Rice as she presses for Bush’s vision for a future Palestinian state. He told host Nora Barrows-Friedman, “The United States and Israel expect Abbas to act as their quisling, really, just a collaborator representing them. And Abbas’ transgressions in their books are that he has placed the desire among Palestinians for unity and democracy above the demands of the occupier and the United States.” 

Texas Independence Day Protest over Jailed Palestinian Family

Greg Moses 21 February 2007


There are different kinds of angry. Jay Johnson-Castro has tears in his eyes when he thinks about Suzi Hazahza at the immigration prison of Haskell, Texas. But he’s not going to cry without doing something, so next week, Johnson-Castro will walk sixty miles from Abilene to Haskell and hold a vigil for the release of Suzi Hazahza and “anyone else” being mistreated for their desire to be American. “I’m almost in tears trying to tell you how angry I feel,” says Johnson-Castro via cell phone as he drives home to Del Rio, Texas on Tuesday evening following three weeks of border protests. 

"No politics please -- we're Lebanese," say traders

20 February 2007


BEIRUT, 20 February 2007 (IRIN) - “Please, no discussion of politics,” reads a sign that has appeared in shop windows in the Mazraa district of western Beirut. On a work-day afternoon, it is the only hint that the area’s bustling main streets — lined with snack-bars and grocers, clothes shops and jewellery markets — has witnessed a sharp rise in Sunni-Shia Muslim tensions over the past few months. “People would strike up conversations in here about politics and they’d turn into arguments. Now I can just point at the sign and say ‘come on, that’s enough’,” said the owner of a cubby-hole bookshop, who preferred not to give his name. 

Israeli activist given three-month suspended sentence after anti-Wall protest

18 February 2007


Jonathan Pollak, an activist with Anarchists Against the Wall, was sentenced to three months in prison that will be activated if he is convicted of a similar charge again. Pollak was sentenced today after he was convicted together with 10 other activists for blocking a road in Tel Aviv in protest of the construction of the wall. He asked the Tel Aviv Magistrate’s Court to sentence him to jail time rather than community service or a suspended sentence, saying he has no intention to stop resisting the occupation. The ten other convicted activists were sentenced to 80 hours of community service. 

Warning notices affixed to 100 homes in unrecognized Bedouin village

19 February 2007


On 13 February 2007, Adalah sent an urgent letter to Interior Minister Roni Bar-On and Attorney General Menachem Mazuz, demanding the cancellation of warning notices issued against approximately 100 homes in the unrecognized village of al-Nasasara in the Naqab (Negev) (located to the South-West of Kesseife). These notices, which were affixed to homes on 19 January 2007 demand that the homeowners appear before the Building Monitoring Unit in order to present explanations for “unlicensed building.” However, based on past experience, the sending of such warning notices constitutes the first step towards the issuing of orders to demolish homes and evacuate the village of its inhabitants. 

My birthday in Jabalya refugee camp

Philip Rizk Jabalya refugee camp, Palestine 19 February 2007


I spent my 25th birthday in Jabalya, Gaza’s biggest refugee camp. I have known Jamal, a taxi driver in Gaza, for almost two years. I could only protest so many times at his neglecting to host me in his home. In spite of the pleas of his children, whom I had met on a number of occasions outside his home, I realized today why he never did. I have often entered the homes of refugees while distributing food across the Gaza Strip and yet what struck me that day was the familiarity of Jamal sitting by my side against the unfamiliarity of his home. 

Arab couple refused residency in exclusively Jewish town

19 February 2007


The application of an Arab couple, Fatina Ebriq and Ahmed Zubeidat, to live in the community town of Rakefet in the Misgav area of the Galilee was refused in March 2006 by the regional selection committee. Selection committees monitor, accept and reject applications for housing units in community towns, and often operate according to vague and arbitrary criteria. On 11 April 2006, Adalah Attorney Suhad Bishara filed an appeal on behalf of the couple to the Israel Land Administration (ILA) against the decision to refuse their application to live in Rakefet. 

Settlers abuse Ra'fat 'Askar, 16, imprison him and beat him

19 February 2007


I live with my family near the Pisgat Ze’ev settlement. The Separation Barrier separates my house from the rest of the village of Hizmeh. I go to school in a-Ram and am in the eleventh grade. Last Tuesday [23 January 2007], around 7:00 P.M., I left home to go and visit my uncle ‘Abd al-Wali ‘Askar, who lives in Hizmeh. I went by foot, crossed the Hizmeh checkpoint and continued along the Hizmeh-‘Anata road. From my house to my uncle’s house is about one and a half kilometers. I walked slowly, and got to the road leading to his house at about 7:30. 

Controversy at Harvard after appointment of alum to Israeli army chief of staff

Paras D. Bhayani 18 February 2007


Gabriel Ashkenazi, a 2004 graduate of Harvard Business School who was appointed chief of staff of the Israeli Defense Forces this weekend, has come under fire from activists at Harvard who say Ashkenazi was responsible for human rights abuses before his arrival in Cambridge. [*] In e-mails to The Crimson, the activists alleged that Ashkenazi was responsible for abuses during Israel’s 22-year occupation of southern Lebanon and for his role in overseeing the construction of the barrier separating Israel and several of its settlements from the rest of the West Bank. 

Core issues absent from Rice's peace rhetoric agenda

Michael F. Brown 18 February 2007


Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice will meet today with Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Ostensibly, they are to talk of a “political horizon” in order for Abbas to relay to the Palestinian people a “vision” of what could be. This now appears to be little more than a hallucination put out for public consumption. Borders, Jerusalem, and Palestinian refugees cannot be expected to highlight the agenda. Consequently, if these three issues are not central to discussions, this is not a political horizon but a cliff for Palestinians. A horizon, properly viewed, simply cannot omit these three central concerns. 

Book review: Two Palestinian women recall their lives in exile

Maureen Clare Murphy 18 February 2007


Both Salwa Salem’s and Ghada Karmi’s childhoods were violently disrupted by what Palestinians call al-Nakba, or the Catastrophe — the involuntary mass exodus of nearly three quarters of the Palestinian population when the State of Israel was established in 1948. Marking the destruction of their country, this event would define their lives as ones of exile. In their respective memoirs, The Wind in My Hair and In Search of Fatima: A Palestinian Story, Salem and Karmi recall idyllic childhoods in Palestine before 1948 in a society rich with culture and defined by the extended family. Their individual experiences, chronicled in their engrossing works, give a window into that of a generation of Palestinians born into dispossession. 

Photostory: Solidarity in Solidere

Tadamon! Beirut, Lebanon 18 February 2007


In recent weeks and months Lebanon has faced major political upheaval, marked by massive street demonstrations, international political intervention and a national general strike. Lebanon’s political opposition maintains an ongoing open-air demonstration in central Beirut, which commenced on December 1st, 2006, fueled by popular discontent toward the current national government. Vivid political debate in Lebanon and throughout the Lebanese Diaspora presents challenging political questions toward both the current government and political opposition regarding growing sectarian strife across an increasingly divided nation. 

The Crisis: Between Politics and the Economy

Fawwaz Trabulsi 18 February 2007


At a time when “politics” is reduced to little more than a clash of wills, sectarianism and tribalism, a measure of social security should go some way in decreasing religious and sectarian divisions and tensions. This is not to say, however, that the social and economic situation, on its own, is not deserving of a remedy. With politics having prevailed in the ongoing and escalating conflict between the two parties, the government published the paper submitted to the Paris III conference. It will be said that the timing and purpose of the paper’s publication are political since the standing rule is that everything is political in Lebanon. However, there is a need to discuss the paper and its vision and methods for addressing the socio-economic crisis with all its political ramifications. 

Israeli parliamentarian condemns country's 'apartheid': Jamal Zahalka speaking in Montreal, Toronto

Jesse Rosenfeld 16 February 2007


MONTREAL (CUP) — Palestinian rights groups across the world have labelled this week “End Israeli Apartheid Week,” in an effort to highlight the marginalization and oppression Palestinians face as a result of Israeli polices. As part of the events, Jamal Zahalka, a Palestinian-Israeli member of Israel’s parliament, is giving a lecture titled “Debunking the myth of Israeli democracy” in Montreal and Toronto. The lecture is organized by Solidarity for Palestinian Human Rights. 

Palestinian Revolution Cinema Comes to NYC

Emily Jacir 16 February 2007


The New York Arab and South Asian Film Festival will pay tribute to a group of filmmakers who have made significant contributions to various categories of Palestinian Revolution Cinema between the years of 1968 and 1982. Given the current political environment in Palestine, Iraq, and Lebanon in 2007, it is especially important to screen these films which have slipped through the cracks of history. They are a visual testament to past events and offer us a glimpse of history from the perspective of the people who actually lived it, a perspective not sanctioned by the official US/European meta-narrative of the region. 

2007 New York Arab & South Asian Film Festival, 23 February - 4 March

16 February 2007


The 2007 New York Arab & South Asian Film Festival (NYASAFF) presents the best in recent features, docs, and shorts that increase awareness of the creative vitality and sociopolitical realities of North Africa, the Middle East, South Asia, and their diasporas. Given the historical and cultural affinities between these geographic regions, as well as the contemporary political landscape, several cultural and media organizations, including Alwan for the Arts, 3rd i NY, South Asian Women’s Creative Collective, and Downtown Community Television have launched a collaborative series encompassing film, video, music, visual art, and literature, that will culminate in the annual, NYASA Film Festival running from February 23 - March 4, 2007. 

Suzi Hazahza Imprisoned in Texas: Why Her Family Must be Freed

Greg Moses 16 February 2007


Tasting the food that Suzi Hazahza cooked for him on that first Thursday in November, Reza Barkhordari couldn’t have been more joyful. He went to Suzi’s house every night after work, to sit with her whole family. And each night, the wedding drew a day closer. The first Friday of November, however, found Reza driving to the Dallas offices of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in search of the love of his life. Suzi and her entire family had been rounded up at gunpoint. Like two other Palestinian families in Dallas, all of them had been rousted from bed at gunpoint and marched out the door in their bedclothes. 

Israelis Keep a Fishy Watch

Jon Elmer 15 February 2007


GAZA CITY, Feb 14 (IPS) - In the driving rain, Suhail el-Amoudi stands on the wharf of the Gaza City port looking out over the aged and weathered fishing boats as they bob perilously amid the swells of a Mediterranean winter storm. But for el-Amoudi, a 30-year veteran fisher of Gaza’s waters, it is not the waves or the wind that concerns him. Rather, it is the Israeli naval vessel on the horizon, clearly visible despite the storm. Throughout the last three decades at sea, El-Amoudi has seen many changes — but there is always one constant of life in Gaza: “The Israelis are the key to the experience,” he said. “Their presence is always felt.” 

Amnesty condemns Bikfaya bus bombing

14 February 2007


Amnesty International condemns in the strongest terms yesterday’s bomb attacks on two buses near the town of Bikfaya, a Christian area of Lebanon, north east of Beirut. At least three civilians are reported to have been killed and some 20 injured. Deliberate attacks on civilians can never be justified and those responsible show complete disregard for the most fundamental principles of humanity. These deadly attacks on civilians represent a further deterioration of the security situation in Lebanon, which has become increasingly polarised, prompting fears of a possible slide towards a new conflict following the civil war which wracked the country from 1975 to 1990. 

Subcommittee hosts anti-Palestinian threesome

Michael F. Brown 14 February 2007


Hubris leads directly to disrespect. Back in power for just a handful of weeks, Rep. Gary Ackerman, the Chairman of the Subcommittee on the Middle East and South Asia, is already displaying his disregard for the Peace Movement, Arab Americans, Muslim Americans, the unfairly maligned progressive Jewish community, and, well, generally anyone who favors a fair debate on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. No such debate will occur on Valentine’s Day when Ackerman’s Subcommittee hosts a stacked and biased witness list. None of the three witnesses who will be present can be described as a vigorous advocate on behalf of Palestinian rights and freedom. 

The geography of dissent: New Orleans and Palestine

Lora Gordon New Orleans, United States 14 February 2007


“I’m still in New Orleans. It’s so much like Palestine it’s eerie. It’s a different kind of devastation than right after the storm. Some of the worst wreckage has been cleaned up — there are no longer throngs of people camping out on the I-10 Causeway or waterlogged bodies lining the streets. Now it’s the emptiness that is most striking. Some parts of the city are like a ghost town.” Writing from New Orleans, EI contributor Lora Gordan finds parallels between the struggle for justice in New Orleans and that in Palestine. 

Pro-government group urges peace after deadly bombing

13 February 2007


BEIRUT, 13 Feb 2007 (IRIN) - Leaders of the Lebanese pro-government ‘March 14’ group warned that the country was sliding towards Iraq-style sectarian violence after at least three people were killed in explosions that hit two buses travelling through a Christian-majority mountain town outside Beirut. “This was a new form of terrorism for Lebanon. We are all afraid that it will push Lebanon towards the kind of violence that we see in Iraq,” Michel Khoury, a member of the Christian Phalangist Party and of the March 14 committee, told IRIN. 

Razor wire and soldiers keep factions apart

14 February 2007


BEIRUT, 14 Feb 2007 (IRIN) - The girl was a veiled Sunni Muslim but waved the flag of the Lebanese Forces, once one of the country’s most powerful Christian militias. She was marking the second anniversary of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri’s assassination with a call for the downfall of the Shia-led opposition, camping out less than 100 metres away. “We are not afraid of Hassan Nasrallah,” said Elena Karaman, referring to the leader of the Islamist movement Hezbollah, which fought Israel in a month-long war last summer and has been demanding the resignation of the Western-backed Lebanese government. 

Media fall for pro-Israel hate group's "Terror Free Oil"

Ali Abunimah 13 February 2007


National Public Radio and the BBC have been among the countless media outlets to give prominent publicity to an organization calling itself “Terror Free Oil,” (TFO) which has established gasoline filling stations in several US cities. Much of the coverage has read like a press release for the organization, or treated it as a cute feature story. The fundamentally racist nature of the claims the company makes, and the long history of anti-Muslim statements and activities of its founder have been ignored. EI co-founder Ali Abunimah investigates. 

Lebanon Bloggers Roundup: Sectarianism and Peace Groups

Moussa Bashir 13 February 2007


The fears of sectarian strife may be the reason why a good number of bloggers wrote about sectarianism this week. However, as one may expect, bloggers do not agree on how to define or confront this issue. While some see that it is blown out of proportion, or that ignoring it may bring calamity, others think that it is a blessing and a Lebanese exceptionality. Nevertheless, many anti-sectarian youth peace groups have popped-up in Beirut in an attempt to save Lebanon from the seemingly inevitable future of a civil war or violence such as those occurring in neighboring countries in the region. 

More than a walkway

Daoud Kuttab 13 February 2007


If Israeli officials felt that the protest against work near Al-Aqsa mosque was a local problem that would soon go away, they were not watching Lebanese television. Some might think that the Arab world’s most popular TV program, Star Academy, is all about singing youth and half-dressed presenters. But on Friday, February 9, the students at Star Academy joined together in singing the song of Lebanese superstar Fairuz about Jerusalem. Dressed in chic black outfits, the entire class of Star Academy 4 joined hands in front of sets depicting Jerusalem’s Old City walls as they sang “Zahrat al Madain” (The flower of cities). Without making a single reference to the latest controversy over the Mughrabi Gate walkway, the directors of this musical program made a huge political sensation. 

The Experience of Mohammad, 11-year-old in US Prison

Greg Moses 13 February 2007


During the day Friday, the words of 11-year-old Mohammad Hazahza have filled him up and weighed him down. On Friday night, he pours the words back out, as if wanting to be lifted back up. “Mohammad is so protective of his mother,” says Ralph Isenberg in a weary and reverent voice, recalling the day’s visits to Dallas reporters. “I watched as he got her chair and made her comfortable. And that’s what he did in jail. He protected her from forced labor. When she was ordered to clean the common area, he did that work for her. He really understands family and duty.” 

It's Time to Visit Gaza

Miko Peled 13 February 2007


The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is one area where liberals and neo-conservatives in America find common ground. From Nancy Pelosi and Hillary Clinton all the way to George Bush and Condoleezza Rice one and all are united in supporting Israel’s assault on the Palestinian people and their land. The criticism of Jimmy Carter’s book Palestine Peace Not Apartheid is a case in point. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi outdid herself by issuing a statement that: “It is wrong to suggest that the Jewish people would support a government in Israel or anywhere else that institutionalizes ethnically based oppression.” Wrong to suggest? Here is something right to suggest: Madam Speaker, it is time for you to visit Gaza. 

Concern over BBC documentary 'Will Israel Bomb Iran?'

13 February 2007


Arab Media Watch is concerned by the ‘This World’ programme ‘Will Israel Bomb Iran?’, broadcast on BBC2 on 10 October 2006. Its severe lack of balance manifested itself in the number and range of sources used, the airtime given them, and the numerous unchallenged claims made about the Arab world. A statistical analysis of ‘Will Israel Bomb Iran?’ yields these figures: Israeli sources, of which there were 15, appeared 55 times for a total of 15 minutes and 58 seconds - 51% of talk time, 41.4% of the programme, 71.4% of sources and 45% of source appearances. In stark contrast, the Iranian sources, of which there were just two, appeared three times for a total of 52 seconds. 

Israeli Arabs: 'Who are we and what do we want?'

Rima Merriman 12 February 2007


While Palestinians under occupation in the West Bank and Gaza are scrambling to come up with a new national Palestinian vision, Israeli Arabs are looking for ways to wrest equal citizenship rights for themselves as non-Jews in a state whose reason for existence is to nurture Jewish identity and culture. According to a recent New York Times news item, “A group of prominent Israeli Arabs [in a report issued in December 2006] has called on Israel to stop defining itself as a Jewish State and become a ‘consensual democracy for both Arabs and Jews,’ prompting consternation and debate across the country.” 

PCHR Condemns Israeli Diggings near Al-Aqsa

11 February 2007


PCHR strongly condemns diggings conducted by Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) in the vicinity of the al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied Arab Jerusalem. PCHR further denounces storming the al-Aqsa Mosque and using excessive force by IOF against hundreds of Palestinian civilians who attended the Friday Prayer on 9 February 2007. PCHR warns of the continuation of diggings, which pose a serious threat to one of the holiest sites for Arabs and Muslims and agitate the feelings of more than one billion Muslims around the world. PCHR is concerned over IOF’s challenge for the international law and international legitimacy resolutions related to the Holy City. 

Israeli Apartheid Week comes to New York City

9 February 2007


The 3rd annual Israeli Apartheid Week (IAW) will take place in New York City from February 10-17 2007. It will be a week-long series of events organized by a coalition of different groups in the city and will feature lectures, film screenings, and cultural activities. Concurrent events are being held in Canada and the United Kingdom. “This week of events, being held in New York for the first time, adds to the growing international chorus of opposition to Israeli apartheid that includes voices of Palestinians, Israelis, South Africans, and many others who stand for justice,” says Ryvka Bar Zohar, an organizer of the week. 

UN Secretary General praises unity accord

9 February 2007


Calling the agreement between Fatah and Hamas on a Palestinian national unity government a “very important step forward,” United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has said he looks forward to discussing the way ahead in resolving the Middle East conflict. “He hopes that this agreement will curb the violence, creating a better future for the Palestinian people,” a statement issued by Mr. Ban’s spokesperson said. “The Secretary-General looks forward to discussing the way ahead with the parties and regional and Quartet partners,” it added. 

Occupation and Aid

Shir Hever 9 February 2007


There is no need to go into details, once again, about the extensive damage caused to the Palestinians by the Israeli occupation forces. We have heard much already of the mounting poverty rate, that GDP has fallen by 9% during the first half of 2006, that 25% of the Palestinian work force is suffering from a severe loss of income due to the sanctions on the PA, and that welfare payments have fallen by US$180 million. Moreover, Per-capita consumption in Palestine has fallen by 12%. Deep poverty is reaching alarming proportions, in Gaza it is already at 79.8%. Additionally, food insecurity is also at very high levels, reaching up to 41% in Gaza. 

A Time to Speak Out: Independent Jewish Voices

9 February 2007


We are a group of Jews in Britain from diverse backgrounds, occupations and affiliations who have in common a strong commitment to social justice and universal human rights. We come together in the belief that the broad spectrum of opinion among the Jewish population of this country is not reflected by those institutions which claim authority to represent the Jewish community as a whole. We further believe that individuals and groups within all communities should feel free to express their views on any issue of public concern without incurring accusations of disloyalty. 

UNESCO voices 'deep concern' at Israeli construction work in Jerusalem

8 February 2007


The head of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) voiced his “deep concern” today over construction work initiated by Israel in the Old City of Jerusalem and called for the suspension of any action that could exacerbate tensions. UNESCO Director-General Koichiro Matsuura noted in a statement that the Old City is protected by the UN Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage (1972), and is inscribed on the UN World Heritage List and the List of World Heritage in Danger. 

Arabs Less Worried About Iran, Poll Finds

Jim Lobe 8 February 2007


WASHINGTON, Feb 8 (IPS) - U.S. and Israeli hopes of forging of a Sunni Arab alliance to contain Iran and its regional allies may be misplaced, at least at the popular level, according to a major survey of six Arab countries released here Thursday. The face-to-face survey of a total of 3,850 respondents in Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates found that close to 80 percent of Arabs consider Israel and the United States the two biggest external threats to their security. Only six percent cited Iran. 

Weekly Report of Human Rights Violations

8 February 2007


During the reporting period, IOF killed a Palestinian child in the northern West Bank town of Tulkarm. They fired one bullet at him when he attempted to escape. They left him bleeding to death. The victim was not armed. According to the child’s family, the child attempted to escape as IOF had repeatedly raided his family home searching for him. During the reporting period, 9 Palestinian civilians and a British journalist were wounded by IOF. On 26 January 2007, two Palestinian civilians and a British journalist were wounded when IOF used force against a peaceful demonstration organized in Bal’ein village in protest to the construction of the Annexation Wall. 

Israel Misused Cluster Bombs U.S. Delivered last August

8 February 2007


At the height of the Israeli war against Hezbollah last summer, in which hundreds of civilians living in southern Lebanon were killed, the U.S. rushed a request from Israel for more than 1,300 American-made M26 cluster bombs. The request prompted an outcry in Congress and elsewhere that the artillery rockets, which disperse 644 submunitions each, might be used in civilian areas, contrary to the terms of the U.S. Arms Export Control Act. Last week, the Department of State delivered a preliminary report to Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House, and to Sen. Joseph Biden, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, that is said by the news media to accuse Israel of exactly these charges. 

Photostory: Solidarity Week in Greece for Palestine

7 February 2007


From 18 to 27 January, various NGO’s and solidarity groups in Greece organized the Solidarity Week with the Palestinian People. In various cities in Greece events and campaigns were organized. The activities ended with a joint demonstration in Athens that lead to the embassies of the United States and Israel. The week started with a panel discussion in the Max amphitheater of the National Technical University of Athens. Speakers included representatives of various Palestinian movements. 

Human rights advocate kept from Jerusalem meeting by Israel

8 February 2007


Al Mezan’s General Director, Issam Younis, was yesterday prevented from attending a meeting with the British Foreign Minister, Margaret Beckett, to brief her on the human rights situation in the Gaza Strip. The Israeli District Civil Liaison (DCL), that controls all access into Israel through the Erez checkpoint, delayed the processing of the required clearance permit and imposed obstacles that effectively made it impossible for Mr Younis to reach his meeting in Jerusalem. Despite applying three days in advance for his permit, Mr Younis was informed only two hours before the commencement of his meeting. 

Long-term environmental challenges ahead

8 February 2007


Seven months after Israel bombed the coastal Jiyyeh power plant in the south of Beirut, the Mediterranean Sea still spews oil onto Lebanon’s shores, and beach sand shifts to reveal oil slicks that could not be detected before, fishermen say. With sparkling waves licking the golden sands, Jiyyeh beach looks pristine at first glance. But fisherman Ahmad Kojok stoops and pulls up the corner of a black slab in the sea. It is solid oil.
“We found another huge patch of oil over there,” said Kojok, waving towards a patch of sea by a rocky shelf that juts out into the bay. “It’s all oil just there.” 

Prosecution of Brighton solidarity activist dropped

7 February 2007


The Crown Prosecution Service have cited ‘lack of evidence’ as the reason for dropping their charges against Chris Osmond, a member of Brighton and Hove Palestine Solidarity Campaign who was arrested and charged with an offence under the Public Order Act at a peaceful demonstration against the Israel’s participation in the Davis Cup at Eastbourne on 22nd July 2006. Ann Hallan, a member of the Brighton and Hove Palestine Solidarity Campaign who was also at the demonstration commented today ‘The Crown Prosecution Service has seen sense at last. The arrest was going beyond the powers police have under the public order act - this was yet another example of the infringement of the right to protest.’ 

PCHR: Stop the destruction of Islamic holy sites in Jerusalem

7 February 2007


PCHR calls upon the international community represented by governments and international organizations, specifically UNESCO, to intervene immediately to put an immediate end to Israeli destruction of Islamic holy sites in occupied Jerusalem, especially around Al-Aqsa Mosque. The Centre appeals to these bodies to take immediate action to stop Israeli excavations, and to provide protection for Palestinians and their rights, especially their cultural and religious rights; and provide protection for Islamic holy sites, which are an important part of human culture and civilization. 

A Message of Concern to the Palestinian People

7 February 2007


As Leaders of the Christian Churches in Jerusalem concerned at the present situation in the Palestinian Territories we feel we must voice our anxiety for all our people - Christian and Moslem alike - at the deteriorating relations between Fatah and Hamas leaders and the armed forces. It would appear that all kinds of mediation and attempts at reconciliation have so far failed resulting in a dead lock in the situation. The latest allegations and threats which have been aired through the local and international media have resulted in some large scale fighting which soon will be very difficult to stop. 

One killed, three injured by unknown gunman

7 February 2007


Yesterday evening, unknown gunmen fired at 4 members of the Izzedeen El-Qassam Battalions, the armed wing of Hamas, in Gaza City. One of the targeted individuals, Mohammad Deeb Salim Abu Karsh (24) from Gaza City, was killed and three were injured. One of the injuries is serious. PCHR’s preliminary investigation indicates that at approximately 21:30 on Tuesday, 6 February 2007, unknown gunmen fired at four members of Izzedeen El-Qassam Battalions, the armed wing of Hamas, in Lod-Ramla Street in Gaza City. The shooting resulted in the killing of Mohammad Abu Karsh by bullets to the chest, abdomen, and extremities. 

Al-Haq response to recent Israeli government COGAT briefing

7 February 2007


As a non-governmental organisation committed to the promotion and protection of human rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT), Al-Haq would like to respond to the recent briefing issued by the Government of Israel’s Office for Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories (CoGAT). The briefing, entitled “Key Measures for Easing the Daily Lives of the Palestinian Population,” purports to provide a general overview of recent Israeli measures aimed at improving the Palestinian population’s “fabric of life” within the OPT. 

Infighting escalates, exceeding red lines

4 February 2007


The number of Palestinian victims of the last wave of infighting has reached 160. 30 have been killed and 130 injured since Thursday 1 February 2007. All efforts to end the armed clashes have so far been unsuccessful; however both sides have announced a ceasefire under Egyptian mediation. According to the field information collected by Al Mezan, fighting resumed after members of Hamas and the Executive Force of the Ministry of Interior attacked a convoy of trucks lifting caravans and equipment for the Presidential Guards in the Middle Gaza area. Hamas claimed that the trucks carried arms and military equipment. 

UNRWA opens tented school for stranded Palestinians

7 February 2007


Some 90 Palestinian refugee children whose families have been stranded over the last nine months at al-Tanf border crossing point between Iraq and Syria, living in a makeshift refugee camp, started attending an UNRWA tented school on 3 February. At this school, UNRWA will provide general education for refugee children at elementary and preparatory levels as prescribed by the Syrian Ministry of Education. Managed by the UNRWA education programme, with eight teachers from the refugee community in al-Tanf serving as staff, the school will help cater for the refugees’ educational needs. 

Doha seminar on assistance to Palestinian people concludes

6 February 2007


The United Nations Seminar on Assistance to the Palestinian People explored during its third plenary session the theme “Looking ahead: Creating conditions for Palestinian economic recovery”. The Former Minister of Public Works and Housing, Palestinian Authority and President, Palestinian Economic Centre for Development and Reconstruction, Mohammed Shtayyeh, said there was no lack of initiatives but a lack of implementation of existing agreements. Another interim agreement would be a failing enterprise. Israelis and Palestinians must go to final negotiations for a permanent solution. 

Middle East experts review international response to needs of Palestinian people

6 February 2007


Although Israel had called for international sanctions against the Palestinians following the election of Hamas in 2006, it found itself scrambling to restore aid to avoid a human catastrophe when it appeared that those sanctions were working too well, Jerusalem-based Alternative Information Center Researcher Shir Hever told the United Nations Seminar on Assistance to the Palestinian people this morning. The Israeli Government was now beginning to understand its responsibility for the humanitarian situation on the ground. 

Picture Balata coming to the U.S. in April 2007

6 February 2007


Picture Balata, a photography workshop based in the West Bank Balata refugee camp, is currently in the process or organizing a touring exhibition of the work of its young photographers in April 2007. During the exhibition, four of the photographers will travel to the US to speak about their work and about their experience growing up in a West Bank refugee camp. The exhibition will be important for a number of reasons. Not only will it give people in the US a chance to see these kids’ amazing work and hear from them in person, but it’s also important for the photographers to see that there are people in the US who do want to hear what these young people who have always lived under occupation have to say about their experiences. 

The Road to Hell is Paved with Personal Commitments

Timothy Seidel 6 February 2007


In her recent travels through the Middle East, United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice brought with her, many have speculated, little more than another round of optimism. This familiar optimism was also found following the statements Secretary Rice delivered in her keynote address at the American Task Force on Palestine Inaugural Gala in Washington, DC in October of last year in which she declared her “personal commitment” to the goal of a “Palestinian state living side by side in peace with Israel.” Whatever sense of optimism one might draw from such statements, it is predictably shattered when confronted with the worsening situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. 

Refugee parents despair as Gaza streets turn into battlegrounds

Adnan Abu Hasna and Maysa Gayyussi 6 February 2007


“Now life in Gaza is complete” says Um-Salim, a painful sarcasm tinging her words. Um-Saleem speaks as she run s towards the hospital after hearing that camp children were injured during recent factional infighting. “It is not enough that we have to live in deep poverty and sadness. Now death comes, without warning, to kill our children, our dreams and our hope.” Umm-Salim has four children and lives in Shati refugee camp on the western edge of Gaza City. “I told my children not to go into the streets because the situation is really dangerous. There is shooting everywhere and bullets have no mercy”. 

Doha meeting explores socio-economic, humanitarian crisis in Palestinian territory

6 February 2007


The unrelenting Israeli imperatives to accommodate its territorial design gave rise to a noticeable shift in the way the international community framed Israeli-Palestinian relations, Sara Roy of the Harvard Center for Middle East Studies said this afternoon at the first plenary session of the United Nations Seminar on Assistance to the Palestinian People in Doha, Qatar. The international community now emphasized humanitarian issues over political issues, she said. It was not surprising that Israel transferred revenues with conditions that the money be only used for humanitarian purposes. 

UN SG calls for revival of "peace process"

5 February 2007


United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today called on Israel to lift all restrictions on moving goods and people in the occupied Palestinian territory and on Palestinians to take firm measures to cease rocket fire and other indiscriminate attacks against Israeli civilians as necessary steps to revive the peace process. “Without bold steps to guarantee security of the Palestinian and Israeli civilian populations, and without tangible measures that will enable the Palestinians to lead a normal economic and social life, the political process will not succeed,” he said in a message delivered by Assistant Secretary-General for Political Affairs Angela Kane. 

Immigration Court Terminates "L.A. 8" Case

31 January 2007


Today, the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) called on the US Department of Justice (DOJ) and the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to drop the 20-year old “L.A. 8” case following yet another defeat on the part of the Government in court. This comes as a result of a ruling made public on January 30, by Judge Einhorn, of the Los Angeles Immigration Court, executing an order to terminate the deportation proceedings against Khader Hamide and Michel Shehadeh. ADC is requesting that the DOJ and DHS no longer pursue this 20-year attempt that has repeatedly proven a failure when challenged in court. 

Silencing critics not way to Middle East peace

Joel Beinin 5 February 2007


Last Sunday in San Francisco, the Anti-Defamation League sponsored “Finding Our Voice,” a conference designed to help Jews recognize and confront the “new anti-Semitism.” For me, it was ironic. Ten days before, my own voice was silenced by fellow Jews. I was to give a talk about our Middle East policy to high school students at the Harker School in San Jose. With one day to go, my contact there called to say my appearance had been canceled. He was apologetic and upset. He expected the talk would be intellectually stimulating and intriguing for students. But, he said, “a certain community of parents” complained to the headmaster. He added, without divulging details, that the Jewish Community Relations Council of Silicon Valley had played a role. 

HRW calls on Syria to open border to Palestinian refugees fleeing Iraq

2 February 2007


Syria should immediately reopen its border to Iraqi Palestinian refugees fleeing deadly attacks against their community, Human Rights Watch said today. Human Rights Watch called on the international community, and the United States in particular, to provide financial assistance to Syria to help it host the Palestinian refugees, and to share the burden of this refugee problem by offering third-country resettlement opportunities to Palestinian refugees in Syria.
Since the fall of Saddam Hussein’s government, Palestinian refugees in Iraq have increasingly become targets of violence and persecution, with abductions of scores of Palestinian men in the past week. 

Tale of Two Visits: The Warrior and the Peacemaker

Susan Kerin Washington, DC 5 February 2007


Last October, I traveled to Palestine on a peace delegation with the Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPTs), a faith-based group committed to using nonviolent alternatives to war and conflict. Instinctively, whenever our group met with one of the many peacemakers of that region, be it Israeli, Palestinian or International we would ask, “What can we do to help?” Surprisingly, the most common response was not to donate money nor “sell all your belongings and follow me.” It was simply to go back home and tell our communities what we saw. To tell them about the suffering, of course, but also about the opportunities…the glimmers of hope. 

Three representations of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in children's literature (Part 2)

Fouad Moughrabi 5 February 2007


“Back in Tennessee, my son who had lived for three years in Ramallah, was sometimes asked to sing songs in Hebrew to celebrate Yom Kippur; he was given assignments dealing with the Holocaust; and he was told by one teacher that his impressions about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict are simply in his head. It was, therefore, not surprising at all for him to come home one day with a copy of Lynne Reid Banks’ novel Broken Bridge.” Alarmed by the racist portrayal of Arabs in the book assigned to his 12-year-old son, EI contributor Fouad Moughrabi analyzes some portrayals of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in popular children’s literature. 

Three representations of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in children's literature (Part 1)

Fouad Moughrabi 5 February 2007


“Back in Tennessee, my son who had lived for three years in Ramallah, was sometimes asked to sing songs in Hebrew to celebrate Yom Kippur; he was given assignments dealing with the Holocaust; and he was told by one teacher that his impressions about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict are simply in his head. It was, therefore, not surprising at all for him to come home one day with a copy of Lynne Reid Banks’ novel Broken Bridge.” Alarmed by the racist portrayal of Arabs in the book assigned to his 12-year-old son, EI contributor Fouad Moughrabi analyzes some portrayals of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in popular children’s literature. 

UN Agencies in occupied Palestinian territory "extremely alarmed" by security situation in Gaza

5 February 2007


We the United Nations Agencies working in the occupied Palestinian territory are extremely alarmed by the deteriorating security situation in Gaza. The upsurge of violence, which has taken the lives of innocent civilians, is also putting our workers on the ground at serious risk. It is becoming extremely difficult for us to fulfill our humanitarian mandates to alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people. The implications of this for a population already facing extreme hardship are grave. We remain determined to continue with our humanitarian work. 

Gaza fighting threatening aid, says UN

5 February 2007


Six United Nations agencies have warned that bloody street battles between rival Palestinian militant groups in the Gaza Strip are blocking the delivery of vital humanitarian aid to a vulnerable population. Fierce fighting between Hamas, the party of government, and Fatah, the party of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, forced the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), which looks after Palestinian refugees, to shut schools for some 35,000 children on Saturday and suspend food delivery from its Gaza city warehouse. UNRWA provides food to 1.1 million of the 1.4 million people who live in the Strip. 

Israeli lock-down cripples Nablus economy

5 February 2007


Israeli moves to control movement in and out of the city of Nablus are thwarting humanitarian aid efforts and damaging the local economy, according to aid agencies and local residents. Israeli checkpoints surrounding the city of more than 200,000 people mean that no vehicle can leave or enter Nablus without an Israeli permit. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that such permits are difficult to obtain, particularly for Palestinians. Liz Sime, from the US-based global humanitarian organisation CARE International, said that, “[our] teams lose up to two hours each time they try to exit Nablus, raising costs at an unreasonable rate”. 

Adalah: Arab villages granted "border town" status

5 February 2007


On 31 January 2007, the Ministry of Finance announced its agreement to include four Arab villages in the north of Israel in the list of ‘border towns’ for the purposes of compensation for indirect damages incurred during the Second Lebanon War. The Ministry submitted this agreement in response to a petition filed by Adalah demanding that it grant these four villages ‘border town’ status. It is Adalah’s position that this change of status should have been made many years ago, and that there was no justification for the prior discrimination against the Arab towns. Unfortunately, the filing of the petition was what led to this change. 

Interview with Israeli activist Yeela Raanan

Liam Bailey 5 February 2007


Bedouin villages have been on the land since before the State of Israel was conceived. The Israeli government doesn’t recognise them and calls them illegal, and therefore they are not entitled to any infrastructure or services. The “illegal” villages lack even basic amenities such as running water and electricity. According to Yeela Raanan of the Regional Council for the Unrecognized Villages (RCUV), the elders have held receipts since the 1970s of payments made to Israel for plots of land in the town of Laquia. They lived on other people’s land in shacks and tents on the outskirts of the town, waiting for the land — which never came — to build homes for their families. 

War Enters the Classrooms

Jon Elmer 5 February 2007


GAZA CITY, Feb 5 (IPS) - The United Nations has indefinitely suspended elementary school classes for tens of thousands of Gaza City’s children following a weekend of unprecedented factional violence, which turned this isolated enclave into a war zone and left at least 27 dead and 250 wounded. John Ging, director of operations for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) said, “we try to balance the risk of violence to kids and parents on the one hand, and the need for these kids to get an education on the other. 

Along the Lines of the Bloodiest Israeli Incursions

4 February 2007


PCHR strongly condemns the bloody events over the past three days, the worst of their kind. These tragic events left 29 dead, including 7 civilians (incl. 3 women and 3 children), and more than 200 injured, half of them innocent civilians. The Centre welcomes reaching another ceasefire between Hamas and Fatah under Egyptian sponsorship Saturday evening. However, there is concern over the continued state of tension, military deployment, sporadic gunfire, and roadblocks in Gaza City. Since the afternoon of Thursday, 1 February 2007, armed clashes resumed between Fatah and Hamas militias and security forces split in allegiance to both parties. 

Israeli Forces Kill Six West Bank Palestinians in Two Days

4 February 2007


Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) have escalated their war crimes in the West Bank over the past two days, killing six Palestinians in four separate crimes. Two were killed resisting an IOF incursion into Nablus. A third was killed in an extra-judicial execution in Tulkarm. A child was killed due to excessive use of force in Qalandia refugee camp, north of Jerusalem. And two Preventive Security operatives were killed in Beitunia, west of Ramallah. In addition, two children and an Islamic Jihad activist were injured in these crimes. 

Ilan Pappe lectures and presents his latest book in Amsterdam

3 February 2007


On January 26, Israeli historian Ilan Pappe gave a lecture at the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands. Pappe was in the Netherlands on invitation of United Civilians for Peace and Another Jewish Voice. On January 27 he presented his latest book “The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine” in ABC Treehouse Gallery and On January 28, he lectured at Desmet in Amsterdam. Pappe’s book shows that in 1948, the Zionist movement waged a war against the Palestinian people in order to implement its long term plans of ethnic cleansing. 

Canada: Fight the Deportation of Palestinian Refugees

Coalition Against the Deportation of Palestinian Refugees 3 February 2007


As we enter 2007, the Coalition Against the Deportation of Palestinian Refugees marks its fourth year of fighting against the deportation of Palestinian refugees from Canada. We have, since early 2003, been publicly organizing to reverse the efforts of Immigration Canada to deport Palestinian refugees and for them instead to be granted permanent residency in Canada. The year 2006 provided numerous examples of the arbitrariness and injustice with which Immigration Canada has treated the cases of the stateless Palestinian refugees in Canada. While two members of the Coalition received positive decisions on their applications for permanent residence on humanitarian and compassionate grounds, others were unjustly refused, and still more have been left in wait for years. 

Living in exile in their own land

3 February 2007


In Nu’man, a village of 35 Palestinian families located on Israeli territory, you can hear both a muezzin calling the faithful for prayer in East Jerusalem, and the bells tolling in the Basilica of the Nativity in Bethlehem. But these familiar sounds betray the reality of isolation that the villagers must endure. Families here have always had ties with Bethlehem or the neighbouring rural communities, if not by marriage then by work, school or local politics - Nu’man and its twin village of Al Khas share one village council. 

Adalah: Cancel Government's Plan for Naqab

3 February 2007


On 28 January 2007, Adalah sent a letter to Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Deputy Prime Minister Shimon Peres, demanding the cancellation of “Negev 2015: The National Strategic Plan for the Development of the Negev (Naqab)” on the grounds that it discriminates against Arab Bedouin citizens of Israel and is based on illegal and invalid governmental decisions. Adalah also demanded that a new development plan be prepared that sets as one of its main goals the development of the Arab Bedouin community in the Naqab, based on the principles of equality and justice in resource allocation, and fulfills the needs of this community in all fields. 

Adalah: First High School to open in Unrecognized Villages

3 February 2007


On 23 January 2007, the Supreme Court of Israel approved a settlement reached between the Ministry of Education (MOE) and Adalah, according to which the MOE will establish a high school in the unrecognized Arab Bedouin village of Abu-Tulul - El-Shihabi in the Naqab (Negev). This will be the first high school to be established: to date, no high schools exist in any of the unrecognized villages in the Naqab. Under the settlement, the state is obliged to begin the school’s construction in 2008, and to open and operate it from 1 September 2009. It was also agreed that if the school is not opened for any reason, the petitioners retain the right to approach the Supreme Court again in order to secure its opening. 

Weekly Report of Human Rights Violations

1 February 2007


During the reporting period, IOF killed a Palestinian child in the northern West Bank town of Tulkarm. They fired one bullet at him when he attempted to escape. They left him bleeding to death. The victim was not armed. According to the child’s family, the child attempted to escape as IOF had repeatedly raided his family home searching for him. During the reporting period, 9 Palestinian civilians and a British journalist were wounded by IOF. On 26 January 2007, two Palestinian civilians and a British journalist were wounded when IOF used force against a peaceful demonstration organized in Bal’ein village in protest to the construction of the Annexation Wall. 

"We don't need either Hamas or Fatah"

Rami Almeghari Gaza Strip, Palestine 3 February 2007


Internal unrest in Gaza City since last Thursday, manifested in clashes between Fatah and Hamas supporters, has claimed 25 lives, wounded dozens of others and caused destruction to many public infrastructure such as universities and governmental buildings. Movement in Gaza city is almost paralyzed. The United Nations Works and Relief Agency (UNRWA) announced it would keep all its schools closed starting from February 3 until calm is restored. The Palestinian Authority institutions were almost empty on Saturday, as employees refrained from going to places of work out of fear they might come across fire. 

Campaigners to picket Israeli Company importing Valentine's Day Flowers

2 February 2007


The Boycott Israeli Goods campaign is planning a mass picket of the depot on Saturday February 10th at 1pm in opposition to the sale of Israeli goods and in support of Palestinian farmers who are not able to market their goods internationally The aim is to draw attention to this company’s sale of flowers from occupied Palestinian land on Valentine’s day. We are asking the British public not to buy blood stained flowers for their loved ones this year. Carmel Agrexco is the largest importer of illegal settlement goods into the UK. The Valentine’s day period is one of their busiest as the company deals with large amounts of fresh flowers from Israel and the settlements. 

Faith of Ibrahim Redeemed: Texas Family Released from Hutto Prison

Greg Moses 3 February 2007


For three painful months while his brother’s family was imprisoned by USA immigration authorities, Ahmad Ibrahim, a United States citizen of Palestinian heritage, kept his faith that “the people of America are good people.” But Ahmad did not know that the one good American who would finally orchestrate the dramatic release of the family had himself been exiled by USA immigration authorities to China. So Ahmad’s faith in America had to hold strong from the beginning of November through the sacred Eid al-Adha season of early January, until the exiled American could return. 

The American proxy war in Gaza

Ali Abunimah 3 February 2007


What lies behind the bloody battles between Hamas and Fatah loyalists which have claimed dozens of Palestinian lives in Gaza in recent days and increased fears of a Palestinian civil war? EI co-founder Ali Abunimah argues that in the minds of Bush administration ideologues, Palestine has become another front in what they conceive as a new Cold War against “Islamofascism.” Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas and Gaza warlord Muhammad Dahlan have become the willing proxies for an American war spreading across the region. And as Palestinians kill each other, Israel watches — and lets the weapons come in — with glee. 

The Muhammad Salah Bottomline

Ahmed Rehab 1 February 2007


For many years now, Mr. Muhammad Salah lived life in the infamy of being labeled as the only designated US terrorist. He suffered the repercussions of this judgment, long before he could face an open and fair trial in a US Court of law. His assets were frozen, and his life shattered. His family carried the burden of this label to their schools, workplaces, and to the local supermarket. Today at the completion of an emotionally tolling trial on Mr. Salah and his family, the final verdict is out. Though he was found guilty of obstructing justice, he was found not guilty of racketeering — the major charge. 

U.S. Backing for Fatah Stirs New Conflict

Jon Elmer and Nora Barrows-Friedman 2 February 2007


GAZA CITY, Feb 2 (IPS) - Explosions, fierce gunfights and ambulance sirens ripped through the Gaza Strip again Thursday, only two days after a ceasefire ended a bloody week of factional fighting that left more than 30 Palestinians dead. As night fell on Gaza, the death toll was at six, with more than 60 wounded. Fighters loyal to the elected Hamas government — the Interior Ministry’s Executive Force and the Islamist Movement’s militia, the Izzadin al-Qassam Brigades — battled the Fatah security forces loyal to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. 

Ban Ki-moon looks for more than words from Friday's high-level Middle East meeting

1 February 2007


United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today called for more than mere words from tomorrow’s high-level diplomatic meeting in Washington of key partners seeking a resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict through a two-state solution. Mr. Ban will be participating in his first meeting of the so-called diplomatic Quartet with top officials of the other three partners - United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice; Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov; and European Union (EU) High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana, European Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner and German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier. 

Bloody fighting between Hamas and Fatah continues in Gaza

2 February 2007


The clashes between the rival Palestinian factions, Hamas and Fatah, continued in the Gaza Strip on Thursday night and into Friday. In these clashes, Palestinian sources said that at least 22 Palestinians were killed and approximately 220 injured. Palestinian sources said that the clashes were fiercest in Gaza City and the shooting spread to Beit Lahiya and Jabalia in the north of the Strip. In addition, sources reported that the presidential security forces and other members of the national security forces, “in addition to other security forces”, broke into the Islamic University in Gaza City on Thursday night. 

Massive Attack Announce Shows in Support of Palestinian refugees

2 February 2007


Massive Attack will play three benefit gigs in February 2007 in aid of the Hoping Foundation. Hoping stands for Hope and Optimism for Palestinians in the Next Generation. Established in January 2003, the charity is supported exclusively by private donors and public fundraising events, such as concerts and auctions. The charity was launched in order to offer support and encouragement to Palestinian children living in refugee camps in the West Bank, Gaza, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon and elsewhere in the Middle East. 

UK Parliamentary Report slams Western boycott against Palestine

31 January 2007


The situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories is worse now than it was in 2004, politically, economically and socially, despite their receiving more humanitarian assistance per capita than any other country in the world, says today’s report from the International Development Committee on Development Assistance and the Occupied Palestinian Territories. The report questions whether the withholding of funds from a democratically-elected government in the conflict-affected Territories is the most effective response to Hamas’s refusal to accept the Quartet principles. The boycott of the Hamas-led Palestinian Authority has led it increasingly to look elsewhere for funding which means it is being drawn closer to governments such as that of Iran. 

OCHA: Gaza Situation Report

31 January 2007


The ceasefire between Palestinian factions announced by Palestinian Foreign Minister, Mohammed al Zahar in the early hours of this morning is holding. The ceasefire follows the heaviest loss of life from inter- factional fighting recorded by OCHA with at least 34 deaths and 133 injuries vbetween the evening of 25 January and the evening of 29 January. Three Palestinians, including a 17 year-old boy, were killed and 15 injured by the IDF in January. The majority of casualties occurred in the northern Gaza Strip. Overall, Palestinian access in and out of the Gaza Strip remains severally restricted. The extent of the power outages during the 2006- 2007 winter period is unprecedented. 

Blowback in Lebanon

Mohamad Bazzi 31 January 2007


Arab regimes and the United States are rushing to shore up Siniora’s government. On January 25, the same day of the bloody protests and curfew in Beirut, Siniora attended a donors conference in Paris, where he received pledges of $7.6 billion in aid and loan guarantees. Some of the funding will go toward reconstruction after last summer’s war, but much of it will be used to make interest payments and refinance Lebanon’s crushing $41 billion public debt. The country’s debt-to-GDP ratio is now about 180 percent—the second-highest in the world (after Malawi). A large proportion of the pledges received at the Paris III conference are tied to unpopular economic reforms that Siniora has vowed to undertake, including raising taxes and privatizing state assets. Most of these measures—such as raising gasoline surcharges and the value-added tax—will most heavily affect Lebanon’s poor and working classes, who are disproportionately Shiite.