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HRW: "Israel: Stop forcing civilians to assist military operations"

16 March 2007


The Israeli army should immediately cease deliberately endangering Palestinian civilians by forcing them to assist military operations, Human Rights Watch said today. During recent military operations in the Old City of Nablus, Israeli soldiers forced at least three Palestinians at gun point, two of them children, to assist in searching apartments for suspects. International humanitarian law prohibits a party to a conflict from using the civilian population or individual civilians in order to attempt to shield military operations. “The soldiers’ actions fly in the face of the Geneva Conventions, an Israeli high court decision, and the IDF’s own prior commitments,”said Joe Saunders. 

Ban Ki-moon confers with key Middle East peace brokers on Palestinian unity cabinet

19 March 2007


United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon held a conference call today with his key international partners in efforts to broker a Middle East peace to discuss a joint approach to the new Palestinian unity government between the Fatah and Hamas movements. US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier of Germany, current president of the European Union (EU), High Representative for European Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana and European Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner took part in the consultations of the Quartet, which come ahead of Mr. Ban’s own visit to the region. 

Al-Haq Fieldworker Released from Administrative Detention

19 March 2007


On 18 March 2007, Al-Haq fieldworker and human rights defender, Ziyad Hmeidan, was dropped off by the Israel Prison Service (IPS) at the Dahiriya (Meitar) checkpoint, south of Hebron, at around 14:15, marking the end of almost two years of detention without charge or fair trial. From the checkpoint Ziyad travelled to the village of Sa’ir, where he met briefly with a number of Al-Haq’s staff, before heading on to Bethlehem, where he was reunited with his wife and two young children. Ziyad’s release, similar to the entire process which arbitrarily deprived him of his freedom for 20 months, was marked by obstructions from the Israeli authorities. 

UNRWA convoy attacked in Gaza

19 March 2007


The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) strongly condemns yesterday’s assault on Mr. John Ging, UNRWA’s Chief of Operation. The attack took place in the northern Gaza Strip and targeted his convoy. The Centre calls for serious legal action against the perpetrators of this attack, which is a continuation of security chaos that undermines the rule of law and tarnishes the Palestinian people and their just struggle for freedom and independence. 

Testimony: Settlers attack Palestinian farmers, including small children

19 March 2007


Two days ago [9 February], I went with my brother Salah to our fields to prune the grapevines. My children, who are six and eleven years old, and Salah’s children, who are four, six, and twelve years old, came with us. We reached the vineyards at nine in the morning and began the pruning. We finished working around three in the afternoon and left. We walked two kilometers to the north, toward ‘Ein al-Qasis, to land belonging to my cousins, Samer and ‘Imad Salah. They had asked us to plant sage in their field. Their plot is close to the part of the Neve Daniel settlement that has nine caravans. A settler named Hananya lives there. Everybody knows him because he attacks Palestinian farmers. 

Police raids spread panic among Palestinians in Iraq

19 March 2007


BAGHDAD, 18 March 2007 (IRIN) - The United Nations has reiterated its call for the protection of Palestinian refugees in Iraq after Iraqi security forces killed one and detained dozens in raids last week, causing a number of Palestinian families to flee to the border. “One Palestinian, [who was] a guard at a mosque, was killed with at least one gunshot to the head during the raid on Wednesday,” said Ron Redmond, chief spokesman for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), told reporters in Geneva on Friday. The agency called for the immediate protection of Palestinians in Iraq. 

Nablus in the Aftermath of Operation "Hot Winter"

Cara Loverock 18 March 2007


The most recent Israeli invasion of Nablus, dubbed operation “Hot Winter,” ended on 1 March. A couple days later in the early morning hours, a few of us entered the city and headed to the Yasmina Hotel to meet a local man, Mohammed, who works with the International Solidarity Movement and had arranged for us to meet with some individuals who could explain their experiences during the Israeli sweep. While we sit down for coffee, Mohammed gives us a briefing of the facts: two men were killed, 35 injured and 150 detained. Many houses were occupied, shops were blown up and there was a 24 hour a day curfew over the old city. 

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. The cuts have left hospitals relying on diesel generators supplied with fuel financed by foreign donors. 

EU: Resumption of aid depends on new cabinet's acceptance of Quartet demands

17 March 2007


Responding to the formation of the Palestinian Unity Government and its program, the European Union welcomed the establishment of the eleventh Palestinian cabinet and stated in a declaration released through the EU’s Presidency that the resumption of aid will depend on an assessment of the cabinet’s acceptance of the demands stated by the Middle East Quartet. “The Presidency of the EU recalls the readiness of the EU to work with and to resume its assistance to a legitimate Palestinian government adopting a platform reflecting the Quartet principles. The EU will carefully assess the platform and actions of the new government and its ministers.” 

Norway normalises relations with Palestinian Unity Government

17 March 2007


“Norway welcomes the formation of the Palestinian Unity Government,” said Foreign Minister Jonas Gahr Støre. “In its programme, the Unity Government is taking important steps towards complying with the international community’s demands. Norway will thus on this basis re-establish political and economic relations with the Palestinian Government,” said Mr Støre. “On the basis of the new government’s political platform, Norway expects the Palestinian authorities to respect basic international standards as regards compliance with previously concluded agreements, renunciation of violence and recognition of Israel’s right to exist.”