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Security Council calls for comprehensive Israeli inquiry into killing of UN peacekeepers

27 July 2006


Voicing its shock and distress at the Israeli Defence Forces’ (IDF) killing of four unarmed United Nations military observers in southern Lebanon on Tuesday, the Security Council today called on the Israeli Government to conduct a full investigation. In a statement read out by Ambassador Jean-Marc de la Sablière of France, its President for July, the 15-member Council stressed that “Israel and all concerned parties must comply fully with their obligations” under international humanitarian law on the protection of UN and associated personnel, and ensure that UN staff are not the object of attack. Meanwhile, in the past 24 hours there have been three incidents of firing close to UN positions from the Israeli side. 

Economic and Social Council adopts resolutions on repercussions of Israeli occupation on Palestinians

27 July 2006


The Economic and Social Council this afternoon adopted a resolution on the economic and social repercussions of the Israeli occupation on the living conditions of the Palestinian people in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem, and the Arab population in the occupied Syrian Golan. The resolution, adopted by a roll-call vote of 45 in favour to 3 against, with 3 abstentions, called for the lifting of the severe restrictions imposed on the Palestinian people; and demanded that Israel comply with the Protocol on Economic Relations between the Government of Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization signed in Paris on 29 April 1994 and that it urgently transfer Palestinian tax revenues. 

How Do we Sleep While Beirut is Burning?

Hamid Dabashi New York, United States 28 July 2006


“The paramount mood of Beirut in late-June 2006 was the hustle bustle of a thriving cosmopolis. Ours was a privileged perspective — two foreigners familiar with the pulse of the neighborhood, embraced and welcomed by a constellation of friends and acquaintances, comrades and colleagues… Beirut was thriving. Lebanon could have been a model of productive ideological conflicts, of civil discourse, progressive politics, foreign investments, domestic contestations, intellectual diversity, moral variations. Beirut was civil, civilizing, cosmopolitan.” In part one of a two-part series, Professor Hamid Dabashi reflects on the beauty of a country reduced to rubble by the Israelis and into two dimensions by the news media. 

How many more rallies will it take?

Avigail Abarbanel 22 July 2006


How many more rallies are we going to have before world leaders become convinced that there is something very, very wrong with Israel? I, and others like Ilan Pappe and Uri Davis from the Israeli peace movement, have warned the world repeatedly that there is nothing to expect from Israel other than more violence, more aggression, more oppression and more bloodshed. All we can expect is for Israel to continue to go around and around in circles and in the process continue to destroy, kill, maim and traumatise. As a former Israeli, this whole situation touches me in a very personal way. It brings back memories from 1982 from when I was in the military, when Israel invaded Lebanon the first time, and from my entire 27 years in Israel. It is distressing but not surprising to see that there is nothing new. 

Why I'm not leaving Beirut

Faerlie Wilson Beirut 25 July 2006


From my balcony this afternoon, I watched as French, British, and American evacuees boarded chartered cruise ships in Beirut’s port about a half-mile west of my apartment. And over the last few days, while bombs and artillery pummeled the southern part of the city, I made the decision not to leave Lebanon. Explosions rock my building even as I write this, but I’m staying put. I’m not crazy, and I harbor no death wish. This is simply the rational decision of someone who has built a life in Lebanon, who believes in this place and its ability to bounce back. I choose to bet on Beirut. 

Israel, Hezbollah, and the use and abuse of self-defence in international law

Victor Kattan 26 July 2006


Self-defence is specifically mentioned in Article 51 of the UN Charter, and is effectively a derogation from the prohibition on the use of force contained in Article 2 (4). Whether or not Israel is acting in self-defence in Lebanon according to the Charter is a crucial question, as the implications of its actions could have negative ramifications beyond the Arab-Israeli conflict and spill over into other problem areas. I consider Israel’s self-defence argument an abuse of terminology that is not applicable to the facts at hand and has no justification in international law. 

Weekly Report on Human Rights Violations

27 July 2006


This week, 41 Palestinians, 23 of whom were civilians, including 9 children, 3 women and two disabled persons, were killed by IOF in the Gaza Strip. Nine of these civilians from 3 families were killed in 3 separate attacks. 151 Palestinians, mostly civilians, including 24 children, two women, two journalists and two paramedics, were wounded by the IOF gunfire. IOF launched a series of air strikes on a number of houses in the Gaza Strip. Six houses were destroyed and dozens of others were severely damaged, and IOF threatened and warned Palestinian civilians by phone to destroy their houses if they helped Palestinian resistance activists. 

UNIFIL: Civilians caught in the crossfire

27 July 2006


The IDF has maintained their presence inside Lebanese territory in the area of Marun Al Ras, Bint Jubayl and Yarun in the central sector. Intensive fighting in these areas, as well as the shelling of the area of Aytarun, and the aerial bombardment of the areas of At Tiri and Brashit north of Bint Jubayl was reported yesterday. This morning, sporadic fighting was reported in Bint Jubayl and Marun Al Ras, and intensive shelling of the area of At Tiri. There are a number of civilians who are still stranded in these towns and caught in the crossfire. 

Urgent need for arms embargo on Israel and Hizbullah

27 July 2006


Amnesty International is gravely concerned about the continuing transfer of weapons from the US, via the UK, as information emerged that a UK airport is being used by USA cargo planes on their way to deliver munitions to Israel. “The pattern of attacks and the extent of civilian casualties show a blatant disregard of international humanitarian law by Israel and Hizbullah,” said Irene Khan, Amnesty International Secretary General. “Direct targeting of civilians and civilian infrastructure and launching indiscriminate and disproportionate attacks amount to war crimes.” 

Criminalizing Civilians

Patrick McGreevy Beirut 27 July 2006


After the IDF’s devastating losses at Bint Jabeil on Wednesday, the Washington Post Foreign Service reported this statement from former Mossad officer Yossi Alpher: “I dare say, based on what we’ve seen so far, these may be the best Arab troops we’ve seen so far.” An Nahar today reported that, Israeli Justice Minister Haim Ramon proclaimed: “Everyone who is still in south Lebanon is linked to Hizbullah, we have called on all who are there to leave.” He then suggested that “maximum firepower has to be used.” As justification, he cited the meeting in Rome, from which “we have in effect obtained the authorization to continue our operations until Hisbullah is no longer present in southern Lebanon.”