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Israel/Lebanon: End immediately attacks against civilians

13 July 2006


The Israeli and Lebanese governments, and Hizbullah, must take immediate steps to end the ongoing attacks against civilians and civilian objects. “Israel must put an immediate end to attacks against civilians and against civilian infrastructure in Lebanon, which constitute collective punishment. Israel must also respect the principle of proportionality when targeting any military objectives or civilian objectives that may be used for military purposes,” said Malcolm Smart, Director of Amnesty International’s Middle East Programme. 

Beautiful Madness

Am Johal Haifa, Israel 12 July 2006


War and chess is what mathematicians and economists call a zero sum game. It is a game built on a model which requires one winner. The problem with developing international diplomatic policy on something as unforgiving as game theory means that civilian deaths become the de facto reality when the struggles of the ego cannot be averted by either side. Stopping this march to madness is a daily struggle of perseverence, patience and determination. Unfortunately, in this context, there are no ends, only means. And the game continues. It is war all the time. 

Annan sends top advisers to Middle East to defuse new crisis

13 July 2006


Seeking to defuse what he called “the major crisis” stemming from the flare-up of violence between Israel, the Palestinians and Lebanon, Secretary-General Kofi Annan is sending a three-member team of veteran United Nations officials for wide-ranging talks in the region. The team, led by Annan’s Special Political Advisor Vijay Nambiar and including UN envoy to Middle East Alvaro de Soto and Special Envoy Roed-Larsen, will first visit Cairo to meet with Egyptian officials and consult with Arab League Foreign Ministers meeting there on Saturday, a spokesman announced today. 

Red Cross braces for further Israeli attacks on Lebanon

13 July 2006

***Image1***The Lebanese Red Cross and other aid agencies are readying themselves to provide humanitarian assistance in the case of further attacks by Israel in Lebanon. The Red Cross has so far sent 350 first aid workers and 36 ambulances to the impoverished south. “The situation is very bad because there’s been a lot of bombardment and some bridges have been destroyed,” said Red Cross spokesman Ayad Mounzer. “We’ve been meeting to discuss the situation and a plan of action, including a new appeal”. The current crisis, the worst since the Israeli retreat from Southern Lebanon in 2000. 

Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial executions calls for accountability for killings in Occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel

12 July 2006


Philip Alston, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, today emphasized the “importance of ensuring accountability in relation to the killings that have taken place in recent weeks in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) and in Israel”. “Even in the midst of crisis, indeed especially in times of crisis, it is essential to ensure that the applicable rules of international human rights and humanitarian law are respected”, Mr. Alston said. 

Israel should seek wise enemies

Hasan Abu Nimah 13 July 2006


“A wise enemy is better than a foolish friend,” says the old adage. It is one that Israel should heed. In its historic conflict with the Arabs, Israel got used to easy victories and was always tempted for more. It won wars on several fronts in 1947-48, 1967 and in 1973. In 1956, Israel spearheaded the tripartite Anglo-French-Israeli aggression on Egypt and in record speed defeated the Egyptian army, occupied the Gaza Strip and the entire Sinai up to the shores of the Suez Canal. A major part of Israel’s political planning was to build right from the beginning a military force strong enough to ensure superiority in all its confrontations with its neighbours. 

Palestinians stranded at Rafah border assisted, Red Crescent says

12 July 2006


The Red Crescent Society in Egypt has denied reports that four Palestinians stranded on the Egyptian side of the Rafah border crossing with the Gaza Strip had died as a result of poor conditions. “Two Palestinians in Egypt have died since the crisis erupted,” the Society said. “One of them died in Cairo, the other in his home in al-Arish [in different circumstances].” The border crossing, which is 350km north of Cairo and constitutes the Gaza Strip’s only gateway to the world, has been closed from the Israeli side since 25 June for ‘security reasons’. 

Gaza's Christian hospital critical

12 July 2006


“While F-16 jets and Apache bombers are firing artillery into the strip, we are in a state of emergency. We desperately need essential medicine at the hospital, yet our stores will cover only one month’s usage,” says Dr. Suhaila Tarazi, director of Al Ahli Arab, Gaza’s only Christian hospital. “The hospital is also in need of fuel to operate the hospital generator. The hospital generator is working only for couple of hours each day, usually during surgeries and some time during the night.” 

Beirut in solidarity with besieged Gazans

Stefan Christoff 12 July 2006


Activists in Beirut launched a week-long protest at Martyrs Square Wednesday in solidarity with the people of Palestine, hours after Israeli forces entered South Lebanon. More than 100 people gathered to express solidarity with Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, who in recent weeks have experienced an unprecedented Israeli military assault. As the sit-in commenced in Beirut, Israeli continued to escalate its military action in the Gaza Strip killing 18 Palestinians including 9 members of one family who died in an air strike on a home in Gaza. 

A hard rain's gonna fall

Laurie King 13 July 2006


The Israeli Defense Forces have named their relentless military operation in Gaza “Summer Rain,” which is cruel and sarcastic given the political, historical, and environmental context of the Eastern Mediterranean. From early May to mid-September, one can expect clear skies and no precipitation. What is raining, though, is fire and metal, along with leaflets bearing chillingly familiar threats. The Middle East is in dire need of the refreshing rains of law, justice, sanity, and wisdom. The clouds on the horizon, though, are full of fire and death, not life-giving water.