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Delegation headed by former Dutch prime minister Van Agt witness restrictions on movement

25 August 2005


From 22 to 28 August a delegation of former European politicians and representatives of civil society organisations will travel to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories. The delegation is headed by Prof. Andreas van Agt, former Prime Minister of the Netherlands. The delegation members have planned a 6-day tour through Israel, the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. The delegation will observe the developments on the ground and the impact of the disengagement on the human rights situation and the prospects for conflict resolution. Special attention will be paid to infringements on the freedom of movement of the Palestinians. 

UNCTAD: "Palestinian preparations for statehood should focus on pro-poor economic reform"

25 August 2005


Years of economic retrenchment on top of almost four decades of occupation have increased poverty, reduced and distorted production, and heightened dependence on Israel. Prescriptions for Palestinian economic recovery must take into account the Israeli occupation, protracted conflict since 2000, and the imperatives created by the unilateral Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, an United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) report warns. It recommends that the focus should be on forming institutions that will serve the needs of an upcoming Palestinian State rather than aiming solely at reforming a transitional government, and that efforts to economic revival should target poverty reduction while expanding production and trade. 

Sharon confirms fears of further Israeli expansion in the West Bank

25 August 2005


Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has vowed to keep expanding Israeli settlements on Palestinian land barely days after Israel’s withdrawal from the Gaza Strip and four smaller West Bank settlements. In a recent interview with the Jerusalem Post, Sharon stated his intention to expand the 400,000-strong Israeli population of the West Bank settlements, incorporate the larger blocs of Ariel and Ma’ale Adumim into the state of Israel, and to link the latter to Jerusalem. “There will be building in the settlement blocs,” Sharon declared. “Each government since 1967…has seen strategic importance in specific areas [in the Palestinian territories]. I will build.” He went on to say that Ma’ale Adumim will continue to grow and be connected to Israel and that the settlement of Ariel would be annexed as “part of Israel for ever”. 

Despite evacuation of settlers, Palestinians still under siege

25 August 2005


Israeli occupation forces maintain control of settlements and military posts as they demolish evacuated buildings and dismantle military posts. Palestinian civilians living near the evacuated settlements pay the “disengagement” bill. Fieldworkers from the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights report from the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. Israeli forces have continued to demolish structures in the evacuated settlements in the Gaza Strip and northern West Bank, two days following the official announcement ending the evacuation of settlers. The demolition process is taking place under while a suffocating closure is being imposed on Palestinian communities in the areas close to the evacuated settlements. 

Israel orders Palestinian land seized

Khalid Amayreh 24 August 2005


Israel has issued orders to seize Palestinian-owned land to link a main Jewish settlement in the occupied West Bank to Jerusalem, officials say, a step that could isolate Palestinians from Jerusalem. An Israeli government spokesman on Wednesday said orders were issued to seize four Palestinian-owned tracts of land around Maale Adumim, the largest Jewish settlement in the West Bank, last Thursday, Reuters reported. The planned Maale Adumim section of the barrier Israel is building in the West Bank has raised alarm in Washington because of Israel’s stated intention to build homes in Maale Adumim joining it to Jerusalem, 8km away. By looping in the enclave, Israel would effectively seal Palestinians off from east Jerusalem, which they want as their capital. 

Israeli exit fuels hope for Gaza economy

Laila El-Haddad 25 August 2005


As the Israeli disengagement from the Gaza Strip draws to a close, hopes for economic prospects in this impoverished, strife-torn land have been renewed. Already, the EU has pledged investments in Gaza, with 700 million-800 million euros of mainly infrastructure projects by June, according to Antoine Eric de Haulleville, head of the EU’s International Management Group mission in Palestine. But Gaza’s prospects of economic success are clouded if it remains cut off from the West Bank and from the rest of the world after the Israeli withdrawal, experts have said. According to the World Bank, a lot more than dollars and disengagement is needed if the Palestinian economy, now in shambles, is to revive. 

With Gaza pullout ending, Israel, Palestinians must remain true to Road Map, says UN

25 August 2005


With the first stage of Israel’s “watershed” disengagement from the Gaza Strip nearly completed – although the work for security forces on both sides is far from over – Ibrahim Gambari, Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs, told the Security Council today during its regularly monthly briefing on the situation in the Middle East. But while Israel’s “bold” first withdrawal is welcome, the situation elsewhere in the occupied Palestinian territory continues to fester, Mr. Gambari warned, with many Palestinians fearing that Israel is consolidating its occupation in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. “It would be unwise to lose sight of the concern of mainstream Palestinians in both Gaza and the West Bank that their legitimate aspirations may be put off indefinitely.” 

Not so disengaged in Burqa

Ben Granby Burqa, Palestine 24 August 2005


There will be no celebrations in Burqa. This small northern West Bank town of 4,000 should have every reason to revel in the demographic shift imposed by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s “Disengagement Plan”: the neighboring Israeli settlement of Homesh was cleared of its residents on August 23. But the reality for Burqa, as well as other Palestinian villages in the areas of the West Bank recently evacuated by Israel, is that little will change. There is no plan to return the land. According to its municipality, Burqa once boasted a population of over 30,000, but numerous pressures induced people to emigrate to Nablus, which lies about 10 km to the south. 

WaPSR Delegation Diary 1: Crossing Bantustans

Bill Dienst Palestine 21 October 2005


In March 2005, Dr. Bill Dienst traveled to Palestine and Israel as part of a delegation sponsored by Washington State Physicians for Social Responsibility (WaPSR). The delegation met with prominent Palestinians as well as members of the Israeli peace movement. They also traveled inside the Kiryat Arba’a settlement to hear a prominent member of the settler movement. In the first of a series of articles for EI’s Live from Palestine diaries section, Dr. Dienst describes these meetings. 

Gaza situation report

21 August 2005


On Thursday a further 6 settlements were evacuated - Netzer Hazani, Gan Or, Shirat Hayam, Kfar Yam and significantly Neve Dekalim and Kfar Darom. On Friday, Israeli Police and IDF completed the evacuation of Gadid settlement directly to the south of Neve Dekalim. Following the end of Shabat, Katif and Atzmona were evacuated on Sunday along with a small group of hardline supporters that remained in Elei Sinai. Haaretz reported that 30 homes have now been demolished in Nissanit and Dugit. The demolitions in Dugit are due to be completed by this afternoon.