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Brian Avery's day in Israel's Supreme Court

Lisa Nessan 28 February 2005


On 5 April 2003, in the West Bank city of Jenin, Israeli troops fired at Brian and another ISM volunteer from an armored personnel carrier (APC). They were standing still, wearing bright red medic vests with their hands over their heads, when soldiers opened fire without any warning shots. Brian suffered serious damage to the entire left side of his face, jaw, mouth, teeth, nose, and eyes. He has undergone more than six reconstructive surgeries totaling over $1,000,000 in medical expenses. Two years later, Brian has returned to Israel to demand a criminal investigation be opened into the shooting, after an internal military inquiry found that the incident in which Brian was shot, never occurred. 

The Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs (and War)

Bob Feldman 1 March 2005


Most people in the U.S. now realize that Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs (JINSA) board member James Woolsey’s pre-war talk about the Iraqi government’s alleged hidden “nuclear weapons equipment” and “biological weapons laboratories” was inaccurate.  Yet the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs role as a pro-war pressure group with an annual budget of $2.5 million, is rarely mentioned by the U.S. media. Since 1982, at least twelve trips to Israel have been sponsored  by the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs for retired Pentagon admirals and generals who are connected to the American security establishment.  

Weekly report on human rights violations

24 February 2005


A Palestinian civilian died from a previous injury he had sustained by IOF; Continued shelling of residential areas in the Gaza Strip; 3 Palestinian civilians, including a child, were seriously injured; Construction of the “annexation wall” in the West Bank has continued and more areas of Palestinian land were confiscated for this purpose; IOF conducted a series of incursions into Palestinian areas; Houses were raided and a number of Palestinian civilians were arrested; Israeli settlers have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property in the West Bank; IOF have continued to impose a total siege on the OPT; IOF have continued to close a number of roads since the beginning of the current Intifada, IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions at Rafah International Crossing Point, and IOF positioned at checkpoints arrested a number of Palestinian civilians. 

Lessons from the struggle against Apartheid

Sietse Bosgra 28 February 2005


Following the recent meetings between the Palestinian and Israeli authorities, the struggle for an independent Palestinian state will probably move to the political and diplomatic front. In this new phase, the role of the international community will be of utmost importance for a successful outcome. Therefore, there exists an urgent task for Palestinian NGOs and leaders to capture world support for the Palestinian cause. Sietse Bosgra considers international opinion of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, the importance of international solidarity movements and the need for more mobilised activism through the Western media. 

Donations to Palestine refugees pass $500 million in 2004

24 February 2005


The international community underlined its ongoing commitment to the plight of the Palestine refugees during 2004 when donor contributions to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) topped US$502 million, the largest amount ever donated to the Agency in one year in its 55-year history. A total of US$368,022,307 was donated to the Agency’s cash and in-kind budget for its regular health, education, relief and social services and micro-credit programmes across its five fields of operations. A further US$23,026,843 was donated to projects in the five fields, such as rehabilitation of the homes of the very poor and the building of badly needed classrooms in the Agency’s crowded schools. 

Darfur, another failure of the international community

Arjan El Fassed al-Fasher, Sudan 27 February 2005


Though the Security Council has “primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security,” it has not been able to address and resolve a number of conflicts, including the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the conflict in Darfur. No party in these crises has taken adequate measures to ensure the cessation of violence against civilians in spite of the many assurances made. Over 20 months since they were burned out of their villages and after numerous promises from the Government of Sudan and world leaders, people’s lives are still under daily threat. EI’s Arjan El Fassed recently visited various camps and towns in Darfur. 

Did you say the Israelis are withdrawing?

Y. Khellef Bethlehem 27 February 2005


Since the Sharm El Sheikh summit things have significantly improved in the Palestinian territories. The Army has stopped its incursions in Palestinian towns, Palestinian civilians are free to move, prisoners are about to be released and economic activity is slowly recovering… At least this is the information that most western media is conveying to its people. The situation on the ground is unfortunately completely different. The Separation Wall is being completed faster than ever, all the military check points are still in place, the Palestinian detainees are still under Israeli custody and daily life is still hell for all Palestinians. 

Organizations Confront State Department over Silence Accorded Israeli Mistreatment of U.S. Citizens

24 February 2005


A delegation of concerned organizations and citizens met with State Department officials on February 17 to request an explanation of why there has been an official silence on the part of the U.S. Government over the mistreatment of Americans in Israel. During the meeting, they requested that the Department negotiate the release of American prisoners at the same time as Palestinians were being released by the Sharon government, as a significant gesture by Israel of its friendship with the American people. 

The LA Times' notion of "relative calm"

Alison Weir 25 February 2005


Well, I just got hung up on again. This time by an editor on the Los Angeles Times foreign desk. I had called and attempted, as politely as possible, to give him a correction for the story on the Times’ website tonight. This will probably be their front-page lead news story tomorrow morning. The headline proclaims: “Palestinian Suicide bomber Shatters Calm of late.” The lead sentence then goes on to state that this bomber “shattered a months-long period of relative calm…” The fact is, however, that the truce and this “calm” were shattered long before this. The last suicide bombing against Israeli civilians was Nov. 1, 2004. It took three Israeli lives. Since that time, while Israelis have basked in “relative calm,” 170 Palestinian men, women, and children have been killed. 

Is peace in Palestine about to break out?

Ali Abunimah 24 February 2005


Are Israelis and Palestinians finally on the road to peace? A glance at commentary in the US press would seem to suggest so. Since Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon, and Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas announced a truce in early February at the Sharm al-Sheikh summit, many observers see a “window of opportunity” they are encouraging both sides to leap through. And do the latest tussles among Palestinian leaders reflect the kind of democratic reform that ordinary Palestinians want? EI co-founder Ali Abunimah compares this euphoria with the most recent developments on the ground.