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The result of bad politics

Hasan Abu Nimah 23 May 2007


Bad politics create bad consequences, but because linking the effect with the cause implicates the initiators, the tendency is often to attribute man-made disasters to unrelated circumstances. It is easier, therefore, to blame the tragic fighting amongst the Palestinians in Gaza on a foolish and selfish struggle for positions, rather than the rotten politics of Oslo, cooked a decade and a half earlier. Indeed, and in many ways, it is a fierce struggle for power, but the roots of even that should be traced further back than the election results that swept Hamas into power. 

Human Rights Watch: Fighting at Refugee Camp Kills Civilians

23 May 2007


The number of civilians killed in the fighting remains unknown, as the Lebanese authorities are restricting access due to the ongoing fighting. Health personnel who have gained access to the camp have focused on evacuating the wounded. A Lebanese Red Cross official told Human Rights Watch that the organization transferred at least 57 wounded from the camp to hospitals in the last 48 hours of fighting, including 40 on Tuesday. According to Reuters, at least 27 civilians have been killed since Sunday, as well as 22 militants and 32 soldiers. 

Sderot created the Gaza Strip

Philip Rizk Gaza Strip, Palestine 22 May 2007


Yesterday eight members of one family were murdered on the spot in Israel’s latest military strike on Gaza. The target, doctor Khaleel Al-Haya, a Hamas member, remained unharmed. Later in the day Islamic Jihad responded by firing two homemade rockets into Gaza. One Israeli citizen was killed, another wounded. This sounds like a horrible, but straightforward series of events. The only aspect that calls for attention is that one of these attacks is considered terrorism, while the other is mentioned in most media outlets only in passing, and referred to as a legitimate attempt on a bad man’s life. 

Crisis deepens as relief still not reaching besieged Palestinians

22 May 2007


BEIRUT, 22 May 2007 (IRIN) - A shaky ceasefire has failed to alleviate the worsening humanitarian crisis inside Nahr al-Bared Palestinian refugee camp in north Lebanon, where over 40,000 civilians remained trapped as fighting between the Lebanese army and Islamic militants entered its third day. Though the army appeared to have eased its artillery and tank bombardment of positions suspected to be held by radical Sunni fighters from Fatah al-Islam, key relief organisations remained unable to access the camp to deliver aid to those in need. 

Violence Highlights Regional Polarisation

Ellen Massey 22 May 2007


WASHINGTON, May 22 (IPS) - The violence in Lebanon’s Nahr al-Bader Palestinian refugee camp that has killed more than 55 people in the past two days is focusing attention on a relatively unknown and shadowy Islamist group, Fatah al-Islam. Two bombings in the Lebanese capital Beirut, one Sunday night and one late Monday, also killed one person and injured at least 20. The violence followed the attempted arrest by Lebanese officials of a group robbing a bank in early Sunday. 

What is happening in Lebanon?

Laurie King 22 May 2007


Simplistic and knee-jerk reactions to Lebanon’s current travails are too easy, and not up to the standards of good and responsible journalism. I’ve spent much of the past 48 hours trying to get a better grasp on what is really going on in Tripoli. It’s not easy to do, and it occured to me this morning that this may, in fact, be the story: the difficulty of interpreting these events stems from the lack of a comprehensive understanding of the ways that dramatic changes throughout the region, and indeed, the world, are echoing through Lebanon’s war-damaged sociopolitical landscape. 

Lebanese bloggers react to refugee camp siege

Moussa Bashir Beirut 22 May 2007


The clashes between the Lebanese army and the organization of Fatah al Islam, as well as the explosion in Ashrafieh (Beirut), took precedence over all other news and blog posts in almost all of the blogs during the past two days. Following are quotes from a number of these posts including a post quoting a civilian trapped in the camp of Nahr el Barid in North Lebanon, in the crossfire, between the army and the organization. In a very rare blog post on the conditions in the camp where some members of Fath al Islam are reported to be hiding, quotes Ahmad, his friend, who is one of many trapped in the crossfire. 

More than 100 dead and injured at Nahr Al-Bared camp

22 May 2007


Bethlehem - Ma’an News Agency - Fighting has entered its third day around the Palestinian refugee camp of Nahr Al-Bared, in the north of Lebanon. According to media reports, Lebanese troops began shelling the Nahr Al-Bared camp, near the northern city of Tripoli, at dawn on Tuesday. The Lebanese army is reported to have pledged to “finish off” the radical Fatah Al-Islam group. Militants from the radical group Fatah Al-Islam responded with gun and mortar fire. The number of dead is not clear. Reports range from 50 to over 80 dead, including soldiers, militants and civilians. 

Fierce clashes continue at Palestinian refugee camp in Lebanon

21 May 2007


Lebanon - Ma’an - Fierce clashes between the Lebanese army and the Fatah Al-Islam organization have continued in northern Lebanon on Monday, Lebanese security sources have said. The confrontations are focused in the area around the Nahr Al-Bared Palestinian refugee camp, located outside the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli. At least 48 people have died in the two days of fighting, Lebanese sources said, most of them from the Lebanese army. According to media reports, more than 20 soldiers and 20 fighters from Fatah Al-Islam were killed in Sunday’s clashes, and an unconfirmed number of civilians. 

Howard's dubious Jewish National Fund honor

Sonja Karkar 21 May 2007


There is something worrying about a prime minister of a liberal, democratic country who imposes values on his country’s citizens and those who wish to become citizens, yet does not adhere to those values when he regards it politically expedient to ignore them. This is precisely what Prime Minister John Howard has done in accepting the “honour” of having a forest named after him in Israel’s Negev Desert and also the Jerusalem Prize for his support of Israel and its “values”.