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Israeli raid condemned as plans made to clear landmines

20 August 2006


The IDF has engaged elements of Hezbollah in the Beka’a Valley close to the village of Bodai in an overnight raid. The mission reportedly killed three Hezbollah militants; one Israeli soldier was killed in the attack. The IDF insists that the raid was aimed at disrupting an arms transfer, and was clearly a “defensive” operation. The UN Special Envoy, Terje Roed-Larsen, termed the incident an “unwelcome development” a day after the Secretary-General warned of a ‘fragile’ situation on the ground. In addition, UXO contamination continues to be reported across the South. Cluster bombs have been observed in large numbers in population areas and where intense fighting took place. 

On an aid convoy to war-torn Bint Jbeil

Simon Ingram 19 August 2006


The first consignment of UN aid arrived yesterday in the shattered town of Bint Jbeil, close to the Lebanese border with Israel and scene of some of the fiercest fighting during the recent conflict. UNICEF Communication Officer Simon Ingram travelled with the convoy and filed this report: It’s 8 a.m. and our convoy of 16 battered trucks is lined up on the Tyre seafront. I am in the rear escort vehicle, an armoured Land Cruiser, in line with the tight security rules that apply to a zone of recent conflict. We set off on the road heading east, joining a line of Lebanese army troop carriers and armoured personnel carriers deploying to the same area. 

Mine-clearing begins in Southern Lebanon

21 August 2006


The UN Mine Action Coordination Centre (UNMACC) is sending reconnaissance teams through damaged areas in southern Lebanon to locate cluster bomb strikes. Fifty-one individual strike locations have been confirmed with the teams having covered approximately 40% of damaged areas thus far. The total number of strikes is expected to rise to over 200. In addition, at least 20 air-dropped bombs, ranging in size from 500lbs to 2,000lbs, have been located. The UNMACC has estimated that it could take 12 months to clear UXOs from southern Lebanon. 

PCHR Condemns the Kidnapping of the Palestinian Deputy Prime Minister

20 August 2006


PCHR strongly condemns the abduction of the Palestinian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Dr. Naser El-Deen El-Sha’er, by Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) from his house in Ramallah. The abduction is a continuation of the campaign against Palestinian Government Ministers and members of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) from the pro-Hamas “Change and Reform List.” The Centre views the abduction as a continuation of the efforts to undermine the results of the free and democratic elections of 25 January 2006 in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT). 

3 Palestinian civilians killed by IOF in the West Bank

20 August 2006


In the past three days, Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) have killed 3 Palestinians in the West Bank. Two of the victims were extra-judicially executed by IOF in Bethlehem, whereas the third one was killed when IOF opened fire at a civilian car that was attempting to bypass Hawara checkpoint, south of Nablus. According to investigation conducted by PCHR, at approximately 04:10 on Friday, 18 August 2006, IOF, supported by a helicopter, moved into al-‘Obaidiya village, east of Bethlehem, and imposed a curfew. They besieged a field on al-Hadadiya Mount, southeast of the village. They fired live bullets and flash bombs. 

2:30 AM in Gaza

Malek Shubair Gaza Strip 19 August 2006


My wife tapped me on the shoulder, saying, “Wake up and take Mohammad. I’ve fed him and changed his diapers, but he won’t go to sleep. I’m too tired to hold him.” Somehow, I caught all of that despite the fact that I haven’t had three hours of sleep. I opened my eyes slowly. My wife had the light on her side of the bed on. It was dim, but enough to annoy my sleep-hungry eyes. But we were lucky to have electricity, a rare commodity since the Israeli bombardment of the Gaza power station 10 days earlier. My three-week-old son was in his bed, starting to wind up for a bout of crying. 

Breakdown

Sami Hermez Beirut 25 August 2006


Breakdown. I had a momentary breakdown. Driving back to Beirut last night, alone in my car, paying attention to Music for the first time in a month, I began to comprehend all that I saw this last week in the South of Lebanon; I finally let out tears. How does one describe destruction giving it a unique touch, a local expression? I am beginning to think this is impossible because of the very nature of man made destruction. Villages in the South look like pictures I have seen of Hiroshima; they look like Berlin at the end of WWII, and they basically look like many other cities and villages destroyed in history; in a picture, frame per frame, it all looks the same. 

Architects and Planners for Justice in Palestine

19 August 2006


Architects and Planners for Justice in Palestine (APJP) is an independent international pressure group of design professionals. We are seeking international support for an ethical and just practice for our professions in Palestine and the Occupied Territories. We oppose the building of such projects as the illegal settlements, check points, settler-only highways and above all the Separation Wall. Palestinian land has become so fragmented that a viable Palestinian State has been rendered impossible. The map of Palestine, for the indigenous Palestinians, has shrunk from being 97% of the land in 1917 to 44% in 1947. 

Losing its Morals and Marbles: Israel's Fight for Lebanon

Remi Kanazi 19 August 2006


If Hezbollah were a military, given Western standards, it would certainly be the most moral in the world. During Israel’s five week offensive, Hezbollah killed 118 Israeli soldiers and 41 Israeli civilians (18 of which were Israeli Palestinians). Hezbollah killed three Israeli soldiers for every one Israeli civilian. In contrast, Israeli forces killed more than 1000 Lebanese civilians during the onslaught (more bodies are expected to be discovered during the current period of “calm”). Robert Fisk, based in Lebanon, reported, “They are digging them [Lebanese bodies] up by the hour.” 

After Worldpride: Notes and Ideas from Jerusalem and Beyond

19 August 2006


Members of the international LGBT community persevered in their vision, making WorldPride a successful model of peaceful discussion and debate. Attendees traveled to Jerusalem from across the globe, despite strong opposition and threats of violence from Christian, Jewish and Muslim religious conservatives. The escalating situation in the Lebanon also created concern. The threats of violence from religious extremists proved to be unfounded; only a handful of antigay protesters made an appearance. This release contains a summary of major WorldPride events as they happened last week.