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Nusseibeh and Ayalon Face Strong Opposition in Seattle

Haithem El-Zabri 7 November 2003


Seattle’s Palestinian community, together with Arab and American supporters of the Palestinian cause, have expressed clear opposition to the Nusseibeh-Ayalon “peace proposal” which dismisses the rights of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes. Sari Nusseibeh and Ami Ayalon came to the University of Washington - Seattle on October 23rd, 2003, to present their plan, and were met with visible opposition from local community groups. Haithem El-Zabri reports for EI. 

The role of the international media in the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict

Siham Rashid 31 October 2003


The following text is from a seminar presentation, “An Overview of the Role of the International Media Regarding the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict”, given by Siham Rashid, Director of the Public Relations Department, Palestinian Counseling Center (PCC) on 29 August 2003. Hosted by the Alternative Information Center (AIC), the seminar was titled “A Middle East Without Wars and Oppression is Possible: An International Seminar on the Palestinian Struggle and Globalization”. 

British Jews and Israel

Michael Halpern 31 October 2003

The Board of Deputies was founded in 1760, and claims to be the national representative body of the British Jewish community. As such, it exists to defend the rights and interests of that community in the United Kingdom. Unfortunately, under the direction of its chief executive, Neville Nagler, those aims have been suborned to an agenda whereby it has become a political pressure group for the Israeli government, whose policies are anathema to a large section of British Jewry. Michael Halpern wrote this letter in the Daily Telegraph. 

Third Annual Palestine Solidarity Conference, Ohio, Nov 7-9

31 October 2003

Among other things, participants of the conference will gather to network, educate and strategize ways in which to build support for an already existing divestment campaign, designed to put an end to the Israeli occupation and stop military and financial aid to Israel in all its forms. In addition to featuring a series of educational workshops, activist training sessions, panel discussions, and speakers throughout the weekend, community members are encouraged help celebrate the will and spirit of resistance characteristic of the Palestinian people by experiencing the music, poetry and art that will be featured during the social and cultural events on Friday and Saturday evening. 

Checkpoints and dust: A day with the Nablus distribution team

Zeina Mogarbel-Vallès Nablus, Palestine 28 October 2003

It’s ten o’clock in the morning. The 10 members of the UNRWA distribution team watch Ahmed as he slowly walks the 100 metres that separate him from the armed soldier. A few moments later all can they see is the back of a blue UN vest confronting a green uniform. The men do not speak. They have been waiting at the Beit Iba checkpoint, five kilometres north-west of Nablus, for more than two hours, and still have a long way to go before they reach their destination. 

Weekly report on human rights violations

30 October 2003

This week, Israeli occupying forces have killed 11 Palestinian civilians, including three children. They have escalated violations of human rights against Palestinian civilians in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs), including extra-judicial and willful killings, indiscriminate shelling of residential areas, incursions into Palestinian areas, house demolitions and land leveling. They have also continued to impose a tightened siege on the OPTs. 

Ramadan begins in Jenin

Nick Pretzlik Jenin, Palestine 29 October 2003

“The Holy Month of Ramadan, marked by fasting and reflection, has begun and energy levels seem low. But in any case, people have little to do. The Palestinian economy is dead and what money remains in Jenin is slipping away fast — most of it into Israel itself to pay for electricity, gas, water and telephones, to list just a few of the bills which have to be settled. None of the money comes back. It is hard for a large family to live on just US $10 per day and be energetic.” Nick Pretzlik reports from Jenin. 

Geneva Accord: Why can't the PA learn from its mistakes?

Hasan Abu Nimah 30 October 2003


It is astonishing how little the Palestinian leadership learns from its past mistakes? asks regular EI contributor Hasan Abu Nimah. The so-called “Geneva Accord” — an unofficial document agreed upon by former Israeli officials and Palestinians linked with the Palestinian Authority — is a new blunder that will do enormous harm to the Palestinian position, while doing nothing to extricate the Palestinian leadership from its sinking state. Abu Nimah looks at some the agreement in detail and looks at its provisions on key issues like land and refugees.