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Angelina Jolie gives voice to Palestinian refugees in Jordan

Arjan El Fassed 15 March 2004


In December 2003, UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador Angelina Jolie visited Ruweished refugee camp in eastern Jordan. Jolie, who has been a UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador since August 2001 wrote a journal which has been released today by the UN refugee agency. During her one day visit to Ruweished refugee camp, where more than 800 refugees, mostly Palestinians, have settled after fleeing Iraq in April 2003. The actress, who starred in Gone In 60 Seconds and as Lara Croft in Tomb Raider visited the camp’s pre-school. The children at the school told her “their dream is to see their homeland.” 

Israelis and Palestinians discuss protection of refugees

Badil 15 March 2004


Israelis and Palestinians are discussing the direct link between the protection of Palestinian refugee rights and the establishment of a lasting peace at a conference in Haifa from 26 to 28 March, marking the 28th anniversary of “Land Day”. The conference brings together Israeli and Palestinian academics, supporters of human and civil rights groups to coordinate their efforts in advancing the rights of Palestinian refugees in general and internally displaced Palestinians in Israel. The three-day meeting will include lectures, debate, films and participants will visit six destroyed Palestinian villages in Israel. 

It's worse than you thought: pro-Israel influence on US policy

Ali Abunimah 15 March 2004


In the early weeks of the invasion of Iraq, when the US thrust toward Baghdad appeared to be meeting more resistance than expected, an awful row broke out in Washington over the role of pro-Israel groups and individuals in dragging the country to war. Increasing media examination of the roles of key neoconservative figures associated with Likudnik groups gave rise to a backlash that sought to tar anyone who dared raise questions with anti-Semitism. But a an expose by a lieutenant colonel in the US Air Force who recently retired from the Pentagon, reveals that the influence of such groups was direct, organized and effective. EI’s Ali Abunimah explains. 

Israeli forces kill 44 Palestinians since beginning of March

Arjan El Fassed 14 March 2004


Since the beginning of this month, Israeli forces have killed 44 Palestinians, including women and children. According to data from the Palestinian Red Crescent Society and the Ministry of Health, 30 Palestinians were killed in Gaza and 14 in the West Bank. Among those killed are 18 minors. More than 197 Palestinians, mostly children, were wounded in the same period. In February 2004, Israeli forces killed 52 Palestinians. On March 7 alone, 14 Palestinians were killed, including 4 children, as Israeli forces invaded Nusseirat and Bureij refugee camps in the Gaza Strip. 

D.C. area organizations hold memorial for Rachel Corrie

12 March 2004


As Israel’s construction of the “wall” has renewed debate in the United States on impediments to peace in the region, Washington DC peace activists are organizing a memorial on March 16, 2004 to bring Israel’s Occupation to the forefront of American public consciousness. March 16 will mark one year since the first American peace activist was killed in the Occupation. Hence, event organizers, who represent over 20 national and local organizations, will hold a memorial for Rachel Corrie, as a timely issue in the debate on U.S. policy towards the Middle East. Rachel Corrie was killed on March 16, 2003 when an Israeli soldier ran over her with a US-made Caterpillar D9 bulldozer, as she tried to nonviolently prevent the demolition of a Palestinian home. 

McResponse: Form letter sent out by McDonald's in response to EI's Action Items

11 March 2004


Following a series of Action Items by the Electronic Intifada, beginning on 5 March 2005, McDonald’s Corporation headquarters in Oak Brook, Illinois has been sending out form letters to those who wrote to the company about the issue. The letter claims “Regarding the recently fired employee, her employment was terminated for performance reasons by her supervisor, a Palestinian Arab who also speaks Arabic. No one has ever been let go for speaking his own language” and reiterates that “Hebrew is spoken when employees are conducting business.” 

McConfusion: McDonald's Israel reportedly backs down, while McDonald's HQ stonewalls

Ali Abunimah and Nigel Parry 12 March 2004


McDonald’s Israel has reportedly reversed it prohibition on its Arab workers speaking Arabic to each other and to customers, but its US headquarters continues to stonewall and provide contradictory information. According to the Arabic-language newspaper in Israel, Hadith an-Nass, the reversal of the no-Arabic policy was announced in a letter sent by McDonald’s Israel to the Mossawa center for Arab rights. In this alert, EI explains the latest developments, and urges readers to continue with their effective action. 

Film Route 181 censored by French Culture Ministry

15 March 2004


In an unprecedented move, the organisers of France’s largest documentary film festival, Le Festival du Cinéma du Réel (4 to 14 March 2004), held annually at the Centre Pompidou in Paris, have cancelled one of the screenings of the film Route 181 – Fragments of a Journey to Palestine-Israel, which is co-directed by the Palestinian Michel Khleifi and the Israeli Eyal Sivan. Khleifi, a Palestinian, and Sivan, a Jewish Israeli, are not the first filmmakers from the region who have found their work on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to be met with censorship. 

UN Women's Commission approves draft resolution on Palestinian women

Commission on the Status of Women 11 March 2004


By a recorded vote of 39 in favour to 1 against (United States), with 1 abstention (Canada), the forty-eighth session of the Commission on the Status of Women this afternoon approved a draft resolution on the situation of Palestinian women. By the text on Palestinian women, the Economic and Social Council would, among other things, call upon the concerned parties to ensure the immediate resumption of the peace process and for tangible improvement of the difficult situation and living conditions of Palestinian women and their families.  It would also call upon Israel to facilitate the return of all refugees. 

Weekly report on human rights violations

Palestinian Center for Human Rights 11 March 2004


Israeli forces killed 27 Palestinians, including 8 children and one woman. Fourteen were killed during an Israeli military raid on Nusseirat refugee camp. Five were killed in an extra-judicial execution. In Rafah, Israeli forces demolished 20 homes and destroyed 22 donums of Palestinian agricultural land. Israel continued construction of the Separation Wall for which more land was confiscated. Israel continued indiscriminate shelling of Palestinian residential areas in which three Palestinians, including a child and woman were killed and others were wounded. Israel continues to impose a total siege on Palestinian areas.