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Irish Bishops call for justice in Palestine/Israel

28 February 2007


At a media conference in Dublin yesterday, Bishop Raymond Field, Chair of the Irish Commission for Justice and Social Affairs (ICJSA), Bishop John Kirby, Chair of Trocaire and Rev Dr Eoin Cassidy of the ICJSA, launched a position paper Palestine/Israel, Principles for a Just Peace before a briefing meeting with the Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Dermot Ahern TD. Bishop Field said: “Today we shall meet with Minister Ahern and raise with him the issue of the EU-Israel Association agreement.” 

Video: Nablus Invasion, Day 4

Research Journalism Initiative and a-films 1 March 2007


On 25 February 2007 the Israeli Army invaded the West Bank city of Nablus in an operation dubbed “Hot Winter.” Curfew was imposed on Nablus and some surrounding refugee camps and villages and Israeli forces arrested at least 10, injured five and killed one civilian. Palestinian leaders claim this invasion is an attempt to undermine the recent Mecca unity government agreement. This video produced by the Research Journalism Initiative and the Anarchist Film Collective “A-Films” documents the fourth day of the invasion. 

UN official discusses latest situation in southern Lebanon with officials in Beirut

1 March 2007


A senior United Nations official today discussed with Lebanese officials full implementation of the Security Council resolution that ended last summer’s war between Israel and Hizbollah, following similar talks earlier this week with Israeli authorities. “We discussed many issues from the question of prisoners, Israeli prisoners in Lebanon, Lebanese prisoners in Israel — we would like to see more progress on that,” Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s Special Advisor on the situation in the Middle East Michael Williams told reporters after meeting with officials in Beirut. 

Video: Nablus Invasion, Day 2

Research Journalism Initiative and a-films 1 March 2007


On 25 February 2007 the Israeli Army invaded the West Bank city of Nablus in an operation dubbed “Hot Winter.” Curfew was imposed on Nablus and some surrounding refugee camps and villages and Israeli forces arrested at least 10, injured five and killed one civilian. Palestinian leaders claim this invasion is an attempt to undermine the recent Mecca unity government agreement. This video produced by the Research Journalism Initiative and the Anarchist Film Collective “A-Films” documents the second day of the invasion. 

Video: Nablus Invasion, Day 1

Research Journalism Initiative and a-films 1 March 2007


On 25 February 2007 the Israeli Army invaded the West Bank city of Nablus in an operation dubbed “Hot Winter.” Curfew was imposed on Nablus and some surrounding refugee camps and villages and Israeli forces arrested at least 10, injured five and killed one civilian. Palestinian leaders claim this invasion is an attempt to undermine the recent Mecca unity government agreement. This video produced by the Research Journalism Initiative and the Anarchist Film Collective “A-Films” documents the first day of the invasion. 

Activists protest settlement real estate sale in New Jersey

Andrew El-Kadi and Abraham Greenhouse 1 March 2007


On a sunny but chilly Sunday morning, Rabbi Steven Pruzansky of Congregation Bnai Yeshurun was preparing to welcome temple members and other local Jewish families to his synagogue to “strengthen the Zionist dream” by purchasing new houses in the occupied West Bank. The enticement of Jews to move to restricted, Jewish-only enclaves on land seized from Palestinians is nothing new: whether through the lure of cheap housing or the dream of bringing about the coming of the Messiah by “redeeming the land”, religious and secular Jews alike have been drawn to these enclaves since the first settlement Kiryat Arba was established in 1968. 

After Mecca: Engaging Hamas

28 February 2007


The latest report from the International Crisis Group, examines the Saudi-brokered Mecca Agreement between rival Palestinian organisations Hamas and Fatah. Providing a detailed examination of the agreement and an analysis of Hamas based on extensive discussions with the Palestinian Islamist movement and others, it concludes there are significant challenges but also the chance of a fresh start: for the Palestinians to restore law and order and negotiate genuine power-sharing arrangements; for Israelis and Palestinians to establish a comprehensive cessation of hostilities; and for the international community to focus on a credible peace process. 

A Day in the Life of Nablus Under Curfew

Kirsten Sutherland Nablus, Palestine 1 March 2007


Nablus, 26 February 2007: Dr. Ghassan Hamdan, Director of the Palestinian Medical Relief Society in Nablus, got up at five o’clock this morning after just two-and-a-half hours sleep. Until that time, he had been distributing medicines and food and providing emergency healthcare services to the residents of Nablus’ Old City, who had been under an Israeli-imposed curfew and thus forbidden from leaving their homes since early Sunday morning. He was woken up by a call saying that a house just outside the Old City had been set on fire by Israeli soldiers and that there may be civilian casualties. 

Israeli army detains TV director, attacks journalists during Nablus raid

28 February 2007


The Committee to Protect Journalists is deeply concerned by the Israel Defense Forces’ (IDF) arrest of a local television director and harassment of several journalists during a military operation in the West Bank city of Nablus. At around 3:00 a.m. on February 26, Israeli soldiers detained Nabegh Break, owner and managing director of the local Sanabel TV, after raiding his home in Nablus’ Old City, an eyewitness told CPJ. When the troops arrived at Break’s apartment, they ordered his family to leave and took Break to the first floor, which houses Sanabel TV’s office. 

Illegal construction approved in the Modi'in Illit settlement

28 February 2007


In early January, the Civil Administration’s Supreme Planning Council approved the amended outline plan for the new neighborhood in the Modi’in Illit settlement, which is located west of Ramallah. The plan for the neighborhood, called Matityahu East, took effect on 23 February and retroactively “rendered fit” forty-two buildings, containing hundreds of new housing units, that were built in violation of the relevant planning and housing laws.