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Supreme Court overturns Israeli government's 'racist' policy of National Priority Areas

4 March 2006


In a landmark judgment, a panel of seven justices on Israel’s Supreme Court unanimously ruled this week that the government’s decision to award 500 Jewish communities special “National Priority A” status, compared with only four Arab villages, was discriminatory and racist. The priority status has been used to award the communities substantial economic benefits since it was first established nearly a decade ago. Such a result, wrote Supreme Court chief Aharon Barak, “is contaminated by one of the most suspect distinctions, which is distinction based on race and nationality. This is a result that Israeli democracy cannot tolerate.” 

Arab MKs again face investigations and threats of disqualification in run-up to Israeli elections

4 March 2006


Israel’s Central Election Committee, a partisan body with the power to disqualify political parties from the forthcoming election, questioned this week the right of one of the three main Arab parties to contest the election. The committee is dominated by politicians from rightwing Zionist parties. The committee held a session on Tuesday February 28 in which it considered barring the joint list of the United Arab List and Taal, led by Sheikh Ibrahim Sarsur and Ahmed Tibi, from the standing. Several parties represented on the committee, including Likud and the National Religious Party, submitted a petition against the Arab party based on the claim that its platform denies Israel as a “Jewish and democratic state”. The ban was rejected by a wafer-thin majority of 18 votes to 16. 

Far-right settlers launch campaign of provocative armed visits to Arab communities

4 March 2006


Far-right leader Baruch Marzel this week staged his second visit, backed by armed settlers, to the Arab town of Sakhnin in less than a month. He was kept to the edge of the Galilean town by police but allowed to take up position on elevated points so that he and his followers could photograph the area. Marzel, a former head of the outlawed anti-Arab Kach party, is now a leader of the Jewish National Front, a group of far-right extremists. He was joined on the trip by Itamar Ben Gvir, a settler leader based in Hebron who is suspected of belonging to Jewish underground organisations. 

NYC: Free the P Hip-Hop & Slam Party

2 March 2006


NAAP-NY in conjunction with the N.O.M.A.D.S. & the Philistines present…Free the P Hip-Hop Slam & Party in New York City on 16 March 2006. Proceeds will benefit NAAP-NY community initiatives and Slingshot Hip-Hop, a documentary film that focuses on the daily life of Palestinian rappers living in Gaza, the West Bank and inside Israel. It aims to spotlight alternative voices of resistance within the Palestinian struggle and explore the role their music plays within their social, political and personal lives. 

Activism Call: Why are people afraid of Rachel Corrie's words?

Ann Petter and Jen Marlowe 2 March 2006


Rachel Corrie was 23 years old when she was crushed to death by an Israeli army bulldozer on March 16, 2003. She was working with others trying to protect the home of a Palestinian pharmacist from demolition in Rafah, Gaza Strip, Palestine. “My Name is Rachel Corrie” is a powerful one-woman show based entirely on the writings that Rachel left behind, telling her story from the time she was a small child, leading up to the days before her death. The play, edited by Alan Rickman and Katharine Viner from Rachel’s diaries and emails, was produced by the Royal Court Theatre in London. Starring Megan Dodds, it played to sold out audiences and wide acclaim. “My Name is Rachel Corrie” was scheduled to open at the New York Theatre Workshop on March 22nd. It has been postponed indefinitely, sparking much debate. 

Brussels unveils 120 million aid package for Palestinians

27 February 2006


The European Commission today unveils a package worth more than 120 million Euro to meet the basic needs of the Palestinian population and to help stabilise the finances of the current caretaker government. E40 million will be earmarked to ensure the continued and uninterrupted supply of essential public services such as electricity and water. 64 million Euro will be allocated to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency. This emergency relief will help alleviate the hardships of the most vulnerable people in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. 

UN Special Coordinator urges continued support for Palestinian Authority

28 February 2006


The collapse or sacrifice of the Palestinian Authority could end all hopes of achieving a Palestinian State in a reasonable time frame, Alvaro de Soto, United Nations Special Coordinator for the Middle East Peace Process and the Secretary-General’s Special Representative to the Palestine Liberation Organization and the Palestinian Authority, said in a briefing to the Security Council this morning. Describing a functioning Authority as an essential building block for a Palestinian State, he said it was not something that could be turned on and off like a light switch. It was through the Authority that basic social and economic services, as well as salaries, were provided. 

What aid cutoff to Hamas would mean

David R. Francis 27 February 2006


The US provides about one-third of the nearly $1.1 billion in aid to the Palestinians. The Palestinians are the most foreign-aid dependent society on earth. So the threat by the United States to cut off most aid to Palestine after its 3.6 million people last month elected the militant group Hamas into government, is foreboding. Should Palestinians obtain an independent nation, its economic viability remains an open question. But until then, under the 4th Geneva Convention of 1949, an occupying power is responsible for the welfare of those whose territory is being occupied. Providing no aid, “Israel is not in compliance,” says Mr. Abunimah. 

Weekly report on human rights violations

24 February 2006


This week Israeli forces killed five Palestinians, including two children, in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. At least 42 Palestinians, including 25 children, two women and an international solidarity activist, were wounded by Israeli troops in the West Bank. Israeli forces continued to shell Palestinian areas in the Gaza Strip, an infant was seriously injured. Israel conducted 31 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank and invaded Nablus and Balata refugee camp. Houses were raided and 79 Palestinian civilians, including 26 children, were arrested. Israeli forces turned six Palestinian homes into military posts. Israel continued to impose a total siege on the occupied Palestinian territories. 

Balata refugee camp under attack

Adri Nieuwhof and Walid Abdelhadi 25 February 2006


The weekly reports of the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights tell the frightening story of the Israeli occupation In its latest report of the week from 16 till 22 February 2006 it is mentioned that Balata refugee camp was invaded. Israeli troops “willfully killed two Palestinian children in Balata refugee camp, east of Nablus.” Most of the over thirty incursions took pace in Nablus and the neighbouring Balata refugee camp, killing three Palestinians, wounding thirty six civilians and arresting at least thirteen people. A number of houses were transformed into military sites. Adri Nieuwhof and Walid Abdelhadi researched the story behind the figures of the weekly report on the ground.