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Israeli media turns a blind eye to facts contained in national poverty report

8 February 2006


A report from National Insurance Institute last week showed a growing disparity in wealth in Israel: one in four families now lives below the poverty line, and more than one in three children. But while the news pages were stuffed with details of the report and leading commentators were shocked by the findings, most made little or no mention that Arab families have been by far the biggest victims of growing impoverishment in Israel. Avishai Braverman of the Labor party, for example, suggested that the problem could be significantly eased if higher pensions were paid out, while MK Yuli Tamir argued that generous student loans were a solution. 

Justice Ministry delays investigation into police shooting of Arab youth

8 February 2006


Nadim Melham was shot dead in unclear circumstances by the Israeli police at his home in the Arab village of Arara in northern Israel on January 19. Police say they broke into the Melham family’s home after a tip-off that the youth was a drug dealer and had a stash of guns. They claim he tried to escape and, when cornered, pulled out a gun and cocked the trigger. He was shot in the chest by officers defending themselves, say police. 

No excuse for silence over travel ban on journalist Anton Shalhat

8 February 2006


The distinguished journalist and literary critic Anton Shalhat was this month banned from leaving Israel until the end of the year, on the advice of the Shin Bet domestic security service. A year-long travel ban was issued on January 17, following the approval of two temporary orders - the first signed by Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and the second by an Interior Ministry official - in late December. An accompanying letter from the Interior Ministry says that the decision to bar Mr Shalhat from leaving the country is based on classified information that he may “harm the security of the state”. 

National Security Council cancels debate on demolition plan for 30 Bedouin Arab villages

8 February 2006


A debate at Israel’s most high-profile policy-making forum on government plans to destroy up to 30 villages in the Negev that are home to tens of thousands Bedouin Arabs was cancelled at the last minute as protesters outside threatened to draw attention to the discussion. The Herzliya Conference, staged annually at the seaside resort north of Tel Aviv, attracts the country’s leading politicians, diplomats, generals, buisinessmen, academics and journalists under the banner “The balance of national strength and security”. 

UN Palestinian Rights Committee hails recent successful elections

6 February 2006


Officials serving on the United Nations Palestinian Rights Committee have welcomed the last month’s Legislative Council elections, voicing hope that the new body will help contribute to peace in the Middle East. In a statement released in New York late Tuesday, the Bureau of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People said the polls “were conducted in a free, fair and peaceful manner” and offered its “high praise” to the Central Elections Commission and all of the Palestinian people. “The opportunity brought about by the democratic elections must be built on and seized by the parties to try to revitalize peace negotiations based on the principles of international law and the relevant United Nations resolutions.” 

Church of England votes to divest from Caterpillar

6 February 2006


The Church of England’s most senior decision-making body, the General Synod, voted to disinvest from “companies profiting from the illegal occupation [of Palestine]”. Caterpillar manufactures D9 bulldozers used by the Israeli armed forces for house demolitions. The decision follows examination by the Church’s Ethical Investment Advisory Group (EIAG) of whether the shares currently held in Caterpillar were consistent with the Church’s ethical investment policy, which prohibits investment in arms companies or companies making “weapons platforms” such as naval vessels or tanks. 

Campaigners welcome Church divestment vote on Caterpillar

7 February 2006


Campaigners today welcomed the Church of England’s overwhelming vote in favour of divesting its £2.2 million shares from bulldozer manufacturer Caterpillar. The vote, supported by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, sends a clear message to Caterpillar that profiting from human rights violations is not compatible with socially responsible business practice. The General Synod of the Church of England voted yesterday evening (6 February 2006) “to disinvest from companies profiting from the illegal occupation, such as Caterpillar Inc, until they change their policies”. The Church Commissioners now need to enforce the Synod’s decision. 

Waging an electronic intifada

Jennifer Jett 24 January 2006


Pro-Palestinian activist Ali Abunimah will speak at McGill this week as part of Social Justice Days, a series of student-organized events that encourage activism. Abunimah is the co-founder of Electronic Intifada, a Web site devoted to covering the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. “It deals not only with politics but with arts, music, culture and just about every aspect of these issues that you could want to know about,” he said. “We have a lot of personal writing, diaries of people in Palestine, photography and that kind of thing.” Abunimah contends that mainstream media misrepresent the conflict and the actors involved. Abunimah said he hopes the event will be an informal discussion in which students raise their own questions. 

Israeli forces assassinate three Palestinians

7 February 2006


Israeli forces committed two extra-judicial executions in less than 8 hours, leaving two Palestinians in the Gaza Strip dead and a third dead in the West Bank. This raises the total number of extra-judicial executions committed by IOF in the past two days to 4, killing 8 Palestinians. On Monday, Israeli forces fired an artillery shell at a civilian car in the Gaza Strip, killing two Palestinians. In the West Bank, an Israeli undercover unit moved into Nablus and surrounded a building in the Rafidya neighbourhood. Israeli forces opened fire on the building. When the Israeli forces withdrew, Palestinian medical personnel evacuated a body from the building. 

World Bank Chief Backs Continued Palestinian Aid

6 February 2006


Paul Wolfowitz, president of the World Bank, said yesterday that the Bank should continue delivering aid to the West Bank and Gaza in spite of last week’s electoral victory for Hamas, reports The Financial Times. The Bank chairs the committee of donors for the West Bank and Gaza, which disburses about $1bn a year. The EU, which is the largest single donor, recently suspended some of the aid that was funneled directly into the budget of the Palestinian Authority (PA) in protest at financial mismanagement. The PA’s fiscal situation has become increasingly unsustainable mainly as a result of uncontained government consumption, in particular a rapidly increasing public sector wage bill, expanding social transfer schemes and rising “net lending”.