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SOS Children's Village in Rafah on the brink of disaster

9 July 2006


SOS Children’s Village in Rafah is suffering from severe food, medication and fuel shortages due to the current bombings and blockade by Israel. The situation is threatening to cause a health crisis if not lifted soon. Since the Israeli bombing and blockade started last month, SOS Children’s Village Rafah has suffered from shortages in many necessities. Lack of essential medicines and food is a main cause of concern at the SOS Children’s Village Rafah. Dr. Kamil El-Shami, project coordinator at SOS Children’s Village Rafah says, “We fear that the continuity of this situation will cause health problems for the children.” 

Ma'ariv: "ISM foreign protestors to be expelled"

Amir Ben David 22 June 2006


The following article was published by the Israeli daily Ma’ariv on 22 June 2006, indicating a formalized policy of expelling witnesses to Israel’s practices in the occupied West Bank. Ma’ariv reported: “According to the plan, the IDF will declare the Judea and Samaria closed to foreign nationals. Denying entry to the activists has been defined as prevention of political subversion and involvement of members of the movement in acts of terrorism, and limitation of friction with Jewish settlers.” 

Al-Mezan's urgent appeal for action regarding Israel's siege on the Gaza Strip

10 July 2006


Due to the further severely deteriorating situation in the Gaza Strip since June 25th, 2006 owing to disproportionate military attacks by the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) against the civilian population in the Gaza Strip, Al Mezan is highly concerned about the wellbeing of the Palestinian population living in Gaza. Al Mezan is launching this urgent appeal to urge international intervention to place pressure on the Government of Israel to halt its damaging military actions in the Gaza Strip, and lift the imposed siege, in order to avert a deepening humanitarian crisis. 

Woman and Child Killed and 10 Injured in Armed Clan Clashes in the Gaza Strip

10 July 2006


Yesterday, Bara’ Jamal Abu Jarbou’ (11) and Nema Abdel Rahman Hamad (45) from Nuseirat refugee camp were killed and 7 others were injured in a clan clash. And today, 3 other Palestinians were injured in a clan clash in the town of Bani Suheila, east of Khan Yunis. PCHR’s preliminary investigation indicates that at approximately 14:20 on Sunday, 9 July 2006, an intra-clan clash erupted between members of the Hamad clan in Nuseirat refugee camp. The clash escalated and firearms were used. Nine people were injured during the clash; and 2 died of their wounds later. 

Intervention to Member States of the UN Two Years after the ICJ Advisory Opinion

10 July 2006


Two years ago, on 9 July 2004, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruled that Israel’s construction of the Wall in the occupied West Bank violated international law, and called inter alia for the parts situated on occupied territory to be dismantled. The signatories of this appeal would like to update you on Israel’s continued construction of the Wall in contravention of international law. Immediately after the ICJ Advisory Opinion was issued, the Israeli government rejected it outright, and declared that the construction of the Wall would continue. 

Statement by the United Nations Agencies working in the occupied Palestinian territory

10 July 2006


8 July 2006 - The United Nations Humanitarian Agencies working in the occupied Palestinian territory, are alarmed by developments on the ground, which have seen innocent civilians, including children, killed, brought increased misery to hundreds of thousands of people and which will wreak far-reaching harm on Palestinian society. An already alarming situation in Gaza, with poverty rates at nearly eighty per cent and unemployment at nearly forty per cent, is likely to deteriorate rapidly, unless immediate and urgent action is taken. Since the strike on Gaza�s only power plant on June 28th, the entire strip is without electricity for between 12 and 18 hours every day. 

"Summer Rains are a Good Blessing"

Rami Almeghari Palestine 10 July 2006


“Summer rains are a good blessing” — this is the title for a lesson in the second-grade grammar book of Palestinian children in Gaza. And while it is true that rains are a good blessing, the current “Operation Summer Rains” being carried out by Israel is anything but a blessing. Now, with summer rains being dropped artificially by humans from war planes and tanks, these school children have learned the hard lesson that ‘summer rains’ are neither good, nor a blessing. 2006’s unique summer rains in Gaza have shown themselves to be a curse, not a blessing — not because they have fallen in summer, but rather because they are human-made. 

International Federation of Human Rights slams sanctions against Palestinians

7 July 2006


The International Federation of Human Rights Leagues (FIDH) on Friday condemned the scale of sanctions imposed on the Palestinians through the suspension of direct international aid. “In effect the Palestinian people have been subjected to economic sanctions — the first time that an occupied people have been so treated,” the FIDH said in a preliminary report following a two-week mission to the Palestinian territories. “Inevitably this economic strangulation has had a severe impact on the economic life of Palestinians and their human rights.” 

Foreign media scramble to win over Arab viewers

Alistair Lyon 9 July 2006


A powerful tool [television] may be, but the challenge for any foreign news organization will be to gain credibility in an area where distrust for Western policies is deep-rooted and flourishing — and where the airwaves are already brimming with alternatives. “There’s a real cacophony of media in the region. Even poor neighborhoods in Damascus have satellite dishes,” said Ali Abunimah, who runs Electronic Intifada (electronicintifada.net) to promote Palestinian views on the Middle East conflict. “Even in a country as restricted as Syria, there is enormous access to media from elsewhere,” said the 34-year-old Jordanian based in Chicago. “That challenges the U.S. stereotype of a controlled media where people don’t know any better.” 

Two years after the ICJ's decision on the Separation Barrier

9 July 2006


Two years ago today [9 July 2004], the International Court of Justice, in The Hague, gave its advisory opinion on the Separation Barrier. The judges held that building the barrier in the West Bank violates international law. Thus, the court held, Israel must tear down the sections that stray from the Green Line, cancel the accompanying permit regime, and compensate Palestinians whose rights were violated by the barrier. The court also urged the UN General Assembly and the Security Council to consider actions to end the illegal situation created following construction of the barrier in the West Bank.