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War exacerbates Palestine refugee conditions

16 September 2006


While Lebanese southerners bore the brunt of casualties and destruction to infrastructure during the 34-day war between Israel and Hezbollah, the pre-existing vulnerability of Palestine refugees living in Lebanon has also been greatly exacerbated. “The main problems that the Palestinians have to cope with, particularly in the south, are socio-economic,” said Hoda Samra, spokesperson for the Beirut office of the UN agency for Palestine refugees. “Whatever affects the Lebanese affects the Palestinians, given that they are residing in this country. But the Palestinians also lack coping mechanisms. Any emergency affects them even more than other groups, as the Palestinians in Lebanon are vulnerable by definition,” she added. 

Intelligence general and bodyguards killed in Gaza internal violence

17 September 2006


PCHR’s preliminary investigation and eyewitness accounts indicate that at approximately 13:30 on Friday, 15 September 2006, General El-Tayeh and his four bodyguards were traveling in a grey Audi on Sea Street, near the house of Prime Minister Ismail Haniyya in Beach Camp. Gunmen traveling in a green Mitsubishi Magnum intercepted the General’s car and fired heavily at its occupants. Eyewitnesses indicate that the General’s driver lost control of the car, which then swerved to the right and hit the sidewalk. Three masked gunmen got out of the Mitsubishi Magnum and fired heavily at General El-Tayeh and his bodyguards from a distance of one meter, killing them all. 

PCHR Condemns Attacks on Palestinian Churches

17 September 2006


PCHR strongly condemns the series of attacks launched on a number of churches in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT), following a statement by Pope Benedic XVI lately reported by the media. This statement has been met by criticism all over the Islamic World. PCHR believes that such attacks on churches is an extension of the state if security chaos in the OPT, which requires the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) to intervene to stop them. According to investigations conducted by PCHR, six churches have been attacked by unknown persons in the past two days in Gaza City, Nablus, Tulkarm and Tubas. 

Gaza faces major food problems

15 September 2006


Palestinians face major difficulties in Gaza, including shortages of food and a crippled fishing industry because of the continued conflict with Israel, the United Nations food agency warned today, as it distributes aid to almost a quarter of a million of those most in need. “Gaza’s food security remains an issue of serious concern, the World Food Programme (WFP) says. Naval restrictions continue to block all boats from fishing off-shore, crippling the fishing industry,” UN spokesman Marie Okabe told reporters in New York. “Furthermore, Gaza’s agricultural markets continue to suffer from access restrictions. WFP is distributing food to 220,000 of the most vulnerable people. 

Irish academics call on EU to stop funding Israeli academic institutions

David Landy 16 September 2006


In a letter published in the Irish Times today, 61 Irish academics from a wide variety of disciplines called for a moratorium on EU support of Israeli academic institutions until Israel abides by UN resolutions and ends the occupation of Palestinian territories. While this letter does not call for a comprehensive boycott, it does demand that European academic institutions cease funding collaborative projects with Israeli institutions. It also calls for academics to refrain, where possible, from institutional collaboration with Israel. Such actions are to continue until Israel abides by international law, part of which is ending the occupation. 

Pro-Israeli editors seek to influence Al-Jazeera International English Satellite TV

Khalid Amayreh 15 September 2006


When the Qatar-based pan-Arab Al-Jazeera Satellite Television announced two years ago plans to launch Al-Jazeera International (AJI), many people around the world hoped the new satellite channel would provide a genuine alternative to the notoriously biased western media, which often operates under Zionist influence. The new channel, the launching of which has been postponed several times, will provide both regional and global perspective to a potential audience of hundreds of millions of English speakers. AJI has already attracted a number of luminaries in the world of TV broadcasting. 

Thousands in south lose income

14 September 2006


At the start of the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, Basma Restaurant in southern Lebanon was transformed into a place of refuge for those displaced by fighting, according to its owner Fadi Ali Basma. “We thought we were safe here, so we opened the restaurant doors to almost 100 people to take refuge while fighting and bombing raged further south,” Basma said. On 17 July, however, five days after fighting began, Israel carried out two air strikes on the restaurant, which lies between the southern port city of Tyre, 80km south of Beirut, and Bint Jbeil, a further 30km south-east of Tyre. One side of the building was destroyed. 

Hezbollah criticises Amnesty report accusing it of war crimes

14 September 2006


A Hezbollah member of parliament has criticised a report by Amnesty International that said the armed wing of the Lebanese political party committed a “serious violation of humanitarian law” in its recent conflict with Israel. Hezbollah MP Hassan Fadlallah was quoted by the BBC as saying the London-based rights group should analyse the number of civilians killed on each side, before accusing Hezbollah of war crimes. The Amnesty report concluded that Hezbollah had violated the 1949 Geneva Convention by deliberately targeting civilians when it fired thousands of Katyusha rockets loaded with ball bearings at urban areas in northern Israel. 

Amnesty International: Hizbullah's deliberate attacks on Israeli civilians

13 September 2006


Hizbullah committed serious violations of international humanitarian law, amounting to war crimes, in its deliberate targeting of Israeli civilians during the recent conflict, according to a briefing published today by Amnesty International. Combined with the organisation’s earlier publication on Israel’s targeting of Lebanese civilian infrastructure, the latest findings make clear the urgent need for the UN to establish a full and impartial investigation into violations committed by both sides in the conflict. 

Human Rights Watch: Don't Fire on Gaza Medics

13 September 2006


Israeli security forces launched attacks that harmed Palestinian medical emergency personnel and damaged ambulances on at least six different occasions in the Gaza Strip between May 30 and July 20, Human Rights Watch said today. Five of the incidents occurred during Israel’s military operations in Gaza that began on June 28, and three of them during the IDF military operation around the Maghazi Refugee Camp that began on July 18. In all of the incidents, the emergency medical personnel said they were responding to Palestinian casualties caused by earlier military activity but had waited for IDF shooting or shelling to stop before attempting to recover casualties.