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Criminalizing Civilians

Patrick McGreevy Beirut 27 July 2006


After the IDF’s devastating losses at Bint Jabeil on Wednesday, the Washington Post Foreign Service reported this statement from former Mossad officer Yossi Alpher: “I dare say, based on what we’ve seen so far, these may be the best Arab troops we’ve seen so far.” An Nahar today reported that, Israeli Justice Minister Haim Ramon proclaimed: “Everyone who is still in south Lebanon is linked to Hizbullah, we have called on all who are there to leave.” He then suggested that “maximum firepower has to be used.” As justification, he cited the meeting in Rome, from which “we have in effect obtained the authorization to continue our operations until Hisbullah is no longer present in southern Lebanon.” 

Palestinian children hit hardest in ongoing Gaza crisis

Sabine Dolan 26 July 2006


Two young girls were killed early this evening in Jabalia in northeast Gaza and a three-year old girl, Sabrine, was killed in Al Shujayieh, a densely populated area in east Gaza. These latest casualties bring the total number of children who have died in Gaza since the hostilities began on 28 June 2006 to 33. Some 100 children have also been injured. “Children of all ages are afraid.” says UNICEF oPt Communication Officer Monica Awad. “They have nightmares. Parents in Gaza tell us that children won’t let go of their mothers. They are afraid to get out of the houses.” 

12 Palestinians killed and 58 injured in escalating IOF offensive in Gaza

26 July 2006


The IOF aggression against Palestinian civilians and their property has once again increased, resulting in 12 civilians killed, 55 injured, scores of houses destroyed and agricultural lands leveled after IOF forces penetrated eastern areas of Al Shaja’ia neighborhood of Gaza City and the borders of Jabalia town. In addition, the IOF have continued shelling houses and residential buildings, in particular Al Awda and Al Nada towers in western Beit Hanoun, and houses in eastern Khan Younis, which has resulted in the killing of a child and the injury of three other civilians. 

Not a particularly good day

Hanady Salman Beirut 27 July 2006


Yesterday was not a particularly good day. I was completely devastated, and had a lot ot do. First I had to take care of Oum Mostafa, a 75-year-old Egyptian lady who cleans houses in Lebanon since I’m guessing the ’70s. My friend Leila said we’d better get her out of here, she doesn’t have to go through all this. She’s not feeling well and she’s getting poorer every day because no one wants to hire an old lady who can barely move to clean their house. I don’t think you want me to describe to you the room (is it a room? It’s something with a roof on the top of it) where she lives. 

Prior warning does not justify targeting civilian property

26 July 2006


On 23 July 2006, Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) started to implement a new policy of warning civilians shortly before bombarding their houses, giving them a notice of no more than one hour. IOF consider these warnings a justification to carry out the bombardments. This policy is a development of a practice perpetrated by IOF several times during attacks on several towns in the Gaza Strip. During these attacks, IOF warned town residents, through leaflets dropped by planes, against staying in their homes located in areas where IOF were conducting military operations. 

Differing perceptions of Hezbollah

24 July 2006


Leila Buck’s first article on Electronic Intifada was subtitled “I have so many things to say and share I don’t know where to start.” I feel the same way. Leila feels helpless facing US/Israeli propaganda about brutal war crimes against Arabs. I feel the same way. In her good anger she goes to an extreme to support her argument. One cannot say 90 percent of Lebanese do not support Hezbollah. That is wrong. The rich, much of the middle class indeed do not support Hezbollah. They are not even a majority. 

IOF Involvement in the Murder of 3 Members of Hajjaj Family, 8 July 2006

26 July 2006


After an investigation conducted by its Legal Unit, PCHR concluded that Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) murdered three members of the Hajjaj family by targeting their house on 8 July 2006. PCHR’s preliminary investigation into that incident included field visits to the attack site, eyewitness accounts, examining shrapnel and rocket remains in the house, and examining official documents such as medical reports and pictures of the dead and wounded. 

UK MPs call for an immediate ceasefire in Lebanon

26 July 2006


A cross party group of UK MPs have issued a call for an immediate ceasefire in the Middle East. 56 MPs have signed the statement so far which was published today in the Guardian newspaper. It is expected that more will add their names over the next few days. The statement calls for an immediate cessation to violence by all sides, for the release of unlawfully held prisoners by Israel, Hizbollah and Palestinian militias, and for the realisation of the two state solution in Israel and Palestine. As a High Contracting Party to the 4th Geneva Convention, the UK Government has a particular responsibility to uphold and ensure universal respect for international humanitarian law. 

How many children, how many children

Laila Farah Beirut 25 July 2006


Sorry my writing has been so sporadic. I can’t seem to get myself to write what is going around me. I don’t seem to have words, and now it is all sound bites … bombing, destruction, deaths, counts, types of explosions, what they have destroyed next, how many children, how many children, how many children. I was at a vigil yesterday to say they should stop killing children. Lots of press, no people — exhausted and fearful already. And they haven’t even started on us randomly. The southern suburbs are getting flatter and flatter by the day as the death toll rises. Hospitals are filled to capacity with shortages on everything already. 

The nightmare returns

Laurie King 26 July 2006


It cannot be happening again. But of course, it is happening again — the recurring nightmare from which I cannot awaken. The Lebanon I last visited in 2003 has suddenly been transformed into the Lebanon of 1983. Israel made good on its promise to “bomb Lebanon back 20 or 30 years into the past.” In just two weeks, the death toll is four times higher than the number of those killed in Israel’s 16-day “Operation: Grapes of Wrath” of 1996. It has taken two full weeks for the sorrow, horror, rage and exhaustion of the war in Lebanon to knock me off the rails; two weeks for me to really grasp that this is happening again. The nightmare has returned.