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UN Human Rights Chief to visit Palestine

17 November 2006


The protection of civilians during armed conflict and the entitlement of Palestinians and Israelis equally to enjoy all fundamental freedoms will top the agenda as United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour visits Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory from 19 to 24 November. This first visit as High Commissioner will give Ms. Arbour an opportunity to examine developments on the ground first-hand and discuss the situation with people affected by the violence, authorities, civil society and non-governmental organizations and UN partners. 

Palestine unites us: Towards the first Palestinian Popular Conference in the US

17 November 2006


We, activists and organizers from the Palestinian community in the US holding diverse organizational affiliations, geographical and political backgrounds, met in Cleveland, Ohio Nov 10-12, 2006 in follow up to the initial meeting held in Detroit on June 23, 2006. In these historic times, we reiterate our commitments to affirm our Palestinian narrative and assert our rights to: — Self-determination and equality for all Palestinians — Return of the Palestinian refugees to their original homes, lands, properties and villages (a natural right supported by international law and UN Resolution 194) — End of Zionist occupation and colonization of Palestine, including Jerusalem. 

The New York Times Marginalizes Palestinian Women and Palestinian Rights

Patrick O'Connor and Rachel Roberts 17 November 2006


A November 7, 2006 New York Times news article about a Human Rights Watch report on domestic violence against Palestinian women brings welcome attention to human rights issues. Unfortunately, the same article, viewed in the context of The New York Times’ reporting on Israel/Palestine over the last six years, provides a powerful example of typical US mainstream media bias against Palestinians. Research shows clearly that The New York Times pays little attention to human rights in Israel/Palestine, downplays the larger context in which violence against Palestinian women occurs and generally silences Palestinian women’s voices. By omitting crucial details and emphasizing certain others, The New York Times, one of the US’ most respected and powerful media outlets, has turned a valuable piece of human rights reporting into a tool that can be used to reinforce a Western agenda that has cynically exploited “saving Muslim women” as an excuse for dominating and abusing the rights of people from other cultures. 

Palestinian filmmakers respond in support of cultural boycott

24 October 2006


I have left the Israeli stage, television and cinema as a clear move towards disengaging myself from a society which has narrowed its cultural, political, economic and social activity down to means of oppression, discrimination and humiliation of the Palestinian people. Through my letter I was hoping to call for an open debate to clarify our strategy and tactics, which this Intifada lacks the most - not to gain sympathy and support for myself or for my film. At this point I would like to take the opportunity to call upon my fellow artists and filmmakers to join us in the boycott against those Israeli cultural events and institutions which are supported by the government and which do not take a clear stand against the occupation. I would like to call upon you to join this boycott, which will hopefully expand from the purely artistic and cultural to the academic and financial levels. 

The state of public health in the occupied Palestinian territory

Nadeem Muaddi 17 November 2006


On the morning of 2 November 2006, Israeli military forces seized Palestinian airwaves to declare the Gazan village of Beit Hanoun a closed military zone and order all Palestinians residing in the area to remain indoors. Still recovering from the humanitarian crisis caused by Israel’s June offensive, “Operation Summer Rain,” residents braced themselves for what appeared to be another looming attack on Palestinian civil society. What they didn’t expect, however, was the week-long siege of brutal force and “reckless disregard” for human life that would eventually claim the lives of nearly 100 Palestinians and injure hundreds more - half of whom were women, children, and other unarmed bystanders. 

"Siddiquine's Harvest": New short film from Southern Lebanon

17 November 2006


A-Films announces a new short film by independent media activists published under the name “Siddiqine’s Harvest”. This video deals with the longterm consequences the Israeli ‘war against Hezbullah’ has for the people and the agriculture of South Lebanon. The short movie “Siddiqine’s Harvest” was produced in the end of September in the southern Lebanese village of Siddiqine. It is the result of a 10-day video-workshop done by indymedia-activists in this hard-hit community. Four young people from the village deal with some major problems Siddiqine is facing after the war. To a large extent, this concerns tobacco agriculture. On one hand, many people were displaced during the war and therefore missed the tobacco harvest, on which a majority of the inhabitants depend. 

Governments at General Assembly must now put civilians before politics

16 November 2006


On the eve of the UN General Assembly’s resumed special session to discuss the deteriorating situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Amnesty International urges all UN member states to put human rights at the top of the agenda and agree concrete action to protect the human rights of all people living in the areas affected by the ongoing crisis. Such concrete action should include independent monitoring of abuses of human rights and international humanitarian law throughout the Occupied Territories and Israel. 

Israeli Lottery offering 1,000 Scholarships Conditioned on Military Service Discriminates against Arab Students

15 November 2006


On 8 November 2006, Adalah wrote, for the second time, to “Mifal Hapayis,” the Israeli Lottery, demanding the cancellation of a plan to award 1,000 scholarships to students who serve in the Israeli army, on the grounds that it discriminates against Arab students, who are exempt from serving in the army, and generally do not do so. Adalah sent the letter after receiving a response from Mifal Hapayis, in which it claimed that placing the criterion of military service in the given context does not constitute discrimination against Arab students. 

A project of dispossession can never be a noble cause

Ahdaf Soueif 17 November 2006


Perhaps because the stakes are now so high, people are once again speaking of the visionary solution: the secular democratic state, a homeland for both Israelis and Palestinians. The Palestinian social scientist Ali Abunimah and the Israeli historian Ilan Pappé’s recent books are the latest to make the case for this. They find hope, as Pappé puts it, in “those sections of Jewish society in Israel that have chosen to let themselves be shaped by human considerations rather than Zionist social engineering.” 

WHO concerned about lack of access to healthcare in occupied Palestine

17 November 2006


WHO is concerned about the rapid deterioration of Palestinians’ equitable access to adequate and effective medical services. This is mainly the result of the Palestinian Ministry of Health’s financial crisis which has followed the Palestinian Legislative Council elections in January 2006. The Government of Israel has stopped handing over the tax and customs revenues it collects on behalf of the Palestinian Authority (PA) and international donors have suspended direct aid to the Ministry of Health. As a consequence of these measures, the PA has been unable to pay regular salaries since March 2006.