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Israeli forces escalate Gaza offensive

29 May 2007


The Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) continued its offensive against Palestinians and their property in the Gaza Strip. Since the commencement of the offensive on Gaza, 50 Palestinians have been killed and 206 injured. The attacks have also resulted in the destruction of 71 houses; five of which completely, 47 security installations; and 47 commercial and industrial premises, 39 of which were completely destroyed. In addition, 13 vehicles have been also targeted; nine of which were completely destroyed. 

"They won't let me be at peace, even in my dreams"

Nadine Kotob Baddawi Refugee Camp 29 May 2007


I don’t know where to begin. After spending two days in Chatila Refugee Camp, and a day in Beddawi, I find myself at a loss for words. How do I describe the conditions these Palestinian refugees are being subjected to when I never even conceived of the possibility of such unspeakable conditions. Again, I don’t know where to begin. But I will try my best. I will try because all of the refugees we interviewed in our first day at Beddawi beseeched us to let the world know how their situation has quickly deteriorated in a matter of days. 

Israeli death squad guns down man in Ramallah street

29 May 2007


Israel undercover ‘special forces’ executed a Palestinian man at point blank range this afternoon during an attack on Ramallah. The man, identified as Omar Abu Daher, a member of Mahmoud Abbas’ Presidential Guard, was initially shot in the leg outside the offices of the Health, Development, Information and Policy Institute on Ramallah’s Main Street. When he fell to the ground, Israeli undercover forces executed him with a shot to the back of the head at close range. He was killed instantly. 

Video: Israeli forces invade Balata refugee camp

Research Journalism Initiative and a-films 29 May 2007


On 24 May 2007 the Israeli Army invaded the Balata refugee camp outside the West Bank city of Nablus. First entering the camp disguised as Palestinian civilians, and later with a number of armored vehicles, the army arrested camp residents and placed the entire population under curfew. This video produced by the Research Journalism Initiative and the Anarchist Film Collective “A-Films” documents the invasion. 

San Francisco Queers Say No Pride in Apartheid

29 May 2007


In March, over 100 members of the LGBT/queer community sent the following letter to Frameline, organizer of the San Francisco International Lesbian/Gay/Bi/Trans Film Festival, which according to its website is the largest LGBT cultural event in the world. The letter asks Frameline to honor calls for an international boycott of Israeli political and cultural institutions, by discontinuing Israeli consulate sponsorship of the LGBT film festival and not cosponsoring events with the Israeli consulate. 

"The end of the world is something to do with my father"

Areen Bahour Ramallah 31 May 2007


Areen Bahour is a seventh-grade student at Friends School in al-Bireh, Ramallah. The following is an essay she wrote as a class assignment: “Thinking about the end of the world is hard. I’m still 12 years old and I didn’t face the world yet so I can’t imagine the end of the world that I didn’t face yet! Well, now for me as a girl that her life is between school, home and activities I can’t think of anything except for my family. I love every member of my family, but the end of the world is something to do with my father.” 

Seventy-two hours

Marcy Newman 28 May 2007


Today the Lebanese army gave the PLO 72 hours to take out Fatah al-Islam or else the violence will be escalated in the Nahr al-Bared refugee camp. It is not clear if this means that they will enter or if they will use heavier artillery, but I fear that they will raze the camp. This would not be the first time that it has happened. The Dbeyeh refugee camp was destroyed in 1976 during the Civil War in Lebanon when most of the Palestinian refugees living there were killed or forced out. The shelling in Nahr al-Bared refugee camp has resumed yet again; more Palestinians are trapped inside and many of them seem to be men. 

Reporting from the front: Interviews with PLO spokesman in Lebanon and PFLP official (Part 1)

Jackson Allers and Rasha Moumneh Baddawi Refugee Camp 28 May 2007


“We were supportive of the Lebanese army because an illegitimate group was imposed on Nahr al-Bared and on the Lebanese sphere. It attacked the Lebanese army, which led to the murder of 30 soldiers. This necessitated a stand next to the Lebanese army because the honor of the Palestinian people is intertwined with that of the Lebanese.” Jackson Allers and Rasha Moumneh interview Hajj Rif’at, Director of Media for Fatah and the spokesperson for the PLO in Lebanon in the first of a two-part series. 

Reporting from the front: Interviews with PLO spokesman in Lebanon and PFLP official (Part 2)

Jackson Allers and Rasha Moumneh Baddawi Refugee Camp 28 May 2007


“Honestly, the first day there was sympathy for the soldiers that were killed. But after the shelling started we felt that the targets were not Fatah al-Islam, but rather the Nahr al-Bared camp. … At the end of the day, there is a people that is being shelled and people are dying.” Jackson Allers and Rasha Moumneh interview PFLP official and Treasurer of the Committee for the Festival of Right of Return in the second of a two-part series. 

"Another Waco in the Making"

Franklin Lamb Baddawi Refugee Camp 28 May 2007


26 May 2007 — Bedawi is teeming with new arrivals from Nahr al-Bared where there is still no water, power or food. A few NGOs are still negotiating with the army for permission to enter. (Still possible to sneak in from the east but getting more dangerous to try it.) The problem is not being shot by Fatah al-Islam anymore. They are digging in. And the army is not as trigger happy as it was Monday through Wednesday. The “security agents” on the slopes above the army looking down into al-Bared are the main sniper danger.