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Strawberry fields forever?

Eóin Murray Beit Lahiya, Palestine 19 January 2007


Let me take you down, ‘cos we’re going to … Beit Lahiya in the north of the Gaza Strip, to go strawberry picking. As part of Trocaire’s work here we want to make our response to the humanitarian emergency as sustainable as possible. This way we can ensure that people who have had thousands of donums of land demolished can recover in the long term. In the northern area of Gaza strawberries are the main produce. Strawberries like you’ve never eaten before, sweet and juicy. The big ones look like something from a strawberry ad campaign but the small ones are the sweetest. 

Private TV and radio stations forced to pay massive license fees

18 January 2007


For the first time since their launch following the establishment of the Palestinian Authority in 1993 during the Oslo process, the private TV and radio stations across the Palestinian territories are at a turning point. The majority of these stations are threatened with closure, following a decision by the ministry of communications and information technology to force these channels to pay large fees to the government, with the threat of backdated payments being demanded also. Directors and owners of these channels were stunned by the decision, considered to be beyond their means. 

Patient died when soldiers blocked the direct route to hospital

18 January 2007


The following is testimony given by ‘Adnan a-Shtiyeh, a taxi driver, on 13 December 2006 to the Israeli human rights organization B’Tselem: I am a taxi driver. I run the route between our village and Nablus. Yesterday (Tuesday, 12 December), around 1:30 P.M., I got to the area known as al-Muhalal, about one kilometer from Nablus. There I encountered about eight army jeeps and an Israeli bulldozer. They were parked in the middle of the road, and nobody could pass. Before dawn, an explosive charge laid by activists had blown up when an army jeep passed. 

This is what democracy looks like

Eóin Murray Gaza City, Palestine 18 January 2007


For the past few months the biggest issue for people in Gaza has become the security situation caused by the the clashes between Hamas and some ‘leading lights’ in the decrepit Fateh party. People felt unsafe to leave their home. One friend lives near a hot spot — her house has bullet holes through it. Her children are so afraid that even when no fighting is happening they are crawling from room to room. In the centre of Gaza City, in the square of the Unknown Soldier a movement has sprung up. Partially out of desperation, partially out of a desire to end the violent internal clashes and provide some protection for Palestinian civilians. 

Ten-year-old girl brain dead after border police shooting

18 January 2007


Abir Aramin, ten years old, who was wounded by an Israeli border policeman Tuesday the 16th, was announced brain dead this morning at the Haddasa Ein Karem hospital and is being examined by a committee to determine whether or not to unplug her from life support machines. Bassam Aramin, the girl’s father, is a member of Combatants for Peace, the Israeli-Palestinian peace organisation. Israeli and international supporters have gathered at the girls school in Anata to express their solidarity and protect the traumatised students from the ongoing threat of the Israeli border police. 

Ministry of Education must respect multiplicity, freedom and human rights

17 January 2007


Al Mezan has expressed concern to the Minister of Education regarding the type of questions directed to second-year secondary students in the 2006-2007 Arabic exam, in Gaza district, which included writing a letter to His Excellency the Prime Minister: students were expected to express their solidarity with the Palestinian cabinet and their resistance against the cruel siege imposed upon our people. In this respect, Al Mezan emphasizes that students were faced with severe restrictions in their freedom of expression. In other words, students might adapt different or neutral opinions, especially at this time of severe party [division] within Palestinian society. 

Specialists warn of potential water shortage

17 January 2007


Water specialists have warned that Lebanon will face a severe water shortage over the coming years unless an effective water management system is soon put in place. “Some say that there could be a serious deficit by 2010 to 2015,” said Fadi Comeir, director-general of hydro-electrical equipment in Lebanon’s Energy and Water Ministry. He added that the country might experience shortages even sooner than that. While Lebanon actually has an abundance of rainfall and underground water, for years it has struggled to distribute this water and prevent it becoming contaminated in the earth. 

Changes to denial of entry policy fail to resolve crisis

17 January 2007


A notice recently issued by the Israeli Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (CoGAT), states changes in Israel’s policy of denying entry to foreign nationals traveling into the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt). The notice, delivered to chief Palestinian negotiator, Dr. Saeb Erakat on December 28, 2006, states that entry of foreign nationals “will be permitted through means of the military commander’s consent.” The notice further explains that restricted foreign nationals will be ‘eligible’ to apply for temporary entry into the oPt as well as periodic visa renewals. It outlines the procedures for processing these applications. 

Palestinian Detainee Dies in Israeli Prison

17 January 2007


On Tuesday, 16 January 2007, Jamal Hasan ‘Abdullah al-Sarahin, 37, from Beit Oula village north of Hebron, a father of a child, died in the Negev Prison (Ansar 3) inside Israel. PCHR is concerned that he might have died as a result medical negligence and delay in offering him medical treatment. Al-Sarahin was suffering from a blood disease. His health condition deteriorated approximately a week ago, but the administration of the prison procrastinated his transfer to the hospital. On Tuesday morning, his health condition further deteriorated. 

Tomatoes, Gas, Coffee and their Stories

Kole Ellis Balata refugee camp 16 January 2007


Every single object carries significance that goes far beyond those things we would normally associate with them. Here, in occupied Palestine, life is hard. Objects tell stories just like the people do: constant, beating stories. Like fierce monsoons, they pelt at you, daring you to challenge their significance. And yet like individual raindrops in a monsoon, each story is but one of millions. Like raindrops, each story takes a slightly different shape, but they all carry the same “Made in Israel” pollutants. Life here in occupied Palestine is hard. Objects carry significance here that a visitor simply cannot imagine.