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From Aqaba to Sharm: Fake Peace Festivals

Tanya Reinhart 11 February 2005


The Sharm El-Sheikh summit of Sharon and Abbas is hailed in the Western media as the opening of a new era. This is the climax of a wave of optimism that has been generated since the death of Arafat. In the last four years, the Israeli leadership singled Arafat out as the main obstacle for peace. Adopting the Israeli perspective, the media world believes that his departure would enable a renewal of the peace process. This, in the media world, is coupled with the faith that Israel is finally led by a man of peace. Sharon, who might have had some problems in the past, so the story goes, has changed his skin, and now he is leading Israel to painful concessions. Tanya Reinhart comments. 

The Sharm El-Sheikh Summit: An interview with Saleh Abdel Jawad

11 February 2005


“Abbas is serious, he is committed to what he says, and I think the ball is now mainly in the Israeli court. Abbas is still obliged to do certain things on the Palestinian side: he has to apply the ceasefire fully and control the situation. The Israelis have to get to, at least, the pre-September 28, 2000 situation. Then we can maybe move on the roadmap.” This week Palestine Report Online interviews Saleh Abdel Jawad, professor of political science at Birzeit University, on the Sharm Al Sheikh summit. 

Weekly report on human rights violations

10 February 2005


Despite ongoing understandings between the Israeli and Palestinian sides on a ceasefire, Israeli occupation forces (IOF) have launched more attacks against Palestinian civilians in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT).  This week, 4 Palestinian civilians, including a child, were killed by IOF.  Human rights violations perpetrated by IOF included incursions into Palestinian areas, indiscriminate shelling and total closure imposed on Palestinian communities. IOF have also continued to construct the annexation wall inside the West Bank territory. 

Prison experience as a normal part of life

Ray Smith 10 February 2005


According to the International Red Cross (ICRC), approximately 8,500 inhabitants of the occupied Palestinian territories — among them more than a hundred women and almost 500 children — sit for “security reasons” in Israeli jails. ICRC found in a 1999 survey that almost half of all men below 40 years have been in Israeli prisons, many of them several times. Prison experience is no exception out here, it’s the norm. In the following interview, a recently released prisoner from Balata Refugee Camp in Nablus — the largest camp in the occupied West Bank — talks about his experiences and the difficulties that one faces during and after imprisonment. 

Jewish Voice for Peace welcomes cease fire, calls for more action to end all forms of violence

9 February 2005


Jewish Voice for Peace, one of the country’s largest and oldest grassroots Jewish peace organizations, applauds the announcement of a cease-fire between Israel and the Palestinians. At the same time, the group says that such quiet can not be sustained without substantial moves toward ending Israel’s occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip.  Mitchell Plitnick, JVP’s Director of Education and Policy, said, “It’s wonderful that both sides have pledged to stop bombings and shootings. But as long as other forms of violence continue, the cease-fire will be short-lived.” 

Sharon and Abbas Hold Summit, Call For End of Violence

Amy Goodman 8 February 2005


In the first Israeli-Palestinian summit in four years, Israeli Prime Minister Gen. Ariel Sharon and Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas verbally agreed today to end four years of fighting. Since the intifada began in September 2000, about 3,600 Palestinians and 1,050 Israelis have been killed in fighting. Israeli and Palestinian leaders are expected to announce a cease-fire deal today to end more than four years of bloodshed which has claimed over 4,000 lives. Hussein Ibish joins us in our DC studio. He is a Senior Fellow at the American Task Force on Palestine and on the line from Chicago we are joined by Ali Abunimah, founder of the Electronic Intifada. 

Amandla Ngawethu! South Africa and Palestine compared

Jeff Handmaker, Bangani Ngeleza and Adri Nieuwhof 8 February 2005


Sometimes the relevance of making comparisons between the liberation movements in South Africa and Palestine is questioned. Jeff Handmaker, Adri Nieuwhof and Bangani Ngeleza argue that, while the situations are by no means identical, sufficient similarities exist for Palestinians and their solidarity counterparts to draw relevant experiences and strategies that helped form the conditions for peace negotiations in South Africa. It is the massive land dispossession and disproportionate situation that has existed both for black South Africans and for Palestinians, reinforced by policies and actions designed to destroy their dignity, which have formed the primary motivators in both liberation struggles. 

Palestinian election success auspicious, but situation remains fragile, says Kofi Annan

7 February 2005


The year had begun auspiciously with the success of the Palestinian presidential election, but the situation still remained fragile, the Secretary-General of the United Nations said this morning at the opening of 2005 session of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian people. Now it was important to encourage the parties to deepen their political dialogue and match their positive words with action on the ground. Mr. Annan urged all Member States to help the parties meet their commitments and strengthen their cooperation, so that the opportunity for progress towards peace now at hand was firmly grasped. The United Nations would continue to work with its partners for a comprehensive, just and lasting peace. 

Audio: Ali Abunimah speaks in Pittsburgh

4 February 2005


EI co-founder Ali Abunimah gave a lecture at the University of Pittsburgh. His appearance at Carnegie Mellon University was picketed by about a dozen pro-Israel students, most of whom went in to hear his lecture. He talks about the latest developments in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. What is the significance of the election of Mahmoud Abbas and of Israel’s plan to “disengage” from Gaza? What are the latest developments on the ground in the occupied territories? Has the two-state solution failed and should we be seeking a single state as a way to fulfil the rights and aspirations of Israelis and Palestinians? 

Is Hamas going mainstream?

Khalid Amayreh 1 February 2005


Despite Israel’s efforts to destroy Hamas, including assassination of most of its top leaders, the resistance movement was able to emerge victorious in local elections held in 10 Gaza towns and villages last week. With a Hamas’ victory in Gaza’s local elections, and its earlier good performance in the West Bank local elections on 23 December, it is likely the movement will be encouraged to participate fully in July’s legislative elections. It remains unclear if the strengthening of Hamas through the ballot boxes will push the movement towards more moderation, as some observers have suggested. Khalid Amayreh reports from the West Bank.