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Living in the Shadow of the Wall (Jenin District)

Ida Audeh 16 November 2003


Zububa village (population about 2,000) is located in the northernmost tip of the Jenin district. At least 70 trees were uprooted to make room for the wall, and in some places the wall is no more than 40 or 50 meters away from the closest house. The village has experienced gradual land confiscation since 1948, and villagers now fear that the rest of their land will be confiscated through the wall. Unemployment is high. As a result of the construction of the wall, villagers face environmental and water contamination. in addition, about 950 trees were uprooted and 250 dunums belonging to al-Taybeh village (population about 2,100) were destroyed when the wall was built, and about 250 dunums became inaccessible, for a total of 10% of village lands that were lost to the wall. Villagers no longer have access to the public services they once received from neighboring towns. An additional 25-meter-wide barbed wire barrier built around Al-Taybey, referred to as a “depth barrier,” further impedes Palestinian movement. Ida Audeh interviewed affected residents from both villages. 

Living in the Shadow of the Wall (Introduction)

Ida Audeh 16 November 2003


During its spring 2002 offensive to reoccupy territories under Palestinian Authority (PA) control, and as most of the West Bank was under round-the-clock curfew, Israel confiscated thousands of dunums of Palestinian land to build a wall. One year later, a 145-km-long segment of a much longer wall extends from the northern village of Zububa in the Jenin district to ‘Azzun ‘Atma in the Qalqilya district. Ida Audeh went to the West Bank in August for three weeks to visit family and to learn more about the effect of the wall on the lives of ordinary people and conducted a series of interviews with those affected. 

Fourth Committee reaffirms role of Palestine refugee agency, calls for maximum possible support

14 November 2003


Concluding its work for the current session, the Fourth Committee took action this morning on ten draft resolutions — approving five texts relating to the work of United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East and five on Israeli practices in territories occupied since 1967. The Committee’s action today follows its in-depth consideration of the report of UNRWA’s Commissioner-General on the Agency’s operations. 

For the life of Fatemeh

Nick Pretzlik Beer Sheva, Israel 16 November 2003


“Khashem Zeneh is not difficult to find. Just head out of Beer Sheva on the Dimona road, opposite the exclusively Jewish community of Moshav Nevatim, then turn right at the sign which reads “CEMETARY.” It sounds easy, but on the map, Khashem Zeneh does not exist. In 1965, a quick stroke of a Knesset pen created the phenomenon of “Unrecognised Villages”. Along with many other Bedouin communities in the Negev, it was made invisible to governmental planners and thus illegal in the eyes of the authorities.” Nick Pretzlik reports from the Negev. 

Israeli High Court approves the transfer of second Palestinian to the Gaza Strip

12 November 2003

On Wednesday morning, 12 November 2003, the Israeli High Court approved an Israeli military order to transfer a Palestinian detainee, Taha Tamadan Rateb Dwaik, a resident of Hebron, to the Gaza Strip for 2 years.  Dwaik is married and a father of 4 children.  Dwaik is the second detainee to have been transferred to the Gaza Strip this week. 

Panelists at odds over role of international law in Palestinian-Israeli peace efforts

13 November 2003

Despite their longstanding efforts to bring peace between Israelis and Palestinians, two experts clashed sharply over the role of international law in the peace process at an 11 November public forum entitled, “Peace and international law in Israel and Palestine: assessing the paths to peace.” The forum was part of the World Council of Churches’ (WCC) International Affairs and Advocacy Week in New York. Law professor Richard Falk asserted the importance of International Humanitarian Law, while former Knesset Member Avraam Burg downplayed the role of such legal documents in settling a conflict he portrayed as more rooted in clashing ideas of governance and history. Both panelists, however, decried religious intolerance and the use of violence against civilians. 

Israel recruited Dutch UN officers for espionage

Arjan El Fassed 12 November 2003


Between 1956 and 2003, Israel has recruited Dutch UN officers to spy in Syria, Jordan and Lebanon. This happened during the peaks of the Dutch-Israeli friendship. In its recruitment of Dutch officers for intelligence gathering, Israel regularly used blackmail. Arthur ten Cate, a researcher affiliated with the Dutch Institute for Military History in The Hague, recently published a book, in which he named two Israeli crimps and Dutch officers who were involved in intelligence gathering for Israel. EI’s Arjan El Fassed scanned the publication.