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Gunmen storm the Rafah Governorate and the Khan Yunis Municipality

21 February 2006


A group of twenty gunmen from the “Al-Yasir Brigades”, affiliated with Fatah, stormed the Rafah Governorate building in protest to the appointment of Zuhdi El-Qedra as the new governor of Rafah. El-Qedra, who is from Khan Yunis, was appointed to succeed Majied El-Agha, who was elected as a member of the Palestinian Legislative Council for the Khan Yunis district and represents Fatah. The gunmen requested Mahmoud Abbas to reconsider the appointment. Another armed group affiliated with Fatah stormed the Khan Yunis municipality building. This took place after the municipality had refused to provide the group with a bulldozer to level an area of land near the old Khan Yunis municipality butcher house, which the group intends to take over and turn into an outpost. 

As crises mount, EU's Solana sky high on travel perks

22 February 2006


EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana marked a breakthrough for his diplomatic efforts in the Middle East when he achieved Gold status in the British Airways Executive Club, a popular frequent flyer, program on Thursday, reports BNN Europe correspondent Agathe de Pauwer. As EU policy failures in the Middle East mount, Solana is racking up massive amounts of travel perks. A back-slapping chum of Israel’s leaders, Solana is also new member of the El Al frequent flyer program. “As Middle East tension mounts,” a giddy Solana said, “there is nothing to relieve the stress like a shiatswe massage and a facial scrub before a flight.” 

Punishing Hamas is punishing the Palestinian people

Hasan Abu Nimah 22 February 2006


Israel claims, as it did years ago with the PLO, that it will not negotiate with anyone who does not recognize its “right to exist”. But for the past five years, writes EI contributor Hasan Abu Nimah, the Fatah-led PA, which recognizes Israel and opposes armed struggle has begged Israel for negotiations to no avail. The implementation of the two-state solution has not been blocked by Hamas or its violence, or its reluctance to recognize signed agreements. The main obstacle is Israel’s placement of 400,000 settlers throughout the West Bank in a manner calculated to preclude an Israeli withdrawal. It’s time for the international community to recognize this and change its hypocritical approach. 

Israeli forces launched military attack on Nablus

21 February 2006


The city of Nablus and Balata refugee camp have been subject to a large-scale Israeli military operation for the past three days. Three Palestinians, including 2 children, have already been killed during these operations. Another 30 have been injured, some seriously. Severe restrictions on the movement of civilians have also been imposed. On Sunday, February 19th, Israeli forces, supported by armoured vehicles and helicopter gunships, moved into the city of Nablus and the nearby Balata refugee camp. Israeli forces went from house to house in the refugee camp. Over the course of the following two days, Israeli forces sent reinforcements into the city. 

"This House believes that Zionism is a danger to the Jewish people"

Ben White 20 February 2006


In a full chamber, the Cambridge Union last Thursday hosted the motion ‘This House believes that Zionism is a danger to the Jewish people”, an event labelled a “Jewish blood sport” by participant Ned Temko. The motion, which was carried by a small margin, was a good chance for Zionist apologists and their critics to showcase the best of their arguments. Brian Klug, speaking in favour of the motion alongside Israeli journalist Daphna Baram and Chair of Jews for Justice for Palestinians Richard Kuper, opened the proceedings. One of the recurrent themes of the evening were the repeated attempts to specify what this debate was not, with Klug pointing out that specific historical narratives, or potential future solutions, were not on the agenda. 

First Museum-quality Exhibition of Contemporary Palestinian Art to open in New York City on March 14th, 2006

20 February 2006


Made in Palestine is the first museum-quality exhibition devoted to the contemporary art of Palestine to be held in the United States. It is a survey of work spanning three generations of Palestinian artists who live in the West Bank, Gaza Strip, parts of Israel, Syria, Jordan, and the United States. “A rare opportunity to view contemporary art from Palestine… What these artists add to our minds’ images of destruction and despair from this troubled region is an underlying sense of consciousness,strength and hope, both in themselves and their people.” - ArtvsHouston Gallery Review 

Freedom Theatre to open in Jenin refugee camp

18 February 2006


Final preparations are under way for the opening of the Jenin refugee camp Freedom Theatre. The Freedom Theatre, inspired by activities initiated by Arna Mer-Khamis during the first Intifada, was established by residents of the Jenin refugee camp in cooperation with Palestinian activists and artists from Haifa and the Galilee, as well as activists from Sweden and Britain. The Freedom Theatre, a registered non-governmental organization, is planning on establishing within the near future a community-based cultural center that will house a large theatre, rehearsal rooms, a music studio, and a library. 

EI on WBEZ: Israel Should Recognize Moderate Hamas Rhetoric

17 February 2006


EI’s Ali Abunimah was a guest on today’s Worldview program on WBEZ, Chicago Public Radio to discuss Israel’s relationship with the newly democratically-elected Palestinian Authority, headed by Hamas. WBEZ is a community-supported, non-commercial public service broadcasting institution, broadcasting throughout Chicago and surrounding regions, reaching 600,000 listeners each week. 

British architects and planners boycott Israeli construction companies

16 February 2006


Last week, a group of sixty prominent British architects and planners has threatened to boycott the Israeli construction industry over the erection of the security fence and practices in the occupied territories. Following a meeting hosted at the offices of Lord Rogers, the architect behind the Millenium Dome and the Pompidou Centre in Paris, Architects and Planners for Justice in Palestine announced its plan to take action against Israel. The Foundation for Achieving Seamless Territory (F.A.S.T.) welcomes this call and sees it as a personal and professional responsibility to fully support this call and welcomes the discussion on the role of Israeli architects and planners in sustaining the Israeli colonization of Palestinian land. 

Final session of outgoing Palestinian legislators criticized

16 February 2006


The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights followed with great interest and concern the proceedings of the final session of the outgoing PLC, held on 13 February 2006. This session was held 5 days before the scheduled constitutional oath taking of the new PLC, and 18 days following the election of a new PLC, signaling the transfer of delegation by voters from the old to the new PLC. PCHR expresses astonishment by the passing of new laws and taking new decisions at this time, which raises doubts over the true motives behind the session. The timing of the session contradicts with customary traditions in democratic systems.