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U.S. must probe death In Gaza

Stanley Heller 20 April 2003

“None of these people would have gotten hurt if they had minded their own business and closed their eyes to the shootings of Palestinians. Yet I’ve talked with ISM activists in New Haven who are certain that their work is vital. When they’re around, Israeli soldiers shoot less and the international news media pay more attention. That saves lives.” Stanley Heller of the New Haven, CT Middle East Crisis Committee sends a letter to the editor of his local paper. 

Weekly report on human rights violations

Palestinian Center for Human Rights 17 April 2003

This week Israeli occupying forces killed ten Palestinians, mostly civilians, including four in three extra-judicial executions. Israeli forces demolished six Palestinian homes in the southern Gaza Strip town of Rafah. Israeli forces conducted a series of incursions into Palestinian areas. Israeli forces continued to use Palestinian civilians as human shields in military operations. This week PCHR witnessed continued Israeli shelling of Palestinian residential areas. Israeli forces raided houses and arrested more Palestinians. 

The Achille Lauro hijacking: Selective memory does none of us justice

Daniel Jacob Quinn 17 April 2003


“The Achille Lauro is back in the news. Most of us know that a Palestinian, Mohammed Abu Abbas, is believed to have planned the 7 October 1985 hijacking of the Achille Lauro cruise ship. His group, the Palestinian Liberation Front, demanded that Israel free 50 Palestinian prisoners. An American Jewish passenger in a wheelchair, Leon Klinghoffer, was shot and thrown into the sea. While Abbas was not on board the ship, the hijacking, taking of hostages, and killing of Mr. Klinghoffer were heinous crimes for which he should be brought to justice.” Daniel Jacob Quinn writes about another, forgotten event that happened one week prior to the hijacking. 

Cases of imprisoned conscientious objectors before the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention

World Organisation Against Torture and International Federation for Human Rights 17 April 2003

The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders (FIDH and OMCT joint venture) is very concerned with the imprisonment and trial before military courts of Israeli conscientious objectors. 

Palestinian prisoners' day

Palestinian Center for Human Rights 17 April 2003

Today, 17 April 2003, is Palestinian Prisoners’ Day. The number of Palestinian detainees increases as Israeli occupying forces continue to wage campaigns of arbitrary arrests and detentions against thousands of Palestinian civilians. Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails continue to be subject to wide-ranging violations of their rights and dignity. PCHR reiterates its call for Israel’s systematic violations of the rights of Palestinian prisoners to be stopped, and demands that Israel respect international human rights and humanitarian law on the rights of prisoners. 

US lone vote against human rights resolution on the occupied Arab territories

Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) 15 April 2003

The Commission on Human Rights adopted resolutions this morning calling for Israel to cease repressive measures in the occupied Syrian Golan; end human rights abuses and withdraw from Palestinian territories occupied since 1967; and halt the construction of settlements in the occupied Arab territories. The three measures, adopted by roll-call votes, were tabled under the Commission’s agenda item on the “question of the violation of human rights in the occupied Arab territories, including Palestine”.