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Bethlehem, the "capital of Christmas," is dying

Chris McGreal Bethlehem 24 December 2002

“Rather than celebrating birth, Father Sabbara plans to reflect on death — particularly the sickening reality that, just as in Jesus’s time, children are being killed by forces indifferent to their age or innocence. The latest victim is an 11-year-old girl leaning out of a window to watch the funeral procession of another child.” The Guardian’s Chris MacGreal files a somber report from occupied Bethlehem. 

In Rafah, the children have grown so used to the sound of gunfire they can't sleep without it

Justin Huggler Rafah, Gaza Strip 23 December 2002

“WE WERE sitting in the Asfuls’ front room. Suddenly the two tanks at the end of the street opened up their machine-guns. The bullets were flying so close to the house we could see the tracer fire slapping straight past the windows. To leave without crossing the line of fire would be impossible. All we could do was sit and hope the bullets did not come through the window.” Justin Huggler writes in The Independent. 

No Longer Invisible: Arab and Muslim Exclusion After September 11

Louise Cainkar 23 December 2002

Unlike other ascribed and self-described “people of color” in the United States, Arabs are often hidden under the Caucasian label, if not forgotten altogether. But eleven months after September 11, 2001, the Arab-American is no longer invisible. Whether traveling, driving, working, walking through a neighborhood or sitting in their homes, Arabs in America — citizens and non-citizens — are now subject to special scrutiny in American society. The violence, discrimination, defamation and intolerance now faced by Arabs in American society has reached a level unparalleled in their over 100-year history in the US. For those engaged in activism within the United States, this article, by Louise Cainkar in the Fall 2002 edition of Middle East Report, provides essential context for their work. It is also an excellent resource for educators. 

Jewish professors keep divestment drive alive

Patrick Healy 22 December 2002

The national movement to pressure universities to pull their investments from Israel has been battered this year by critics who call it divisive and anti-Semitic. But it has shown remarkable staying power in large part because of an unusual group of supporters: Jewish professors. Hundreds of college professors nationwide have signed petitions calling for divestment from Israel, among them several dozen Jewish professors who call their signatures an act of political conscience. Patrick Healy reports for The Boston Globe 

"Gaza Strip" director to return student Academy Award to protest exclusion of Palestine

Ali Abunimah and Benjamin J Doherty 20 December 2002


James Longley, director of the acclaimed 2001 documentary “Gaza Strip” will return the prestigious Student Academy Award he received from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) unless the Academy explains why it has deemed Palestine ineligible to enter the Oscars competition. Read the story and the full interview with EI. 

Entering Palestine: Defying the Israeli courts

Jaggi Singh 20 December 2002

“Technically, I’ve disobeyed an Israeli high court ruling that allowed me to stay in Israel for seven days on the very specific condition that I not visit the Palestinian territories. To obey the ruling on not traveling to Palestine is to be complicit in the process of normalizing Israel’s occupation. It allows the occupying power to continue to dictate its rule over the occupied.” Jaggi Singh writes from Beit Sahour. 

Weekly report on human rights violations

Palestinian Center for Human Rights 20 December 2002


Israeli occupying forces have perpetrated more illegal actions and human rights violations against Palestinian civilians, including willful and extra-judicial killings, shelling of and incursions into Palestinian areas, house demolitions, and agricultural land leveling.  This week, 12 Palestinian civilians, including 2 children and a mentally handicapped young man, were killed by Israeli forces.