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PCHR calls for transfer of registration of NGOs to PA Ministry of Justice to protect independence of Palestinian civilian society

28 August 2003

On 19 August 2003, the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) approved in a first reading a draft law submitted by the Palestinian Authority cabinet. This draft legislation included amendments to the Law of Charitable Societies and NGOs which provided that the authority to register and supervise such groups would be transferred to the Civil Work Affairs Bureau. 

PCHR calls upon the Palestinian Authority to cancel its decision to freeze funds of charitable societies

28 August 2003

PCHR is deeply concerned with regard to the latest measures taken by the Palestinian Monetary Fund against dozens of charitable societies and NGOs, including freezing their accounts in all banks inside the Occupied Palestinian Territories.  PCHR asserts that these measures violate human rights standards, and warns of the tragic consequences for thousands of poor Palestinian families which receive social, educational, health and relief services from these organisations.  

Weekly report on human rights violations

28 August 2003


This week, Israeli occupying forces escalated their illegal military actions in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT), causing more casualties among Palestinian civilians. PCHR is concerned that further escalation may take place, as Israeli officials stated that Israeli occupying forces would continue to target Palestinian activists. In flagrant disregard for the lives of Palestinian civilians, Israeli occupying forces committed more extra-judicial assassinations. They invaded the northern West Bank towns of Nablus and Jenin. 

Journalists find "calm" when only Palestinians die

Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting 22 August 2003


The deadly bus bombing in Jerusalem on August 19 was foreshadowed by a pair of suicide attacks a week earlier which killed two Israeli civilians. While U.S. media tended to portray these attacks as a return to violence after a relatively peaceful period, there were numerous killings in the weeks leading up to the suicide bombings that underscore the lack of evenhanded attention given to loss of life in the Israeli/Palestinian conflict. FAIR reports. 

Terror in Nablus

Kate Gillam Nablus, Palestine 26 August 2003

I just had the hardest day of my life. Let me start off by telling you that yesterday i had to get into Nablus while it was under curfew. I was with three Palestinians. I had a hard time getting here and, once in Nablus, I had to walk up to a tank and another armored vehicle and negotiate with them to let us through and they didn’t let the one male go past so he walked around. We eventually got around. 

Shebaa Farms: CNN and the US media encounter difficult terrain

Michael F. Brown 27 August 2003


During my formative years in North Carolina, my daddy used to say to me, “Son, you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink.” My father’s adage applies all too well to CNN. Over the past 16 months, Partners for Peace has repeatedly contacted CNN to explain that Shebaa Farms is not in Israel, but in occupied territory. Time and again, we have sent letters stating that the United Nations regards Shebaa Farms as Syrian while Hezbollah sees it as Lebanese. The one thing we know is that it is not Israeli. Michael Brown writes for EI. 

Largest demolition in years: Israel destroys entire commercial market in one day

21 August 2003


Marking the single largest demolition of buildings in years, the entire commercial area of Nazlat ‘Isa was today raised to the ground as some 15 bulldozers, accompanied by large numbers of military and border police, entered the community at 5:00 AM and destroyed over 100 shops and 5 homes. The market, which was previously targeted in January of this year with the destruction of 82 or close to , of its shops, has been the commercial center for the entire region. The bulldozers began the demolitions early in the morning and continued unabated until the late hours of the night. 

Israel issues demolition orders for the destruction of 18 Palestinian homes in Jerusalem

12 August 2003

The Jerusalem Center for Social & Economic Rights (JCSER) has revealed that demolition orders have been issued against eighteen Palestinian houses in Al-Ashqariyeh in Beit Hanina, north of Occupied Jerusalem, and delivered to the home-owners. High fines have been imposed on the owners, with the Israeli authorities citing ‘illegal’ construction.