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4th of July reflections from Palestine

Daniel Jacob Quinn East Jerusalem 12 July 2003

3 July 2003 — I arrived in Palestine two days ago with no problems or harrassment. It was a pleasant change from last year when I was interrogated by El Al security at New York’s Kennedy International for 1 hour and again for another hour by Israeli passport security at Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion International. This time, apart from a very bumpy trans-Atlantic flight, it all went very smoothly. Given the choice, I’ll take that kind of turbulence any day. Daniel Jacob Quinn writes from occupied Jerusalem. 

Camino Re'al and the Real Road in Palestine

Daniel Jacob Quinn East Jerusalem 11 July 2003

While talk of “The Roadmap” continues, what also continues are relentless attacks on Palestinian civilians who try to travel the real roads within Gaza and the West Bank. Strange how the natterings of diplomats are rarely informed by the cries of the people. It is reminiscent of Tennessee Williams’ brilliant play, Camino Real,in which we witness the depths of human despair through a nightmare vision of what our world may be coming to, and in some cases has already become. Daniel Jacob Quinn writes from occupied Jerusalem. 

Follow-up to June 26th article to AP

Nigel Parry 3 July 2003

Following a 26 June 2003 Associated Press article “Israelis Exonerated in Activist’s Death”, which would have been more honestly titled “Israel exonerates itself in activist’s death,” EI’s Nigel Parry wrote to AP International Editor Sally Jacobsen to protest the writer’s unjustifiable linking of the International Solidarity Movement with terrorism. This letter is a follow-up to first. To date (10 July 2003), neither letter has received a response. 

Israeli Army increases its chokehold on Hebron's Old City

Jerry Levin 10 July 2003


Since 1999, a spokesperson for the Hebron Rehabilitation Committee told CPT, the number of Palestinian residents in the Old City has shrunk from about 2,500 to 1,000. He added that, as a result of last week’s Israeli military order to cease all restoration work, some 400 workers have been laid off with no likelihood of their getting back to work soon or for long.. The process of seeking legal relief has begun, but the history of such actions is that in the long run the Palestinians lose. Jerry Levin writes from Hebron. 

Weekly report on human rights violations

10 July 2003


This week Israeli forces killed 2 Palestinian civilians in the West Bank, fired at Palestinian civilians from miltary checkpoints, conducted a series of incursions into Palestinian areas, razed agricultural land in the Gaza Strip, indiscriminately shelled Palestinian residential areas, arrested Palestinian civilians in the West Bank, and continued the siege on Palestinian communities. 

A story from the heart of Israel's secret prison

Mohammad Daraghmeh 9 July 2003


Despite spending a long time in prison (38 days of continuous torture), Bashar Joudallah (50 years old) from Nablus does not remember much from the place except black walls, or maybe grey, he doesn’t remember, a “modern” interrogation room and sounds of planes landing and taking off in a nearby place. Bashar did not know much about the prison he was in except after he was transferred to other prisons such as ‘Majido’ and ‘Ofer’, where he was detained for 3 months. Other detainees later explained to him that he was in one of the secret prisons located in distant areas, used to for interrogation with detainees with serious accusations. Mohammad Daraghmeh writes in Palestinian daily newspaper Al-Ayyam. 

Another six ISM activists arrested

10 July 2003


Six international peaceworkers participating in The ISM Freedom Summer in Palestine campaign were arrested this afternoon in the city of Nablus, on the West Bank. The group had removed 2 earthen roadblocks in the Nablus area and were working on removing the 3rd today. All 6 activists arrested by the Israeli military were handcuffed and transported by Israeli bus to Ariel police station. 

The holy war Israel wants

Jonathan Cook 11 July 2003


The inhabitants of Nazareth, Israel’s only Arab city, often talk of the ‘invisible occupation’: although they rarely see police — let alone soldiers — on their streets, they are held in a vise-like grip of Israeli control just as much as their ethnic kin in neighbouring Palestinian cities like Jenin and Nablus are. Last week, more than 500 heavily armed police officers stormed Nazareth’s city centre at dawn, arresting a handful of Muslim clerics and demolishing the foundations of a mosque that has been making headlines since a “holy tent” was first erected in 1998 at the site of the grave of Shihab ad-Deen, the nephew of Salah ad-Deen.” Jonathan Cook files an exclusive analysis for EI from Nazareth.