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General Assembly debates question of Palestine (1/2)

29 November 2004


The General Assembly this afternoon began its consideration of the question of Palestine and the situation in the Middle East. Before the Assembly is the report of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, the report of the Secretary-General on the Peaceful Settlement of the Question of Palestine, the report of the Secretary-General on the situation in the Middle East, a draft resolution entitled Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, a draft resolution on the division for Palestinian Rights of the Secretariat, and a text, entitled Peaceful settlement of the question of Palestine. 

"The Pianist" of Palestine: Reflections on Israel's ubiquitous abuse

Omar Barghouti 1 December 2004


When I watched the Oscar-winning film The Pianist I had three distinct, uneasy reactions. I was not particularly impressed by the film, from a purely artistic angle; I was horrified by the film’s depiction of the dehumanization of Polish Jews and the impunity of the German occupiers; and I could not help but compare the Warsaw ghetto wall with Israel’s much more ominous wall caging 3.5 million Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza in fragmented, sprawling prisons. Many of the methods of collective and individual “punishment” meted out to Palestinian civilians at the hands of young, racist, often sadistic and ever impervious Israeli soldiers at the hundreds of checkpoints littering the occupied Palestinian territories are reminiscent of common Nazi practices against the Jews. 

The Wrath of the Jews

Liat Weingart 1 December 2004


I’m in the living room of a family friend. The subject changes from yoga to Israel-Palestine, and I tell her that I think Americans need to change their foreign policy towards Israel. She says, “in what way, so that the Arabs will throw the Jews into the sea?” It takes four minutes of back and forth for the conversation to degenerate. She finally says, “Look, what I have to say isn’t pretty, but I’m not afraid. I’m going to say it anyways. The Palestinians are nothing but vermin. They make trouble in every country they live in. Even the other Arab countries don’t want them.” 

Arafat's memory should strengthen Palestinian efforts to realize statehood, UN SG says at observance of international day of solidarity

29 November 2004


Yasser Arafat’s memory should serve as an inspiration to unite and strengthen the Palestinian people in their efforts to realize their national aspirations to statehood and self-determination through peaceful means, Secretary-General Kofi Annan told the Palestinian Rights Committee this morning as it observed the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People. As the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People- began its observance with a moment of silence in memory of the late President of the Palestinian Authority, the Secretary-General noted that the Palestinian people had endured a dismal existence of grinding poverty and dispossession. 

An American Visit to Bethlehem

Bernard Sabella Bethlehem, Palestine 29 November 2004


The other day a group of American university students visited Bethlehem University in Bethlehem of the nativity fame in the Palestinian Territories. They discussed with their Palestinian peer a number of issues, including mutual perceptions or misperceptions, the stand of the American Administrations on the Arab-Israeli conflict, the situation in Iraq and the upcoming presidential elections in Palestine. After the formal discussions were over, the American and Palestinian students intermingled, exchanged e-mail addresses and promised to keep on with their discussions. 

Hamas clarifies stand on election

Khalid Amayreh 22 November 2004


The resistance group Hamas might support an independent presidential candidate in the elections due on 9 January, according to a prominent leader in the West Bank. In an exclusive interview with Aljazeera.net, Hasan Yusuf said it would be futile and inexpedient for the movement to adopt a passive role in the elections. “This is a crucial phase of our national struggle, and taking a passive or indifferent stance towards the elections undermines the interests of both the Palestinian people and the Islamic movement,” he told Aljazeera.net on Saturday. Yusuf said it was only logical that Hamas would chose the best possible, or least disagreeable, candidate. 

UN committee concludes work with resolutions on Israeli practices in occupied territory

24 November 2004


Concluding its work for the current session, the Fourth Committee this afternoon took action on nine draft resolutions — approving four texts relating to the work of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) and five on Israeli practices in territories occupied since 1967. The Committee approved, by a vote of 154 in favour to 1 against (Israel) with 9 abstentions, a draft on assistance to Palestinian refugees, by which the Assembly would extend UNRWA’s mandate until June 2008, and call on all donors to make the most generous efforts possible to meet the Agency’s anticipated needs, including those mentioned in recent emergency appeals. 

Review: The Shouting Fence

Arjan El Fassed 29 November 2004


The Culture Park Westergasfabriek in Amsterdam provided a natural setting for an unique performance of The Shouting Fence. This musical expression of emotions about the Separation Wall built in the occupied Palestinian territories was performed by at least 1,500 voices. Between what resembles concrete parts of the wall and the audience in the middle, between a fence and barbed wires, on two sides of the arena two large groups of singers shout, sing and whisper. Shouting Fence is a vocal story of a community split in two. EI’s Arjan El Fassed went to the premiere in Amsterdam and reviews this unique musical event. 

Uncertain times

Atef Saad 25 November 2004


Many believe that no leader can ever take the place of Yasser Arafat or cross the red lines that he drew: East Jerusalem, the refugee issue, holding armed militias accountable or halting armed resistance under American or Israeli conditions. Palestinians are in agreement, however, that the passing of their legendary leader will leave behind major changes on the political scene and also influence the work of institutions. And even if the Palestinians - whether those in the Authority, official or national institutions or political parties and factions, were able to smoothly get past the first phase, the fact still remains that they all have many difficult and unpredictable challenges ahead. 

HRW: "Caterpillar Should Suspend Bulldozer Sales"

23 November 2004


Caterpillar Inc., the U.S.-based heavy-equipment company, should immediately suspend sales of its powerful D9 bulldozer to the Israeli army, Human Rights Watch said today. As Human Rights Watch documented in a recent report, the Israeli military uses the D9 as its primary weapon to raze Palestinian homes, destroy agriculture and shred roads in violation of the laws of war. “Caterpillar betrays its stated values when it sells bulldozers to Israel knowing that they are being used to illegally destroy Palestinian homes,” said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director at Human Rights Watch. “Until Israel stops these practices, Caterpillar’s continued sales will make the company complicit in human rights abuses.”