All Content

Two-day UN Seminar on Assistance to Palestinian people concludes its work

16 July 2003

A two-day United Nations Seminar on Assistance to the Palestinian People, which was organized by the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, today concluded its work after a thorough discussion on the prerequisites of Palestinian economic recovery and the role of the international community. 

Seminar on Assistance to Palestinian people holds panel on coping strategies for Palestinian economy

16 July 2003

A United Nations Seminar on Assistance to the Palestinian People this morning held a panel discussion on the theme “Looking Ahead: Coping Strategies for the Palestinian Economy”. Experts addressing the Seminar spoke about the Palestinian perspective of the economic recovery, prospects for a longer-term economic development, the economy of an independent Palestinian State, and of donor strategies and assistance coordination. 

Prominent Dutch women visit Israel and occupied Palestine

Arjan El Fassed 16 July 2003

EI’s Arjan El Fassed facilitated a mission of prominent Dutch women to Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories which took place between the 7th and 12th of July. The mission was organized by United Civilians for Peace, a joint initiative of six Dutch peace and development organisations who have been working with their Palestinian and Israeli counterparts for many years in the field of development, peace building and human rights. 

Special report on the West Bank security barrier

15 July 2003

UNRWA carried out field visits to examine the effects of the barrier on the livelihoods of local residents, with special emphasis on registered refugees. Most of the northern Green Line towns and villages accommodate refugee families. Certain villages, in particular - Atil, Baqa esh-Sharqiya, Barta’a esh-Sharqiya, Taibeh, Rumana and Zububa - contain significant, even majority, refugee populations. Qalqiliya town, contains 4,000 refugee families, the UNRWA hospital and other facilities, and will be hermetically sealed. 

UN Seminar on Assistance to Palestinian People holds panel on priorities for humanitarian and economic assistance

14 July 2003


A United Nations Seminar on Assistance to the Palestinian People this afternoon held a panel discussion on priorities for humanitarian and economic assistance for Palestinians with experts speaking of the need to support the Palestinian Authority’s budgetary needs, to restore essential services in the occupied territories, to rehabilitate the physical infrastructure and agricultural land, to reduce unemployment and poverty, to alleviate the plight of refugees through the support of UNRWA, and to boost the recovery of the private sector. 

Humiliating Arafat

Hasan Abu Nimah 16 July 2003


Mahmoud Abbas was chosen by the United States as an unelected, alternate Palestinian leader who could be bullied and bribed into doing what Yasir Arafat failed to do earlier. Abbas is now anxiously and willingly treading exactly the same path of surrender and obedience that Arafat trod before him. Except, in Abbas’ case, it will not take him as long to reach the same dead end in which Arafat finds himself. As Israel makes new threats against Arafat himself, regular EI contributor Hasan Abu Nimah explains why. 

Mabrouk

Toine van Teeffelen Bethlehem, Palestine 15 July 2003

Mabrouk (“blessings to you”) is an Arabic expression to congratulate people. You not only use it on occasions like a birthday but also when something new has been bought, like clothes, or in the case somebody has moved to another house. Saying mabrouk confirms that your interlocutor made the right choice. Arab culture has more of such customary expressions. They are not just polite ways of showing that you know the rules of address - like in the West - but they are said in an often quite enthusiastic and involved manner showing that the speaker has been alert and has detected something new or special. Toine van Teefelen writes from Bethlehem.