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Our humanity hangs in the balance

Carel Moiseiwitsch, Gordon Murray and Drew Penland 9 May 2003

“We recently returned from the Occupied Territories of the West Bank and Gaza where we volunteered with the International Solidarity Movement (ISM). Upon returning to Vancouver, we were shocked by the disconnection between our experience of Palestine and its portrayal in the Canadian media. The media must support the search for shared truths and not merely reiterate the formulas of fundamentalist ideologues — on either side of the Mideast conflict — that serve a single interest. All of us are responsible for helping find a humane solution. To be silent is to be complicit in the ongoing oppression.” Three recent Canadian ISM members share their thoughts and concerns in the Winnipeg Free Press. 

Gaza visitors must sign waiver in case army shoots them

Chris McGreal 9 May 2003

The Israeli military yesterday began obliging foreigners entering the Gaza Strip to sign waivers absolving the army from responsibility if it shoots them. Visitors must also declare that
they are not peace activists. The move came hours before an autopsy on James Miller - the British cameraman killed in a Gaza refugee camp - confirmed that he was almost certainly killed by an Israeli soldier, despite the army’s assertions to the contrary. Yesterday, the British government demanded an Israeli military police criminal investigation into Miller’s death and the shooting of another Briton by the army in Gaza, Tom Hurndall, a peace activist. Chris McGreal reports for The Guardian. 

Israel raids offices of International Solidarity Movement

9 May 2003


Israeli forces raided the ISM office this morning, confiscating equipment and material and snatching three women. Dozens of soldiers, border police and civilian police officers raided the ISM office, confiscating all computers, not only in the ISM office but in the nearby office of the Palestinian Centre for Rapprochement. Files, CDs, and photos were all pillaged, while soldiers broke equipment and damaged office space. Israeli forces kidnapped Palestinian volunteer, Fida, American volunteer, Flo, and a worker with Human Rights Watch visiting the office. 

Roadmap fails rights test

Human Rights Watch 9 May 2003

The “roadmap” for ending Israeli-Palestinian violence will fail unless it includes basic human rights safeguards, Human Rights Watch warned today, on the eve of U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell’s visit to Israel and the Occupied Territories. 

Weekly report on human rights violations

Palestinian Center for Human Rights 7 May 2003

This week, Israeli forces killed 19 Palestinians, including 5 children. Most of them, including three brothers and a toddler, were killed during the Israeli raid on the Shojaeya neighborhood in Gaza. One of the victims was run down by Israeli forces in Tulkarm. In Rafah, Israeli forces shot and killed a British journalist. Israeli forces conducted raids on Palestinian areas, accompanied by indiscriminate shelling, and demolished 18 homes in Rafah. In Khan Younis large areas of Palestinian agricultural land were razed. This week, more Palestinians were arbitrarily detained and Israeli forces continue to use Palestinian civilians as human shields. Israel continued its tight siege on Palestinian communities. 

Text of new IDF declaration to be signed by foreign nationals entering Gaza

The Electronic Intifada 8 May 2003

The Electronic Intifada has obtained the text of a document distributed by the Israeli military to foreign diplomatic representatives. The document is entitled “Form to be filled out and submitted to IDF authorities prior to entry to the Gaza Strip” and is aimed at excluding foreign peace activists from undertaking nonviolent direct action against Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip.