24 June 2008
BEIRUT (IRIN) - As the UN’s agency for Palestine refugees UNRWA appeals for US$445 million for three years of reconstruction and recovery in and around Lebanon’s Nahr al-Bared refugee camp, a mixed picture of aid agency coordination has emerged from interviews with key players. Read more about UNRWA's Nahr al-Bared appeal leaves out Palestinian participation
26 June 2008
StandWithUs is a Zionist advocacy group in Los Angeles. It concentrates on US colleges and universities, offering fellowships, book donations, lectures, training and hands-on activism. EI contributor Jim Holstun analyzes the problematic writing one of StandWithUs’ most energetic speakers, Nonie Darwish, billed as “a Muslim Shahid’s Daughter.” Read more about Nonie Darwish and the al-Bureij massacre
24 June 2008
This week on Crossing The Line: Since the Israeli siege on Gaza began in June 2007, 184 critical care patients have died waiting for travel permits from Israel to leave the Gaza Strip and receive urgent medical treatment. Hospitals in the Gaza Strip are facing acute shortages of medical equipment and supplies, as well as important medicines such as drugs to treat cancer patients, insulin and anesthesia. Crossing The Line contributing producer and investigative journalist Nora Barrows-Friedman speaks to host Naji Ali on the crisis facing Gaza’s hospitals. Read more about Crossing the Line focuses on Gaza's hospitals
24 June 2008
BEIRUT (IRIN) - Loud screams break the quiet of a Beirut neighborhood in the early hours of Sunday 15 June: It’s Angelique, a 26-year-old domestic worker from Congo, crying for the police as she runs to the balcony. From inside the apartment, a man’s voice yells her name, swearing in Arabic and French. There are the sounds of fists and slaps and more screams, before all falls silent. Read more about Few rights, low pay for 200,000 migrant domestic workers
24 June 2008
11:00am, Thursday, 19 June. The tahdiya (or “lull”) between Hamas and Israel started just hours ago at 6:00 this morning. At Sofa Crossing, in the south eastern Gaza Strip, it looks like business as usual for the Gazan drivers who are patiently waiting to collect their cargo so they can start distributing across the Gaza Strip. Read more about Drivers at Sofa crossing wait in hope
24 June 2008
USH GHRAB, West Bank (IPS) - East of Beit Sahour in Ush Ghrab, the tree line stops and the bronze, rocky desert begins. In a flat clearing on this hilltop, a small, abandoned military post is being slowly transformed from an assorted collection of cement-grey barracks into a virtual oasis for the region’s children, families and tourists. Read more about Beit Sahour reclaims military base site
25 June 2008
After the announcement of the Israeli government to put out new tenders for construction in illegal settlements in East Jerusalem, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon issued a statement expressing his deep concern, stating that “the government of Israel’s continued construction in settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory is contrary to international law and to its commitments under the Road Map and the Annapolis process.” Read more about Israel, EU and the US disregard international law
23 June 2008
BEIRUT (IRIN) - Of the 10 million refugees worldwide, half are children, estimates UK-based World Vision — children who will grow up as a “lost generation” unless more is done to address their needs. “To preserve the young generation growing up today, we need to shield children from violence, enhance humanitarian access and provide more resources targeted to children’s specific needs,” World Vision said in a report highlighting the plight of Iraqi refugee children in Jordan, released to coincide with 20 June, World Refugee Day. Read more about "Lost generation" of Iraqi refugee children in Lebanon
Gaza Strip 23 June 2008
Based on the reactions of Palestinians across all levels of society to the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Palestinian factions in Gaza, the possibility of sustaining the truce appears doubtful. On the streets of Gaza City, interviews with a number of residents revealed a mixture of pessimism and optimism. EI correspondent Rami Almeghari reports from occupied Gaza. Read more about Gaza ceasefire between success and failure
23 June 2008
The following press release was issued on 19 June 2008 by Adalah-NY, an ad-hoc coalition for justice in the Middle East: A senior advisor to UNICEF’s Director said in a letter today that UNICEF (the United Nations Children’s fund) will reject all partnerships with, or financial support from, Israeli billionaire Lev Leviev. Leviev had previously provided UNICEF with support by sponsoring fundraising events in France. Leviev’s past support for UNICEF is featured in a number of places on his company’s website. Read more about UN children's agency rejects support from Israeli settlement financier