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MapQuest.com obscures status of occupied territories

Ira Glunts 23 September 2005


Recently, I was quite surprised to find that the map of Israel on the popular Internet site MapQuest presents the area of the West Bank, Gaza and the Golan Heights (Syrian Heights) as undifferentiated from Israel proper. In other words, as opposed to depicting Israel delineated by its internationally recognized borders, MapQuest displays the “Greater Israel,” which is the dream of many in the Israeli right wing.  The realization of this “Greater Israel,” of course, precludes any possibility of the Palestinian people realizing their national aspirations. 

The Palestinian 'Great Escape'

Rima Merriman 23 September 2005


It is only a matter of time before West Bankers start blasting holes in the wall Israel has built to contain them as though they were cattle. Right now, they seem to be satisfied with spraying graffiti on the wall and painting whimsical scenes of ladders and windows or representations of holes. On the Gaza Strip, in the fine tradition of great prison-escape movies, Hamas blasted a hole in the wall north of Rafah a few days ago to help people through. Islamic Jihad blasted a hole about a mile down the wall shortly after that. EI contributor Rima Merriman notes that Palestinians are refusing to read the lines Israel has written for them in a nightmarish script. 

Second Israeli High Court ruling Separation Wall

15 September 2005


The Supreme Court, in response to a petition submitted by ACRI, issued a precedent – setting ruling calling for the dismantling of an existing section of the barrier, and for the determination of an alternative route to lessen the impact on, and violation of, the rights of the resident Palestinian civilians. The petition was submitted on behalf of five villages that are currently trapped in an enclave created by the existing route of the barrier. In response to the petition: the Supreme Court ordered, for the first-time, the dismantling of a section of the separation barrier, and related to the legal relevance of the advisory opinion issued by the International court of Justice in The Hague. The ruling called for the dismantling of the section of the barrier surrounding the Alfei Menashe enclave. The resultant enclave, which was created by the route of the barrier, has a disastrous impact on the lives of its Palestinian residents and cuts them off from the rest of the West Bank, public services, and family ties. 

European Commission to support the Palestinians with 280 million Euro in 2005

19 September 2005


On the eve of the Quartet meeting (EU, US, UN and Russia) in New York on 20th September, the European Commission can announce that its allocation to the Palestinians in 2005 will be greater than foreseen, at around 280 million Euro. This package includes a substantial contribution to tackling the priorities identified by Quartet Special Envoy James Wolfensohn in the aftermath of the Israelis’ withdrawal from Gaza. A special 60 million allocation will help revive the Palestinian economy and create institutions capable of addressing the new responsibilities arising following disengagement. These efforts are designed to maintain the momentum created by Gaza withdrawal, and ensure that this important event leads on to full implementation of the Roadmap. 

Gaza access and infrastructure

18 September 2005


The withdrawal of Israeli forces from the Gaza Strip from the early hours of Monday 12 September 2005 has had an immediate and beneficial impact on the lives of the 1.4 million Gazan residents. The withdrawal of the IDF has resulted in the lifting of all internal closures within the Gaza Strip and has had a particular impact on the residents of the five Gaza enclaves: As Seafa, Al Mawasi, Al Ma’ani, Abu Nahia and Abu al Ajin. This report reviews the key changes to access that have occurred and a preliminary overview of the status of infrastructure. 

Barrier Route was Planned to Enable Settlement Expansion

15 September 2005


The expansion of settlements in the West Bank has been a primary consideration in setting the route of many sections of the Separation Barrier. This is the conclusion of a report released today by B’Tselem and Bimkom: Planners for Planning Rights, following this morning’s High Court decision regarding the Barrier around the settlement of Alfe Menashe. Under the Guise of Security proves that, contrary to the state’s claim that the Barrier’s route is based solely on security reasons, the main consideration in setting the route in some locations was to include on the “Israeli” side of the Barrier areas which are slated for settlements expansion. In some cases, the expansion amounts to the establishment of new settlements. 

Church of England: "No current grounds for disinvestment" from Caterpillar

19 September 2005


A robust and rigorous review of the Church of England’s shareholding in Caterpillar Inc – the US-based manufacturer of construction and mining equipment - has resulted in a decision by the Church’s Ethical Investment Advisory Group (EIAG) not to recommend disinvestment at this time. In May of this year, the EIAG committed itself to a period of consultation and engagement following representations made to it about the Church’s investment in Caterpillar. The Group was informed in its decision by the fact that there have been no sales for some years now, and this, together with possibilities in the present delicate political negotiations, made it the wrong time to recommend disinvestment. However, the EIAG was clear that, were sales to resume, the matter would have to be revisited. 

Gaza family's nightmare comes to an end

Yasser Abu Moailek Gaza, Palestine 19 September 2005


He was a happy man, gracefully making his way amid the guests who filled his living room, distributing smiles as well as juice, while sharing jokes and social talk, with a smile that would not leave his face. “Nafez Abu Nahyeh was reborn today,” whispered one of the guests, while pointing at their host, who took the center of a rustic couch with his four children, tickling the youngest and caressing the hair of the eldest. For more than three years the Abu Nahyehs were prisoners in their own home, after Israeli soldiers had commandeered their house, which is situated right next to the Jewish settlement Kfar Darom. 

Rafah: A new kind of tears in the rubble

Sami Abu Salem Rafah, Palestine 19 September 2005


For more than five minutes the grandmother of 19-year-old Khaled Al-Najjar has not stopped hugging or kissing him in the Salahiddine (Philadelphi) corridor on the Palestinian-Egyptian border. “I have not seen my grandson for 11 years. The Israelis prevented me from traveling to Egypt and prevented my grandson from entering Gaza,” said the crying grandmother. Khaled is a Palestinian resident of the Egyptian city of Al-Arish, with half of his family in Gaza and the other half in Egypt. The last time they met each other was in 1993. 

Israel plans buffer zone in the north of the Gaza Strip

19 September 2005


Israeli occupying forces have leveled areas of Palestinian land in the northeastern part of Beit Hanoun, a town in the northern Gaza Strip. They also placed sand and other construction raw materials nearly 200 meters inside the Gaza Strip territory. The affected areas of land belong to a number of Palestinian families and were razed by Israeli occupying forces during the past few years. Eyewitnesses saw barbed wire in the area, indicating that IOF plan to establish a separation fence along the border. Consequently, large areas of Palestinian land will be threatened with confiscation. A 500-meter-long section of fence was already established to the north of the former “Nissant” settlement and the Erez Industrial Zone during the implementation of the “Disengagement Plan” in the Gaza Strip.