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Five years of child rights abuses in Palestine

29 September 2005


Five years ago today, massive protests against the ongoing Israeli occupation erupted throughout the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT). Since that day in September 2000, the systematic and daily violations of the rights of Palestinians in general and of Palestinian children in particular, have intensified profoundly. Children too young to walk or speak have been shot dead, thousands have been injured, still more have looked on horrified as friends and family members have been killed, maimed, arrested, humiliated. Schools and homes have been demolished, hospitals destroyed. A vast array of discriminatory and illegal movement restrictions including closures, curfews, checkpoints and roadblocks have been imposed on the Palestinian residents of the OPT, plunging the Palestinian economy further and further into crisis. 

Israel's 'Sound' Terrorism

Yasser Abu Moailek 2 October 2005


It all started with an explosion on September 23, at a military rally for the militant Palestinian movement Hamas - its last before declaring an end to all weapon displays in the streets of Gaza. Hamas leaders blamed Israel for the explosion, arguing that it was a bombing by unmanned spy drones targeting leaders in the movement. However, PA officials said that the explosion had actually resulted from a malfunctioning makeshift ‘Qassam’ rocket. On the same night, HAMAS sent 30 rockets into the Israeli town of Sderot. Five Israelis were reported injured in the heaviest rocket attack in more than six months. The Israeli response was fierce. 

Sleeping in Gaza under roaring Israeli jets

Rami Almeghari Maghazi refugee camp, Gaza, Palestine 2 October 2005


Israeli jetfighters, mainly F-16s, continue to air-strike many areas in the ‘recently-evacuated’ Gaza Strip, in which several Palestinians have been killed, dozens others wounded, severe damages inflicted to buildings and a great deal of panic caused to men, women and children. “Suddenly, at 2:30am, in the early hours of Saturday 24, 2005, I woke up suddenly from my sleep, finding my three little kids, Ghadir (9), Rewan (6) and Fadi (4) , crying fearfully in my room, calling “Dad, Dad”. 

Governing Gaza: The role of Lebanon's armed Palestinians

Peter Muller 2 October 2005


Bethlehem — While average Palestinians celebrate Israel’s withdrawal in the streets of the Gaza Strip, the minds of ranking Palestinian leaders are distracted by the implications of this development. Understanding that the post-withdrawal situation in Gaza will greatly affect the future of negotiations, PA leaders have outlined curious plans to ensure success. Facing Hamas, an adversary that reputable security analysts predict could defeat PA security forces in a military confrontation, PA officials have posited the idea of transferring thousands of armed Palestinian refugees from Lebanon to the Gaza Strip. 

B'Nai Brith Attacks the Canada Palestine Film Festival...Again!

Paul Burrows 2 October 2005


In a press release dated September 28th, 2005, B’Nai Brith Canada claimed that the 2nd Annual Canada Palestine Film Festival, which opens today at Winnipeg’s prestigious Cinematheque theatre, is “about propaganda not art.” The implication, of course, is that defending the State of Israel — regardless of its behaviour — can be “objective” and “artistic,” whereas criticizing Israel’s actual human rights record, or portraying Palestinians as human beings with legitimate claims to self-determination, is by definition “propaganda,” or worse: anti-Semitism. 

Churches speak out on economic pressure as a tool for peace

Adri Nieuwhof 1 October 2005


During the first week of January 2004, Israeli minister of Justice Yosef Lapid warned his country about an international boycott. He told Israeli radio: “There is a very serious risk the World Court (International Court of Justice in the Hague) will rule against us …. and this is liable to prompt the General Assembly into imposing all sorts of sanctions against us”. Despite this, Israel has continued its occupation, including the construction of the Wall and expansion of the settlements in Occupied Palestinian territories. Lapid was right, the voice for economic pressure on Israel is becoming louder, especially from the churches. 

Israeli aircraft drop threatening leaflets on Gaza

1 October 2005


Gaza, Al-Watan, September 27, 2005 — Israeli warplanes last night dropped thousands of leaflets directed at residents of the Gaza Strip. This is the the text of the Israeli army statement:”To the residents of the northern Gaza Strip: The terrorist actions originating from your areas are forcing the Israel Defense Forces to respond harshly to those who are subjecting the citizens of the State of Israel to danger….We warn you of the danger of remaining in the areas which are being used to launch terrorist actions and we advise you to leave your homes. We are not responsible for the consequences if you ignore our warning.” 

Palestine's first Octoberfest in Taybeh

Maureen Clare Murphy 1 October 2005


There’s a first time for everything, and this weekend it was Palestine’s first Octoberfest-styled beer festival, held in Taybeh village. Excited local boy scouts and townspeople mixed with foreigners who had made the pilgrimage to the Biblical city of Ephraim, and the entertainment was geared towards all parties - children’s performances, live music, and, of course, Taybeh beer. Taybeh’s second claim to fame, apart from its visit by Jesus before he traveled to Jerusalem, is its brewery - the only one in Palestine, and one of only a handful in the Arab Middle East. 

Weekly report on human rights violations

29 September 2005


Five years since the beginning of the Intifada, Israeli occupation forces escalate attacks on Palestinian civilians and properties in the occupied Palestinian territories. This week, Israeli forces killed 8 Palestinians, four of them were extra-judicially executed in the Gaza Strip. Israel carried out 27 aerial attacks on Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip and launched dozens of mock aerial raids that frightened Palestinian civilians, in particular children and damaged their property. Israeli forces invaded a number of Palestinian towns in the West Bank, raiding homes and arrested 311 Palestinians, including three human rights defenders. 

Israeli forces kill three Palestinians in Jenin

29 September 2005


On Thursday at dawn, 29 September 2005, Israeli forces killed three Palestinians in two separate incidents in Jenin. Two of the victims were killed in Bourqin village, while the third was killed in the old town of Jenin. Israeli forces moved into Bourqin, west of Jenin. They surrounded a number of greenhouses. Soon, sounds of explosions and intense gunfire were heard in the area. They moved to the home of Yahia al Shalabi, forced the owner’s son Saher out and took him to the greenhouses and used him as a human shield. Medical teams found two bodies in the area. They were identified as Nidal Khallouf and Samer al Shalabi, Saher’s brother. They were hit by several bullets in the head and chest.