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EI EXCLUSIVE: Palestinian population exceeds Jewish population says U.S. government

Michael F. Brown, Ali Abunimah and Nigel Parry 1 March 2005


The population of Palestinians living in Israel, the Occupied Gaza Strip, Occupied East Jerusalem and rest of the Occupied West Bank combined now exceeds the number of Israeli Jews, a U.S. government report has revealed. The Palestinian population stands at more than 5.3 million while the Jewish population stands at 5.2 million. The figures come from the U.S. State Department’s annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2004. The report provided population figures for each of these territorial units separately but failed to connect all the dots to arrive at the explosive new demographic reality. 

Ayoub family's appeal against deportation from Canada accepted

1 March 2005


Montreal, Monday, February 27th, 2005 — After taking sanctuary at the Notre-Dame-de-Grâce church in Montreal more than one-year ago, the Ayoub family - Khalil Ayoub, 67, Nabih Ayoub, 69 and Thérèse Boulos Haddad, 62 - have won their battle to remain in Canada. In the context of this concrete victory, the Coalition Against the Deportation of Palestinian Refugees stresses the importance of continuing to build public support and solidarity with ongoing struggle of more-than 100 Palestinian refugees, who continue to face deportation from Canada. The Ayoub family’s victory brings a sense of hope and inspiration to the ongoing struggle. 

UNRWA presents $1.1 billion plan to donors

28 February 2005


The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees today presented a blueprint to a better future for four million Palestine refugees to the international donor community in Geneva. The Agency is requesting an additional US$1.1 billion over the next five years to allow it to improve the life chances of the refugees and enhance the ir ability to support themselves. UNRWA’s Medium Term Plan (MTP) is the product of many months of dialogue between the Agency and the donor community and has been influenced by the recommendations of a major conference held in Geneva in June 2004 to examine the future of humanitarian assistance to the Palestine refugees. 

Brian Avery's day in Israel's Supreme Court

Lisa Nessan 28 February 2005


On 5 April 2003, in the West Bank city of Jenin, Israeli troops fired at Brian and another ISM volunteer from an armored personnel carrier (APC). They were standing still, wearing bright red medic vests with their hands over their heads, when soldiers opened fire without any warning shots. Brian suffered serious damage to the entire left side of his face, jaw, mouth, teeth, nose, and eyes. He has undergone more than six reconstructive surgeries totaling over $1,000,000 in medical expenses. Two years later, Brian has returned to Israel to demand a criminal investigation be opened into the shooting, after an internal military inquiry found that the incident in which Brian was shot, never occurred. 

The Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs (and War)

Bob Feldman 1 March 2005


Most people in the U.S. now realize that Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs (JINSA) board member James Woolsey’s pre-war talk about the Iraqi government’s alleged hidden “nuclear weapons equipment” and “biological weapons laboratories” was inaccurate.  Yet the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs role as a pro-war pressure group with an annual budget of $2.5 million, is rarely mentioned by the U.S. media. Since 1982, at least twelve trips to Israel have been sponsored  by the Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs for retired Pentagon admirals and generals who are connected to the American security establishment.  

Weekly report on human rights violations

24 February 2005


A Palestinian civilian died from a previous injury he had sustained by IOF; Continued shelling of residential areas in the Gaza Strip; 3 Palestinian civilians, including a child, were seriously injured; Construction of the “annexation wall” in the West Bank has continued and more areas of Palestinian land were confiscated for this purpose; IOF conducted a series of incursions into Palestinian areas; Houses were raided and a number of Palestinian civilians were arrested; Israeli settlers have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property in the West Bank; IOF have continued to impose a total siege on the OPT; IOF have continued to close a number of roads since the beginning of the current Intifada, IOF have continued to impose severe restrictions at Rafah International Crossing Point, and IOF positioned at checkpoints arrested a number of Palestinian civilians. 

Lessons from the struggle against Apartheid

Sietse Bosgra 28 February 2005


Following the recent meetings between the Palestinian and Israeli authorities, the struggle for an independent Palestinian state will probably move to the political and diplomatic front. In this new phase, the role of the international community will be of utmost importance for a successful outcome. Therefore, there exists an urgent task for Palestinian NGOs and leaders to capture world support for the Palestinian cause. Sietse Bosgra considers international opinion of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, the importance of international solidarity movements and the need for more mobilised activism through the Western media. 

Donations to Palestine refugees pass $500 million in 2004

24 February 2005


The international community underlined its ongoing commitment to the plight of the Palestine refugees during 2004 when donor contributions to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) topped US$502 million, the largest amount ever donated to the Agency in one year in its 55-year history. A total of US$368,022,307 was donated to the Agency’s cash and in-kind budget for its regular health, education, relief and social services and micro-credit programmes across its five fields of operations. A further US$23,026,843 was donated to projects in the five fields, such as rehabilitation of the homes of the very poor and the building of badly needed classrooms in the Agency’s crowded schools. 

Darfur, another failure of the international community

Arjan El Fassed al-Fasher, Sudan 27 February 2005


Though the Security Council has “primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security,” it has not been able to address and resolve a number of conflicts, including the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the conflict in Darfur. No party in these crises has taken adequate measures to ensure the cessation of violence against civilians in spite of the many assurances made. Over 20 months since they were burned out of their villages and after numerous promises from the Government of Sudan and world leaders, people’s lives are still under daily threat. EI’s Arjan El Fassed recently visited various camps and towns in Darfur. 

Did you say the Israelis are withdrawing?

Y. Khellef Bethlehem 27 February 2005


Since the Sharm El Sheikh summit things have significantly improved in the Palestinian territories. The Army has stopped its incursions in Palestinian towns, Palestinian civilians are free to move, prisoners are about to be released and economic activity is slowly recovering… At least this is the information that most western media is conveying to its people. The situation on the ground is unfortunately completely different. The Separation Wall is being completed faster than ever, all the military check points are still in place, the Palestinian detainees are still under Israeli custody and daily life is still hell for all Palestinians.