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Ain el Hilweh in the heart of Montreal

Ali Abunimah Montreal, Canada 8 December 2004


EI co-founder Ali Abunimah writes about a visit to a family of elderly Palestinians refugees who have been given sanctuary in a Montreal church for nearly a year, after the Canadian government ordered them deported: “What was so shocking and moving about the situation Ayoubs find themselves in, in their church basement room in Montreal, is how reminiscent it is of the conditions they fled in Ain el Hilweh refugee camp.” 

Rights group calls for appropriate mechanism to ensure impartiality counting Palestinian votes

7 December 2004


On 1 December 2004, President of the Palestinian Authority Rawhi Fattouh ratified amendments made to the process of preparing the final record of voters.  According to the amendments, article 15(1) of the law prescribes that “the record of voters being prepared in accordance with the law and the record of civil registration are the accredited records for the purpose of preparing the final electoral record to decide who has the right of voting and candidature to the Palestinian general elections and the elections of local councils..”  This step has been strongly criticized by a number of civil society organizations and active political parties. 

European Commission provides €7 million in humanitarian aid to the most vulnerable Palestinians

7 December 2004


The European Commission has allocated a further €7 million in humanitarian aid for people made vulnerable by the Middle East crisis. The aid will provide access to food, clean water and sanitation for the poorest Palestinians living on the West Bank and in the Gaza Strip. There is also a major funding component to help rehabilitate the shelters of thousands of Palestinian refugees in Jordan, Lebanon and Syria. The aid will be channelled through ECHO, the Commission’s humanitarian aid department. It brings the Commission’s humanitarian assistance to victims of the Middle East crisis to €37 million for 2004. 

Is Marwan Barghouti right to run?

Hasan Abu Nimah and Ali Abunimah 8 December 2004


Marwan Barghouti, the Palestinian resistance leader imprisoned by Israel, has caused an uproar by reversing his earlier decision not to run for president of the Palestinian Authority. His candidacy has provoked some very negative reactions that cast serious doubt on the sincerity of those who have long been calling on the Palestinians to speed up democratization and reform as a way to advance the peace process. EI contributor Hasan Abu Nimah and co-founder Ali Abunimah look at the dispute and examine why there is so much hostility from peace process professionals to Barghouti taking part in a free election. 

From Al Nakba to 'Anata: 56 Years of Home Demolitions

Jacob Pace West Bank 7 December 2004


“I never dreamed I would see my village,” she said as the wetness pooled in the corner of her eyes. “I never dreamed I would go back there.” And as I watched her choke back the tears, I couldn’t help my own. But I wasn’t as strong as the 16-year-old refugee girl that sat beside me and I had to reach up to wipe my eyes with the back of my hand. The young girl continued to tell us about her village. She explained that many of the homes there had been occupied by Israelis. Other homes had been demolished. A day after my visit to Ibdaa, I found myself in the village of ‘Anata in East Jerusalem watching an Israeli bulldozer tear down the home of a Palestinian family. 

The New York Times: Reality Bites

Zachary Wales 7 December 2004


Last week Zachary Wales read New York Times’ Greg Myre’s latest attempt to save Israel from itself. The article, titled, “Israeli TV Tackles War for Hearts and Minds,” described Israel’s new “reality” show, The Ambassador, in which multi-lingual Israeli youths are flown around the world vying for bragging rights in Israel’s propaganda campaign. The show’s most recent loser, Ofra Bin Nun, took her exit after trying to “make it clear that Israel has not taken anything from anyone” (her words). Myre wrote about a “reality” show while ignoring “reality” altogether. The Ambassador’s judge is a former Israeli military spokesperson — a burning bush of irony that Myre somehow misses. 

Miyasar's fear: The Aftermath

Shirabe Yamada Dheisheh refugee camp, Palestine 7 December 2004


Although the house is still standing, the engineers have declared it was too fragile and dangerous, as its foundation has severely been damaged in the explosion by the Israeli army last week.  Impact of the bombs left its fatal marks everywhere; cracks run through every surface, windows and doorframes are blown out, walls are crumbling. As people continue to empty the house for the second and final demolition, this time by workers of UNRWA, Shirabe Yamada spent countless days and nights for the last five years since she has become a close friend of the Hammash family —- rolling stuffed grape leaves with the mother and daughers, conversations on the rooftop over mint tea, laughers and tears. 

Mahmoud Darwish wins Prince Claus Award

1 December 2004


On Wednesday 1 December, this year’s Principal Prince Claus Award was presented to the Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish at the Royal Palace. Darwish has been granted this award for his powerful and world-famous poetry that depicts his life as an exile and his desire for his native country. The award reflects the Fund’s new focus on the positive results of asylum and migration.The other nine laureates will be presented with their awards in their own countries. Since 1997 the Prince Claus Awards have been presented annually by the Prince Claus Fund for Culture and Development to artists, thinkers and cultural organisations that are mainly located in Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean. 

Eighteen donors pledge nearly $90 million for UN Palestine refugee agency

6 December 2004


Eighteen donor countries pledged approximately $90 million for the 2005 budget of the UN refugee agency UNRWA, during this morning’s meeting of the General Assembly’s Ad Hoc Committee for Voluntary Contributions. Opening the meeting, Peter Tesch, speaking on behalf of General Assembly President Jean Ping, said it was tragic that UNRWA was still desperately needed some 55 years after the international community had attempted to find a just and lasting solution to the Palestinian situation. The Palestinian refugee population had swelled 500 per cent to some 400,000 since UNRWA’s inception. The Agency, however, remained considerably cash-strapped, and its staff worked under extremely difficult circumstances. 

Swedish election observers to Palestinian presidential elections

3 December 2004


The Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) has been instructed to recruit and train a maximum of 11 election observers, 7 of whom are to be short-term observers. The Swedish election observers will be part of the joint EU election observation mission. “Sweden supports democratic development in the Palestinian areas and we therefore consider it important to contribute election observers to the forthcoming presidential elections. Free and democratic elections in the Palestinian areas would be an important step forward in the Palestinian reform process and can contribute to better conditions for a resumption of the peace process,” says Carin Jämtin, Minister for International Development Cooperation.