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The Achille Lauro hijacking: Selective memory does none of us justice

Daniel Jacob Quinn 17 April 2003


“The Achille Lauro is back in the news. Most of us know that a Palestinian, Mohammed Abu Abbas, is believed to have planned the 7 October 1985 hijacking of the Achille Lauro cruise ship. His group, the Palestinian Liberation Front, demanded that Israel free 50 Palestinian prisoners. An American Jewish passenger in a wheelchair, Leon Klinghoffer, was shot and thrown into the sea. While Abbas was not on board the ship, the hijacking, taking of hostages, and killing of Mr. Klinghoffer were heinous crimes for which he should be brought to justice.” Daniel Jacob Quinn writes about another, forgotten event that happened one week prior to the hijacking. 

Cases of imprisoned conscientious objectors before the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention

World Organisation Against Torture and International Federation for Human Rights 17 April 2003

The Observatory for the Protection of Human Rights Defenders (FIDH and OMCT joint venture) is very concerned with the imprisonment and trial before military courts of Israeli conscientious objectors. 

Palestinian prisoners' day

Palestinian Center for Human Rights 17 April 2003

Today, 17 April 2003, is Palestinian Prisoners’ Day. The number of Palestinian detainees increases as Israeli occupying forces continue to wage campaigns of arbitrary arrests and detentions against thousands of Palestinian civilians. Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails continue to be subject to wide-ranging violations of their rights and dignity. PCHR reiterates its call for Israel’s systematic violations of the rights of Palestinian prisoners to be stopped, and demands that Israel respect international human rights and humanitarian law on the rights of prisoners. 

US lone vote against human rights resolution on the occupied Arab territories

Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) 15 April 2003

The Commission on Human Rights adopted resolutions this morning calling for Israel to cease repressive measures in the occupied Syrian Golan; end human rights abuses and withdraw from Palestinian territories occupied since 1967; and halt the construction of settlements in the occupied Arab territories. The three measures, adopted by roll-call votes, were tabled under the Commission’s agenda item on the “question of the violation of human rights in the occupied Arab territories, including Palestine”. 

Behind the barrier: human rights violations resulting from Israel's construction of the wall

B'Tselem 15 April 2003


Today B’Tselem is publishing an updated position paper on the separation barrier being erected between the Green Line and the West Bank. The paper focuses on the planned route of the barrier and violations of human rights of the many Palestinians who live near the Green Line (Israel’s 1967 border) that will result from building the barrier within the West Bank. 

Israeli High Court considers use of flechette shells

Palestinian Center for Human Rights 15 April 2003


The Israeli High Court held a session on Sunday, 13 April 2003, to consider the case of the use of flechette anti-personnel shells by the Israeli army. PCHR and Physicians for Human Rights appealed to the court to issue a decision to absolutely prohibit the use of flechette shells by the Israeli army in its military operations. 

Parents of Tom Hurndall visit the site of his shooting

Tom Wallace 14 April 2003


“At 1:00 PM today Anthony and Jocelyn Hurndall made their way to Yebna, Rafah where their son Tom was shot on Friday, April 12, by an Israeli sniper. The entourage of two range rovers and a UN vehicle arrived at the ISM apartment where a throng of reporters and photographers awaited their arrival.” This update from Tom Wallace, International Solidarity Movement media contact in Beit Sahour, chronicles a family’s search for justice. 

Policing the academy

Joseph Massad 13 April 2003

Joseph Massad, in this contribution to EI, writes about an intense campaign by supporters of Israel against academics who criticize Israel and against academic freedom itself. While the pro-Israel lobby’s campaigns to discredit people who criticise Israel had decreased in relative terms after Oslo, they were revived after the failure of the Camp David talks and the eruption of the second Intifada. The lobby and its individual manifestations have become rabid in their campaigns of discrediting offenders to the point that they have become embarrassing to many Americans who support Israel.