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Weekly report on human rights

Palestinian Center for Human Rights 20 March 2003

This week Israeli forces killed 27 Palestinians, including 7 children. In addition, an American peace activist killed by Israeli forces in Rafah. Israeli forces conducted a series of incursions into Palestinian areas, accompanied by indiscriminate shelling. Israeli forces continued to use Palestinian civilians as human shields. The Israeli retaliatory campaign continues against families of wanted Palestinians and those who allegedly have carried out armed attacks against Israeli targets. A number of Palestinians have been detained. The severe siege of the OPT has continued. 

Activist's memorial service disrupted

Chris McGreal 19 March 2003

Israeli forces fired teargas and stun grenades yesterday in an attempt to break up a memorial service for Rachel Corrie, the American peace activist killed by an army bulldozer in Gaza on Sunday. Witnesses including several dozen foreigners and Palestinian supporters say Israeli armoured vehicles tried to disperse the gathering at the spot in Rafah refugee camp where Ms Corrie was crushed to death. 

Planned House resolution to call for investigation into Rachel Corrie killing

Huwaida Arraf 19 March 2003

Congressman Brian Baird’s office arranged a press conference for the Corrie Family on the morning of 19 March 2003 on Capitol Hill, in which the congressman participated and announced his plan to introduce a resolution in Congress later this week. ISM coordinator Huwaida Arraf reports on the development. 

The Lilliputians are no longer tiny people

Tanya Reinhart 19 March 2003

It appears that all the Lilliputians managed to do so far is to delay the giant for a few months. But these months were crucial. Today the Lilliputians are no longer tiny people. It started with thousands of small organizations, scattered around the globe and communicating over the Internet - organizations which are connected by a shared sense that if things go on like this, the human race will destroy itself. Tanya Reinhart writes in Yediot Aharonot. 

"On the brink of..."

Suheir Hammad 19 March 2003

“This is not a poem. This is not a threat. / This is a promise. / God has a better imagination / than all of us combined and I do not / know what form retribution will take / but I have seen karma happen and it will / again, and when it does I will chant / the names of the innocent and I will stand / with those who have kept their hands clean of blood/ and their hearts clear of hate.” Poet Suheir Hammad offers an elegy for the life and work of Rachel Corrie. 

What a Week!

Sam Bahour al-Bireh 19 March 2003

IDF uses $10.2 million shopping center project under construction in Ramallah/Al-Bireh as temporary military base. Sam Bahour writes from Ramallah. 

Neither the living nor the dead

Benaz Somiry-Batrawi Columbia 19 March 2003

“The tragic death of American peace activist Rachel Corrie in Rafah refugee camp, killed when an Israeli bulldozer ran over her, came one day after millions of Americans demonstrated peacefully against war in Iraq, and only one day after I received similar tragic news from my family.” Benaz Somiry-Batrawi writes from Columbia, Missouri.