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Letter from Jenin

Annie Higgins Jenin, Palestine 26 February 2003


On the twenty-eighth of January, young men were letting out triumphant whoops and jumping up and down in a victory dance. Campaign headquarters in Tel Aviv? No, Faisal Street, a main artery in downtown Jenin. The Army snipers on the roof of a commercial building are congratulating one another on their ‘victory’ over an unarmed Palestinian policeman in civilian clothes, Rashad al-‘Arrabi, wearing no protective vest or helmet, and having no tank or airborne defense. Annie Higgins writes from Jenin. 

Snow-covered Rubble

Sam Bahour and Michael Dahan Ramallah, Jerusalem 26 February 2003

The snow will soon melt and the destroyed homes, bullet riddled walls, tank-rippled roads will re-appear, only to jog the collective memories of those Palestinians that remain the victims of this thirty-six year man- made tragedy called Israeli occupation. 

The case of Fareg Ibrahim: symptomatic of a slow process of ethnic cleansing

Shamai Leibowitz 14 April 2003


Almost a year ago, in May 2002, the Israeli Minister of Interior decided to deport Fareg Ibrahim, an Arab-Egyptian married to an Arab-Israeli woman, and father to a two-month-old baby, Camela. Since June 2002, Mr. Ibrahim has been held in custody, without being accused of any crime. has been held in custody, without being accused of any crime. The Tel Aviv District Court denied his requests to be released on bail. Usually, foreign residents, are interrogated and released on bail. However, Israeli judges decided to keep him in detention. 

On its second anniversary, the Electronic Intifada looks ahead

The Electronic Intifada 27 February 2003


Above: The Electronic Intifada team “These are crucial days, days that will determine the trajectory of the Middle East’s future in profound ways. More than regimes will be changed in the coming months. Life chances of the region’s most vulnerable—women, children, and the elderly—will certainly change for the worse. We, in response, must change our tactics and increase our efforts to safeguard human rights and uphold international law. EI and affiliated websites will be part of that change.” As EI marks its second anniversary, its founders look back at past successes, but mostly ahead at pressing challenges. 

"The news from Palestine is so bad, it makes me want to be there"

Nick Pretzlik London, United Kingdom 25 February 2003

“Seasoned with announcements of house demolitions and human rights abuses, the news is doubly hard to read from London. I know from my experience in Palestine that reports which reach the media represent only the tip of the iceberg of catastrophes visited on the Palestinians. It was easier for me by far to be on the spot, to be immersed in events.” Nick Pretzlik reflects on his recent visit to Palestine and the steadfastness of those living under occupation. 

Nablus: "Do you hear me?"

Amer Abdelhadi Nablus, Palestine 24 February 2003

Due to the fact that the world is busy with the American war against the Middle East for no other reason other than to dominate the area, I thought I should enlighten those who have been making one excuse after another for Israel, which is lead by the so-called “a man of peace” by US President George Bush. “Do you hear me?” asks Amer Abdelhadi. 

Immediate threat of 'transfer' of Daba'a due to Israel's apartheid wall

The Palestinian Environment NGO Network (PENGON) 24 February 2003

The Daba’a Municipality has yesterday for the first time
this week been able to access village lands near the village residential area, where they found some 250 explosives, placed some 3 meters deep, that will be used to clear the rocky landscape in the area to make way for Israel’s apartheid wall. The explosives are located an average of 50 meters away from the village’s residential area, and whose blasts will cause the complete damage of a number of homes and partial damage to others, says the Palestinian environmental network PENGON. 

Israel commences plans and war crimes prior to expected war on Iraq

Al Mezan Center For Human Rights and Al-Haq 24 February 2003

Israel’s acts during the last 55 days constitute alarming indications of the possible situation should a war with Iraq be initiated in the region, warn human rights organizations Al Mezan and Al-Haq.  There is fear that the OPT may witness an unprecedented increase in human rights violations.