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UNESCO Mission reports on war damage to cultural heritage in Lebanon

18 September 2006



The most serious damage resulting from the conflict concerns the World Heritage site of Byblos, which was affected by the oil spill from the fuel tanks of the Jiyeh power plant, an ecological problem for a large area of the eastern Mediterranean, according to Mr Bouchenaki. He drew attention to the urgent need to clean, manually, the stones at the base of the port’s two Medieval towers and other sea-shore archaeological remains. He estimated that it would take 25 people eight to ten weeks to conduct the operation and said that they would undergo a one-week training period before starting. Mr Bouchenaki estimated the cost of the operation at some US$ 100,000. 

Dutch company involved in construction of the Separation Wall

Martin Siepermann 18 September 2006




Research undertaken by United Civilians for Peace, a Dutch NGO-platform dedicated to promoting justice and peace in Palestine and Israel, has revealed that Dutch company Lima Holding BV, in Spijkenisse, is involved in the construction of the illegal Wall that Israel is building in the occupied West Bank. Lima Holding, which operates in Israel under the Riwal brand name, provides mobile cranes for putting into place the up to 9-metres high concrete elements that make up the Wall. The exact scope and nature of the company’s involvement in the construction of the Wall is yet to be determined. 

Fishermen suffer naval restrictions

17 September 2006



As some Palestinian fishermen were heading towards the sea for their daily fishing trips, 25-year-old Shadi Bakr waited anxiously at the pier for a boat owner to hire him for the day. Bakr’s own boat was destroyed by the Israeli navy five weeks ago. “I used to have my own motorboat. Now, I work as a day fisherman after Israeli gunboats destroyed it recently,” Bakr said. “My boat was worth US $8,000, and I used to make $300 a week, but now I only make $3 or $4 a day, which is not enough even to buy bread and salt for my family,” he added. Bakr’s boat was a victim of Israeli restrictions on Palestinians fishing off the Gaza Strip coastline. 

War exacerbates Palestine refugee conditions

16 September 2006



While Lebanese southerners bore the brunt of casualties and destruction to infrastructure during the 34-day war between Israel and Hezbollah, the pre-existing vulnerability of Palestine refugees living in Lebanon has also been greatly exacerbated. “The main problems that the Palestinians have to cope with, particularly in the south, are socio-economic,” said Hoda Samra, spokesperson for the Beirut office of the UN agency for Palestine refugees. “Whatever affects the Lebanese affects the Palestinians, given that they are residing in this country. But the Palestinians also lack coping mechanisms. Any emergency affects them even more than other groups, as the Palestinians in Lebanon are vulnerable by definition,” she added. 

Intelligence general and bodyguards killed in Gaza internal violence

17 September 2006



PCHR’s preliminary investigation and eyewitness accounts indicate that at approximately 13:30 on Friday, 15 September 2006, General El-Tayeh and his four bodyguards were traveling in a grey Audi on Sea Street, near the house of Prime Minister Ismail Haniyya in Beach Camp. Gunmen traveling in a green Mitsubishi Magnum intercepted the General’s car and fired heavily at its occupants. Eyewitnesses indicate that the General’s driver lost control of the car, which then swerved to the right and hit the sidewalk. Three masked gunmen got out of the Mitsubishi Magnum and fired heavily at General El-Tayeh and his bodyguards from a distance of one meter, killing them all. 

PCHR Condemns Attacks on Palestinian Churches

17 September 2006



PCHR strongly condemns the series of attacks launched on a number of churches in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT), following a statement by Pope Benedic XVI lately reported by the media. This statement has been met by criticism all over the Islamic World. PCHR believes that such attacks on churches is an extension of the state if security chaos in the OPT, which requires the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) to intervene to stop them. According to investigations conducted by PCHR, six churches have been attacked by unknown persons in the past two days in Gaza City, Nablus, Tulkarm and Tubas. 

Gaza faces major food problems

15 September 2006



Palestinians face major difficulties in Gaza, including shortages of food and a crippled fishing industry because of the continued conflict with Israel, the United Nations food agency warned today, as it distributes aid to almost a quarter of a million of those most in need. “Gaza’s food security remains an issue of serious concern, the World Food Programme (WFP) says. Naval restrictions continue to block all boats from fishing off-shore, crippling the fishing industry,” UN spokesman Marie Okabe told reporters in New York. “Furthermore, Gaza’s agricultural markets continue to suffer from access restrictions. WFP is distributing food to 220,000 of the most vulnerable people. 

Irish academics call on EU to stop funding Israeli academic institutions

David Landy 16 September 2006



In a letter published in the Irish Times today, 61 Irish academics from a wide variety of disciplines called for a moratorium on EU support of Israeli academic institutions until Israel abides by UN resolutions and ends the occupation of Palestinian territories. While this letter does not call for a comprehensive boycott, it does demand that European academic institutions cease funding collaborative projects with Israeli institutions. It also calls for academics to refrain, where possible, from institutional collaboration with Israel. Such actions are to continue until Israel abides by international law, part of which is ending the occupation. 

Pro-Israeli editors seek to influence Al-Jazeera International English Satellite TV

Khalid Amayreh 15 September 2006



When the Qatar-based pan-Arab Al-Jazeera Satellite Television announced two years ago plans to launch Al-Jazeera International (AJI), many people around the world hoped the new satellite channel would provide a genuine alternative to the notoriously biased western media, which often operates under Zionist influence. The new channel, the launching of which has been postponed several times, will provide both regional and global perspective to a potential audience of hundreds of millions of English speakers. AJI has already attracted a number of luminaries in the world of TV broadcasting. 

Thousands in south lose income

14 September 2006



At the start of the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, Basma Restaurant in southern Lebanon was transformed into a place of refuge for those displaced by fighting, according to its owner Fadi Ali Basma. “We thought we were safe here, so we opened the restaurant doors to almost 100 people to take refuge while fighting and bombing raged further south,” Basma said. On 17 July, however, five days after fighting began, Israel carried out two air strikes on the restaurant, which lies between the southern port city of Tyre, 80km south of Beirut, and Bint Jbeil, a further 30km south-east of Tyre. One side of the building was destroyed.