Today, 15 April 2007, Adalah together with the Palestinian Center for Human Rights (Gaza) and Al-Haq (West Bank) filed a petition to the Supreme Court of Israel demanding the opening of criminal investigations into the killing of civilians and extensive home demolitions which resulted from two military operations in Gaza — “Operation Rainbow” (18-24 May 2004) and “Operation Days of Penitence” (30 September-15 October 2004). Read more about Human rights groups petition for investigations into 2004 Rafah killings
Research Journalism Initiative and a-films14 April 2007
The Fourth Geneva Convention states that “The presence of a protected person may not be used to render certain points or areas immune from military operations” and in 2005 the Israeli High Court ruled that “You cannot exploit the civilian population for the army’s military needs, and you cannot force them to collaborate with the army.” However, this video shot in Balata Refugee Camp on 11 April 2007 makes it clear that Israeli occupation forces are still employing this illegal tactic, placing the Palestinian civilian population at great risk. Read more about Video: Youth Used as Human Shields in Balata Camp
The state of insecurity saw a serious escalation recently as the mysterious kidnapping of British journalist, Alan Johnston, continues despite the condemnations and pressure exerted by fellow journalists and civil society activists. Killings, kidnappings and other breaches of the law continued in Gaza. According to Al Mezan’s documentation in Gaza, 152 persons have been killed since the beginning of 2007; among them are ten children. Four have been killed during the first ten days of April. Additionally, 988 persons were wounded; among whom are 68 children. Read more about State of insecurity escalates; BBC's Johnston remains kidnapped
DHEISHEHREFUGEECAMP, Occupied West Bank, Apr 10 (IPS) - Mohammed Mahsiri, a resident of Dheisheh refugee camp in the occupied West Bank, sits in a crowded cafe, a red kuffiyeh wrapped around his neck and an iconic portrait of Che Guevara emblazoned on his black t-shirt. About a year and a half ago, he tells IPS, he and his friend were walking down the street when Israeli military jeeps surrounded them, shouted at them in Hebrew to stop, and forced them inside a jeep. Read more about Israelis Torturing Palestinian Children
Presenting his last report to the UN Security Council in December 2006 outgoing Secretary-General Kofi Annan lamented that the ‘greatest irony’ in the unresolved Israeli-Palestinian conflict was that there was “no serious question about the broad outline of a final settlement.” The only thing that was needed was a “new and urgent push for peace”. This simple assertion has become somewhat of an ‘article of faith’ among seasoned diplomats and policy analysts. Annan’s summary of the contours of a final settlement, however, is more specific than the Road Map, referring specifically to a solution for refugees “consistent with the character of States in the region.” Read more about 'Known Knowns' and 'Unknown Unknowns': the UN and Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
Israeli violations of international law and humanitarian law continued in the OPT during the reporting period (22 - 28 March 2007): Four Palestinians killed by IOF and settlers in the OPT; including a sheep herder in Bethlehem and three Palestinian resistance activists killed in Nablus and Jenin. Ten Palestinian civilians, including five children were wounded by IOF, including four wounded in Bal’ein village, west of Ramallah, and three children wounded by IOF bombardment in the northern Gaza Strip. Read more about Weekly Report on Human Rights Violations
“I live with my wife and children in the al-Shabura refugee camp in the center of Rafah. I have two sons and two daughters, the eldest child is six and the youngest is one year old. I work as a traffic policeman in the Rafah Police Department and make NIS 1,940 a month. In January 2003, when my son ‘Ali was six months old, I noticed that he had problems hearing and that he was slow in his movements. I took him to the clinic of Dr. Nabil al-Barqoni, a private pediatrician. He conducted some tests and found that ‘Ali had an enlarged spleen and liver and a hearing deficiency.” Read more about Testimony: A father and ill son from Gaza stranded in Egypt
One by one, all the helium-inflated excuses for arresting and imprisoning Suzi Hazahza have been popped and now lie on the ground. And the single memory humanizing the government that still holds her unlawfully behind bars is the look on one Federal Magistrate’s face Thursday in Dallas when he was told by a US Attorney that Congress has stripped the federal bench of any right to order Suzi Hazahza freed until a full six months of illegal detention have passed. Read more about Suzi Hazahza and the Pirates of Homeland Security
In the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, the Annexation Wall encroaches deep into occupied territory, confiscating land and exacerbating movement restrictions. When completed, the Wall will effectively annex 10 percent of the West Bank, including East Jerusalem. In parallel to the construction of the Annexation Wall, Israel has severely restricted Palestinian access to the Jordan Valley, which comprises some 25 percent of the West Bank. While no wall has been constructed, a near impenetrable system of permits, checkpoints and closures restrict the movement of goods and people into and out of the Jordan Valley. Read more about The Jordan Valley, Land and Self-Determination
On 19 March 2007, a new settlement was established in the heart of a Palestinian neighborhood in Hebron . According to media reports, the settlement is composed mainly of Israeli yeshiva students. The Israeli army has redeployed in the city to protect the settlement. The Defense Ministry initially hinted that it was considering evacuating the settlement, but as time passes, it becomes clear that the political echelon has decided to leave the settlement in place. Establishment of the new settlement in the heart of a Palestinian community will lead to further restrictions on Palestinian movement. Read more about New settlement in Hebron violates Palestinian rights
