The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and its member organisations in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, the Palestinian Center for Human Rights and Al-Haq, express their deepest concern regarding the attacks by the Israeli Army against the Jericho Prison on Tuesday the 14th March 2006. On Tuesday, the 14th March 2006 the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) stormed the Palestinian National Authority’s detention center in Jericho. The aim was to seize six detainees wanted by Israel, in particular Ahmed Sa’adat, claimed to be the mastermind behind the killing of the Israeli Minister of Tourism Rehavam Ze’evi, in 2001, together with Fuad Shubaki, wanted by Israel on charges of smuggling weapons in Palestine and four others. Read more about The Israeli attack Jericho: Elections not to be won by force
Gaza’s 1.5 million Palestinians are now facing an unprecedented food shortage due to systematic Israeli closures that have prevented the import of wheat, among other things, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs in the Occupied Palestinians Territories (OCHA) said today. “The situation is extremely serious. In the next day or so all bread supplies will dry up. There is very little else around in terms of rice, which is also short in supply. Bread is the staple diet for Palestinians. It is also the food the poorest people so if that’s not available people will start to go hungry,” David Shearer, OCHA’s head of operations, said. Read more about Gaza facing humanitarian crisis
The media reports that the Gaza Strip is no longer under Israeli control, but two weeks ago I was blocked from entering Gaza from Egypt by Israeli agents. The day before, two French citizens were prevented from entering for a sister city project in Gaza. Israeli authorities invoked “security reasons” and false claims of links to terrorism, a typical strategy used against foreign supporters of Palestinian rights. Despite the fanfare over Israel’s August “Gaza disengagement”, Gaza remains a prison, with no visitors allowed. My case provides one small example, thousands of which are repeated every day, of how the Israeli government has exploited the cover of real security concerns to continue to control Gaza, denying Palestinians freedom and trapping them in poverty. Opportunities for progress through Israel’s Gaza withdrawal were squandered, and American promises on the Middle East were again shown to be empty. Read more about Gaza is still a prison
Candidates standing in Israel’s elections should take the opportunity to reassert the importance of human rights and pledge to a programme that, if implemented, would enhance peace and security in the region, Amnesty International said today. Making a direct appeal to all candidates contesting the elections, to be held on 28 March 2006, the organization called for an open debate to address longstanding human rights challenges in Israel and in the Occupied Territories. “Israel’s security will be enhanced, not jeopardised, by greater attention to human rights,” said Malcolm Smart, Director of Amnesty International’s Middle East and North Africa Programme. Read more about Israeli elections are opportunity to address human rights
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is concerned about the situation in the occupied Palestinian territories following the attack by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on the prison in Jerichoand the abduction of civilians by Palestinian gunmen in the Gaza Strip. The civilians abducted included humanitarian workers and an ICRC delegate, who was later released. While military operations were still under way in Jericho, the ICRC reminded the Israeli authorities of their obligations under international humanitarian law. Detainees who are not participating in hostilities are protected under this body of law and are not military targets. Read more about ICRC concerned following events in Jericho
The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights strongly condemns the series of attacks on international institutions and citizens in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT), especially in the Gaza Strip, on Tuesday, 14 March 2006. PCHR calls upon the Palestinian National Authority to take legal action against the perpetrators of these crimes, which reflect the state of security chaos, undermine the rule of law, and damage the Palestinian people’s interests and their just struggle for liberation and independence. Most of these attacks took place in the Gaza Strip. They included raids on, destruction and arsons of diplomatic representative offices, relief agencies and kidnappings of internationals, including journalists and humanitarian staff. Read more about Palestinian human rights group condemns attacks on internationals
Human Rights Watch has sent a letter to the Knesset’s Constitution, Law and Justice Committee in which it expressed concerns over a bill introduced by the Israeli government, which sets forth rules for detaining “non-resident security suspects,” after the disengagement from Gaza and the consequent revocation of military orders pertaining to arrest and detention of Gaza residents. This bill creates a two-tiered system: one set of rules for Israeli citizen and resident security suspects and a considerably more stringent set of rules for non-residents (Palestinians from the Gaza Strip) suspected of the same types of crimes. Read more about Human Rights Watch urges Israeli parliament to reject new bill on arrest and detention of Gaza residents
Following the decision of the Palestinian High Court of Justice in Gaza ordering that Ahmad Sa‘adat be released immediately, Amnesty International is calling on the Palestinian Authority (PA) to respect this decision and free him from detention without further delay. Amnesty International is also calling on Israel to publicly guarantee that Ahmad Sa‘adat will not be subjected to any extrajudicial measures, including assassination. Read more about Amnesty: "Ahmad Sa‘adat must be released and his safety ensured"
Amnesty International is deeply concerned about the safety of Palestinian detainees in Jericho Prison. The prison is currently surrounded by Israeli forces who have threatened to kill detainees who refuse to surrender to them. The detainees most at risk are Ahmad Saadat, leader of the PFLP, and four other Palestinians who have been detained at Jericho Prison since 2002 despite a court decision ordering their release. While detained under the jurisdiction of the Palestinian Authority, Ahmad Saadat and his four co-detainees have been held under the supervision of guards provided by the UK and US in accordance with an agreement reached between these states and Israel and the PA. Read more about Amnesty: "Palestinian prisoners at risk of being killed by Israeli forces"
Israeli troops have stormed into the Palestinian jail in Jericho in a bid to arrest or assassinate Ahmed Sa’adat, secretary general of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, and a number of other prisoners. After calling on guards to hand over prisoner Ahmed Saadat, the troops opened fire with small arms and stun grenades. There are reports that two Palestinians have been killed. Witnesses at the jail in Jericho say US and British monitors stationed there withdrew when Israeli troops arrived. Read more about Israeli troops attack Jericho prison
