At approximately 8:00 am, less than 12 hours before Caterpillar shareholders were scheduled to meet in Chicago to discuss a resolution concerning sales of bulldozers to Israel, 60 Israeli soldiers accompanied two Caterpillar excavation drills to the Yamani home in Anata on the outskirts of East Jerusalem. The family of 12 was given 30 minutes to remove their belongings from the 80 meter home. It took approximately 30 minutes for the Caterpillar excavation drills to destroy the home along with the animal stable alongside the house. Read more about Two homes demolished by Caterpillar excavation drills in Anata
Since February 18, Palestinians leaving Gaza through the Rafah international crossing point have been forced to experience a humaliating enhanced x-ray process which allows Israeli forces to photograph civilians completely naked. As of yesterday, Israel began to restrict the use of the system to certain individuals — a clear admission of the dangerous health and privacy issues regarding its use. The system is related to systems that have been developed at research labs such as Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in the US and others in the UK. Civil liberties campaigners and privacy experts have called the system a “voyeurs charter”. Read more about Israel's Peeping Tom in Rafah still operational
On April 5th every year, Palestinians celebrate Palestinian Child Day. This year’s anniversary comes as Palestinian children suffer from various deprivations of their basic human rights. Israeli occupation remains the main reason for these violations and the basic source of agony for children and for Palestinian society as a whole. Political and social problems have negative ramifications on children’s mental health. According to scientific research by Gaza Community Mental Health Programme, children were found to suffer from high levels of trauma and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, which negatively impacts their attitudes towards peace. Read more about Children, PTSD, and the future of Palestine
This week, Israeli forces wounded 12 Palestinian civilians, including 4 children and 2 brothers. Israel has continued the construction of the Annexation Wall in the West Bank. Israel confiscated more areas of Palestinian land in Jerusalem, Qalqilya and Bethlehem. Israeli settlers have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property in the West Bank. Israeli settlers have severely beaten 10 Palestinian civilians in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Israeli forces raided homes and at least 30 Palestinian civilians were arrested. Israeli forces turned a number of Palestinian homes into military outposts. Israel continues to impose a total siege on the occupied Palestinian territories. Read more about Weekly report on human rights violations
The Palestinian Authority (PA) is calling on the international community, including the “Quartet” (the US, EU, Russia and the UN), to pressure Israel to put an end to nearly daily pogrom-like attacks by messianic Israeli terrorists on defenseless Palestinian villagers throughout the West Bank. Attacks have mushroomed recently as extremist Israeli settlers vow to commit acts of “unprecedented violence” to thwart Israel’s planned “disengagement” from the Gaza Strip. “We urge the international community to intervene immediately to stop this unprovoked and unjustified aggression against our civilians,” said Ahmed Subh, deputy minister of information in the PA. Read more about Israel's Settler Rampage
Israeli and Palestinian authorities must take concrete steps to put an end to the suffering of Palestinian women, who have been affected in every aspect of their lives by the conflict, Amnesty International said in a report published today. “Palestinian women have borne the brunt of the escalation of the conflict and decades of Israeli occupation, while in Palestinian society they are subjected to a system of laws and norms that treats them as unequal members of society,” said Amnesty International. The report examines the impact of conflict and occupation on Palestinian women, as well as increased violence against women in the family and discriminatory laws and practices. Read more about New report: Palestinian women carry the burden of Israel's occupation
This week, Israeli forces wounded 10 Palestinians, including 6 children. Israel continues to construct the Apartheid Wall. Israel confiscated more Palestinian land for this purpose. Bethlehem has now been separated from East Jerusalem. Israeli settlers have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property in the West Bank. The Israeli government approved a plan to build 3500 housing unit in “Ma’ale Adomim” settlement, east of Jerusalem. Israeli forces raided Palestinian homes and arrested at least 20 Palestinian civilians were arrested. A number of houses were transformed by Israeli forces into military sites. Israel has continued to impose a total siege on the occupied Palestinian territories. Read more about Weekly report on human rights violations
Israel has cut off the Gaza Strip from the rest of the world to such an extent that it is easier for Palestinians in Israel or the West Bank to visit relatives in prison than visit a relative in Gaza. This is one conclusion of the 100-page report that B�Tselem and HaMoked publish today. One Big Prison documents the ongoing violations of human rights and international law resulting from Israel�s restrictions on the movement of people and goods between Gaza and the West Bank, Israel, and the rest of the world. The report also warns against Israel�s attempt to avoid its responsibility toward residents of the Gaza Strip following disengagement. Read more about New Report Warns Against Continued Strangulation of Gaza Strip after Disengagement
The Palestinian refugee question must be resolved by the parties based on the rule of law. Arab states meeting in Algiers this week reaffirmed that durable solutions for Palestinian refugees must be consistent with UN General Assembly Resolution 194 and international law. The final communique of the Arab League meeting is consistent with international law and practice, which recognize the right of refugees and displaced persons to voluntarily return, repossess their properties and receive compensation for losses. The international agenda of reform includes the promotion of the rule of law. States should therefore apply international law in the search for durable solutions for Palestinian refugees. Read more about Arab League says rule of law is important in finding solutions for Palestinian refugees
The Commission on Human Rights this afternoon started its general debate on the question of the violation of human rights in the occupied Arab territories, including Palestine, after it concluded its general debate on the right to development. John Dugard, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied by Israel since 1967, told the Commission that the level of violence had dropped substantially since Mahmoud Abbas and Ariel Sharon had met in Sharm el-Sheikh on 8 February, but said that developments had failed to address the main violations of human rights in the occupied territories — the settlements, the wall, checkpoints, roadblocks, imprisonment of Gaza, and the continued incarceration of more than 7,000 Palestinians. Read more about Commission on Human Rights starts debate on violations in occupied Arab territories
