Israeli military bulldozers demolished a house while an elderly physically disabled Palestinian civilian was still inside. Despite attempts by his wife and daughter to draw attention to his presence the IOF continued with the demolition. The incident occurred during a wide scale Israeli military incursion into the camp, accompanied by intense shelling from tanks and helicopter gunships. This latest operation left 34 Palestinian houses demolished. In a similar Israeli military operation in the same camp on 8 July 2004, 40 Palestinian houses were demolished. Read more about Israeli forces kill elderly disabled Palestinian during demolition of 34 homes in Khan Yunis
In the wake of the Opinion of the International Court of Justice (ICJ), Israel must immediately halt construction of the fence/wall inside the occupied West Bank, dismantle the sections already built there, and make reparation for the damage caused. Amnesty International said. While welcoming Israel’s Supreme Court ruling, Amnesty International notes that the ruling concerns only a very small section - less than 40 km out of more than 600 km - of the total route of the wall. Read more about Dismantle the wall, says International Court of Justice
After much speculations whether the International Court would exercise its advisory function in the legal consequences of the construction of the wall by Israel, the court finally issued a detailed opinion. Azem Bishara looks at the possible consequences of this advisory opinion and actions that might be taken as a result of this opinion. He reviews comments made by various states, and the legal consequences for Israel, as a result of its violations of international law. He also looks at the course to be taken within the United Nations system and how the international community can deal with a possible US veto in the Security Council. Read more about The Court has spoken: What's Next?
The International Court of Justice (ICJ), principal judicial organ of the United Nations, has today rendered its Advisory Opinion in the case concerning the Legal Consequences of the Construction of a Wall in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (request for advisory opinion). In its Opinion, the Court finds unanimously that it has jurisdiction to give the advisory opinion requested by the United Nations General Assembly and decides by fourteen votes to one to comply with that request. The Court rules that “the construction of the wall being built by Israel, the occupying Power, in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including in and around East Jerusalem, and its associated régime, are contrary to international law”. Read more about International Court Rules Against Israel's Wall
USCST, 9PM, 8 JULY 2004 — On 8 December 2003, the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted a resolution (A/RES/ES-10/14) in which it requested the International Court of Justice to “urgently render an advisory opinion on the legal consequences arising from the construction of the wall being built by Israel, in the occupied Palestinian territories, including in and around East Jerusalem, considering the rules and principles of international law.” EI has today (8 July 2004) obtained a copy of the ruling of the International Court of Justice, the contents of which were to be officially released tomorrow. While the source of the document remains unconfirmed at this stage, the contents and format of the document appear to be genuine and the ruling is a shocking blow to Israel. Read more about Exclusive: EI publishes leaked ICJ Advisory Ruling on Israel's West Bank Barrier
This week, Israeli forces killed 17 Palestinians, 14 of them are civilians, including 6 children and a man suffering from a cognitive disorder. One of the victims was killed in an extra-judicial assassination in Nablus. Three of the children were killed by Israeli indiscriminate shelling in the Gaza Strip. Israeli troops continued their offensive on Beit Hanoun, razing agricultural land and damaging civilian infrastructure. Israeli forces destroyed 16 homes in the Gaza Strip. In the West Bank, Israeli forces demolished two homes. Israel continues to build its Annexation Wall and continues the closures of towns and villages. Read more about Weekly report on human rights violations
On Thursday morning, 8 July 2004, Israeli occupying forces, continuing a wide scale offensive on the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Hanoun which started on the 28 June 2004, killed 7 Palestinians, including a woman. Thus, the number of Palestinians killed since the beginning of this offensive has mounted to 13, including 3 children and one woman. In addition, dozens of Palestinians have been wounded and at least 1400 donums of agricultural land have been razed. Also this morning, Israeli troops totally destroyed 30 Palestinian houses and severely damaged 10 other ones in Khan Yunis refugee camp in the southern Gaza Strip. Four Palestinian civilians, including a child, were wounded by the Israeli gunfire during this operation. Read more about Israeli forces kills seven Palestinians and destroys 40 homes in Gaza
Recently Israeli President Moshe Katsav publicly stated that human rights are basic rights and cannot be based on obligations set by the state — in other words, these rights are inherent to being human and cannot be taken away or limited by the state. In Israel where the desire for the security of the state and its citizens is used as a pretext to limit the advancement of human and civil rights both in Israel and the Occupied Territories, this is enlightened thinking coming from the head of state. Am Johal reports. Read more about The State Cannot Legislate On Matters Of Love
“Israel simultaneously extends its protective wall outwards so as to encompass and protect all the members of a globally distributed ethno-religious population that it views as its ‘concern.’ Like the United States, which, with the demise of the Soviet Union, is able to celebrate its power to defend its citizens and its interests everywhere, Israel has, with its victories over the antagonisms against which it established itself, become unrestrained in its will to sovereign power both within and beyond its borders.” Anthropologist Glenn Bowman of the University of Kent examines the socioeconomic contexts and the cultural underpinnings of Israel’s Apartheid Wall. Read more about About A Wall
This morning, Israeli forces killed a Palestinian university lecturer and his son in Nablus. Israeli forces killed another two Palestinians in the same city today. The lecturer and the son were killed by live bullets. The other two were killed by shrapnel from a missile launched by an Israeli attack helicopter. Israeli forces moved into Nablus near ‘Ein Beit al-Ma refugee camp. Khaled Salah Mousa Salah is the second university lecturer killed this year. On April 23, Israeli forces killed Yasser Abu Laimoun from Tallouza near Nablus. Israeli officials later admitted they made a mistake killing him. This past month, Israeli forces regularly enter various parts of Nablus, killing Palestinians. Read more about Nablus: Israeli forces kill university lecturer and his son
