Prospects for Israel’s long-term stability will remain uncertain unless the systemic inequities facing the country’s Arab citizens are addressed. “Identity Crisis: Israel and Its Arab Citizens,” the latest report from the International Crisis Group, analyses relations between Israel’s Jewish majority and its Palestinian minority, who make up roughly 20 per cent of the population. The report argues for immediate steps to redress discriminatory practices and lessen inter-communal tensions. Read more about Identity Crisis: Israel and Its Arab Citizens 

While deliberating on the petition’s submitted by ACRI today, the court ordered the temporary halt of construction work on the separation barrier on land belonging to the villages of Deir Qaddis, Ni’lin, both in the area of Modi’in. The state announced that the residents of the village of Deir Qaddis will be given the opportunity to present their objections to the land expropriation by next Sunday, and that work will be halted anyway until the petition’s second hearing in a week’s time. Read more about Court pressure halts construction of separation barrier 

This week Israeli forces killed three Palestinian civilians, including a 7-year-old child. One of the victims was killed in an extra-judicial assassination by Israeli forces. Israeli forces invaded a number of Palestinian areas and demolished 14 homes in the Gaza Strip. Israeli forces raided Palestinian homes and arbitrarily detained Palestinians. Israel continued the construction of the Apartheid Wall and confiscated more Palestinian land. Israeli settlers continued their attacks on Palestinian civilians. Israeli forces continue to impose a total siege on the occupied Palestinian territories. Read more about Weekly report on human rights violations 

Land Day commemorates the day nearly three decades ago when Israeli security forces shot and killed 6 Palestinians during demonstrations and a general strike called by the Palestinian leadership inside Israel to protest ongoing expropriation Palestinian land to build new Jewish colonies and expand existing Jewish cities. Read more about Palestinian Land Day 2002 

Assassinations, destruction, confiscation, and the snaking of the “apartheid” wall through and around villages, cities and farms continue unabated as a shrinking Palestine marks Land Day on 30 March. In 1948, Palestinians owned more than 90 per cent of the land in historic Mandate Palestine. Today, the indigenous Palestinian population owns and controls about 10 per cent of its homeland. At the same time, more than half of the original Palestinian population has been displaced/expelled from Palestine. Read more about Palestine Shrinks as an Ineffectual World Watches 

From November 17-23, 2003, a delegation of three representatives of Forefront, the World Organisation Against Torture and the International Federation for Human Rights, visited Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories. Their findings show how complex, challenging and risky the work of human rights NGOs is in such an environment where all human rights are at risk, and the extent to which human rights defenders themselves may be exposed to violations of their human rights. Read more about Conditions and challenges experienced by human rights defenders 

Gaza Community Mental Health Program (GCMHP), Defence for Children International/Palestine Section (DCI/PS), and Physicians for Human Rights-Israel condemn the use of a Palestinian child to carry explosives, and the Israeli occupation for using him in their propaganda. The organisations call on Israelis and Palestinians to keep children away from military acts. At the age of ten, K was working at Hawara checkpoint, near Nablus, after school hours. Children his age should go home, do their homework and play, but in the Occupied Territories in general childhood is lost amidst the Israeli oppressing occupation and the Palestinian struggle. Read more about Lost childhood 

The UN Security Council today failed to adopt a resolution that would have condemned the assassination of Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, with the United States vetoing what it called a one-sided text. The resolution garnered 11 tallies in favour, with the United States casting the sole vote against it. Germany, Romania and the United Kingdom abstained. Speaking before the vote, the US representative explained that his country opposed the resolution because it was “silent about the terrorist atrocities committed by Hamas,” did not reflect the realities of the conflict in the Middle East and “because it will not further the goals of peace and security in the region.” Read more about Security Council fails to adopt resolution condemning assassination of Yassin