“Belgium plans to impose restrictions on the Universal Jurisdiction Law, which facilitates indicting and trying foreigners for crimes against humanity not committed on Belgian soil. The amendments, however, would not affect the suit against Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, since they would refer to charges brought only after July 2002. ” Sharon Sadeh reports for Haaretz. Read more about Amendments to Belgian war crimes law will not affect suit against Sharon, Yaron
This week, Israeli forces killed 7 Palestinians, including 3 children. Four of the victims, including a child, were killed in an extra-judicial execution. Israeli forces conducted a series of incursions into Palestinian areas, accompanied by indiscriminate shelling. The Israeli retaliatory campaign continues against families of wanted Palestinians and those who allegedly have carried out armed attacks against Israeli targets. A number of Palestinians have been detained and the tight siege of the OPT has continued. Read more about Weekly report on human rights violations
March 21 marks the International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. Refugees and IDPs often face multiple forms of racial discrimination. Sometimes racial discrimination is a root cause of displacement. Too often refugees and IDPs are discriminated against in places of exile. Racial discrimination, moreover, is frequently a barrier to the right of refugees and IDPs to return to their homes of origin following the cessation of conditions that led to their displacement. Read more about Why do Israel, the US, and the EU discriminate against Palestinian refugees and IDPs?
A breaking news report from BBC World Service reveals that Belgium’s universal jurisdiction law, under which a case has been lodged by survivors of the 1982 Sabra and Shatila massacre against Ariel Sharon, Amos Yaron, and others, is now threatened by fears that the law will allow war crimes cases to be brought against former President George H.W. Bush for atrocities committed during the 1991 Gulf War, and against President George W. Bush and others in his administration for launching an illegal war on Iraq. Read more about Belgium's war crimes law under threat
More than 1,800 family, friends and faculty attended the memorial for Rachel Corrie at The Evergreen State College. At a news conference, Rachel’s parents displayed photos they described as 286 children who have died in Israel and the disputed occupied territory in the past two years. “They deserve as much notice as Corrie on the morning news,” Cindy Corrie said. David Ammon reports from Olympia for The Associated Press. Read more about Peace activist Rachel Corrie remembered on home campus
This week Israeli forces killed 27 Palestinians, including 7 children. In addition, an American peace activist killed by Israeli forces in Rafah. Israeli forces conducted a series of incursions into Palestinian areas, accompanied by indiscriminate shelling. Israeli forces continued to use Palestinian civilians as human shields. The Israeli retaliatory campaign continues against families of wanted Palestinians and those who allegedly have carried out armed attacks against Israeli targets. A number of Palestinians have been detained. The severe siege of the OPT has continued. Read more about Weekly report on human rights
“As the storm clouds build over Baghdad, the Palestinians will have wait out the war, and its aftermath, without food or gas masks.” Jonathan Cook of Al-Ahram Weekly surveys the dire straits in which Palestinians under Israeli occupation now find themselves and concludes that the situation will worsen before it improves. Read more about Gas masks: Who's responsible for the Palestinians?
On 19 March 2003, Craig and Cindy Corrie, parents of murdered peace activist Rachel Corrie, held a press conference on the terrace of Cannon House, one of the three buildings of the US House of Representatives in Washington D.C. The following text is the statement they made at the press conference. Courtesy of Partners for Peace. Read more about Statement from the parents of Rachel Corrie
With war in Iraq looming, a war that may lead to the U.S. accepting similar legal responsibilities as the Occupying Power, the Israeli precedent highlights the human costs of non-compliance with the Fourth Geneva Convention, writes Maureen Lynch, director of research of Refugees International. Read more about Human costs of non-compliance with the Fourth Geneva Convention
Amnesty International USA (AIUSA) today condemned the killing of Rachel Corrie and called for an independent investigation of her death. The organization also renewed a call for a suspension of US transfers to Israel of military equipment, including bulldozers, which have been used to commit human rights abuses. Amnesty International has consistently condemned violations by all parties to the conflict and called on these parties to take all possible measures to bring to an end the killing and wounding of civilians. Read more about Amnesty International Condemns Killing of Rachel Corrie - Group Calls for Investigation, Suspension of Weapons Transfers
