In a significant victory for the global Palestinian-led boycott, divestment and sanctions movement, French companies Veolia and Alstom have dropped out of the Jerusalem light rail project due to sustained pressure from Palestine solidarity groups. The companies were contracted by the Israeli government to construct and manage the tramway linking Jerusalem to several illegal Israeli settlement colonies in the occupied West Bank. Read more about Boycott roundup: French companies to drop out of Jerusalem rail project
BEITHANOUN, occupied Gaza Strip (IPS) - “We grow on our roof because we are farmers but have no land now,” says Moatassan Hamad, 21, from Beit Hanoun in the northern Gaza Strip. “Our family is large and thankfully what we grow feeds us,” he says. They grow a variety of staple vegetables. Read more about Without land, Gaza farmers grow crops on roofs
On 22 November a jury of international experts announced their verdict that compelling evidence shows corporate complicity in Israeli violations of international law. The verdict followed two full days of presentations in London at the second international session of the Russell Tribunal on Palestine from 20 to 21 November. Read more about Corporations found guilty at Russell Tribunal second session
Earlier this year, “Mahmoud” came home to see a letter with his name on it, instructing him to come to the Russian Compound prison facility in Jerusalem. The 15-year-old Palestinian resident of the Silwan neighborhood of occupied East Jerusalem went to the prison with his father, mother and aunt. He was interrogated for seven hours. Read more about Targeting Silwan's children
NGO Monitor has launched a campaign targeting a Dutch foundation’s financial support to The Electronic Intifada, accusing the publication among other things of “anti-Semitism.” NGO Monitor is an extreme right-wing group with close ties to the Israeli government, military, West Bank settlers, a man convicted of misleading the US Congress, and to notoriously Islamophobic individuals and organizations in the United States. Read more about Why NGO Monitor is attacking The Electronic Intifada
A bill recently proposed in Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, requires organizations to pledge loyalty to Israel as “Jewish and democratic.” The legislation continues threatens the existence of civil society organizations working for Palestinian rights within Israel. Read more about New Israeli laws threaten Palestinian civil society
Palestinians living under siege in the occupied Gaza Strip cannot even communicate by mail, as Israel also severely restricts or delays the delivery of post including letters and packages. Rami Almeghari reports for The Electronic Intifada. Read more about "Return to sender" - Israel blocks the mail to Gaza
More than three years after Nahr al-Bared refugee camp in the north of Lebanon was destroyed, its reconstruction is finally under way. However, the process runs at a slow pace and remains only partially funded as further political obstacles appear on the horizon. Read more about Nahr al-Bared reconstruction delay throws civil rights into spotlight
It was a bright, warm morning in the occupied West Bank’s Saffa Valley Thursday, 18 November when, without warning, the Israeli occupation forces were upon us. Within moments, five Israeli soldiers were shouting in Hebrew. “You have one minute to leave the area!” they said, before shooting stun grenades at our feet. Moments later, we were told to sit quietly and hand over our passports. A six-hour detention was to follow. Read more about Arrested while helping farmers in Saffa Valley