WASHINGTON (IPS) - International human rights groups have raised concern over a proposed non-binding resolution in the US House of Representatives which would call on the White House to oppose any future endorsement or consideration of Judge Richard Goldstone’s “Report of the United Nations Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict.” Read more about Rights groups condemn bid to quash Goldstone report
RAMALLAH, occupied West Bank (IPS) - As the legal and moral implications of the UN Goldstone report on Israel’s military assault on Gaza continue to mount, Palestinians in Gaza are taking matters into their own hands and preparing civil lawsuits. The Israeli defense ministry’s prosecution department has received about 1,500 notices of future civil lawsuits against the Israeli military. Read more about Legal action against Israel increases over Gaza assault
BEITHANOUN, occupied Gaza Strip (IPS) - Formed in September 2007, Local Initiative has a number of other mandates: promoting volunteerism; reaching out to marginalized families living in the regions along the Green Line border between Israel and Gaza; giving psycho-social support to children scarred by Israeli military attacks and shooting; financially assisting children with martyred parents; and improving the role of women and youth in society. Read more about Gaza activists organize to harvest
Jerrold Kessel and Pierre Klochendler30 October 2009
SURBAHER, occupied East Jerusalem (IPS) - The latest round brings the number of East Jerusalem Palestinians displaced since the beginning of the year by forced evictions or house demolitions to over 600, according to figures released by UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestine refugees. Altogether on Tuesday, six buildings were knocked down, leaving 26 people homeless. Read more about Homeless by Israeli policy
Recently, Israel announced that it would import palm fronds from the Gaza Strip for the Jewish holiday of Sukkot. Initially, the decision to allow Gaza to export palm fronds seemed like an easing, however small, of the Israeli siege. But according to Gaza’s farmers, exporters and the Israeli non-governmental organization Gisha, it wasn’t. Mya Guarnieri reports for The Electronic Intifada. Read more about Israeli blockade strangling Gaza agriculture
OCCUPIEDEASTJERUSALEM (IPS) - Israeli authorities are increasingly targeting and intimidating nonviolent Palestinian grassroots activists involved in anti-occupation activities who are drawing increased support from the international community. Read more about Israel targeting grassroots activists
On 4 October, Ashraf Abu Suleiman, a 16-year-old from Gaza’s Jabaliya refugee camp, went to the northwest coast town of Sudaniya to visit an ill school friend. The teen then went to the sea, where he rolled up the legs of his pants, waded into the water and enjoyed the late summer morning. Minutes later, Ashraf was running in blind terror as Israeli soldiers in a gunboat off the coast began shooting at Palestinian fishermen. Eva Bartlett reports from the occupied Gaza Strip. Read more about Shot after photographing the Gaza sea
Several Western pension funds and financial managers hold shares in two Israeli banks: Bank Hapoalim and Bank Leumi. Both banks operate in and offer loans to finance illegal settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian and Syrian territories. Adri Nieuwhof reports for The Electronic Intifada. Read more about Israeli banks entrenched in settlement building
AWARTA, occupied West Bank (IPS) - Away from the media spotlight that focuses on the widening chasm between Israelis and Palestinians, a group of Israeli humanists is quietly working to break down barriers with their Palestinian neighbors. Rabbi Arik Ascherman, director of Israel’s Rabbis for Human Rights, has been used as a human shield, arrested, and beaten up several times by Israeli security forces while defending Palestinians. Read more about Israeli Jews take on settlers