“The Holy Month of Ramadan, marked by fasting and reflection, has begun and energy levels seem low. But in any case, people have little to do. The Palestinian economy is dead and what money remains in Jenin is slipping away fast — most of it into Israel itself to pay for electricity, gas, water and telephones, to list just a few of the bills which have to be settled. None of the money comes back. It is hard for a large family to live on just US $10 per day and be energetic.” Nick Pretzlik reports from Jenin. Read more about Ramadan begins in Jenin
The Palestinian Authority has given its blessing to a “symbolic peace treaty” reached in Switzerland between mid-level Palestinian officials and Israeli opposition leaders. In the so-called “Geneva Accord,” the negotiators outline what they see as the necessary compromises for peace between Israel and the Palestinians. Read more about Geneva Accord - PA Selling Out Palestinian Rights?
“Democracy is more than simply paying taxes and having the vote. It requires the state to ensure that every citizen enjoys equal rights and access to justice — something Arab citizens of Israel clearly do not enjoy. Until early 2002, out of 3,000 Bedouin cases brought before Israeli courts, not one had been decided in favour of the Bedouins. Not one! For the Bedouin of Israel, democracy is a myth, as it is for the rest of the 20+ percent of Israel’s population that is not Jewish.” Nick Pretzlik reports on a new house demolition campaign — inside the Green Line. Read more about "Go to the West Bank!" yelled the soldier
Israeli F-16 warplanes and Apache helicopters have been busy over the skies of Gaza, launching four separate strikes against Hamas targets in the space of a few hours. The attacks have killed at least six people, including two Hamas militants and a civilian bystander, and wounded more than 30 others, including a baby and several young children. In an interview with AM, one of Israel’s most decorated fighter pilots has condemned air strikes which hit innocent civilians as “immoral” and “unlawful”. Mark Willacy reports for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Read more about Senior Israeli pilot condemns air strikes that hit civilians
The right of Palestinians to access quality health care continues to be impaired by the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories, so hospitals supported by Action by Churches Together International are reaching out in new ways to deliver health care to isolated and besieged communities. Read more about Coalition of churches fights for Palestinian health rights
Today, the cross-examination of Shimri Tzameret, Adam Maor, and Noam Bahat was scheduled, the other two - Chaggai Matar and Matan Kaminer had theirs already in September. The prosecutor, Captain Yaron Costelitz, had managed to prepare himself by obtaining a considerable number of leaflets and press releases by the various refuser movements, as well as the full text of Shimri’s “prison blog”. Read more about Court martial of five occupation refuseniks
The Arab news channel Al-Jazeera reported that Israeli forces have launched a major raid on Ramallah. Israeli forces entered the city shortly after 16.30 GMT and imposed a curfew on residents of the center of the city. They surrounded the Abd al-Nasir Mosque and people inside were told to leave in groups of four and present identity papers, the Arab news channel reported. Read more about Israeli forces raid mosque and Al-Jazeera office in Ramallah
“Despite being the architect of the horrible tragedies at Qibya as well as Sabra and Shatila, Ariel Sharon is, for the most part, strangely immune from criticism for these incidents. A man with Mr. Sharon’s bloody record should not enjoy impunity. After he leaves office, Ariel Sharon should finally be held accountable for his sordid past. Justice 50 years late is better than no justice at all.” Eric Ridenour revisits a war crime committed half a century ago. Read more about Qibya: 50 years of injustice and impunity
Then the streets started screaming and we were running almost without thinking, down the edges of the street around the people who had lost their fear, around donkey carts loaded full, ran until we fround a corner to turn into and then we ran past families and children, through narrow streets far enough from the main street not to know the worst, far enough that we were the ones spreading the news that the army had come back. When it left, it left not through the streets as it had come, but by creating a path through the homes still standing in Yibneh, demolishing anything in its way and driving over the remains. Laura Gordon writes from Rafah about the invasion. Read more about Eyewitness account of the invasion of Rafah
