News

Bethlehem and Beit Sahour

Arjan El Fassed Ram, Palestine 16 June 2001

“Since the Intifada erupted on 29 September 2000, Israeli shells and heavy gunfire have completely destroyed a total of 3,669 residential buildings. In the past few months alone, more than 200 residential homes have been damaged to various degrees.” 

The 'cease-fire'

Arjan El Fassed Ram, Palestine 12 June 2001

“The current “ceasefire” does not include the cessation of devastating violations of human rights in all aspects of daily life, including deaths resulting from denial of access to humanitarian aid and services…Since Israel “unilaterally imposed a ceasefire” thirteen Palestinians have been killed.” 

Feeling the closure

Arjan El Fassed Ram, Palestine 8 June 2001

“It’s not just that roads are cut off by military checkpoints — entire villages have been cut off. The worst situation is in the rural areas, where villages are completely isolated and beseiged in spite of the announcements in the media that ‘Israel is easing the closure’.” 

The effects of Israel's Operation Defensive Shield on Palestinian children living in the West Bank

Samia Halileh 29 June 2002

The outlook for Palestinian children under Israeli occupation is grim as children’s rights continue to be violated and there is no hope in the near future for a political solution. For children who are old enough to remember the time when they were able to travel from one city to another without hassle, attend school without fear of shelling, and travel without facing a checkpoint, they understand that their life has changed. 

The Violence of Curfew

Sam Bahour al-Bireh 28 August 2002

‘Oh God, please tell Sharon to end the curfew by this Saturday so I can go to school.’ This is how my secular, eight year old daughter, Areen, has put herself to sleep for the last two weeks. Areen, like so many others here, have turned to the divine powers to intervene in ending the five-month Israeli military curfew that is imposed on Palestinian cities, villages and refugee camps in the West Bank.