“The Israeli bulldozer that ran over and killed American peace activist Rachel Corrie, 23, in the Gaza Strip today had killed before. A few weeks ago, on March 3, an Israeli bulldozer killed a nine-month pregnant Palestinian woman, Nuha Sweidan, while destroying the house next door in a dilapidated Gaza refugee camp. Palestinian witnesses said that Mrs. Sweidan, 33, bled to death under the rubble as she cradled her 18-month-old daughter. Her unborn baby also died.” Steve Niva, a faculty member of Evergreen State College, makes an important call for action. Read more about Rachel Corrie, Nuha Sweidan and Israeli War Crimes
Mahmoud Abbas (“Abu Mazen”)
Under intense pressure, Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat has appointed a Palestinian “prime minister.” EI’s Ali Abunimah writes that popular objections to this move stem both from the notion of introducing a “prime minister” in the context of an endless foreign military occupation, and the notoriously corrupt character of the person Arafat chose for the job. Read more about Why Israel is so excited about "prime minister" Abu Mazen
“To be an Arab in Israel is also to suffer from a qualitatively different kind of discrimination: a racism that is unknown to anyone who can claim to be an “ethnic Jew,” or, in the case of the Russian Christians, a “social Jew.” The discrimination is not just structural but ideological: it is the negation of the Arab citizen’s right to an identity as an Israeli. It is felt in the absolute exclusion of the minority from all aspects of the Zionist nation-building programme.” Jonathan Cook exposes the logical and methodological flaws in the writings of former Israeli government minister Professor Amnon Rubinstein. Read more about Amnon Rubinstein's lazy -- and misleading -- math
To the extent that the recent military acts in the territories are debated in Israel at all, the debate almost solely revolves around the question whether or not it is possible to end the Palestinian terror this way. The Palestinians, as human beings, simply do not exist. Tanya Reinhart writes in Yediot Aharonot.Read more about The Palestinians don't even have weather
Israel is good at floating vague ideas that grow in their generosity and magnanimity if they are rejected but quickly prove empty of any meaningful content if accepted, writes regular EI contributor Hasan Abu Nimah, who recently visited Washington and found a number of dangerous myths about the Palestinian-Israeli conflict alive and well. Read more about Myths and Disasters
Leading pro-Israeli organizations in the United States have pointedly refused to condemn Ariel Sharon’s inclusion in his new government of the National Union alliance parties whose members ran for election on a platform openly advocating the “transfer” – or ethnic cleansing – of the Palestinians. EI’s Ali Abunimah phoned up the leading US pro-israel groups, AIPAC and ADL to find out why they were remaining silent about policies that fit the international legal definition of genocide. Read more about AIPAC, ADL refuse to condemn inclusion of ethnic cleansers in new Israel government
Sam Bahour and Michael DahanRamallah, Jerusalem26 February 2003
The snow will soon melt and the destroyed homes, bullet riddled walls, tank-rippled roads will re-appear, only to jog the collective memories of those Palestinians that remain the victims of this thirty-six year man- made tragedy called Israeli occupation. Read more about Snow-covered Rubble
Above: The Electronic Intifada team
“These are crucial days, days that will determine the trajectory of the Middle East’s future in profound ways. More than regimes will be changed in the coming months. Life chances of the region’s most vulnerable—women, children, and the elderly—will certainly change for the worse. We, in response, must change our tactics and increase our efforts to safeguard human rights and uphold international law. EI and affiliated websites will be part of that change.” As EI marks its second anniversary, its founders look back at past successes, but mostly ahead at pressing challenges. Read more about On its second anniversary, the Electronic Intifada looks ahead
Why have the Palestinians lost so much international support, and what can be done to regain it, asks EI contributor Joseph Massad. Read more about Post-Oslo solidarity
“After nearly two years of reversals of fortune and near-death moments, the landmark case lodged by survivors of the Sabra and Shatila massacres was resurrected and revitalized last week, offering renewed hope to human rights activists and victims of state crimes throughout the world and posing challenges to those who have enjoyed impunity for far too long.” Laurie King-Irani, an EI founder and the North American Coordinator of the International Campaign for Justice for the Victims of Sabra and Shatila, looks at the implications of a decision by the Belgian Supreme Court last week. Read more about Belgium's Challenge to War's Ancient Calculus
