In December 2003, UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador Angelina Jolie visited Ruweished refugee camp in eastern Jordan. Jolie, who has been a UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador since August 2001 wrote a journal which has been released today by the UN refugee agency. During her one day visit to Ruweished refugee camp, where more than 800 refugees, mostly Palestinians, have settled after fleeing Iraq in April 2003. The actress, who starred in Gone In 60 Seconds and as Lara Croft in Tomb Raider visited the camp’s pre-school. The children at the school told her “their dream is to see their homeland.” Read more about Angelina Jolie gives voice to Palestinian refugees in Jordan 

Since the beginning of this month, Israeli forces have killed 44 Palestinians, including women and children. According to data from the Palestinian Red Crescent Society and the Ministry of Health, 30 Palestinians were killed in Gaza and 14 in the West Bank. Among those killed are 18 minors. More than 197 Palestinians, mostly children, were wounded in the same period. In February 2004, Israeli forces killed 52 Palestinians. On March 7 alone, 14 Palestinians were killed, including 4 children, as Israeli forces invaded Nusseirat and Bureij refugee camps in the Gaza Strip. Read more about Israeli forces kill 44 Palestinians since beginning of March 

Israeli forces killed two Palestinians and wounded dozens in the village of Biddu, near Jerusalem, during a protest against Israel’s Apartheid Wall. Mohammad Sabel Rayan (30), a father of two from Beit Duqqu and Zakariya Eyad, a father of three from Beit Iksa were shot today during a demonstration. Rayan was hit by a bullet in his spine and Eyad was hit in his chest. Palestinians, internationals and Israeli activists were protesting. They are afraid that the Israeli army will cause more casualties. Since yesterday, thousands of protesters have been protesting and confronting Israeli bulldozers working on Israel’s Apartheid Wall. Read more about Israeli forces kill two Palestinians protesting Israel's Apartheid Wall 

On the last day of the hearings at the International Court of Justice in The Hague, presiding Judge Shi Jiuyong, declaring a close to the oral hearings said “a date and time for the court to announce its rulings” would be set later. The final session was opened by Sudan, followed by the League of Arab States and the Organization of the Islamic Conference. The statements elaborated on jurisdiction and whether the Court is competent in addition to substance such as international humanitarian law, human rights law and other legal consequences of the wall. Read more about ICJ wraps up hearings on legal consequences of the wall 

On the second day of the oral hearings in the case for an advisory opinion on the legal consequences of the wall, the International Court of Justice in The Hague, presided by President Shi, heard statements from Belize, a tiny nation in Central America, Cuba, Indonesia, Jordan, Madagascar, Malaysia and Senegal. Wednesay morning, the final day of the oral hearings, the Court is scheduled to hear from Sudan, the League of Arab States and the Organization of the Islamic Conference. Read more about Court concludes second day of hearings on Israel's Apartheid Wall 

Opening the oral hearings at the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on the legal consequences of the wall, Palestinian UN representative, Nasser Kidwa, said that the wall will render a two-state solution practically impossible. “The wall is not about security: It is about entrenching the occupation and the de facto annexation of large areas of Palestinian land,” Kidwa said. “This wall, if completed, will leave the Palestinian people with only half of the West Bank within isolated, non-contiguous, walled enclaves. It will render the two-State solution practically impossible,” he told the fifteen judges. Read more about International Court opens oral hearings on the wall 

Today, the EU presented its position regarding the hearing at the ICJ. In Strasbourg, Irish Foreign Minister Dick Roche, on behalf of the Council of Ministers, said that Israel must stop building this barrier and he deplored the “regrettably uncompromising” attitude of the Israeli government. The EU’s abstention during the vote at the UN General Assembly did not bring into question the fact that the EU was opposed to the wall, which is a violation of international law. The EU, however, doubted whether bringing the case before the ICJ would be useful. Read more about EU: "Israel must stop building barrier"