The Israel Democracy Institute presents its 2003 “Democracy Index” at a conference today. The Index concludes that “Israel is not a substantive democracy” and notes that “more than half (53%) of the Jews in Israel state out loud that they are against full equality for the Arabs; 77% say there should be a Jewish majority on crucial political decisions; less than a third (31%) support having Arab political parties in the government; and the majority (57%) think that the Arabs should be encouraged to emigrate”. EI founders Arjan El Fassed and Nigel Parry report. Read more about Israel discovers that democracy is not an Israeli value
ISM activist Tom Hurndall who was critically shot in the Gaza Strip by an Israeli sniper on 11 April 2003. The following speech was made by Sophie Hurndall, Tom’s sister at a Palestine Rally in Trafalgar Square, London, on 17th May 2003. Read more about Trafalgar Square speech by Tom Hurndall's sister Sophie
The soccer field at Haifa Sports Club was once full of the sounds of children playing. Now, this playground has been remade into a tent city for Palestinian families made homeless by war and prejudice. On the field stand 63 new, white tents set up by the Iraqi Red Crescent Society in order to lodge some 240 families left homeless since the collapse of the former government. Read more about Haifa Sports Club in Iraq: The Latest Palestinian Refugee Camp
“On May 9, 2003, at approximately 12:40 pm, the Israeli military entered the media office of the International Solidarity Movement (ISM) in Beit Sahour, Palestine. Present were myself — Kristin Razowsky (“Flo”) — an international from Austrailia who is working with Human Rights Watch, and a local Palestinian woman from Beit Sahour.” Kristin Razowsky reports on her arrest and deportation. Read more about ISM: Report of the Beit Sahour IDF raid from Kristin Razowsky
“All the pipes and drums of political rallies and remembrance day parades; all the ink of history books, policy papers, executive summaries, and polemical tracts; all the solemn newsbytes, sturm und drang and spin of media coverage are pointless here at the edge of Gaza. Talk or yell, scream or rationalize, pontificate or analyze all you want, but it all boil down to this: A husband, a wife, and their three small children clinging to the vain hope of home and normalcy in a shattered neighborhood of demolished houses.” EI’s Laurie King-Irani asks you to follow the Road Map all the way to Rafah and take a good, hard look around. Read more about The edge of reason
It took just a few hours for US Secretary of State Colin Powell’s mission to implement the road map to founder on the rocks of Israeli intransigence. Ariel Sharon’s “gestures” to humor his American guest lasted barely longer than the visit itself. EI’s Ali Abunimah argues that the Americans need an ally who is unconstrained by domestic political considerations when it comes to Palestine-Israel. The perfect candidate is Tony Blair, who claimed before the Iraq war that could lead, not just follow the United States. If so, Palestine is the perfect opportunity for him to do so and here is precisely what he should do. Read more about Step Forward, Tony Blair
Once more the mountain roared and produced nothing. The much acclaimed visit of the US secretary of state, Colin Powell, to Israel and Palestine to implement the road map ended in total failure. Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon thinks he has won a victory by defeating the latest peace effort, but regular EI contributor Hasan Abu Nimah argues that Palestinians, Israelis and the United States all emerge as losers. Read more about The mountain roared: Powell's Road Map fiasco
On 8 May 2003, the Electronic Intifada obtained and published the text of a document distributed by the Israeli military to foreign diplomatic representatives, entitled “Form to be filled out and submitted to IDF authorities prior to entry to the Gaza Strip”. EI’s Nigel Parry and Ali Abunimah look at the document, at Israel’s recent actions in Rafah, and wonder at the new entry conditions which require internationals to affirm they won’t hold Israel responsible for harming them: “I am aware of the risks involved and accept that the Government of the State of Israel and its organs cannot be held responsible for death, injury and/or damage/loss of property which may be incurred as a result of military activity.” Read more about Israel's 'We have the right to kill you' visa for Gaza
