Khalil Shikaki of the Palestinian Center for Policy and Survey Research was attacked by an angry mob when he recently held a press conference announcing the results of a poll conducted among 4,500 Palestinian refugees on the right of return. In his study, Shikaki reported that only 10 percent of Palestinian refugees would insist on returning to Israel and becoming citizens there. Supporters of Israel and others who want to disregard refugee rights in any solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict embraced the findings. How could it be that for decades everyone — not least the refugees themselves — mistakenly believed that granting rights to millions of Palestinian refugees was the key to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict? How is it that
now a single, dubious poll threatens to make the entire problem disappear into a puff of smoke? EI’s Ali Abunimah takes a closer look to help clear the fog. Read more about Who said Palestinians gave up the right of return?
Sometimes it’s the simplest ideas that prove the most resonant. Take Seth Tobocman’s Portraits of Israelis and Palestinians: For My Parents. The book, a collection of drawings and thoughts, is the end product of the author’s month-long tour of Israel and Palestine during June, 2002. Tobocman was accommodated by the International Solidarity Movement and a visited a West Bank hospital, took a night-time bus ride in Israel, and worked as an art teacher during a summer school session in the West Bank village of Dir Ibzia — sketching what he encountered. Maureen Clare Murphy reviews the book for EI. Read more about People like us: a review of "Portraits of Israelis and Palestinians: For my parents"
“I have been hiding out here in Tel Aviv the last few days, recovering from a really turbulent few weeks and of the bitter news that my friends are being deported from Israel now. Already 5 of the 8 detained internationals have been deported, following the Tel Aviv District Court decision upholding the Interior Ministry’s decision that these human rights activists pose a “security threat”. The judge seemed unsympathetic, ordering the immediate deportation of the activists, dismissing a request to allow for one more week to file an appeal.” Avi Zer-Aviv writes from Tel Aviv. Read more about "We are all Palestinians"
Israel’ Ariel Sharon seems set to escape accountability once again for his role in the 1982 Beirut massacres of Palestinian refugees and Lebanese citizens. This is because the US has bullied Belgium into abrogating the law that gave victims a chance at justice. As EI’s Ali Abunimah explains, this setback is only part of a global effort by the Bush administration to derail international justice. Read more about From Brussels to Guantanamo, the US obstructs justice
Hany Abu-Assad’s documentary ‘Ford Transit’, which follows Palestinian taxi-van driver Rajai who tries to live and survive in and around roadblocks separating Ramallah from Jerusalem, won the ‘Spirit of Freedom Award’, dedicated to the memory of Wim van Leer, for best documentary at the 20th annual Jerusalem Film Festival. Read more about Hany Abu-Assad wins 'Spirit of Freedom Award' at Jerusalem Film Festival
On July 10, EI’s Arjan El Fassed visited Israel’s apartheid wall built on confiscated Palestinian land in Qalqilya. The mayor of Qalqilya, Marouf Zahran explains the impact of Israel’s apartheid on his town. The wall surrounds the town almost completely. The 8 meter high wall will be surrounded first by a trench of four meters wide and two meters deep, barbed wire and a military zone patrolled by Israeli occupying forces. Palestinian property within 35 meters of the wall has been or will be destroyed by the Israeli army. [3.45 mins, Quicktime file, 6.9MB] Read more about The mayor of Qalqilya explains the impact of Israel's apartheid wall
Driving through Gaza, any visitor observes the enormous amount of shi’arat (lit. “signs, slogans, watchwords”) or graffiti. Messages cover almost every conceivable surface. Walls, telephone poles, monuments, and stones are fair canvases. On July 10, EI’s Arjan El Fassed visited Gaza and filmed the writings on the walls of Gaza. [1.04 mins, Quicktime file, 3.6MB] Read more about Writings on the walls in Gaza
Long lines, interminable waiting, heat, dust and flies, and finally disappointment and humiliation. A Palestinian professor describes an average day experiencing the absurdity and indignities meted out by the Israeli occupation’s “Civilian Administration”. Lisa Taraki reports from the West Bank. Read more about Another day in the life of an insignificant person
EI’s Arjan El Fassed facilitated a mission of prominent Dutch women to Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories which took place between the 7th and 12th of July. The mission was organized by United Civilians for Peace, a joint initiative of six Dutch peace and development organisations who have been working with their Palestinian and Israeli counterparts for many years in the field of development, peace building and human rights. Read more about Prominent Dutch women visit Israel and occupied Palestine
Mahmoud Abbas was chosen by the United States as an unelected, alternate Palestinian leader who could be bullied and bribed into doing what Yasir Arafat failed to do earlier. Abbas is now anxiously and willingly treading exactly the same path of surrender and obedience that Arafat trod before him. Except, in Abbas’ case, it will not take him as long to reach the same dead end in which Arafat finds himself. As Israel makes new threats against Arafat himself, regular EI contributor Hasan Abu Nimah explains why. Read more about Humiliating Arafat
