The Electronic Intifada

Egypt takes a step back from Bush embrace

Adam Morrow and Khaled Moussa al-Omrani 23 May 2008


CAIRO, 23 May (IPS) - On his trip to the region this week, US President George W. Bush dismayed even his staunchest Arab allies by expressing unprecedented levels of US support for Israel. In a rare sign of Egyptian displeasure with Washington, Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak left a major economic summit before Bush had a chance to deliver a scheduled address. 

Critically ill patients from Gaza appeal to Israeli court

22 May 2008


JERUSALEM, 22 May (IRIN) - Ahmed al-Baghdadi’s doctors said he must leave the Gaza Strip and travel to Israel to receive urgent life-saving medical care if he hopes to fight the tumours in his body. Rada al-Khadir, aged 22, needs to get treatment immediately, her Israeli doctor said, or her liver disease could prove fatal. Both patients have been denied permission to leave by the Israeli military. 

Acknowledging the tragedy

Raja Shehadeh 21 May 2008


I grew up hearing about what my own family lost in Jaffa, the coastal city from which Jewish militias drove them in 1948. There were occasional references to Deir Yassin — where more than 100 unarmed Palestinian villagers were massacred — and the role it played in the psychological war against the Palestinians, who fled fearing for their lives. Raja Shehadeh writes from Ramallah. 

Refugees are the key

Sam Bahour 20 May 2008


Today there are over 5.5 million Palestinian refugees and displaced persons who have never been allowed the choice to return to their homes or given redress for their losses. The continued denial of their rights encapsulates the decades-long strife, disenfranchisement and dispossession the Palestinians have suffered. EI contributor Sam Bahour comments. 

Why an absolute boycott?

Jerry Roseman and Alia Banna 19 May 2008


As regular readers and supporters of The Electronic Intifada and in concert with much of the positions articulated by writers and contributers to EI, we have a question related to the 1 May Adalah-NY press release “Dubai begins to comply with calls to boycott settlement financier,” published in EI’s Activism news section and which seems to call for an absolute boycott of Israelis in Dubai. 

Film review: "Territories"

Stefan Christoff 19 May 2008


Territory is a central theme in all political conflicts in the world, as national borders across the globe have consistently shifted. EI contributor Stefan Christoff reviews Territories, a new feature documentary by Montreal filmmaker Mary Ellen Davis that explores the photographic work and global journeys of Larry Towell, of the world-renowned photo agency Magnum, who travels along the world’s most conflicted border zones, from Latin America to the Middle East. 

Film review: "Shadow of Absence"

Isabelle Humphries 16 May 2008


“Born in Palestine. Died in Lebanon.” “Born in Palestine. Died in Syria.” “Born in Palestine. Died in Jordan.” The camera pans across an endless row of white tombstones. Shadow of Absence takes death as its subject yet in doing so presents a powerful statement about Palestinian life. Isabelle Humphries reviews director Nasri Hajjaj’s new documentary for EI. 

Crossing the Line interviews author Phyllis Bennis

15 May 2008


This week on Crossing The Line: Former US President Jimmy Carter met with the political head of Hamas in Syria while insisting that Hamas must be included in any future Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations. The visit has drawn criticism from both the US and Israel which until now have refused to take part in any official negotiations with the Hamas government. What does Carter’s meeting with Hamas mean? Is it as “historic” as some are calling it? Host Naji Ali speaks with author on Middle East issues, Phyllis Bennis about Carter’s controversial visit to the Middle East. 

Siege hits Palestinians before they are born

Mohammed Omer 15 May 2008


GAZA CITY, 14 May (IPS) - The Israeli siege of Gaza that has restricted access to food, water and medicine is now beginning to hit unborn children and newborn babies. “Many babies are born suffering from anaemia that they have inherited from their mothers,” Dr Salah al-Rantisi, head of the women’s health department at the Palestinian ministry of health in Gaza told IPS. And the mothers are becoming anemic because they do not now get enough nutrition through pregnancy.