For the first time, Israeli refuseniks who reject service in a army of occupation will today attend a hearing in the European Parliament at Strasbourg, France - as will the parents of imprisoned refuseniks. The hearing will take place in the European Parliament Building at Strasbourg. The delegation includes Daniel Tsal, Alma Itshaky, Miri Maor, the mother of Adam Maor, one of the five refuseniks court martialed, and Doron Matar, the father of Haggai, another of the court-martialed refuseniks. Read more about Refusniks appear at the European Parliament
World Organisation Against Torture and Habitat International Coalition8 March 2004
Habitat International Coalition and OMCT call for intervention in the killing of four persons who were protesting against the construction of the Separation Wall in Buddu. The organisations urge the authorities in Israel to desist from using excessive and lethal force against protestors or communities affected by the wall, to immediately investigate the circumstances of these events, identify those responsible and bring them before a competent and impartial civil tribunal. Read more about Israeli army kills and wounds anti-Wall demonstrators
Defence for Children International-Palestine Section11 March 2004
On 27 January 2004, over 200 people gathered at the Brunei Gallery on the University of London campus for the launch of “Stolen Youth: The Politics of Israel’s Detention of Palestinian Children,” written by Adam Hanieh, Adah Kay and Catherine Cook. “Stolen Youth” argues that prison in general and the targeting of Palestinian children in particular, are powerful weapons used by Israel in an occupation that is a multifaceted and evolving system of control affecting every single aspect of Palestinian life. Read more about "Stolen Youth" launched in London
Palestine eNews, a service of Canadian Friends of Sabeel, interviewed Dr. Mustafa Barghouthi, Secretary-General of the Palestinian National Initiative, during a Canada-wide tour, before carrying his message to the United States next week. Launched in 2002, Palestine National Initiative is a democratic Palestinian opposition movement that calls for a just and durable peace. It distinguishes itself from the current Palestinian Authority on key issues that touch the lives of Palestinians, not just in the Occupied Territories, but around the world. Read more about Hope, out of Ramallah: The rise of the Palestinian alternative
McDonald’s Corporation today confirmed that it has a policy banning its employees from speaking Arabic in its restaurants in Israel, despite the fact that Palestinian citizens of Israel form 20% of its workforce, and Arabic is one of the two official languages of Israel. The Corporation denied, however, that Abeer Zinaty, a former “Excellent Worker 2003 — McDonald’s Israel,” was fired because she spoke Arabic on the job. Read more about McDonald's Confirms 'No Arabic' policy at its restaurants in Israel
McDonalds claims “McDonald’s has a long-standing and distinguished record for diversity — as an employer, franchiser, and purchaser of goods and services. We recognize not only a responsibility to provide opportunity, but also the advantages of having a workforce with diverse backgrounds and perspectives.” The Electronic Intifada urges its readers to contact McDonald’s Corporation to ask for a full investigation of allegations of institutionalized racism and discrimination against Arab employees by its subsidiary in Israel. At least one employee has reportedly been fired because she spoke Arabic to a co-worker. Read more about McDonald's Israel reportedly fires employee for speaking Arabic
SANFRANCISCO, March 2, 2004 — A coalition of Jewish and Israeli groups- including Jewish Voice for Peace, The Tikkun Community and the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions -has issued the following statement demanding the resignation of Israeli Deputy Defense Minister Ze’ev Boim and Likud Knesset Member Yehiel Hazan in response to racist remarks made last week. As Jews conscious of the history of anti-Semitism and the ideas and rhetoric that have fueled it over the centuries, we deplore the recent racist public statements by Israeli Deputy Defense Minister Ze’ev Boim and Likud Knesset Member Yehiel Hazan and call for their immediate resignations. Read more about Jewish and Israeli groups demand immediate resignation of Israeli officials
Israeli Coalition Against the Wall23 February 2004
On the day the International Court in The Hague started its hearing on the Separation Wall, the “Israeli Coalition against the Wall” organised a protest against the wall. About 700 Israeli peace activists took part in the demonstration near the Prime Minsiter’s residence, only some 200 meters from the place where a day before a suicide bomber had blown up a bus. “The Wall will not bring
security, it will only bring more attacks,” said Oren
Medicks, one of ther speakers. Read more about Israelis protest against the wall in front of Sharon's residence
Israeli Coalition Against the Wall22 February 2004
“The terrible attack in Jerusalem today strengthens our opinion that the policy of Occupation and dispossession of the Palestinians, as expressed in the building of the Wall within the Palestinian Territories, does not bring us peace,” say Israeli peace organizations holding protest activities against the Separation Wall. Tomorrow, 23 February at 8.00 p.m., activist organizations participating in the “Israeli Voice against the Wall” will hold a protest demonstration opposite the Prime Minister’s residence in Jerusalem. Activists will built a wall in front of the Prime Minister’s residence in Jerusalem. Read more about Israeli peace groups continue protests against the wall
With only less than 24 hours left for the scheduled oral hearings at the International Court of Justice concerning the legal consequences of Israel’s construction of the wall in occupied Palestinian territory, Palestinians staged demonstrations in many parts of the West Bank to protest the Israeli construction of the wall, that cuts deep into their lands. Palestinians, internationals and Israeli peace activists demonstrated in Ramallah, Nablus , Mas’ha Village east of Qalqilya and the town of Beit Soreek near Jerusalem. Read more about Palestinian protests against Israel's Apartheid Wall
