During the latest Israeli military assault on Gaza, Israeli armed forces surrounded the Star Soda factory and trapped Palestinian workers inside, preventing them to return to their homes. Workers were inside the factory, without food, electricity, bedding or a place to sleep. Two of the trapped workers suffer from health problems, without means to relieve medical care. The workers called the Red Cross for help, but they were told that the Red Cross could not provide aid without Israeli authorization. Read more about Palestinian workers trapped inside their factory
With the aim of supporting the Palestinian Authority in sustaining public services in the face of a severe fiscal crisis, the World Bank announced today the Public Financial Management Reform Trust Fund. The Reform Fund builds on the successful budget support mechanisms implemented by the European Commission since September 2000 and seeks to mobilize additional donor resources to support the PA’s budget. Per capita income dropped by half since September 2000 and is now approaching $900, nearly half of the Palestinian population is currently living below the poverty line of $2 per day. Read more about World Bank launches multi-donor trust fund to support reform program
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD)22 April 2004
Even with the long seacoast of the Gaza Strip, the occupied Palestinian territory is effectively landlocked and almost completely dependent on Israeli transport facilities for participation in international trade. In addition, Israeli closure policy, security measures and control of the main borders and transport routes render Palestinian trade totally dependent on political and security developments. In a new study, UNCTAD shows that this situation will have to be overcome if the extremely high transport costs of Palestinian trade are to be brought down. Read more about Rerouting Palestinian transit trade could cut costs, boost savings, says new UNCTAD study
Electronics multinational Philips likes to be known for its ethical and sustainable business behaviour. Research by the Campagne tegen Wapenhandel reveals though that Philips does not care about arms trade to Israel. At its website the company says that it sells parts of the F-16 fighter aircraft and Apache attack helicopter to NATO countries and Israel. The deliveries stem from Philips involvement in so-called offset agreements. Especially Apaches are frequently used by Israeli forces to commit extrajudicial executions of Palestinians. With its export policy the Netherlands severely violates European and Dutch guidelines for arms transfers. Read more about Philips electronics corporation trading in violation of Dutch arms policy
In his January 20, 2004 State of the Union speech President Bush was criticized for not even mentioning the plight of the Palestinians. President Bush completely ignored the blatant Israeli policy of human rights violations that the Israel military occupation has sustained against the Palestinians for decades now. The same cannot be said for his proposed $2.4 trillion Budget of the United States Government for Fiscal Year 2005, which was transmitted to Congress on February 2, 2004 and covers the fiscal year beginning October 1, 2004. The budget is planned to be brought to the floor of both the House and Senate between July 1 and September 30 and is riddled with references to the Palestinian issue. Sam Bahour reports from Palestine. Read more about Palestinian Issue Riddles Bush's 2005 Budget
In an effort to address the dire socioeconomic conditions in the Palestinian Territories, the World Food Programme — in collaboration with the Palestinian Ministry of Agriculture — will purchase 416 MT of olive oil, at a value of US$1.3 million, from 2600 selected poor Palestinian farmers. The agency will then deliver the locally purchased olive oil to WFP beneficiaries living in Gaza and in the south of the West Bank who have limited access to oil due to its high cost and unavailability. Read more about WFP purchases olive oil to help ease hardship of Palestinian farmers
BADIL’s Arabic-language magazine, Haq Al-Awda (Right of Return), printed and distributed as a supplement to the Ramallah daily paper Al-Ayyam has been distributed to some 30,000 households in the occupied Palestinian Territories. This is the third such supplement prepared by BADIL and distributed via the local press. Begun as a pilot project in 2003, the newspaper supplements have been a success on every level. Earlier editions have sold out and due to strong demand, additional copies have been reprinted. This issue covers a number of current topics and the conclusions of a visit to South Africa. Read more about News supplement on rights of refugees reaches 30,000 households
Ahmed Said stands on the rubble of his demolished house, looking out over the wasteland that used to be his farm. He is one of many farmers in Gaza whose land has been bulldozed by Israeli forces since violence between Palestinians and Israelis escalated three years ago. Until August 2002, Ahmed made a living for his wife and eight children by cultivating olive and date trees on his three-acre plot in the central region of the Gaza Strip. But one night, his house and fields were bulldozed by Israeli forces. Since then, he has been living in his brother’s house. Read more about Farmers in Gaza struggle to rebuild their lives
It is 12:30pm at the Nablus area District Civilian Affairs Office (DCO). It is over 40 degrees outside, where a long queue of Palestinians had been waiting in the oppressive heat (some for over three hours) with dust and dirt and no place to sit. They are here to request a permit, formal permission from the Israeli government to travel from the surrounding villages into Nablus to work. Palestinians need permits to move, to live, for everything. Suraya Dadoo takes a look at the nightmare involved in navigating the permit maze. Read more about Permission to work?
Last week, the UK’s Foreign Secretary Jack Straw revealed that his government had granted export licences for parts due to be fitted in US- made F16 fighters, bound for Israel. Straw said the ‘head-up’ display units concerned - manufactured by BAe Systems - account for less than 1% of the jets’ value. But the Jerusalem-based Palestinian Society for the Protection of Human Rights (LAW) argues that the deal contravenes the EU’s 1998 code of conduct on arms exports. Read more about UK breaking arms sales rules, says rights group
