“We refuse to serve in the Israeli occupation”28 Aug 2008rr r r r rr r rr r rr r rr rr rrr rWe, high school-graduate teens, declare that we shall work against the Israeli occupation and oppression policy in the occupied territories and the territories of Israel. Therefore we will refuse to take part of these actions, which are being done under our name as part of the IDF [Israeli army].
“I still cannot farm my own land”28 Aug 2008rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr rNew Abasan village in South Eastern Gaza looks, and feels, almost haunted. Every third or fourth house is a mound of rubble, or else has been partially destroyed, and the village streets are dusty and devoid of life. Many local Palestinians have been driven out of New Abasan by relentless Israeli incursions into the village. The Israeli occupation forces have bulldozed huge tracts of land in and around New Abasan, and demolished dozens of local houses.
Some Palestinian refugees in Iraq to get special IDs28 Aug 2008rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr rBAGHDAD (IRIN) – The Iraqi government has launched a registration process for Palestinian refugees who arrived between 1948 and 1967—and their descendants—to help ensure they benefit from government aid programs. Those registered will be issued with ID cards which identify them as refugees, the Ministry of Displacement and Migration said on 26 August.
The zoo on the road to Nablus27 Aug 2008rr r r r rr r rr r rr r rr rr rrr rDr. Sami greeted the journalist at the ticket office. “Welcome,” he said. “Please come this way.” He began a tour of the zoo, first heading north up the zoo’s main avenue, past the dry fountain, the restaurant, and a dusty playground. At the top, he introduced Ruti, his prize giraffe. Read more of an excerpt from Amelia Thomas’ new book, The Zoo on the Road to Nablus
Israel pushes ahead with settlement expansion27 Aug 2008rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr rJERUSALEM, 27 August (IPS) – Israel has published tenders for the construction of 1,761 illegal housing units for Israeli settlers in occupied East Jerusalem alone, according to the Israeli rights group Peace Now. The expansion plans come despite promises by the Israeli government at last year’s peace summit at Annapolis, Maryland to freeze all settlement growth.
Sailing into Gaza26 Aug 2008rr r r r rr r rr r rr r rr rr rrr rOn Saturday, after 32 hours on the high seas, I sailed into the port of Gaza City with 45 other citizens from around the world in defiance of Israel’s blockade. We traveled from Cyprus with humanitarian provisions for Palestinians living under siege. My family in Michigan was worried sick. They are not naive. Huwaida Arraf comments.
Palestinian rights group commends international activists26 Aug 2008rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr rAs a Palestinian human rights organization, Al-Haq would like to send its warmest commendations to the human rights defenders involved in the feat of the SS Free Gaza and SS Liberty breaking the blockade of the Gaza Strip. The crews made the 370-kilometer voyage from Larnaca port, Cyprus, in a symbolic gesture to highlight the illegal blockade of the Gaza Strip.
Egyptian kinship with Fatah hampers mediation26 Aug 2008rr r r r rr r rr r rr r rr rr rrr rCAIRO (IPS) – Following renewed fighting between rival Palestinian factions Fatah and Hamas, Egypt has stepped up calls for dialogue and reconciliation. But critics say Cairo’s partiality to Fatah—which is backed, like the Egyptian regime itself, by the US —prevents it from mediating fairly in the crisis.
Ramattan reporter reaches Gaza on board the Liberty26 Aug 2008rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr rTears filled the eyes of Ramattan News Agency’s Head of African Operations Hayyan Jubeh when he caught his first glimpse of the skyline on the coast of Gaza along the horizon of the Mediterranean Sea after a 37-hour voyage launched from Cyprus. Jubeh, 48, a Palestinian filmmaker from Jerusalem, is one of 44 international peace activists on board the ships. Sami Abu Salem writes from the Gaza Strip.
Israel’s weapon of house demolitions26 Aug 2008rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr rThe four-story building in Beit Hanina, a Palestinian neighborhood a few miles north of East Jerusalem, was clearly home to wealth. As our carload of internationals pulled up the small street leading to Abu Majed Eisha’s house at around midnight I noticed several BMWs parked along the way. From what I had learned during my brief time in the West Bank, Palestine, I knew already that this was not going to be an ordinary house demolition. Jill Shaw writes from Beit Hanina.
Palestinian political tensions impacting education sector25 Aug 2008rr r r r rr r rr r rr r rr rr rrr rThe General Secretariat of General Union of Palestinian Teachers, which is aligned with the Fatah movement, declared a five-day strike at public schools throughout the Gaza Strip to be launched on 24 August, the first day of the new school year, in protest to what it described as “arbitrary decisions” taken by the Ministry of Education of the Gaza government.
No justice for murdered journalist25 Aug 2008rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr rIn Gaza City, scores of journalists participated in a rally condemning an official Israeli statement clearing Israeli soldiers of wrongdoing in the killing of Palestinian journalist Fadel Shana’a. Protesters demanded an international probe and chanted slogans such as “we are keeping up on your path Fadel, as you lay in rest.” EI correspondent Rami Almeghari reports from the occupied Gaza Strip.
A civil war in the making25 Aug 2008rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr rCAIRO (IPS) – Recent weeks have seen the worst fighting between rival Palestinian movements Fatah and Hamas since the latter’s takeover of the Gaza Strip last summer. Hamas accuses the “treasonous faction” within Fatah—which worked with US military intelligence in last year’s failed bid to destroy the resistance group—of instigating the violence.
Creating a fact on the ground25 Aug 2008rr r r r rr r rr r rr r rr rr rrr rYehudit Genud hardly feels she is on the frontier of Israel’s settlement project, although the huddle of mobile homes on a wind-swept West Bank hilltop she calls home is controversial even by Israeli standards. Jonathan Cook reports from Migron settlement in the occupied West Bank.
Gaza patients continue painful wait for urgent medical treatment21 Aug 2008rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr r”I have been sick for more than a year now. Five months ago I was finally diagnosed with cancer of my bladder. I was working at the Islamic University here in Gaza city, but now I am stuck at home, and taking a diet of painkillers.” Ahmed Hisham Abu Shawish is 46 years old, but he looks older. His skin is tinged with grey and he sits slumped forward in his chair.
Standing up for justice in the Middle East20 Aug 2008rr r r r rr r rr r rr r rr rr rrr rThe Free Gaza Movement, a diverse group of international human rights activists from 17 different countries, will soon set sail from Cyprus to Gaza in order to challenge the Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip. I’m proud to stand with them. Over 170 prominent individuals and organizations have endorsed our efforts, including the Carter Center, former British Cabinet member Clare Short, and Nobel Peace Prize laureates Mairead Maguire and Desmond Tutu. Ramzi Kysia comments.
Swiss bank excludes company involved with illegal tramway19 Aug 2008rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr rPalestine solidarity activists based in Basel, Switzerland demanded Bank Sarasin to divest from Veolia Environnement in early June, because of its involvement in the illegal tramway being built by Israel that runs through occupied East Jerusalem. Within a month Bank Sarasin replied with a five-page response, to explain its longstanding practice of assessing its sustainable investments. Adri Nieuwhof reports.
Failing Darwish’s legacy18 Aug 2008rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr rLast Wednesday’s state funeral in Ramallah for the revered Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish revealed how far the Palestinian people are from realizing the justice imagined in Darwish’s writing, and was a sad reminder of how the Palestinian Authority helps undermine his people’s struggle. Sumia Ibrahim comments from Ramallah.
“60 Minutes” serves as Israeli propaganda mouthpiece18 Aug 2008rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr rAs Philip Giraldi points out in his 12 August article “America’s Israeli-Occupied Media” published on antiwar.com, the Israeli government is continuing its campaign to get the US military to attack Iran or at least give a “green light” for a massive Israeli bombing strike. In pursuit of this reckless and ill-conceived plan Tel Aviv has a willing co-conspirator in the mainstream American media, who will present the Israeli world-view without criticism or qualification. Ira Glunts analyzes.
EI study refutes CAMERA media bias accusation18 Aug 2008rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr rThe Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America (CAMERA) is a media monitoring organization with a large database of supporters known for its staunch support for Israeli policies and its ability to influence media coverage. While CAMERA claims to be objective and interested in holding the media accountable to its own “self-professed standards,” a study published by The Electronic Intifada demonstrates terminology and views of the organization are largely consistent with those of the Israeli government itself.
The poetics of Palestinian resistance18 Aug 2008rr r r r rr r rr r rr r rr rr rrr rIn many ways, Mahmoud Darwish’s life summarizes the Palestinian journey of suffering. He was born in Palestine (in what is today “Israel”), and was forced out of his home by Israeli occupation troops. When he returned (or when he snuck back in as the Israeli occupiers killed thousands of other Palestinians who attempted to return), his village was among the hundreds razed to the ground and erased from the map by Israel—or so thought the Zionists. As’ad AbuKhalil comments.
Fulbright or McCarthy for Palestinian students?17 Aug 2008rr r r r rr r rr r rr r rr rr rrr rLast week, I landed in Washington, DC, brimming with optimism. Upon arrival, I was whisked into a separate room. An American official informed me that he had just received information about me that he could not reveal. However, it required him to put me on the next plane home. I was shocked. And I was taken aback at the cruelty of snatching away my educational dreams at the last possible moment. Fulbright scholarship recipient Fidaa Abed comments.
Crossing the Line focuses on impunity for Israeli soldiers17 Aug 2008rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr rThis week on Crossing The Line: From the beginning of the second Palestinian intifada in September 2000 through 2007, on 76 of the nearly 1,300 Israeli military police investigations into suspected crimes against Palestinians committed by the Israeli army ended in indictments. In our first segment, Lior Yavne, research director of the Israeli human rights group Yesh Din, will join host Naji Ali to discuss these disturbing statistics.
Dreaming of paradise15 Aug 2008rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr r”I had a dream last night,” Sami (not his real name) told my teammates and me while we sat munching sliced tomatoes and olives one hot afternoon. Sami told us that in his dream he had climbed to the top of one of the pine trees at the edge of Havot Ma’on, an illegal Israeli settlement outpost. Below him, Sami could see Israeli settlers stealing the fodder that he uses to feed his sheep. Joy Ellison writes from the occupied West Bank.
Palestinian group seeks to change aid dynamics15 Aug 2008rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr rRAMALLAH (IRIN) – A newly formed Ramallah-based “Palestinian community foundation” said it is looking to change the way aid is given, so that more sections of society benefit from international donations and less money goes to waste. “We don’t want to get rid of foreign aid; we want to reform it, so it is in line with the Palestinians’ priorities,” said Nora Lester Murad from the Dalia Association.
Electronic Intifada