Video: The looting of Nahr al-Bared camp4 Nov 2007rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr rIn May 2007 the Nahr al-Bared refugee camp, home to around 40,000 Palestinian refugees, became the site of a three-month battle between the Lebanese army and the extremist group Fatah al-Islam that had established itself in the camp. All 40,000 of the camp’s refugees were displaced. From the official end of the fighting in early September until 10 October the camp has been exclusively under the control of the Lebanese army. This video documents some of the refugees returning to Nahr al-Bared and the abuses by the Lebanese army.
Audio: Crossing the Line speaks with activist in Nahr al-Bared4 Nov 2007rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr rThis week on Crossing The Line: After months of conflict between the Lebanese army and Fatah al-Islam, some of the residents of Nahr al-Bared refugee camp in northern Lebanon are finally returning home. But with most of the camp’s infrastructure destroyed, unexploded ordnance remaining and Lebanese residents in the surrounding area blaming on the Palestinian refugees for the violence, their return to Nahr al-Bared has not been easy. Host Christopher Brown speaks with independent journalist and activist Caoimhe Butterly about the refugees’ return to Nahr al-Bared and what lies ahead.
Dutch “research” group covers for Israeli crimes, violations4 Nov 2007rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr rDoron Livnat is co-owner of Riwal, a Dutch company involved in the illegal construction of the separation Wall in occupied Palestinian territory. Livnat is also a member of the board of the Centre for Information and Documentation on Israel (CIDI), a pro-Zionist political lobby group based in Amsterdam. CIDI does not seem to have a problem with the judgment of the International Court of Justice finding the route of the Wall illegal, nor Livnat’s company’s involvement in this illegal activity. Yet, CIDI still has the audacity to condemn United Civilians for Peace, a broad-based Dutch human rights platform. Stan van Houcke analyzes for EI.
Where have all the trucks gone?4 Nov 2007rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr rThe roads to Gaza were long, dusty and, apart from Israeli military vehicles, almost completely empty on 24 October as tanks doing military exercises were far more prevalent than trucks carrying goods towards the border. The crossings are the only way Gaza can receive goods and Israel has been blockading them since June, recently tightening the blockade further with cuts to fuel and pending cuts to electricity. The once busy checkpoint crossings now lie empty. EI contributor Jesse Rosenfeld writes from outside the Gaza Strip.
Diaspora Palestinians to Abbas: Right of return not negotiable31 Oct 2007rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr rWe the Palestinian Canadian community assembly at the Palestinian National Voice Preparatory Conference in Hamilton, Canada, issue this letter out of profound concern regarding the present state of the Palestinian national struggle and the November 2007 “peace” conference to be hosted by the United States in Annapolis, Maryland.
Killing of Palestinian prisoner condemned31 Oct 2007rr r r r rr r rr r rr r rr rr rrr rThe United Against Torture Coalition (UAT), comprised of Israeli, Palestinian and international human rights NGOs that cooperate in the struggle to combat torture and abuse in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory, is gravely concerned by the actions of the Israel Prison Service (IPS) in Ketziot Prison in the Negev that left one Palestinian prisoner dead and dozens more injured.
Patients dying at closed Erez checkpoint30 Oct 2007rr r r r rr r rr r rr r rr rr rrr rBarely two weeks since extensive media attention successfully compelled Israel to allow access to lifesaving care for patients through Erez Crossing, Israeli policies at the crossing lead to a repetition of a similar crisis: Sixteen patients in life-endangering condition stranded in Gaza without proper care due to “security prohibitions”; permit-bearing cancer patient detained a full day at Erez Crossing and ordered to return; two permit-bearing patients die within one week at Erez Crossing; Erez Crossing closed again since 28 October 2007.
Israeli rocket fire kills four Gaza policemen30 Oct 2007rr r r r rr r rr r rr r rr rr rrr rIn the evening of 30 October 2007, Israeli warplanes fired rockets at a police station in the southern Gaza Strip and killed four policemen in the police force of the dismissed government in Gaza. Israeli military sources commented on this crime by saying that “the air strike that [has been] relatively rare recently is an indication that Israel will not continue to exhibit restraint towards the firing of mortars at Israeli population centers.”
Charges dropped in 20-year-old US case against Palestinian activists30 Oct 2007rr r r r rr r rr r rr r rr rr rrr rThe 20-year effort to deport two men over their alleged political support of Palestinian self-determination officially came to an end today when the nation’s highest administrative body overseeing immigration cases dismissed all charges against Khader Hamide and Michel Shehadeh, members of a group of Palestinian student activists arrested in January 1987, who became known as the LA 8. The action by the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) closes one of the nation’s longest-running and most controversial deportation cases, one that tested whether immigrants have the same First Amendment rights as citizens.
Rights org: Cutting Gaza electricity and fuel is collective punishment29 Oct 2007rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr rNew York, 29 October – Israel’s decision to limit fuel and electricity to the Gaza Strip in retaliation for unlawful rocket attacks by armed groups amounts to collective punishment against the civilian population of Gaza, in violation of international law, and will worsen the humanitarian crisis there, Human Rights Watch said today. “Israel may respond to rocket attacks by armed groups to protect its population, but only in lawful ways,” said Sarah Leah Whitson, director of Human Rights Watch’s Middle East division.
Thirteen Palestinians fleeing Iraq drown after boat capsizes29 Oct 2007rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr rLast weekend, 13 bodies, most likely of Palestinian refugees from Iraq, were recovered on the coast of Italy after their boats, carrying at least 127 persons in search of safety, had broken apart. These tragedies highlight the failure of the international community to protect Palestinian refugees.
Open letter to PM Siniora29 Oct 2007rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr rDear Mr. Siniora: I write to you as a Lebanese citizen with pressing concerns. Today, on the 27th of October 2007, I, along with a group of ten American University of Beirut students, made the journey north to Nahr al-Bared refugee camp. We went there with the purpose of carrying out a clean-up campaign for the homes of returning refugees. What we found in the homes made our heads spin. Tamara Keblaoui writes to her Prime Minister about what she saw at Nahr al-Bared refugee camp.
The easiest solution29 Oct 2007rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr rTwenty-four Palestinian and Israeli men and women sat outdoors in a circle on a sleepy street in al-Ram, Palestine. Spread about the garden and into the house-office are five other groups of similar size and make-up. For many, it is the first time to a Combatants For Peace event. Most of them have never even met someone from the “other side” before except in the worst of circumstances in very different roles. You can tell who the new ones are right away by the way they hang back and observe. EI contributor Joe DeVoir writes from al-Ram.
Don’t emulate Israel at Guantanamo29 Oct 2007rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr rShould the United States, seeking to recalibrate the balance between security and liberty in the “war on terror,” emulate Israel in its treatment of Palestinian detainees? That is the position that Guantanamo detainee lawyers Avi Stadler and John Chandler of Atlanta, and some others, have advocated. That people in US custody could be held incommunicado for years without charges, and could be prosecuted or indefinitely detained on the basis of confessions extracted with torture is worse than a national disgrace. Lisa Hajjar argues that is an assault on the foundations of the rule of law.
Nahr al-Bared refugees still in limbo28 Oct 2007rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr rBADDAWI, 28 October (IRIN) – Souad al-Sayyed still camps with her children in a classroom strung with washing lines, two months after the battle for Nahr al-Bared Palestinian refugee camp in northern Lebanon ended. Despite the stench from the neighboring toilet and piles of rubbish in the corridors, Souad finds little comfort in the news that her time is up in her temporary home at a public school in Baddawi refugee camp, near the devastated camp. “The school administration said they’re moving us out tomorrow, but nobody told us where we’re going,” she said.
Theatre review: “Sunlight at Midnight”28 Oct 2007rr r r r rr r rr r rr r rr rr rrr rSunlight at Midnight explores one man’s existential crisis as circumstances around him force him to confront his identity, his heritage, and his people’s history. Using oral histories from Sabra and Shatila refugee camp, television footage, and live music, Sunlight at Midnight successfully transports the audience into the refugee camps and back into one man’s uncomfortable psyche. Natasha Tsangarides reviews for EI.
Engaging Hamas and Hizballah28 Oct 2007rr r r r rr r rr r rr r rr rr rrr rNothing could be easier in the present atmosphere than to accuse anyone who calls for recognition of and dialogue with Hamas, Hizballah and other Islamist movements of being closet supporters of reactionary “extremism” or naive fellow travelers of “terrorists.” This tactic is not surprising coming from neoconservatives and Zionists. What is novel is to see it expressed in supposedly progressive quarters. EI cofounder Ali Abunimah comments.
Audio: Crossing the Line speaks with Mearsheimer and Walt25 Oct 2007rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr rThis week on Crossing The Line: In the second half of an interview on Worldview on Chicago Public Radio, host Jerome McDonnell speaks with professors John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt about their controversial paper that is seen as very critical of the pro-Zionist lobby AIPAC. Since its publication in the London Review of Books, neo-conservative and Zionist supporters of Israel have labeled both men as anti-Semitic. Today we’ll hear part two of this two-part interview.
“Everything they couldn’t take they destroyed”25 Oct 2007rr r r r rr r rr r rr r rr rr rrr r”Don’t ask what they stole, ask what they left,” dryly jokes Khaled, a Palestinian refugee from Nahr al-Bared camp in northern Lebanon. It was evident from what remained of the crown molding along the ceiling that his three-story house was once grand. Now, only one year after the seven-year process of building the house was completed, the structure is largely destroyed and its contents looted. Maureen Clare Murphy reports from the devastated Nahr al-Bared refugee camp.
Gaza residents unable to get medical care, aid workers say25 Oct 2007rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr rJERUSALEM, 25 October (IRIN) – Dozens of patients in the Gaza Strip are unable to receive medical treatment, in some cases life-saving procedures, due to the continued border closures with Israel and Egypt, health officials and international aid workers said. “At least three patients denied exit permits have died since June, and others have lost limbs or sight,” Human Rights Watch reported. The Palestinian organization Al Mezan in Gaza said a fourth man, Nimir Muhammad Shuheibar, aged 77, died on 23 October while awaiting treatment.
Nahr al-Bared was destroyed, but who noticed?24 Oct 2007rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr rSomething terrible has been done to the residents of Nahr al-Bared refugee camp, and the Lebanese people are being spared the details. Over the past two weeks, since the camp was partly reopened to a few of its residents, many of us who have been there have been stunned by a powerful reality. Beyond the massive destruction of the homes from three months of bombing, room after room, house after house have been burned. Burned from the inside. Activist Michael Birmingham, who lived in nearby Baddawi camp with thousands of Nahr al-Bared’s displaced during the Lebanese army’s siege there, comments.
A life cut short23 Oct 2007rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr rFive-month-old Eyad is one of the happiest babies I’ve ever met. Barely touch his cheeks and he smiles and giggles; tickle his little belly and he bursts out in laughter, kicking his feet up in the air. Jamalat, his mother, says his laughter is a blessing from God for it fills her heart with joy and takes away some of her heartbreak and sorrow. Yassmin Moor writes from Gaza.
Artist Emily Jacir awarded prestigious Golden Lion21 Oct 2007rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr rEmily Jacir, who participated in the 52nd La Biennale di Venezia international art exhibition, was awarded last week with the prestigious Golden Lion award. Jacir, whose ongoing installation work “Material for a film” was featured in the 2007 Biennale themed Think with the senses – Feel with the mind, was given the Golden Lion award for an artis under the age of 40. “The award for an artist under 40 is given for a practice that takes as its subject exile in general and the Palestinian issue in particular,” stated the Bieannale’s International Jury.
Meet the Lebanese Press: Guess games and plotters21 Oct 2007rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr rElectronic Lebanon is pleased to introduce Meet the Lebanese Press, a twice-monthly review of what is making the rounds in the Lebanese press and the pundits’ take on it. This week, the roller coaster of speculations in the Lebanese press about the outcome of shuttle diplomacy among Lebanese politicians and world leaders over the presidential file reached a significant low last week only to climb back into a new high over the weekend.
Closed borders, closed future in Gaza21 Oct 2007rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr rNine-year-old Najla Rajab, with her two brothers and mother, was among tens of Palestinians demonstrating today in Gaza City, calling for permission to leave Gaza. Najla said that she wants to travel to Saudi Arabia to see her father and to re-enroll in her school in Jeddah, but she has not been able to since Israel has closed Gaza’s borders for months. “We came to Gaza to spend the summer vacation. Now we are stranded here; I cannot go back to my school in Saudi Arabia,” said Najla. Sami Abu Salem reports from Gaza.
Electronic Intifada