West Bank maze of movement restrictions21 Nov 2007rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr rJERUSALEM, 21 November (IRIN) – Traffic news on the radio in the West Bank is more likely to be about checkpoints and barriers than jams and accidents, as a complex system of controls and permits can make a short journey for work, family or medical reasons into a time-consuming marathon, according to a new UN report. A joint Special Focus by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, released in November, said that only about 18 percent of the people who worked the land are now able to obtain Israeli-issued permits, required to access the zone between the Barrier and the Green Line, Israel’s pre-1967 border.
Likudnik hawks work to undermine Annapolis21 Nov 2007rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr rWASHINGTON, Nov 21 (IPS) – Despite near-universal skepticism about the prospects for launching a serious, new Middle East peace process at next week’s Israeli-Palestinian summit in Annapolis, a familiar clutch of neo-conservative hawks close to the Likud Party leader, former Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, isn’t taking any chances. Hard-liners associated with the American Enterprise Institute and Freedom’s Watch, a bountifully funded campaign led by prominent backers of the Republican Jewish Coalition, among other like-minded groups, are mounting a concerted attack against next week’s meeting which they fear could result in pressure on Israel to make territorial concessions.
“A matter of revenge”: Israel denying medical treatment to Gaza21 Nov 2007rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr r”We had been waiting for an urgent referral to an outside hospital for the past six days, until he died today,” said Dr. Ismail Yassin Monday, in response to the death of one more patient at the Gaza Children’s Hospital. Tamer al-Yazji, a 12-year-old chicken pox patient, died on Monday on his hospital bed after his referral to an Israeli hospital had been delayed. EI correspondent Rami Almeghari talks to Gaza health care workers and Physicians for Human Rights-Israel about Israel denying Gazans access to health care and the reports of Shabak pressuring patients to inform in exchange for permission to travel.
Photostory: The month in pictures20 Nov 2007rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr rThis slideshow is a selection of images from the month of September 2007. The month in pictures is an ongoing feature of the Electronic Intifada. If you have images documenting Palestine, Palestinian life, politics and culture, or of solidarity with Palestine, please email images and captions to photos@electronicintifada.net.
New Middle East scholars group seen as close to White House19 Nov 2007rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr rWASHINGTON, 12 November (IPS) – A small group of Middle East and African studies scholars in the United States has announced the creation of a new professional association to change the direction of scholarship in the field. And it boasts several big name albeit controversial scholars, among them Bernard Lewis and Fouad Ajami, two academics who advised the George W. Bush administration’s policy towards the Middle East.
Palestinian police using torture in Gaza Strip19 Nov 2007rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr rThe Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) has received more affidavits from Palestinians who were subjected to beating, torture and inhuman and degrading treatment while in detention by the Palestinian police in the Gaza Strip. PCHR condemns such illegal practices and calls for prosecuting the perpetrators and ensuring that laws that regulate procedures of detention are applied.
PLO takes Veolia Transport and Alstom to court in France19 Nov 2007rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr rAt the end of October 2007 European corporations Veolia Transport, and Alstom were taken to court by Association France Palestine Solidarité (AFPS), because of their involvement in the Israeli light rail or tramway project that is planned to link West Jerusalem with the ring of illegal Jewish settlements in the West Bank. Veolia has been under international pressure to withdraw from the project, but so far refuses. Now the Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO), as the legitimate representative of the Palestinian people, has joined AFPS in the legal action against the two companies. Adri Nieuwhof and Maria Lherm report for EI.
Israel to heart patient: “Go die in Gaza”19 Nov 2007rr r r r rr r rr r rr r rr rr rrr rY.A.H is a 37-year-old heart patient in need of open heart surgery. He was referred to a hospital in Nablus, the West Bank, for surgery. He previously received a permit but was asked by the Israeli General Security Services (Shabak) to provide information on friends of his brother. When he failed to he was returned to Gaza and told “go die in Gaza.” Since then he has no permit. His condition is deteriorating and he is very weak, with breathing difficulties, and is in danger of sudden death at any moment.
Audio: Crossing the Line focuses on Palestinian political prisoners19 Nov 2007rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr rThis week on Crossing the Line: There are more than 10,000 Palestinian prisoners currently being held in Israeli jails. Amongst them are 750 administrative detainees who have never been charged or tried for any crime. Israel was the only country in the world where torture was still lawful before it was made illegal by the Israeli high court in 1999. But since the start of the second intifada in 2000, it has been reported that torture is regularly practiced in Israeli detention centers. Host Christopher Brown examines the issue of torture and political prisoners in Israel.
Israel, free speech, and the Oxford Union18 Nov 2007rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr rThe Oxford Union is one of the world’s most illustrious debating chambers and a bastion of free speech. It was founded in the nineteenth century to uphold the principle of free speech and debate in England at a time when they were being severely curtailed. Recently, however, the Union failed to live up to its lofty ideals. Professor Avi Shlaim recounts how the Union crumbled under pressure from Israel’s kneejerk supporters.
After 20 years, freedom is sweet18 Nov 2007rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr rFor the last 20 years, the US government has accused me of being a terrorist. Along with six other Palestinians and a Kenyan, we were dubbed the “Los Angeles Eight” by the media. Our case even made it to the US Supreme Court. On 30 October—20 grueling years after the early morning raid in which armed federal agents barged into my apartment, brutally arrested me before my three-year-old son’s eyes, incarcerated me in maximum security cells in San Pedro State Prison for 23 days without bond, and attempted to deport me—the government dropped all charges fabricated against me. Michel Shehade reflects on his case.
Meet the Lebanese Press: Eleventh hour politics and social malaise18 Nov 2007rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr rConfused last ditch efforts to “elect” a president by local, regional, and international consensus has thrown Lebanon into new uncertainty with only a few days left before the current president’s term expires. International brokers and kingpins are busy making the rounds domestically and regionally to resolve the deadlock. Following futile attempts to reach a deal amongst the different political leaders, an uneasy consensus relegated the duty of choosing a list of candidates to the Maronite Christian Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir.
Photostory: Bil’in, the art of shaking off18 Nov 2007rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr rIn January 2005 the people of the West Bank village of Bil’in began holding weekly demonstrations demanding access to their farmlands that had been cut off by the Israeli separation barrier. During that time of popular and nonviolent struggle the response by the Israeli army intensified and grew increasingly violent. The separation barrier has stagnated the agriculturally-based economy in Bil’in and has become a symbol of Israeli oppression and colonization in the West Bank. Photographer Adam Beach documented the Bil’in demonstrations.
Israeli closure claims cancer victim17 Nov 2007rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr rOn the morning of Saturday, 17 November 2007, Na’el Abd al-Rahman Khamis al-Kordi (21), from Sheikh Radwan Quarter in Gaza City, died when his health condition deteriorated after IOF banned him from obtaining a permit for treatment in an Israeli hospital. The victim’s brother, Rami, stated that his brother was diagnosed with cancer about a year and half ago. At the time, the family applied for a permit to treat Na’el in an Israeli hospital. However, the request was denied.
Visiting Palestine14 Nov 2007rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr rYacoub Odeh was the guide for Middle East Children’s Alliance’s twelve-day tour through Palestine/Israel. He became a friend who told me and showed me things I know I will never forget. At age 67, Yacoub seems to carry with him the whole history of modern Palestine. And that is above all a history—and ongoing experience—of terrible loss. Deborah Agre writes about his story.
EI reader survey: Please take five minutes to help us improve electronicIntifada.net13 Nov 2007rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr rThe Electronic Intifada is conducting a very brief reader survey in order to help us improve our coverage as well as the usefulness and design of our website. Participating is easy and will take only about five minutes. Your answers remain completely anonymous and no information you provide will be shared with other organizations or used to contact you for any purpose.
Israel detains physician to extract information on his patients13 Nov 2007rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr rThe Palestinian Centre for Human Rights condemns Israeli Occupation Forces for detaining Dr. Nabih Abu Sha’ban last Tuesday as he was accompanying his son seeking medical treatment in Jordan, going through Beit Hanoun (Erez) checkpoint. PCHR calls upon the international community and relevant international organizations in the Occupied Palestinian Territories to intervene and pressure IOF to immediately release Dr. Abu Shaban, who himself is suffering from illness.
New York activists crash settler funder’s Madison Avenue gala13 Nov 2007rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr rOver 100 well-dressed, well-heeled New Yorkers attending the invitation-only opening of diamond mogul Lev Leviev’s Madison Avenue jewelry store this evening appeared stunned and aghast to find their evening derailed by a noisy protest against Leviev’s construction of illegal West Bank settlements. Gala attendees set down their champagne glasses and gathered by windows to view the signs and Palestinian flags, and hear protesters’ chants.
Canada, Hizballah and terrorism: An interview with Tariq Ali13 Nov 2007rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr rIn 2002 Canada unveiled an official list of “terrorist” organizations, strikingly similar to that of the the US government. Today the Lebanese political movement Hizballah—both the military and political wing—is officially considered a “terrorist” organization by the government of Canada, a policy endorsed by only two additional countries internationally—the US and Israel. EI contributor Stefan Christoff interviews novelist and historian Tariq Ali on the Canadian government’s declaration.
Uprooted and displaced13 Nov 2007rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr rStanding on a hill at the edge of Idhna with the displaced farmers Muhammad Talab and Muhammad Ibrahim Natah, the only visible remnants of their destroyed village is a patch of white dust just on the other side of Israel’s wall. Despite being part of the occupied West Bank, the Israeli military destroyed the 267-person farming village of tents and tin houses west of Hebron on 29 October and allegedly ordered villagers to relocate to Idhna. EI contributor Jesse Rosenfeld reports from the occupied West Bank.
Hamas forces kill six during Fatah demonstration in Gaza12 Nov 2007rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr rSix Palestinian citizens were killed and over eighty injured in Gaza yesterday, Monday 12 November 2007, as confrontations erupted in a festival organized by Fatah Movement to commemorate of the third anniversary of the passing of former President Yasser Arafat. According Al Mezan’s fieldworkers, in the early morning hours yesterday, the police deployed thousands of its members and erected checkpoints at the entrances of all towns and camps in the Gaza Strip. Policemen stopped and searched vehicles transporting Fatah supporters to the festival.
The one-state reality12 Nov 2007rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr rThe real paradigmatic shift is not to be found in talking about the “two-state versus one-state” solution or anything else in between, because this debate misses the point. It’s not a question of proposing a “one-state solution,” but of recognizing the “one-state reality.” This has been brought about by Israel’s integration of East Jerusalem and the West Bank into the infrastructure and legal fabric of the Jewish state since 1967, to the extent that there is de facto, if not de jure, annexation. Ben White comments for EI.
Mother dies after being denied access to health care11 Nov 2007rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr rAyda is yet another victim of Israel’s devastating closure of Gaza. While her husband, 37-year-old Zakariya Abdelal from the Gaza City neighborhood of al-Tuffah, was receiving condolences from friends and neighbors, their youngest son, 10-month-old baby Mustafah, lay calmly in the corner. Thirty-one-year-old mother of seven Ayda died after losing her fight with breast cancer, which necessitated chemotherapy treatment currently unavailable in Gaza. EI correspondent Rami Almeghari writes from Gaza.
Audio: Crossing the Line focuses on the right of return11 Nov 2007rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr rThis week on Crossing The Line: Presently there are around seven million Palestinian refugees around the world. Host Christopher Brown speaks first with activist Adam Shapiro, co-founder of the International Solidarity Movement. Next Brown speaks with Diana Buttu, legal adviser, and former spokesperson for the PLO about the most contentious issue with regards to peace between Palestinians and Israelis.
Palestinian, Israeli scholars to advance one-state solution in London11 Nov 2007rr r r rr r rr r rr r rr r rr rrr rLeading Palestinian and Israeli scholars and activists will be among the speakers at an unprecedented conference to explore a one-state solution, at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) in London on 17-18 November. Organized by the London One State Group and the SOAS Palestine Society, the conference, “Challenging the Boundaries: A Single State in Israel/Palestine,” will explore new models for a just peace including binationalism, secular democracy, a ‘state of all its citizens’ and federalism.
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