Occupied Palestine and Israel: News and Articles
News
Israel brass in flap over foreign war crimes prosecutions
Daily Star 9/15/2005
Israel's top brass risks being summoned before British courts and prosecuted for war crimes, sparking outrage from the Jewish state which demanded such proceedings be dropped immediately. Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom said it was "scandalous" that Britain wanted to question Israeli soldiers for alleged war crimes, acting on appeals from rights groups who failed to get such cases heard in Israel.
IDF chief clears soldiers who killed five Palestinians in raid
Ha'aretz 9/14/2005
Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Dan Halutz decided Wednesday not to take disciplinary measures against soldiers involved in a West Bank raid last month, in which five Palestinians were killed. After reading the findings of a military investigation into the incident, Halutz decided that further action was not necessary as "the operation's prime objective had been achieved: the arrest of the two suspects." But Halutz did level some criticism over the operation in Tul Karm on August 24, saying that given the difficult location, deep inside Palestinian-controlled territory, and delicate timing - just as IDF forces were getting ready to pull out of the northern West Bank - it would have been better to have weighed the operation's necessity before it was carried out.
Sharon, Musharraf shake hands on sidelines of UN meet
Ha'aretz 9/14/2005
NEW YORK - Prime Minister Ariel Sharon shook hands for the first time with Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf on Wednesday evening, when the two came face to face at a reception during the United Nations World Summit in New York. The two men briefly exchanged pleasantries, and Musharraf introduced Sharon to his wife.The Israeli and Pakistani foreign ministers held talks earlier this month, signaling a possible thaw in relations. But Pakistan's foreign ministry said at the time that Musharraf had no plans to hold talks with Sharon at the UN summit.
PM tells UN: I expect Egypt will 'get a grip' on border with Gaza
Ha'aretz 9/15/2005
In New York where he was attending the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said he expected Egypt to bring the Egypt-Gaza border under control. "I imagine the Egyptians will get a grip," he said. "There is heavy American pressure on Egypt and the Palestinians on this issue."Palestinian Foreign Minister Nasser al-Kidwa on Wednesday blamed Israel for chaos at the border, as the frontier remained open for the third consecutive day and hundreds of people streamed freely from one side to the other.
Anyone Responsible for Perverting the Court of Justice Must also Face Prosecution
Electronic Intifada 9/13/2005
One day after Doron Almog escaped arrest by British Anti-Terrorist Police, details have emerged about an apparent leak which allowed him to return to Israel without facing the allegations brought against him. The clients of PCHR and Hickman & Rose, who are the victims of Doron Almogs alleged war crimes, believe that anyone responsible for facilitating the escape of this war crimes suspect must also be brought to justice. This action is essential to protect the integrity of the British criminal justice system.
Dr. Ashrawi Receives Mahatma Gandhi International Award for Peace and Reconciliation
MIFTAH 9/14/2005
Prominent Palestinian Legislative Council member for Jerusalem and the Secretary-General of MIFTAH The Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy, Dr. Hanan Ashrawi has been awarded the Mahatma Gandhi International Award for Peace and Reconciliation by the Gandhi Development Trust in Durban, South Africa.
Gaza economy poses challenge for PA
Daily Star 9/15/2005
With Israel out of Gaza, the Palestinian Authority now has sole responsibility for turning around a devastated economy and a security chaos whose continued failings could hinder the case for statehood. Over the course of Israel's 38-year occupation, Gaza's economy became inextricably intertwined with that of Israel, a provider of thousands of jobs and markets for Palestinian-produced merchandise. Despite international appeals for Israel not to turn the territory and its 1.3 million population into what the Palestinians call "a giant prison," Israel is so far insisting on continued control of Gaza's goods and civilians.
Bush looks to Palestinians to make next move
Daily Star 9/15/2005
U.S. President George W. Bush urged the Palestinians to follow through on Israel's Gaza pullout by establishing a peaceful government in the area as a starting point toward coexistence with the Jewish state. At a meeting with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon on the sidelines of the UNWorld Summit, Bush called the Gaza withdrawal an opportunity "to see the vision of peace come to be" in the Middle East. The decision to withdraw from Gaza prompted countries such as Pakistan to consider diplomatic ties with Israel.
High Court to rule on W. Bank separation fence principles on Thursday
Ha'aretz 9/15/2005
The High Court of Justice is to publish a ruling on principles related to construction of the West Bank separation fence on Thursday. Fourteen months after the International Court of Justice released its ruling on the fence, the High Court is expected to say whether it accepts the Hague ruling as binding on Israel and define the ramifications of the ICJ decision for the High Court.A nine-justice panel headed by Supreme Court President Aharon Barak is expected to expound the court's position on which body defines international law and how it should be applied. In June 2004, the High Court invalidated 30 kilometers of the planned fence route near Jerusalem, in response to a petition submitted by residents of the West Bank village of Beit Surik near Mevasseret Zion. In that decision, the court avoided ruling on whether the state has the authority to build a fence in the West Bank - an issue the justices will address in Thursday's ruling - and focused on the balance between security needs and the extent of damage caused to Palestinians' civil rights.
Egyptians close Gaza border crossing
Daily Star 9/15/2005
Egyptian security forces closed the border linking the Gaza Strip to Egypt, preventing Palestinians from entering in line with a deadline set to stop crossings following Israel's withdrawal. Egyptian authorities revealed they had uncovered a tunnel stashed with weapons on the border as Israeli Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz warned that his government would not accept any security deterioration on the border.
Three Emmys, no justice
The Guardian 9/14/2005
A stunned HBO executive confirmed the news: "James has won three Emmys." She seemed as astonished as we were that the US Primetime Emmys - the preserve of soap operas and Hollywood celebrities - had singled out a documentary that was as tough to watch as it had been heartrending to make. Death in Gaza centres upon the lives of Palestinian children in the Gaza Strip. Its maker is director James Miller, who was shot dead by an Israeli soldier during filming on May 2 2003. He was carrying a white flag and wearing a helmet with "TV" written on it.
Israeli protesters reoccupy settlement
AlJazeera 9/15/2005
"Forty to fifty youths penetrated the Sanur sector. If the army doesn't manage to dislodge them, we will do it," a police spokesman told reporters on Wednesday. The protesters, opposed to the Israeli withdrawal from the settlements, forced their way through barricades left by the Israeli army and have occupied the roof of the former British police post of the colony, which unlike the houses of the settlers, was not destroyed after the evacuation, public radio reported.
Gaza-Egypt border fails to close
AlJazeera 9/14/2005
Scores of Palestinians have continued to cross from the Gaza Strip into Egypt, despite the passing of a Palestinian-set deadline aimed at closing the border to prevent further entries. Groups of people on Wednesday continued to scale a high wall separating Egypt from Gaza and taxi-loads of Palestinians continued heading towards the Egyptian coastal town of el-Arish, about 40km to the west. The crossings went on despite the passing of a Wednesday 6pm (1300 GMT) deadline to shut down the border.
Crowds defy Gaza border deadline
AlJazeera 9/14/2005
Palestinians have scrambled into Egypt from Gaza's border after a midnight deadline passed for the Palestinian and Egyptian security forces to close the frontier. More than 40 Palestinians pushed their way inside Egypt north of the Gaza border town of Rafah on Wednesday morning, defying a small pack of Egyptian soldiers. The traffic marked the start of the third day that Palestinians have travelled freely into Egypt, after Israel withdrawal from the Gaza Strip pre-dawn on Monday.
Saudi Assistance of $15M for Educational Programs in Palestine
WAFA 9/14/2005
JEDDAH, SEPTEMBER 14, 2005, (WAFA)- Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) pledged on Wednesday to provide financial assistance for a number of educational programs to the Palestinian people under the supervision of UNESCO.
Abbas: Next Step Is to End Israeli Occupation of West Bank
Palestine Chronicle 9/14/2005
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas toured former Jewish colonial settlements in the Gaza Strip on Monday, announced that: The next step is to end the occupation of the West Bank and to establish our state, and pledged to bring the coastal strip substantially under control by the January 25 legislative elections. During his visit to the former Israeli settlement of Elei Sinai in the northern Gaza Strip, Abbas said the Palestinian nation has a right to celebrate the historic day of Israel's withdrawal.
Dealers Smuggle Weapons Into Gaza From Egypt
New York Times 9/15/2005
RAFAH, Gaza Strip, Sept. 14 (AP) - Palestinian gunrunners smuggled hundreds of assault rifles and pistols across the Egyptian frontier into Gaza, dealers and border officials said Wednesday. The influx confirmed Israeli fears about giving up border control and could further destabilize Gaza.Black market prices for weapons dropped sharply, with the price of AK-47 assault rifles nearly cut in half, to $1,300, and even steeper reductions for handguns.The Palestinian leader, Mahmoud Abbas, has tried to impose order since the Israeli troop withdrawal from Gaza on Monday, but militant groups scoffed at a new demand by the Palestinian Authority that they must disband after parliamentary elections in January, saying they would not surrender their weapons.Israel voiced concern about chaos along the Egypt-Gaza border in the three days since its pullout, sending messages to the United States, Egypt and the Palestinians. "We will not put up with this," Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz said.
A Gaza Holiday: Looting, Chaos and Bargains in Egypt
New York Times 9/14/2005
Palestinians continued to celebrate a new sense of freedom on Tuesday, pouring across the temporarily open border with Egypt and through the abandoned Israeli settlements. President Mahmoud Abbas, in a televised speech on Tuesday evening, urged Palestinians to "create a model and civilized Gaza," but also vowed to restore order, beginning with small militant groups aligned with his own Fatah movement. "We are not going to tolerate chaos after today," he pledged.
Articles
Is Gaza exit Israel's first and last?
By MIRIAM WARD, National Catholic Reporter 9/16/2005
It all looks good on the surface. Sharon has removed the 21 Jewish settlements from Gaza and four small outposts in the West Bank. Israel has taken the first step toward compliance with international law and the Geneva Conventions. Around 1.3 million Palestinians have freedom of movement within Gaza. Relieved of the economic burden of protecting 8,000 settlers, Israel is freed from the moral burden of subjugating another people. Or is it? Questions remain.
Will the Israeli control of Gaza land, sea and air continue? Does the Israeli disengagement from Gaza mean that Palestinians will get one big prison in exchange for the three smaller prisons created by the roads for settlers only, which cut Gaza into three distinct areas? Palestinians cannot be bottled up in solitary confinement. They need freedom of movement within Gaza, yes, but they also need access to the West Bank for movement of goods, services and for social and cultural reasons. They must have an airport and a seaport for access to the outside world. Palestinian fishermen must be in control of their fishing banks. In short, will Sharons unilateral disengagement from Gaza lead to self-determination for Palestinians, or will it be control and occupation at a distance?
Ashrawi: The Changing Palestinian Political Landscape
By Ashrawi, MIFTAH 9/13/2005
The Palestinian political arena is currently moving toward the "politicization" of Islamic groups like Hamas and Islamic Jihad, whose impact on the July 2005 Palestinian legislative elections is yet to be measured. However, if Israel continues to undermine the prospects for peace by dictating a solution to the Palestinians through settlement expansion, the strangulation of the Palestinian economy, and unilateral actionsrather than engaging them directlythere will instead be an "Islamization" of the Palestinian politics, argued Hanan Ashrawi, a member of the Palestinian Legislative Council.
More material available from Vermonters for a Just Peace in Palestine/Israel - www.vtjp.org
To subscribe to News Links, please e-mail us your request: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
News
Israel brass in flap over foreign war crimes prosecutions
Daily Star 9/15/2005
Israel's top brass risks being summoned before British courts and prosecuted for war crimes, sparking outrage from the Jewish state which demanded such proceedings be dropped immediately. Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom said it was "scandalous" that Britain wanted to question Israeli soldiers for alleged war crimes, acting on appeals from rights groups who failed to get such cases heard in Israel.
IDF chief clears soldiers who killed five Palestinians in raid
Ha'aretz 9/14/2005
Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Dan Halutz decided Wednesday not to take disciplinary measures against soldiers involved in a West Bank raid last month, in which five Palestinians were killed. After reading the findings of a military investigation into the incident, Halutz decided that further action was not necessary as "the operation's prime objective had been achieved: the arrest of the two suspects." But Halutz did level some criticism over the operation in Tul Karm on August 24, saying that given the difficult location, deep inside Palestinian-controlled territory, and delicate timing - just as IDF forces were getting ready to pull out of the northern West Bank - it would have been better to have weighed the operation's necessity before it was carried out.
Sharon, Musharraf shake hands on sidelines of UN meet
Ha'aretz 9/14/2005
NEW YORK - Prime Minister Ariel Sharon shook hands for the first time with Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf on Wednesday evening, when the two came face to face at a reception during the United Nations World Summit in New York. The two men briefly exchanged pleasantries, and Musharraf introduced Sharon to his wife.The Israeli and Pakistani foreign ministers held talks earlier this month, signaling a possible thaw in relations. But Pakistan's foreign ministry said at the time that Musharraf had no plans to hold talks with Sharon at the UN summit.
PM tells UN: I expect Egypt will 'get a grip' on border with Gaza
Ha'aretz 9/15/2005
In New York where he was attending the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said he expected Egypt to bring the Egypt-Gaza border under control. "I imagine the Egyptians will get a grip," he said. "There is heavy American pressure on Egypt and the Palestinians on this issue."Palestinian Foreign Minister Nasser al-Kidwa on Wednesday blamed Israel for chaos at the border, as the frontier remained open for the third consecutive day and hundreds of people streamed freely from one side to the other.
Anyone Responsible for Perverting the Court of Justice Must also Face Prosecution
Electronic Intifada 9/13/2005
One day after Doron Almog escaped arrest by British Anti-Terrorist Police, details have emerged about an apparent leak which allowed him to return to Israel without facing the allegations brought against him. The clients of PCHR and Hickman & Rose, who are the victims of Doron Almogs alleged war crimes, believe that anyone responsible for facilitating the escape of this war crimes suspect must also be brought to justice. This action is essential to protect the integrity of the British criminal justice system.
Dr. Ashrawi Receives Mahatma Gandhi International Award for Peace and Reconciliation
MIFTAH 9/14/2005
Prominent Palestinian Legislative Council member for Jerusalem and the Secretary-General of MIFTAH The Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy, Dr. Hanan Ashrawi has been awarded the Mahatma Gandhi International Award for Peace and Reconciliation by the Gandhi Development Trust in Durban, South Africa.
Gaza economy poses challenge for PA
Daily Star 9/15/2005
With Israel out of Gaza, the Palestinian Authority now has sole responsibility for turning around a devastated economy and a security chaos whose continued failings could hinder the case for statehood. Over the course of Israel's 38-year occupation, Gaza's economy became inextricably intertwined with that of Israel, a provider of thousands of jobs and markets for Palestinian-produced merchandise. Despite international appeals for Israel not to turn the territory and its 1.3 million population into what the Palestinians call "a giant prison," Israel is so far insisting on continued control of Gaza's goods and civilians.
Bush looks to Palestinians to make next move
Daily Star 9/15/2005
U.S. President George W. Bush urged the Palestinians to follow through on Israel's Gaza pullout by establishing a peaceful government in the area as a starting point toward coexistence with the Jewish state. At a meeting with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon on the sidelines of the UNWorld Summit, Bush called the Gaza withdrawal an opportunity "to see the vision of peace come to be" in the Middle East. The decision to withdraw from Gaza prompted countries such as Pakistan to consider diplomatic ties with Israel.
High Court to rule on W. Bank separation fence principles on Thursday
Ha'aretz 9/15/2005
The High Court of Justice is to publish a ruling on principles related to construction of the West Bank separation fence on Thursday. Fourteen months after the International Court of Justice released its ruling on the fence, the High Court is expected to say whether it accepts the Hague ruling as binding on Israel and define the ramifications of the ICJ decision for the High Court.A nine-justice panel headed by Supreme Court President Aharon Barak is expected to expound the court's position on which body defines international law and how it should be applied. In June 2004, the High Court invalidated 30 kilometers of the planned fence route near Jerusalem, in response to a petition submitted by residents of the West Bank village of Beit Surik near Mevasseret Zion. In that decision, the court avoided ruling on whether the state has the authority to build a fence in the West Bank - an issue the justices will address in Thursday's ruling - and focused on the balance between security needs and the extent of damage caused to Palestinians' civil rights.
Egyptians close Gaza border crossing
Daily Star 9/15/2005
Egyptian security forces closed the border linking the Gaza Strip to Egypt, preventing Palestinians from entering in line with a deadline set to stop crossings following Israel's withdrawal. Egyptian authorities revealed they had uncovered a tunnel stashed with weapons on the border as Israeli Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz warned that his government would not accept any security deterioration on the border.
Three Emmys, no justice
The Guardian 9/14/2005
A stunned HBO executive confirmed the news: "James has won three Emmys." She seemed as astonished as we were that the US Primetime Emmys - the preserve of soap operas and Hollywood celebrities - had singled out a documentary that was as tough to watch as it had been heartrending to make. Death in Gaza centres upon the lives of Palestinian children in the Gaza Strip. Its maker is director James Miller, who was shot dead by an Israeli soldier during filming on May 2 2003. He was carrying a white flag and wearing a helmet with "TV" written on it.
Israeli protesters reoccupy settlement
AlJazeera 9/15/2005
"Forty to fifty youths penetrated the Sanur sector. If the army doesn't manage to dislodge them, we will do it," a police spokesman told reporters on Wednesday. The protesters, opposed to the Israeli withdrawal from the settlements, forced their way through barricades left by the Israeli army and have occupied the roof of the former British police post of the colony, which unlike the houses of the settlers, was not destroyed after the evacuation, public radio reported.
Gaza-Egypt border fails to close
AlJazeera 9/14/2005
Scores of Palestinians have continued to cross from the Gaza Strip into Egypt, despite the passing of a Palestinian-set deadline aimed at closing the border to prevent further entries. Groups of people on Wednesday continued to scale a high wall separating Egypt from Gaza and taxi-loads of Palestinians continued heading towards the Egyptian coastal town of el-Arish, about 40km to the west. The crossings went on despite the passing of a Wednesday 6pm (1300 GMT) deadline to shut down the border.
Crowds defy Gaza border deadline
AlJazeera 9/14/2005
Palestinians have scrambled into Egypt from Gaza's border after a midnight deadline passed for the Palestinian and Egyptian security forces to close the frontier. More than 40 Palestinians pushed their way inside Egypt north of the Gaza border town of Rafah on Wednesday morning, defying a small pack of Egyptian soldiers. The traffic marked the start of the third day that Palestinians have travelled freely into Egypt, after Israel withdrawal from the Gaza Strip pre-dawn on Monday.
Saudi Assistance of $15M for Educational Programs in Palestine
WAFA 9/14/2005
JEDDAH, SEPTEMBER 14, 2005, (WAFA)- Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) pledged on Wednesday to provide financial assistance for a number of educational programs to the Palestinian people under the supervision of UNESCO.
Abbas: Next Step Is to End Israeli Occupation of West Bank
Palestine Chronicle 9/14/2005
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas toured former Jewish colonial settlements in the Gaza Strip on Monday, announced that: The next step is to end the occupation of the West Bank and to establish our state, and pledged to bring the coastal strip substantially under control by the January 25 legislative elections. During his visit to the former Israeli settlement of Elei Sinai in the northern Gaza Strip, Abbas said the Palestinian nation has a right to celebrate the historic day of Israel's withdrawal.
Dealers Smuggle Weapons Into Gaza From Egypt
New York Times 9/15/2005
RAFAH, Gaza Strip, Sept. 14 (AP) - Palestinian gunrunners smuggled hundreds of assault rifles and pistols across the Egyptian frontier into Gaza, dealers and border officials said Wednesday. The influx confirmed Israeli fears about giving up border control and could further destabilize Gaza.Black market prices for weapons dropped sharply, with the price of AK-47 assault rifles nearly cut in half, to $1,300, and even steeper reductions for handguns.The Palestinian leader, Mahmoud Abbas, has tried to impose order since the Israeli troop withdrawal from Gaza on Monday, but militant groups scoffed at a new demand by the Palestinian Authority that they must disband after parliamentary elections in January, saying they would not surrender their weapons.Israel voiced concern about chaos along the Egypt-Gaza border in the three days since its pullout, sending messages to the United States, Egypt and the Palestinians. "We will not put up with this," Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz said.
A Gaza Holiday: Looting, Chaos and Bargains in Egypt
New York Times 9/14/2005
Palestinians continued to celebrate a new sense of freedom on Tuesday, pouring across the temporarily open border with Egypt and through the abandoned Israeli settlements. President Mahmoud Abbas, in a televised speech on Tuesday evening, urged Palestinians to "create a model and civilized Gaza," but also vowed to restore order, beginning with small militant groups aligned with his own Fatah movement. "We are not going to tolerate chaos after today," he pledged.
Articles
Is Gaza exit Israel's first and last?
By MIRIAM WARD, National Catholic Reporter 9/16/2005
It all looks good on the surface. Sharon has removed the 21 Jewish settlements from Gaza and four small outposts in the West Bank. Israel has taken the first step toward compliance with international law and the Geneva Conventions. Around 1.3 million Palestinians have freedom of movement within Gaza. Relieved of the economic burden of protecting 8,000 settlers, Israel is freed from the moral burden of subjugating another people. Or is it? Questions remain.
Will the Israeli control of Gaza land, sea and air continue? Does the Israeli disengagement from Gaza mean that Palestinians will get one big prison in exchange for the three smaller prisons created by the roads for settlers only, which cut Gaza into three distinct areas? Palestinians cannot be bottled up in solitary confinement. They need freedom of movement within Gaza, yes, but they also need access to the West Bank for movement of goods, services and for social and cultural reasons. They must have an airport and a seaport for access to the outside world. Palestinian fishermen must be in control of their fishing banks. In short, will Sharons unilateral disengagement from Gaza lead to self-determination for Palestinians, or will it be control and occupation at a distance?
Ashrawi: The Changing Palestinian Political Landscape
By Ashrawi, MIFTAH 9/13/2005
The Palestinian political arena is currently moving toward the "politicization" of Islamic groups like Hamas and Islamic Jihad, whose impact on the July 2005 Palestinian legislative elections is yet to be measured. However, if Israel continues to undermine the prospects for peace by dictating a solution to the Palestinians through settlement expansion, the strangulation of the Palestinian economy, and unilateral actionsrather than engaging them directlythere will instead be an "Islamization" of the Palestinian politics, argued Hanan Ashrawi, a member of the Palestinian Legislative Council.
More material available from Vermonters for a Just Peace in Palestine/Israel - www.vtjp.org
To subscribe to News Links, please e-mail us your request: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Yahoo! for Good
Click here to donate to the Hurricane Katrina relief effort.
YAHOO! GROUPS LINKS
- Visit your group "VTJP" on the web.
- To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
- Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.
