News
Flash:
MAIN ISSUES
PA government ratifies a new action plan
The Palestinian Council of Ministers agreed in its weekly meeting yesterday in Ramallah on a security action plan at the level of internal security; the plan was presented by the Interior Ministry and was prepared by Chief of the Palestinian police Saeb al-Ajez during the meeting and was previously discussed in the Higher National Security Council. the details of the security plan have not been revealed but its general principles, according to PM Ahmad Qurei', stipulate conducting a series of movements and changes in the commanders of police,... more
UN demands from Israel to remove the apartheid wall
The United Nations General Assembly today voted overwhelmingly to demand that Israel comply with an advisory opinion issued earlier this month by the World Court, which declared the construction of a separation barrier in and around the West Bank to be illegal.
In adopting a resolution by a vote of 150 to 6, with 10 abstentions, the Assembly also called on... more
The full text of the "Roadmap"
A Performance-based Road Map to a Permanent Two-State solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict... more
Fact Sheet: Road Map Status Report
The Road Map is a document intended to provide a framework to end Israel’s military occupation of Palestinian Territory and
establish a viable, independent Palestinian state. The Road Map, which is divided into three phases, sets out obligations
for both Israel and the Palestinians. Obligations within each phase are to be carried out in parallel (unless expressly
specified otherwise)... more
PALESTINE UPDATE
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Freedom March
Palestinians, internationals and Israeli peace activists from the International Solidarity Movement began The Freedom March on July 30 in the southern West Bank town of Zababdah in protest at the West Bank separation barrier. The march is due to arrive in Jerusalem on August 19 after passing through various towns and cities affected. Minister of State Qaddoura Fares and Jenin governor Qaddoura Mousa joined the march on August 1 and on August 2, members of Rabbis for Human Rights also joined the protestors.
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Mural
The Break the Silence Mural Project has completed a huge mural on the Popular Art Center building in Beit Hanoun. The members of the project entered the town, which has been besieged by Israeli occupation forces for a month and a half, on donkey back and have painted a 24-foot orange tree on the wall in memory of the thousands of trees recently uprooted by the Israeli army. The group, headed by artist and clinical psychologist Dr. Susan Greene and artist and novelist Eric Drucker, has previously completed other projects throughout Palestine, including the portraits of 12 youths killed in the Qadoura Refugee Camp.
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First Musical
Al Fawanees, the first musical to debut in Palestine will have its first showing on August 6 at the Ramallah Cultural Palace. Based on the children's book by Ghassan Kanafani, Al Qandeel Al Saghir [The Little Lantern], Al Fawanees will be performed by 55 young Palestinians from the Shams Choir along with the German Orchestra, the Young Sound Forum of Central Europe. The production, the brainchild of Serene Huleileh, poet Wasim Kurdi and director of the National Conservatory of Music Suheil Khouri, is comprised of seven performances and 28 musical pieces. The children, who have been rehearsing for the past two years, are from the Ramallah, Jerusalem and Bethlehem areas.
NEWSPAPERS'HEADLINES
Thursday 5/8/2004
- Five martyrs and dozens of injuries in Jabalia, Rafah, and Nablus
The occupation troops escalate attacks on Gaza strip; Ya'alon threatens he will expand the operation
The UNRWA moves its employees from Gaza to Amman because of the Israeli incursions... more
- A Palestinian-Israeli Security meeting within 48 hours; this will be the first of its kind since the invasion of the West Bank
September 2005 the last date to evacuate all Gaza strip settlements and some in West Bank
Israel proceeds with its plans to implement the separation plan without negotiating with the Palestinians... more
- Interior Minister issues instructions to commanders of security services to implement the rule of the law
Dr. al-Agha: a new Palestinian government within the next phase to include academic figures with a national program for internal and external conditions... more
- The EU intends to question Palestinian prisoners in Israeli prisons!!!... more
EDITORIAL OF THE WEEK
- A PALESTINIAN VIEW: On Kangaroos and courts; by Diana Buttu
Even prior to its ruling on the illegality of the wall, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) was denounced by Israeli government pundits as a "kangaroo court." After the
ruling, one commentator opined, "The court is biased," while another proudly proclaimed that the ICJ decision would "find its place in the garbage can of history." The
same stance was not, however, taken with respect to the Israel High Court decison. Justice Minister Yosef Lapid aptly summarized Israel's position on these two
decisions: "We will comply with our High Court decisions, and not with the International Court, whose decision is in any case a legal opinion for the United Nations."
Herein lies the fundamental problem: Israel reserves the right to act both as defendant and judge of any suit against it and will not accede to independent adjudication of
its crimes.
NEWS OF THE WEEK
- Anger at Jordanian king, settlement expansions; by Joharah Baker
PALESTINIANS ARE bitterly protesting Israel's ratification of the construction of 600 new housing units for the Maaleh Adumim settlement and Jordan's King Abdallah accusing the Palestinian leadership of making "surprising concessions." The week also saw several deaths, mainly in the Gaza Strip where 11 Palestinians were killed by Israeli troops. Zaher Al Ashqar, a 27-year-old member of the Islamic Jihad's Al Quds Brigades was also killed in Tulkarm on July 29.
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