Saturday, October 7, 2006

Meanwhile in Palestine

Plan for the Olive Harvest Campaign 2006: On the 5th of October a special meeting made up of regional ISM coordinators took place to present their plans for the olive harvest and to make everyone aware of each other's activities so that better coordination between the regions can take place. Below is a summary of each region's activities to give an idea of how well organized we are this year and to hopefully encourage more people to come and support the Palestinian farmers and their families against the violence of the colonist settlers and the obstruction and harrassment of the Israeli army.

Palestinian child deaths in conflict with Israel already nearly double that of 2005 – UN: “They are confronted with regular military operations, shelling, house demolitions, checkpoints on their way to schools,” UNICEF Child Protection Officer Anne Grandjean said. “As a result we find high prevalence of signs of stress such as anxiety, eating and sleeping disorders, and difficulties concentrating in school. “All of these signs need to be tackled as soon as possible to avoid a long-lasting impact on the child’s development,” she added.

Hebron commemorates anniversary of massacre in Ibrahimi mosque: It was 13 years ago on this, the fifteenth day of Ramadan, that Dr. Baruch Goldstein walked into Al Haram Al Ibrahimi Mosque in the southern West Bank's Hebron and opened fire. He killed 29 Palestinians in the midst of prayer. Among them were three children. The Israeli response to the massacre was to punish the victims by taking over half the mosque and turning it into a synagogue - exactly what Goldstein had been hoping for.

We Can’t Go Home Again: Now the Israeli authorities have decided that my life here has come to an end. Even after the Oslo Accords were signed and the Palestinian Authority established, Israel retained control of all borders and of the Palestinian Population Registry. Nothing or no one gets into or out of the West Bank and Gaza without Israeli permission. For a dozen years I have waited for Israel to approve my application for Palestinian residency. American Jews, indeed Jews from anywhere in the world, can come to Israel and be granted automatic citizenship.

Women activists harvest/expose the Rabin Square olive trees: `You have no permit to demonstrate here, you must disperse!` `We are not demonstrating, we are harvesting olives.` `What?` For once, the tough Tel Aviv Municipal Marshals were caught unready. Nobody had ever thought of passing a municipal ordinance or by-law forbidding the picking of olives.

Jerusalem's patriarch visits area: "I hope he's able to spread the message that (Palestinians) are not terrorists. They are people; they are Muslims, and they are Christians," said Nancy Hemminger, chairwoman of Twal's visit and coordinator of the Children's Peace Project that brought the Palestinian children in Cincinnati.

Rice offers Abbas plan to ease blockade of Gaza: Ms Rice, who left yesterday for a surprise visit to Baghdad on her way back to Washington, proposed a $25.5m (£13.5m) security centre for checking lorries on the Palestinian side of Karni. To meet Israel's concerns, it would be manned by Mr Abbas's presidential guard, supported by international monitors. The Americans are also offering $26m to expand the presidential guard from 3,500 to 6,000 men.

Haniyeh: Hamas won't be forced out, won't recognize Israel:"There are new scenarios, such as an emergency government, a technocrat government, or early elections," Haniyeh told tens of thousands of supporters. "They all aim for one thing, getting Hamas out of the government."

Abbas, Haneya likely to meet this week: Hamas spokesman: Spokesman Ghazi Hamad told reporters that Abbas was expected to arrive in Gaza before Thursday and discuss with Haneya about the forming of the proposed government of national unity.

Non-Hamas officials criticize Haneya's Friday speech: Speaking to Voice of Palestine radio, lawmaker Hannan Ahsrawi called the speech "a popular, calling up speech away from real reading of the Palestinian people' suffering," adding that the speech addressed only Hamas supporters instead of the Palestinian people."

Fatah leader urges Abbas to sack Hamas government within two weeks: The comments from Azzam al-Ahmed, head of Fatah's parliamentary bloc, underlined the increasing bitterness of the power struggle between Islamist group Hamas and Abbas, from Fatah, after their failure to agree on a coalition government.

Olmert, Abbas aides meet to plan summit: Olmert's chief of staff Yoram Turbowicz and a senior advisor met with chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat and one of Abbas's aides two weeks ago in order "to prepare the grounds for a possible meeting," the official told AFP Saturday.

P.A payment to Palestinian refugees in Lebanon stopped since March: One of the refugees, Qassem Ahmad, a member of Fateh at the Ein Al Hilwa refugee camp, said that his monthly salary from the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) has stopped since March. Ahmad depends on this salary as his main source in income and livelihood since the Lebanese government does not allow the Palestinian refugees to work, obtain work permits and to own lands.

Jordan denies hosting secret Saudi-Israel talks: "These sorts of reports are put about every time there are positive signs emerging in the peace process, probably with a view to damaging it and creating a climate of suspicion around it." Israel's top-selling daily Yediot Aharonot reported Thursday that Olmert had held a secret meeting lasting several hours with Saudi officials at the palace of Jordan's King Abdullah II.

Israeli academic speaks out about Palestinian conflict: So, since '67 Israel is holding to the territories and is not willing to give them up. So if there's no, so there's one route that Israel has never tried, namely ending the occupation, signing agreement with the Palestinians and opening a new page. But if you want to stick to the territories your fate is always to use more aggression and more violence on both sides and more, more and more need to protect yourself and then to destroy others.

'You Never Know What's Next': Lubin was born into a conservative Zionist family. She had been taught that the Jews needed to establish a state of their own, so that what had happened to her relatives during World War II, when their land was occupied, and family members murdered in camps, should never happen again. For much of her life Barbara Lubin felt that the Zionist ideal was the right thing. However, in 1982 her eyes were open to a new horror: a new form of occupation, enacted by Israelis.

Despite, not because: What should be done instead of the declamatory "because?" Aid should be transferred to Gaza, the routes for agricultural exports should be opened, help must be given in restoring the electricity supply, the number of Palestinian workers in Israel ought to be increased, Palestinian prisoners should be released (in the same numbers that will in any case ultimately be released) and Gilad Shalit brought back, talks should be held with the PA chairman and prime minister, a unity government should be encouraged rather than sabotaged, there should be serious discussion of the Saudi initiative.

Film considers Palestine peace: A film, “Gaza Strip,” that shows why peace is so difficult to achieve in Palestine, will be shown at 2 p.m. Sunday in the Martha Room at First United Methodist Church, 1165 N.W. Monroe Ave. Released in 2002, “Gaza Strip” shows a population under Israeli occupation and resultant frustration of the people, especially young Gaza males.

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