Electronic Intifada : Human Rights

Report: The economic toll on Gaza after Israel's attacks

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 10:15:01 PST

The Israeli military offensive against the Gaza Strip last winter was the most violent and deadly offensive by Israel since the second intifada began. A new report by The Alternative Information Center looks at the economic costs of Israel's attacks and ongoing siege on the Gaza population.

Bilin's legal struggle continues

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 10:28:24 PST

The villagers of Bilin are pushing forward in their nonviolent struggle against the Israeli occupation by appealing a Quebec Superior Court ruling in their case against two Canadian companies. The residents of Bilin are suing Green Park International and Green Mount International, two companies that, they argue, should be held legally accountable for illegally building residential homes and settlement infrastructure on the village's land. Jillian Kestler-D'Amours reports for The Electronic Intifada.

Palestinians cling to their homes in Silwan

Tue, 10 Nov 2009 01:14:13 PST

OCCUPIED EAST JERUSALEM (IPS) - "Make sure your father gets this," the municipal inspector tells a ten-year-old boy at the gate of the concrete house in an alleyway in the al-Bustan quarter of Silwan, a Palestinian neighborhood right under the shadow of the walled Old City. "This" is a court-approved demolition notice, "No. 59." It's for a house under imminent threat of being torn down by the Israeli authorities because it does not have the requisite building permit.

Portuguese water company's immoral collaboration with Israel

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 12:55:53 PST

The management of Portuguese water company EPAL recently informed its workers about its collaboration with the Israeli national water company Mekorot on "water security issues." An EPAL intern who recently visited the occupied West Bank reacted to the news by informing colleagues about how Israel is depriving Palestinians from water. EPAL responded by sacking the intern within one hour. Adri Nieuwhof reports for The Electronic Intifada.

Vast majority of Gaza children suffer PTSD symptoms

Mon, 09 Nov 2009 11:35:15 PST

More than 40 years of Israeli military occupation have had a devastating impact on Palestinians in Gaza. Air strikes, artillery shelling, ground invasions, jet flybys and other acts of violence have all led to an epidemic of suffering among Gaza's most vulnerable inhabitants. The most recent studies indicate that the vast majority of Gaza's children exhibit symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.

UN vote overwhelmingly supports Goldstone report

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:22:33 PST

UNITED NATIONS (IPS) - A 575-page blistering report by Justice Richard Goldstone detailing war crimes in Gaza last winter is refusing to die despite an aggressive Israeli smear campaign to kill it. The report, which was favorably voted by the 47-member Human Rights Council in Geneva last month, received overwhelming support Thursday in the 192-member General Assembly. The vote was 114 in favor and 18 against, with 44 abstentions.

Gaza students organize for justice

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 10:04:51 PST

In order to find sustainable alternatives to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict a new group calling itself the Justice Makers has been formed across the law departments in Palestinian universities. Two of the founders, Mohammed Eliwa and Yousef al-Nouri, are both fourth-year law students from al-Azhar University in Gaza. "The Justice Makers is about finding new ways within the international justice system to forward our case," al-Nouri explained. Biana Zammit reports from the occupied Gaza Strip.

Israeli soldiers, settlers violate Palestinian women's rights

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 09:38:10 PST

RAMALLAH, occupied West Bank (IPS) - Palestinian women continue to suffer abuse and denial of basic human rights at the hands of Israeli settlers and soldiers in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. This is in flagrant violation of Israel's obligations as a signatory to the UN Convention of the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW).

Rights groups: UN General Assembly must adopt Goldstone recommendations

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 14:34:56 PST

On 4 November 2009, the Report of the United Nations Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict (Goldstone Report) is scheduled to be tabled before the Plenary of the UN General Assembly in New York. Following the Report's endorsement at the Human Rights Council on 21 October 2009, it now falls to the General Assembly to ensure that the Report is endorsed and its recommendations acted upon.

Rights groups condemn bid to quash Goldstone report

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 13:11:46 PST

WASHINGTON (IPS) - International human rights groups have raised concern over a proposed non-binding resolution in the US House of Representatives which would call on the White House to oppose any future endorsement or consideration of Judge Richard Goldstone's "Report of the United Nations Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict."

Legal action against Israel increases over Gaza assault

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:11:26 PST

RAMALLAH, occupied West Bank (IPS) - As the legal and moral implications of the UN Goldstone report on Israel's military assault on Gaza continue to mount, Palestinians in Gaza are taking matters into their own hands and preparing civil lawsuits. The Israeli defense ministry's prosecution department has received about 1,500 notices of future civil lawsuits against the Israeli military.

Gaza activists organize to harvest

Mon, 02 Nov 2009 10:56:42 PST

BEIT HANOUN, occupied Gaza Strip (IPS) - Formed in September 2007, Local Initiative has a number of other mandates: promoting volunteerism; reaching out to marginalized families living in the regions along the Green Line border between Israel and Gaza; giving psycho-social support to children scarred by Israeli military attacks and shooting; financially assisting children with martyred parents; and improving the role of women and youth in society.

Homeless by Israeli policy

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 05:19:43 PST

SUR BAHER, occupied East Jerusalem (IPS) - The latest round brings the number of East Jerusalem Palestinians displaced since the beginning of the year by forced evictions or house demolitions to over 600, according to figures released by UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestine refugees. Altogether on Tuesday, six buildings were knocked down, leaving 26 people homeless.

Israeli blockade strangling Gaza agriculture

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 11:38:33 PST

Recently, Israel announced that it would import palm fronds from the Gaza Strip for the Jewish holiday of Sukkot. Initially, the decision to allow Gaza to export palm fronds seemed like an easing, however small, of the Israeli siege. But according to Gaza's farmers, exporters and the Israeli non-governmental organization Gisha, it wasn't. Mya Guarnieri reports for The Electronic Intifada.

Israel targeting grassroots activists

Wed, 28 Oct 2009 11:20:04 PST

OCCUPIED EAST JERUSALEM (IPS) - Israeli authorities are increasingly targeting and intimidating nonviolent Palestinian grassroots activists involved in anti-occupation activities who are drawing increased support from the international community.

Israeli banks entrenched in settlement building

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 02:22:41 PST

Several Western pension funds and financial managers hold shares in two Israeli banks: Bank Hapoalim and Bank Leumi. Both banks operate in and offer loans to finance illegal settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian and Syrian territories. Adri Nieuwhof reports for The Electronic Intifada.

Israeli intelligence pose as Arabs to spy on citizens

Wed, 21 Oct 2009 16:51:42 PST

Civil rights groups in Israel have expressed outrage at the announcement last week that a special undercover unit of the police has been infiltrating and collecting intelligence on Israel's Palestinian Arab minority by disguising its officers as Arabs. Jonathan Cook reports.

Human rights defender's detention without charge enters second month

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 12:07:55 PST

On Monday 19 October 2009, a court hearing at Salem military court, in the northern West Bank, extended Mohammad Othman's detention period for another 11 days. It has been 29 days now since human rights defender Mohammad Othman was arrested at the Allenby Bridge Border Crossing between Jordan and the West Bank.

UN body adopts Goldstone report

Mon, 19 Oct 2009 09:25:46 PST

UNITED NATIONS (IPS) - The 47-member Human Rights Council approved a resolution Friday endorsing war crimes charges against Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas, as spelled out in a report by a four-member international fact-finding mission headed by Justice Richard Goldstone. As expected, the United States threw a protective arm around Israel and voted against the resolution, along with some members of the European Union.

Gaza farmers struggle with damaged agricultural land

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 10:18:13 PST

GAZA CITY, occupied Gaza Strip (IRIN) - Thousands of Gazan farmers may be unable to replant their crops during the region's main planting season in October due to agricultural land still damaged by the Israeli offensive at the start of the year, and a lack of agricultural materials like seeds and fertilizers, according to officials.