According to Israeli media reports, most of the 600 pro-Palestinian activists taking part in the “Welcome to Palestine” campaign have either been deported from Ben Gurion Airport, are still being detained or were never allowed to board their flights in Europe. The bulk of supporters were supposed to fly into Tel Aviv on July 8 in a bid to nonviolently resist Israel’s policies against the Palestinians.
Over the past week, Israel has been building its diplomatic and media campaign up to prepare for a mass deportation of the activists, who they dubbed as “provocateurs and hooligans.” Not only was security beefed up at the airport but a list of 342 people were sent to various airlines, warning them if the passengers in question reached Israel they would be returned at the expense of the airlines.
Overnight, two Americans were detained at the airport and immediately deported back to the United States.
Later on July 8, Palestinian Authority envoy to the European Union Leila Shahid berated the European airlines for preventing European citizens from traveling to Tel Aviv. “Is Europe blockaded just like Palestine? On what basis are European solidarity activists blacklisted at airports in European countries to prevent them from flying to Al Lod [Ben Gurion] airport?” she said.
In all Israel detained over 100 people who made it to the airport, some of whom were sent back while others remained in holding rooms or police detention facilities waiting flights out. Protesters who had come to support the activists at the airport held up placards reading “Welcome to Palestine” and “Salaam Aleikum” before being dragged away by Israeli police.
While the activists were not able to make it to Palestine, their efforts were not in vain. On July 7, one unnamed organizer of the campaign said Israel had actually helped publicize their message rather than thwarting it. “We should be thanking [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu, because without him, this wouldn’t have worked," the organizer said. "If we would have paid thousands of shekels in PR, it would not have worked out so well."
The fly-in came at the heels of the foiled Freedom Flotilla II which was barred from leaving a Greece port last week to fly to the Gaza Strip. Only one of the 10 ships, the French “Dignity” defied the Greek authorities and set sail anyway, but is currently still in international waters. Other ships, both American and Canadian, were intercepted by Greek coast guards and dragged back to Greek shores. The captain of the American ship was arrested on July 2 by Greek authorities and taken into custody.
On July 7, UN Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food, Olivier De Schutter expressed his criticism of a UN draft report that backed the 2010 Israeli commando raid on the first Freedom Flotilla, which left nine Turkish citizens dead.
"[The rapporteur] has received a draft of this report and he firmly opposes its conclusions," De Schutter's office said, conclusions which support the legality of the commando raid.
In contrast, a more encouraging report issued by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on July 5 was highly critical of Israel for the killing of seven people on the border with Lebanon on the Nakba Day last May. The report concludes that Israeli soldiers used disproportionate force against Lebanese demonstrators, which resulted in the deaths.
"I call on the Israel [defense forces] to refrain from responding with live fire in such situations, except where clearly required in immediate self-defense. Notwithstanding every country's inherent right of self defense, there is a need for the Israel Defense Forces always to apply appropriate operational measures, including crowd control measures, which are commensurate to the imminent threat toward their troops and civilians," the report states.
Israel, as usual, did not take the criticism well. Israel’s foreign affairs ministry has cut ties until further notice with UN special coordinator for Lebanon, Michael Williams who authored the report.
Meanwhile, settlements continue to be built. On July 4, the west Jerusalem municipality approved a plan to build 900 new housing units in the east Jerusalem settlement of Gilo. On July 3, tenders were announced for the construction of 300 units in the Betar Elite settlement near Housan, a village southwest of Bethlehem and 40 units in Efrata, built on land from Al Khader. Forty-six units were also announced for construction in the Karne Shomron settlement in Nablus.
On July 8, Israel announced it had confiscated uncultivated Palestinian land belonging to the West Bank village of Qaryout in order to “legalize” a nearby settlement outpost. Apparently, Israeli authorities used an old Ottoman law to justify the confiscation which allows for the expropriation of uncultivated land, a clear violation of international law.
Settlers have not only been increasing in numbers but in violence. Last week settlers burned a field in Bourin, destroying more than 400 trees. On July 5, Israeli troops demolished homes and water wells in Hebron and Bethlehem.
In addition, three Palestinian men were killed during Israeli raids on the Gaza Strip.
As for the Palestinians’ much anticipated bid for statehood, leaders are still debating on what is the best way to move forward. With a US veto looming and Israeli representatives globetrotting to rally as many “friends” as it can get, Palestinians now say they may take the vote to the General Assembly first.
“We will submit our request to the Secretary General, maybe in the last 10 days of July," Palestinian negotiator Mohammed Shtayeh said. If Palestinians go to the Security Council first, the chances are they will be vetoed by the US and its allies. If it passes the General Assembly vote, the leadership believes this could help sway the 15 council members to endorse it.
Barring Israel, the Palestinians’ biggest opposition is the United States. On July 7, the US Congress voted 406-6 to cut aid to the Palestinians should the latter go to the UN for recognition of their state. The bill also called on US President Barack Obama to consider freezing aid to the PA pending the unity deal between Hamas and Fateh. The Congress is opposed to any US money going to an Authority with Hamas members even though the transitional government would be comprised of Palestinian technocrats and not faction affiliates.
Meanwhile, on July 5, Israel reneged on its decision to transfer the bodies of 84 Palestinians killed by Israel, saying the public objected to some of the names on the list of bodies. The bodies, 10 of which are Hamas activists, could be used as bargaining chips in any Shalit release deal in the future.
Finally, Prime Minister Salaam Fayyad announced on July 3 that the government could only pay half of the PA’s salaries this month because of a lack of funds. The remaining half would be paid once funds came in. He said the PA has faced a funding deficit since the start of this year reaching $30 million a month.
UN Resolution 1325
Date posted: February 03, 2021
By MIFTAH
Kerry talks peace while Israel bars UNESCO mission [May 19 - May 25]
Date posted: May 25, 2013
By MIFTAH
President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu both met with US Secretary of State John Kerry this week in the latter’s fourth visit to the region since he assumed office.
After meeting with the two to ostensibly find ways to restart stalled negotiations between the two sides, Kerry urged on May 24 both Israeli and Palestinian leaders to take "hard decisions" to revive the peace process.
"We're getting toward a time now when hard decisions need to be made," he said at the end of his visit.
Kerry admitted a day before after meeting with the two leaders that there was skepticism and cynicism about his efforts to revive talks.
"I know this region well enough to know there is skepticism, in some quarters there is cynicism, and there are reasons for it. There have been bitter years of disappointment," he said. Still, he maintained: "It is our hope that by being methodical, careful, patient, but detailed and tenacious, that we can lay on a path ahead that can conceivably surprise people and certainly exhaust the possibilities for peace."
British foreign secretary William Hague was also in the region visiting with leaders on both sides and even visited the Bedouin community of Khan Al Ahmar between Jerusalem and Jericho, whose residents are under the threat of displacement.
On May 23, Hague was poignantly clear on where his country stands on Israeli settlements in the West Bank. "Israel has lost some of its support in Britain and in other European countries over time - this is something I've often pointed out to Israeli leaders -because of settlement activity, which we condemn,” he said.
"We strongly disagree with settlements on occupied land. Israel is a country we work with in many ways but we do disapprove of settlements,” he maintained, adding that: "We want to see both Israelis and Palestinians really commit themselves to the peace process while there is still a chance of a two-state solution."
In Khan al Ahmar, Hague listened to the residents’ grievances from Israeli efforts to push them out to make way for more settlement expansion. "We (in Britain) strongly condemn the building of settlements and recognise they are a severe threat to a two-state solution,” he told the people there.
On March 21, Israeli forces demolished two residential buildings in the Jabal al-Mukabbir in East Jerusalem. Earlier, they demolished two Palestinian homes in al-Tur, all under the pretext of unlicensed construction. Dozens of people have been left homeless from the demolitions.
A UNESCO fact-finding mission was supposed to arrive this week to look into Israeli measures in the Old City of Jerusalem and their impact on the archeological, cultural and heritage significance of the place, but was denied entry by Israel on May 20. Israel justified its decision by saying Palestinians were trying to politicize the visit.
"The Palestinians were not respecting the understandings,” an Israeli foreign ministry official said. “The visit was supposed to be professional, (but) they were taking measures that showed they were politicizing the event and not letting the delegation focus on professional sides of it," the official said.
UNESCO maintained that the mission was not cancelled, but postponed, the agency’s spokeswoman Sue Williams said.
The Palestinians said they expected Israel to pull something like this. “We weren't surprised by this decision because we believed that Israel's agreement to (allow the mission) was not convincing," minister of foreign affairs Riyad Al Malki said.
The Rafah crossing between the Gaza Strip and Egypt was reopened on May 22 after a five day closure. Egyptian soldiers and policemen closed the crossing following the kidnapping of seven Egyptian soldiers in Sinai, only reopening it after the soldiers were freed. Over 2,400 Palestinians had been stranded on both sides of the crossing during the days of the closure.
Extremist Israelis extended their attacks this week all the way to the Negev desert. On May 19, residents of the Retamim Kibbutz attacked the nearby Bedouin village of Bir Hadaj and set fire to a tent, according to head of the local village council, Salman Ibin Hamid
"The setters of Retamim are acting like they are in the West Bank," Ibn Hamid said. "These people have the mentality of the occupying settler to attack every Arab."
Finally, on May 23, the US appointed Gen. John Allen as special envoy on security issues in negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. According to a US official, Allen will deal with the U.S. position on Israeli security needs and the security arrangements that would accompany the establishment of a future Palestinian state.
Al Nakba commemorated amid increasing settler attacks [May 12 - May 18]
Date posted: May 18, 2013
By MIFTAH
This week Palestinians commemorated the 65th anniversary of the Nakba, the catastrophe of 1948 on May 15, with a variety of activities, demonstrations and events throughout the Palestinian territories and outside of its borders. Festivals were held in Ramallah and Nablus in addition to several protests and confrontations with Israeli occupation forces. In Jerusalem, clashes broke out between protesters and Israeli police and border guards when Palestinians commemorating Al Nakba, raising Palestinian flags and facing off with Jewish settlers and soldiers. Thirty people were wounded or arrested during the clashes in addition to six Israelis.
The Jerusalem clashes come at a time when settler break-ins to Al Aqsa have been on the rise amid increasing calls by extremist Jewish groups to make a presence at the compound. The break-ins have become a near daily event. Muslim worshippers and Palestinian youths have kept constant vigil at the mosque to stave off the break-ins which included settler groups who used children as a cover to enter the compound on the occasion of Shavuot.
Settlers in the West Bank have wreaked havoc this week as well. On May 17, three Palestinians were injured in clashes in Urif south of Nablus when dozens of settlers set fire to lands in three area-villages: Urif, Einabus, and Asira al-Qibliya. The settlers also attacked citizens and threw burning tires at people’s homes.
Jewish extremists attacked inside the Green Line as well. On May 14, extremists set fire to three cars and sprayed racist graffiti on a mosque south of Haifa, according to Israeli media reports.
"Price-tag" and "Eviatar," which is thought to refer to the name of a settler stabbed to death last week, were found on the mosque’s walls in addition to the Star of David. In Safed, even farther north, racist graffiti with the words "Arabs out" was found on walls in the city.
On May 13, Israeli settlers exhumed a number of graves and sprayed racist graffiti in the Sawiya village in Nablus. Ghassan Daghlas, head of the PA settlement activity file, said settlers from the Alia settlement were responsible for the damage.
On the same day settlers from Tel Hatimar begin building a religious school for children on Al Khader lands in the Bethlehem area.
The Israeli army meanwhile, uprooted over 1,200 olive tree saplings on May 16 and razed land Palestinian farmer in the northern West Bank, according to Daghlas. He said the army dug up over 40 dunums of farm land and demolished a water tank and stone walls in Ras Karker, near Nablus.
On May 17, three Palestinian laborers were wounded in Beit Ula northwest of Hebron after Israeli forces fired rubber-coated steel bullets and unleashed police dogs at them according to Issa al-Amla, coordinator for the popular struggle committee. He said Omar Al-Amla, 31, and Abdulkadir Al-Amla, 28, suffered multiple dog bites to the neck and hands. A third laborer, Jihad Saleem, was shot in the leg.
In Jerusalem on May 17, Israeli forces raided the home of Iyad al-Awar and insisted on taking his two children 6-year-old Qassam and 5-year-old Nasrallah for “interrogation”. While their father prevented the forces from arresting his boys, Israeli soldiers handed him a warrant ordering him to bring his children to the Russian Compound for questioning.
"We arrived to the Russian Compound and the troops wanted to take my kids for investigation; I refused and they beat me in the ear and the leg. My kids started crying and were so scared from the troops. They took my kids by force," al-Awar said.
Israeli Intelligence officers apparently questioned the children about their detained cousin Shadad, and asked if they had seen him throwing stones or Molotov cocktails at Israeli forces, Al Awar said.
On the same day however, Palestinians scored a tiny victory in the Jerusalem suburb of Abu Dis when they were able to tear a hole through part of the separation wall. Protesters marking the Nakba anniversary ripped a 4-meter hole in it, eyewitnesses said. Clashes ensued between the protesters and Israeli soldiers who fired tear gas and rubber-coated steel bullets. Several injuries were reported.
Peace Now reported on May 16 that the Israeli government planned to grant retroactive approval to four West Bank settlement outposts it had previously pledged to at least partially demolish.
The Israeli state attorney's office said that settlers had purchased the private Palestinian land on which they built, thus paving the way for the government to give its blessing.
"In the response, the government declares its intention to legalize four outposts, in isolated areas," Peace Now said in a statement, adding that the strategy was an affront to US Secretary of State John Kerry's efforts to revive dormant Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. "The intention to legalize outposts as new settlements is no less than a slap in the face of Secretary Kerry's new peace process," Peace Now said.
On May 14, Hamas and Fatah agreed in Cairo to form a national unity government within three months during which they would finalize and approve the Palestine National Council elections law. The two sides, represented by Fatah leader Azzam Al Ahmad and Hamas politburo member Mousa Abu Marzouq, came to the agreement under Egyptian sponsorship and said President Abbas would immediately begin talks on the new government formation. Once the government is formed, general elections can be held.
