Visa blues

As many of you know, I have been toiling over some of my most basic needs which have gone unfulfilled-because of an administrative order that is meant to shut people like me out. My visa is several weeks expired because when I went for my previous appointment in time to be legit, I was told that I couldn’t be helped because I needed to get a letter from the appropriate authorities in order to process my visa. When I returned today, a month later with the letter requested, I was told that I needed to go to an entirely other Ministry, of Foreign Affairs! This is the second time I have come back to the ministry for an appointment that takes a month to get. Therefore, I have been relegated to staying frozen in my place of refuge and traveling only when absolutely necessary as many of you also know that I have been harassed on many occasions while traveling, and even threatened with immediate deportation.

After checking why, after 15 minutes after my scheduled appointment of they had still not called my name, I was assured they would get right to me. A half hour past, and several other appointments later, one finally called my name, this and the several administrators I dealt with finally ‘saw me’, they didn’t even want to bother looking at me.

‘People like me’ are those in a country that are not of a certain religion. I watched today at the ministry while people walked away from their appts. with noticeable grins of relief on their faces, and Jewish head dresses draped on their heads.

When I finally sat down to discuss ‘my case’, it was immediately noted that I filled out the incorrect form, and that I must fill out the ‘visa extension’ form. It was then, to my dismay, I realized that I had accidentally filled out the law of return application. I was immediately struck by the exact likeness of the applications, they were both identical color and the same exact questions raised as if to make a subliminal, little, ironic joke. The only difference was a tiny little box at the very top of the page that read something to the effect of check this box if applying for 'Law of Return', versus extending a 3-month visa.

The Law of Return from 1950 “grants every Jew, wherever he or she may be, the right to come to Israel as an 'oleh' (a Jew immigrating to Israel) and become an Israeli citizen.”

I can not help but feel an inherent feeling of purposeful belittlement and rage at the blatant racism I and all Palestinians are being expected to accept. Though the racism towards me pales in comparison to that experienced by Palestinians both within and outside of the Green Line, I sometimes can uphold the illusion of being immune to it and not letting it get to me. These laws are embedded so deeply in the beliefs and values of those administering and upholding them with their silence, they need not even be written on paper – because the understanding and acceptance of the system.

Whomever says that this is not a plain system of blatant racism and apartheid (separate laws based on race/religion), has not experienced it themselves.

60/40 Campaign for Return & Freedom

6 June 2007 marks the 40 years since Israel's Occupation
15 May 2008 commemorates 60 years of the Palestinian Nakba (catastrophe).

Let's Make 2007/2008 the Campaign for Freedom and Return!

In 1948 eighty-five percent of the Palestinians living in the areas that became the state of Israel became refugees. More than 500 Palestinian villages were depopulated and later destroyed to prevent the return of the refugees. Today there are a total of 7 million Palestinian refugees, dispersed throughout the world - the largest and longest running refugee problem yet unresolved.

Israel continues to occupy and colonize Palestinian land through the construction of Jewish only settlements and the Wall in the West Bank. The Gaza Strip has been turned into one large prison. Israel violates international law and commits ongoing war crimes and crimes against humanity.

A CALL TO ACTION!
The future of the Palestinian people is at a crossroads; 2007 - 2008 marks a historic opportunity for faith-based organizations, individuals, community groups, the solidarity movement, unions and political parties to pool resources and activities and campaign for a rights-based solution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Critical is the focus on the enforcement of the rights of Palestinian refugees under international law.

This may well be the last decade anniversary when Palestinian eye-witnesses from the 1948 Nakba are still living. Now more than ever Palestinians are counting on local and global society to build pressure for the enforcement of international law – the foundation for a just peace between Palestinians and Israelis. Let's make 2007 – 2008 into 'the campaign of freedom and return'. Not just the return (al-awda) of the refugees, but also a return to the rule of law and respect for human rights.

Please email mediaenglish@badil.org for more information.

The War of Words & Death that Follows:

A TIME FOR REFLECTION
By Khaleel Isa

"What you are seeing," he shot, "is a rise in tensions that really emanates and is the direct result of the inability of Hamas to effectively govern in the Palestinian areas." We hold Hamas fully responsible for what happened Thursday at Rafah, both the chaos and destruction" the spokesman for Fatah declared.

"What a war Mahmoud Abbas you are launching, first against God, and then against Hamas. We joined this movement to become martyrs, not ministers," Haniyeh fired back in response, referring to Hamas loyalists' willingness to die for their cause. "The Palestinian government rejects this call for early elections and considers it a coup against Palestinian legitimacy and the will of the Palestinian people," accused Hamas legislator Mushir al-Masri in a statement Saturday. He accused Abbas of illegally calling for early elections, and announced that his plans are one "of defeat and submission to the Zionist enemy."

As I sit and listen to the non-stop gunfire coming from the streets of Gaza city, the above quotes keep running through my mind. While sitting with my colleagues and listening to their words, I see the uncertainty that can create such anxiety and insecurity, a truly horrible space for anyone to be in. Then I start examining how the build up of the events of history could have led us to the harsh reality we are witnessing now. At times, if I am not too involved with a direct event, I am able to explore the arguments or righteousness of the one who had something to say. I used to be very good at listening to and analyzing the intended meanings of the leaders of Palestine, before. But today if I could only ask our leaders: Does the aggression against your brother, make your viewpoint heard more powerfully?? Does the emotional, psychological and physical instability and fear seen in the eyes of your own community justify the divisive and bloody means? How do our Palestinian leaders, make rational sense of this dangerously, chaotic and deeply, sad time for Palestine and Her people?

What is on my mind now is more uncertainty and deep fear. Fear that more Palestinians will be killed by the hands of other Palestinians. I reflect on how the thoughts and emotions from the leaders of Palestine, can bring overwhelming numbness and anxiety, while provoking uncertainty. And then what I wonder is if anyone has a plan in mind? Or are all the players simply doomed to continuously react to one tragic event after another, creating a domino effect of yet more harsh realities. Is the discussion or thought of strategies and future visions even brought up in political discourse??

Living in Palestine, we are surrounded by, and often witness surreal and unimaginable images and a never ending dichotomy of circumstances. You see and experience some of the most callous acts of human cruelty imaginable. Just a few days ago, I witnessed an Israeli soldier ask a mother to put her 5 month baby in the x-ray machine to see if it is a bomb! Let us not forget, there is the Israeli Military incursions, we have long ones and short ones in the Palestinian lands. Some of these Military Israeli incursions, have become so normalized, because they happen SO often without any war criminal tribunal system, that it often becomes a second thought to Palestinians who are not in that particular incursions. Unless such blatant War Crimes like Beit Hanoun occur - I have grown accustomed to unconsciously descentize my emotional self with my daily routine.

But over the past week, since the blatant killing of those children, by Palestinians, I wonder if the invisible coping mechanisms which one develops as a way to defend this unfair life, is destined to take over even when it is at the cost of their own Community in struggle? Should I not reflect and then change this part of my mental psyche, or just allow the overwhelming pain to justify my behavior? Is this not the rat race that so many before us, expressed to beware of?

Today when I look at myself in the mirror what I see inside is rage. Rage from the facts that have occurred and are replayed in my memory. Rage from the exhaustion of feeling sad and uncared for. Rage at the lies that I constantly hear about our Palestinian society. Rage from the pain and injustice, that I constantly see in the children and families who never deserved the wrath inherited by their sordid history; with no positive sign of hope in sight. My rage is compounded by the hopelessness of bankrupt policies and visionless leadership, which guides our world today.

The dysfunctional effects of the cruel years, built upon layers of misguided efforts, have left on our doorstep a testimony of what we are witnessing today. This period can be seen as an inevitable convergence in our history. I only hope that we can begin a kind of healing process in order to make right all of the wrongs.

So today I ask of my Palestinian family members from Jenin, to Jerusalem to Rafah to Nablus, to Beit Hanoun to Ramallah, to stop and take a long, hard look in the mirror and ask yourself what you see, and feel. For me I see the image of blatant US-Israel Led imperial media trickery in front of my face. I see this 60 year senseless Illegal occupation-which has displaced, killed, tormented and maimed so many, taking a toll on my own emotional sensibility and rational framework.

The idea that it is someone's fault, or they one group is solely to blame, is the same rhetoric that I have heard from Israel when killing or displacing Palestinians, as well as from the U.S. government when creating the so called "Democratic violent havoc values" and senseless death within Iraq. We have reached a situation today, that if not all of us individually are to take responsibility for, we will respectively lose and disregard the same human life that we so long have been fighting so hard to defend and honor. I ask for all of us to look in the mirror and see how we all can stop the same blame game, that has colonized our people and left us feeling unheard and uncared for since the Nekba began, and before.

Brothers and Sisters of Palestine, are we so emotionally damaged from these years of being treated so unfairly, that we should allow this type of senseless violence to be justified? In the name of our children's future let us listen to the Great Grand Mothers and Grand Fathers of Palestine. Hear their voices, listen to their emotional memories and pain. Let us be empowered by respecting the souls of the Martyrs of Palestine. Why should we create more blood, when the choice is in our hands?

When I look in the mirror what do I see - I am neither Fatah, nor Hamas. I am a Palestinian, who loves my brothers and sisters. I know if you look in the mirror, I know your answer will be no different than mine. I hear my ancestors singing loudly- without me there is no we, and without the WE, there will never be a ME. Today, yesterday and tomorrow, we are constantly reflecting moments that we can no longer afford to ignore.

For the souls of our ancestors, and the children of Palestine - we call on our leaders and affiliated parties to stop the violence in the streets of Palestine!
"I call on our brothers in Hamas to practice restraint ... to protect Palestinian blood," Meshal in a live radio interview from his base in the Syrian capital of Damascus. "Our battle is against the occupation, and we will not be dragged into a civil war."

In solidarity for Palestinian Rights and Justice

From Occupied Palestine Territories- Gaza

Dr. Khaleel Isa is a psychologist working with UNRWA in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. He can be reached at isakhaleel@yahoo. com

Gun Machines and Light Rails

Summary of latest event - Search of the house of Miras' family in
the middle of the night, Aida Camp.
by Nidal al-Azza
Friday, 15 December 2006


In the night of Thursday to Friday on 15 December, between 3:30 to
3:40am, more than 50 Israeli soldiers surrounded Al-Azza family in
Aida camp. They knocked the door strongly and shouted loudly "open
the door quickly …"

Nidal and his brother Said woke up. Nidal reached the door first and
opened it. Immediately, they asked him: "Whats your name?" He
replied "Nidal Al- Azza." One of the soldiers took him by the neck
and pulled him outside. Nidal pushed the soldier's hands and
shouted "What is going here?" The Israeli commander interfered and
told the soldier to leave him and asked: "Who is living on the third
floor?" "My brother and I" Nidal answered. The commander said, "Call
your brother." Said, Nidal's brother, was standing at the entrance
of the house and said: "I am here, what do you want?" The commander
replied: "Get everybody out of the house, bring them here
quickly." Said replied "they are just children and that they are in
deep sleep." The commander replied: "I said now." Said went up to
his apartment. Twenty soldiers entered the house, one group of
soldiers followed Said and another entered Nidal's apartment, while
the others were watching and surrounding the house. The commander
was connected directly to someone in Rachel Tomb. The one in Rachel
Tomb's directed them to the floor, to the balcony and to the doors
and windows shot last Friday, 8 December and during which Nidal's
son, Miras, was shot and injured.

The soldiers searched Said's apartment and turned it upside down.
Said asked "What are you looking for?" The commander replied: "We
need the gun machine!" Said told him that there was no gun machine.
The commander said to Said "Come with me" and went with Said to the
balcony where Miras got shot last Friday, 8 December. Meanwhile,
soldiers noticed a closed wooden door and started breaking it,
Suheir, Said's wife, told them "I will bring you the key," but
before she had time to finish her sentence, the door was broken.
This door connects the two rooms in Nidal's apartment to Said's
apartment.

The commander pointed to the bullets holes and asked Said: "Where do
these holes come from?" Said: "You are a soldier and can determine
the direction…you shot them." The commander replied: "OK, and why
did we shot them ?" Said: "Do not ask me ..ask yourself." He
repeated the question and Said told him to ask the soldier who shot
the kids while they were playing. The commander ordered Said to
raise his clothes. They wanted to check if Said had been shot…and
then asked the family to keep quiet inside their apartment.

The commander then went to Nidal's apartment, which was also turned
upside down by the soldiers. He called Nidal to go up to the two
bedrooms on the third floor and asked: "Where do these holes come
from?" Nidal replied: "You shot the kids while they were playing on
the balcony and inside their bedrooms." He said "No" then he
said "Well, why?" Nidal responded: "Ask yourself or the soldier who
shot them" and continued, "Are you the one who was on the tower and
shot the kids that day?" The commander was surprised and shocked,
and immediately replied: "NO..NO I was not there!" Nidal continued :
"What are you looking for?" The commander: "The gun." Nidal: "Why
did you not bring your well trained dogs to determine where the gun
is?" The commander looked to Nidal for a while, and said, "We do not
need them…next time we will bring them!"

The commander went down, and moved through the house, then asked
Nidal: "Do you have a camera?" Nidal replied: "Yes, and I took
photos of the bullets holes, and I will take photos of what you did
tonight." The commander asked:
"For what purpose?" Nidal: "I am going to sue you, you will see the
photos in court."

The commander and two other soldiers saw Miras laying on his bed, he
was awake and his mother, Afaf was sitting next to him. Afaf moved
his bed in the living room because friends came to visit Miras, and
also because she discovered that it is the only place from which he
can only be seen by one military tower, making it relatively safer.
The commander and the two soldiers stood in front of Miras' bed for
two minutes, watching him, speechless. They left at 4.50 a.m.



===
For more information, go to the Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign at:
http://stopthewall.org/factsheets/1047.shtml

Connex / Veolia and Alstom are the international investors in the
Citypass consortium that will build and run a light rail project in
Jerusalem that incorporates a number of Jewish settlements around
East Jerusalem, built on stolen Palestinian land. It ensures the
contiguity of these colonies with the central areas of the city and
plays a key role in sustaining the settlements and ensuring they
become a permanent fixture upon Palestinian land.

Veolia's involvement in the tramline makes the company complicit in
Israel's violations of international law reaping significant profits
over a 30 year period, money stained with the blood and misery of
Palestinians under Occupation and currently being expelled from
Jerusalem.

Veolia has rejected to heed the calls from Palestine and
international organizations.

Thus international pressure is mounting on the corporation to stop
their involvement in the Judaization of Jerusalem.

* Connex shuttles have been blockaded in Geneva.

* Following protests by trade unions and IPSC in August 2006, Veolia
Transport Ireland had called off plans to train Israeli personnel to
operate the tramline in Jerusalem.

* In November the Dutch ASN Bank decided to divest from Veolia until
the company respects the relevant UN resolutions.

Support us in putting further pressure on Veolia!

Address the advisors of the Institut Veolia Environnement, the
group's prestige institute aiming to "propose a forum for dialogue
and interchange with academia, institutions and the different actors
in society."

Ask the intellectuals associated with the institute to re-consider
their support of Veolia as long as Veolia supports violations of
Palestinian rights!

To:
Foresight committee Institut Veolia Environnement:
Amartya Sen: ree23@cam.ac.uk (cc weiner@fas.harvard.edu )
Philippe Kourilsky: caput@pasteur.fr
Pierre Marc Johnson: pjohnson@heenan.ca
Harvey Fineberg: fineberg@nas.edu
Mamphela Ramphele: aesmar@bremner.uct.ac.za
Helene Ahrweiler: (no email available)

cc: Georges Valentis: georges.valentis@institut.veolia.org
(Managing Director of Institut Veolia Environnement)

From : Name/Organization:
____________________
____________________

Date: ____________

Open letter to the Foresight Committee members of the Institut Veolia
Environnement

Dear Foresight Committee members,

We are addressing you in your capacity as experts supporting the
efforts of Institut Veolia Environnement.

We know that all of you have dedicated a great part of your life and
expertise to the promotion of human rights and social, economic,
cultural and political rights of people all over the world. We
appreciate your commitment and are writing you now to urge you to
continue your support for human rights for all.

We would like to inform you about the implications of your
association with the Institut Veolia in terms of its' violations of
international law, UN resolutions, and Palestinian human rights and
cultural heritage.

As you may know, Veolia, together with Alstom, are the international
investors in the Citypass consortium that won a 2002 tender put out
by Israeli authorities for a light rail transportation project in
Jerusalem amounting to around 500 million euros. Citypass will be
responsible for operation and maintenance of the system for the next
thirty years.*

The path of the light rail incorporates a number of Jewish
settlements around East Jerusalem, built on stolen Palestinian land. It ensures
the contiguity of these colonies with the central areas of the city and
provides them with a vital transport link. The project boasts that
the "Ammunition Hill" station of the network will operate as the feeder
station for settler traffic from Ma'aleh Adumim, a large Israeli
settlement in the West Bank, and from settlements in the West Bank's
Jordan Valley. The light rail project plays a key role in sustaining
the settlements and ensuring they become a permanent fixture upon
Palestinian land.

In August 2005, the project got the go ahead from War Criminal Ariel
Sharon who stated at a signing ceremony: "I believe that this should
be done, and in any event, anything that can be done to strengthen
Jerusalem, construct it, expand it and sustain it for eternity as the
capital of the Jewish people and the united capital of the State of
Israel, should be done." The Occupation's Mayor Uri Lupolianski
described the light rail to be "the fulfillment of Psalm 122." The
tramline is clearly part of a larger plan to substitute Jerusalem's
historical and unique social fabric and its cultural heritage with a
new brand of a "Judaized" version of Jerusalem.

According to international law, an occupying power is not allowed to
annex or drastically change the infrastructure in the territories it
occupies. The advisory opinion of the International Court of Justice
in July 2004 confirmed that Israel is an occupying power and that
building the Wall and Jewish settlements in occupied Palestinian territories
is illegal. However, the tramline project runs through the occupied
Palestinian territories. Veolia's involvement in the tramline will
make the company complicit in Israel's violations of international
law.

The project, a private-public partnership (PPP) between the Israeli
Occupation government and the consortium, is hinged upon the
willingness of international business groupings to provide a huge
injection of capital. In turn Veolia and Alstom will reap significant
profits and dividends over a thirty-year period, money stained with
the
blood and misery of Palestinians under Occupation and currently being
expelled from Jerusalem.

Veolia has received a lot of criticism since it first announced its
intentions to become involved in the illegal project. Stop the Wall
and
other Palestinian civil society organizations have launched appeals
against its participation in the tramway. President of the
Palestinian Authority Mahmoud Abbas and French President Jacques
Chirac already discussed Veolia's partnership in the tramline
project in the summer of 2005. Amnesty International France
highlighted the unlawfulness of the construction of the tramline in
East Jerusalem in a public statement on 1 March 2006.

The Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign (IPSC) revealed in August
2006 that Veolia Transport Ireland had called off plans to train
Israeli personnel to operate a similar tramline in East Jerusalem,
following trade union protests inspired by the IPSC.

Then in November the Dutch ASN Bank ended its relationship with
Veolia and wrote to Veolia:

"....We believe that Veolia's involvement in the light rail project
is not in line with the UN's demand to stop all support for
Israel's settlement activities, and is therefore not in line with ASN
Banks' social criteria. Due to the direct nature of Veolia's
involvement (through a 5% stake in the consortium and as future
operator), we are of the opinion that Veolia's activities in
Jerusalem are in conflict with UN Resolutions. Therefore, on this
current information Veolia will be removed from our investment
universe."

In the light of the above, we urge you to take a stand for justice
and international law and to join the international efforts to
convince the Veolia group to consider the role human rights should
play in investments.

We ask you to re-consider your support of Veolia as long as Veolia
supports violations of our rights and international legality.

As Veolia has not heeded the calls from Palestine and various
international organizations, ending your relationship with
Veolia-just as the ASN Bank did-will allow you to truly
"participate in defining the overall direction and contribute to the
discussions led by the Institut Veolia Environnement."

Regards,

Signature

Rachel's Sniper

Yesterday my colleague walked out of the office where he spends many tireless days and nights working away. When he did not return for some time I began to wonder where he could have gone. Then came the news that he left in an instant, after he received the news that his 12-year old son who was playing outside on their balcony was shot by an Israeli sniper from his tower that is over looking their house in Aida refugee camp in Bethlehem. This particular sniper tower is the same that runs through the barrier around Rachel's Tomb which is adjacent to the camp. The Wall was recently completed there in September and currently a Jewish only settlement is being built. Two children were on the balcony at the time of the shooting, five more children between 2-10 years old were playing inside the house - running between the balcony and the house. No warning was given to the children before the shooting began.

Miras was shot in the back as he and his brother were running back into the house to seek protection as the bullet pierced his body. Three other children (2 years old to the eye, 9 years old to the leg and Mai'san to the stomach) suffered injuries from glass and stone shrapnel. The children said that shooting continued after they had entered the house. This was a clearly deliberate attack with the intention to kill, injure and/or maim the children. After Miras was taken to hospital, the family found the rest of the children in a state of shock, holding each other minutes after the event, unable to move.

The house is less than 200 feet away from the tower, so it can be clearly seen that they were children playing. As with many homes in the camp, the soldiers can see directly into their home and have probably monitored the movements of the family for quite some time. We all went to the hospital while Miras underwent surgery; thankfully the bullet was removed and he remains in critical but stable condition.

Today, when Nidal went on the balcony to take photos of the damage, soldiers from the tower yelled at him to move back in the house. It seems soldiers do not want them to use the balcony and the upper floor of their house. The rooms on the upper floor have been destroyed 3 times since the beginning of the Intifada. The family had stopped using them since 2000, but after renovation, started using them again in July 2006. Today, a jeep came looking for him; the soldiers are clearly attempting to intimidate and harass him and his family. The children are scarred and terrified that their father will get arrested.

In August 2006, the Israeli's officially severed the Rachel's Tomb area from the rest of Bethlehem, including from those Palestinians who own land and properties there. In fact, my place is very close and I often walk to see the many homes which are completely surrounded on all sides by the wall! Palestinian owners whose properties are located inside the area reported, that as of "the 28th of August that they are no longer allowed to access their properties. The Israeli Occupation forces gave orders not let anyone inside the enclave as they're preparing to isolate the area and rig large iron gate along the 30 foot cement partition surrounding the tomb site thus permanently sealing off the area from Bethlehem." The confiscation of the land and the building of the wall around Rachel's Tomb in Bethlehem severs the connection between Christian and Muslim holy sites and is just another example of families devastated on EVERY LEVEL by the building of the wall and settlements on and near their land. That is why many have left and are leaving the city. 400,000 alone have been displaced, from the building of the wall. (For more information on forced displacement and internally displaced persons see the recent study by badil at www.badil.org/wall-report.pdf).

The "little town of Bethlehem" is under serious attack and is being completely economically strangled and physically enclosed by settlers and the wall. Settlement expansion and land confiscations are happening at a most alarming rate. And yet Bethlehem it is only one of the many latest developments of forcible transfer, which involves a deliberate and vulgar cleansing of the local population, a war crime and a crime against humanity. It is said that these settlers are particularly extremist, and they fear that "the town will become another Hebron - where Jewish extremists have expelled Palestinians from their homes and with the support of the Israeli army, who intimidate and harass the local population."
(see: Evil Incarnate: Settlers of Hebron http://palestinehumanrights.blogspot.com/2006/05/evil-incarnate-
settlers-of-hebron.html) It seems as though the fear is well justified.

On 31 October, 2006, when asked, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what action the UK Government have taken following the Israeli Defence Force's transfer of the Rachel Tomb neighborhood to the Israeli civilian authority at Jerusalem, Dr. Howells responded: "We have taken no specific action relating to the Israel Defence Force's transfer of the Rachel's Tomb neighbourhood to the Israeli civilian authority, but we raised our concerns, at official level, about the serious impact on the citizens of Bethlehem of Rachel's Tombs' inclusion in the barrier. We believe the barrier's route should be on or behind the Green Line, and not on occupied territory. Construction of the barrier on Palestinian land is illegal. We also remain concerned by settlement activity in nd around the area surrounding Rachel's Tomb. We will continue to raise our concerns about this area with the Israeli Government."

As at least one person suggested that they should not let the kids play on the balcony of the house, and Nidal replied, "Is it my children that should not play there, rather is it not the soldier, that must not shoot him?" Yet, it seems that no one knows exactly what to do to stop them, and the `raising of concerns' world wide are not enough to safe guard the children of Palestine who enjoy absolutely NO form of protection. As Israeli authorities continue to make a mockery of the Quartet and all previous agreements, human rights, international law, UN resolutions etc., it is increasingly clear that the only hope for change is the complete diplomatic isolation; and all forms of political sanctions, cultural and academic boycott and economic divestment (BDS) until Israel complies with international law. Please let me know if you would like more information on BDS.

Happy holidays,
from the holy Occupied city of Bethlehem.

May next year be better.

Noura

The following is (another) statement that UNRWA put out.
Unfortunately, they have no mechanism in place to provide
accountability, or protection for those in their care.

United Nations Relief and Works Agency
West Bank Field Office, Jerusalem
Phone (02) 5890408. Facsimile: (02)5322842
UNRWA

Press Release

10/2006 PRESS STATEMENT
8 December 2006

Palestinian child shot while playing at home

Jerusalem - This Friday morning a 13 -year old Palestinian child was shot and seriously wounded as he was playing near his parents' house in Aida refugee camp, near the town of Bethlehem.

At around 12:00hrs, Miras Nidal Azzeh was struck by a bullet in the upper abdomen area, seriously injuring him. At least three bullets were fired in his direction from an Israeli army observation tower overlooking the refugee camp.
Miras was taken to al-Yamama Hospital in the nearby village of al-Khader for the removal of the bullet. He was operated upon and is listed is serious but stable condition.
Condemning the shooting, UNRWA's West Bank Field Director, Anders Fange described it as a "reckless and irresponsible act that shows flagrant disregard for human lives. Children are not safe even at home."

As UNRWA gears up for its annual Host and Donors meeting next week in the Jordanian capital, Amman, at which Palestinian youth issues will be addressed, Anders Fange stressed that this latest tragedy underscores the need for an international protection mechanism to protect the civilian population, including children.

-end-

For information only

Note: For more information please contact Sami Mshasha at 0542168295