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Palestine Diaries

courtesy The Electronic Intifada

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Map of Israel's planned "security fence", adapted for clarity from Gush Shalom map. Gush Shalom notes: The Israeli government did not publish full, official maps of the wall. The path of the Eastern wall was compiled by the Land Research Center and the Palestinian Hydrology Group, based on expropriation orders issued to Palestinian land owners.

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Video Archives
Audio Archives

VIDEO
BBC:
Gap Between CIA
And Bush Stories
posted 10/9/02

VIDEO
BBC:
Region As
Unsettled As It's
Ever Been
10/9/02

VIDEO
BBC:
"No compromise
here"
posted 10/8/02

VIDEO
BBC:
Another Gaza
Attack
posted 10/6/02

VIDEO
BBC:
PA's Erekat: We
Need International
Protection Now
posted 10/6/02

VIDEO
BBC:
Khalil Shikaki, CPR:
'Chances slim for
negotiation'
posted 9/28/02

PHOTOS
Islam Online:
Arafat HQ
Destroyed
posted 9/25/02

PHOTOS
Islam Online:
Nine Palestinians Killed In Gaza
posted 9/24/02

VIDEO
Konscious:
Metal of Dishonor
The Face of US
War on Iraq
posted 9/18/02

VIDEO
BBC:
Sabra & Shatila
Is Sharon A
War Criminal?
posted 9/13/02

VIDEO
CBC:
Israeli
Army Was
Embarrassed
By Release
of Video
released 3/18/02
posted 9/6/02

Video Archives

Conflict..

IOF mows down eighty Palestinian-owned agricultural acres in Deir Al-Balah and Khan Younis International Press Center 1/26/2004 PALESTINE. 26January.2004 (IPC)--- Palestinian security resources reported today afternoon that the Israeli Occupying Forces (IOF) has bulldozed 65 Palestinian-ownedacres of agricultural lands in Deir Al-Balah Palestinian city, middle of Gaza Strip. Earlier, IOF bulldozed more than 15 Palestinian-owned acres of agricultural lands in Al-Qararah region, north of Khan Younis Palestinian city."Palestinian security resources told IPC....Tens of Palestinian farmers complained that IOF suspended the permits which have been given to them to gain access to their lands located behind the Israeli-constructed Apartheid Wall....Moreover, IOF intensified today its military oppressive measures against the Palestinian citizens in Salfeet Palestinian city, West Bank. IOF Tank Wounds Two Palestinians, One Critically International Press Center 1/26/2004 GAZA, January 26, 2004, (IPC + Agencies) - -Two Palestinians were wounded Sunday evening, one critically, when an IOF tank fired a shell towards them in Qizan Al Najar area, south of Khan Younis City, Palestinian medical sources confirmed. Eyewitnesses said that an Israeli tank stationed in the perimeter of the illegitimate Israeli settlement of “Morag” fired its shell towards the two civilians, wounding them differently....In Khuza’ Town, southeast of Khan Younis, the Israeli occupying forces razed Sunday overnight several green houses, Palestinian security sources said.... Zionist forces block travel of Palestinian women north of the Strip Palestinian Information Center 1/26/2004 Gaza - Zionist terrorist forces manning the Seifa roadblock to the north of the Beit Lahia area in the Gaza Strip have been blocking the travel of women across that barrier for the fourth consecutive day. The occupation troops told women that they were banned for a number of unspecified days and allowed the passing of men after strict inspection measures. Bethlehem mayor says Israel is stealing Palestinian land and lying about it Palestinian Information Center 1/26/2004 Occupied Jerusalem - Bethlehem mayor Hanna Nasser has accused Israel of carrying out “crimes against humanity” in the West Bank, saying the world ought to move fast to restrain this “fascist onslaught.” “They are confiscating our land in broad daylight. And they are lying about it,” he said during a telephone interview Monday. Nasser pointed out that Israeli occupation forces were reducing the traditional birthplace of Jesus to a “detention camp.” Suicide bomb found inside PC monitor Washington Times 1/26/2004 JERUSALEM, Jan. 26 (UPI) -- Israeli security agents found explosives hidden inside a computer monitor to be used in a suicide attack, the Jerusalem Post reported Monday. The authorities believe the explosives were to be used for an attack in Tel Aviv. Israeli security forces near Kafr A-Zawiya, where the Elkana settlement is, retrieved the explosives and computer Sunday acting on intelligence information received from a Palestinian captured last week in Nablus, the Post said. IOF and Israeli Settlers Wound Four Palestinians, One Critically International Press Center 1/25/2004 KHAN YOUNIS, Palestine, January 25, 2004 (IPC + WAFA) - - The Israeli occupying forces (IOF) shot and wounded two Palestinian citizens in the city of Khan Younis, south of Gaza Strip, one critically, while armed Israeli settlers wounded two others in a refugee camp in Hebron. Palestinian security and medical sources in the city of Khan Younis told IPC correspondent that the Israeli occupying forces stationed inside the illegitimate Israeli settlement of "Morag", south of Khan Younis, opened heavy gunfire at Palestinian citizens and their homes in the area of Qizan Al Najjar, wounding two Palestinian citizens....Earlier, in the Hebron governorate, the Israeli occupying forces imposed curfew and raided Palestinian houses in the Al Arroub refugee camp, east of Hebron City. News Briefs: Troops invade village near Ramallah International Middle East Media Center 1/26/2004 Troops invade a village near Ramallah: Earlier this dawn, the army supported by armored vehicles invaded a village near Ramallah. Locals in the village mentioned that the army imposed curfew and attacked several houses, the assault was mainly concentrated in the main street in the village of Al-Mazra'a Al-sharqiyya... / 1/25/2004 -- 2 Palestinians wounded south Khan Younis: This evening, a tank fired a shell towards some Palestinians near Morag Settlement south Khan Younis in the Gaza Strip. / Five Palestinian workers wounded on Eretz crossing in Gaza: The army on Eretz crossing in the Gaza wounded five workers who sustained bruises and injuries after being assaulted by the military, other workers sustained breathing problems and suffocation after the military fired several Gas bombs towards them. Qassam Brigades shell Zionist settlement, army outpost Palestinian Information Center 1/26/2004 Gaza - The Qassam Brigades, military wing of the Hamas Movement, today declared responsibility for firing nine mortar shells at a Zionist settlement and an army position to the east of Rafah in south of the Gaza Strip. Daily Situation Report in the OPT - Acrobat format Palestine Media Center 1/26/2004 Daily Situation Report by Palestinian Monitoring Group - 08:00 24 January 2004 – 08:00 25 January 2004 - detailed accounting of closures, curfews, demolitions and other daily operations conducted by the IDF in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

Diplomacy..

Court firm on Israel barrier case BBC 1/26/2004 The International Court of Justice has rejected a call by Israel to move a 30 January deadline for written arguments on the security barrier case. The legality of the barrier is to be debated by the ICJ in February at the request of Arab states at the UN....The decision came as Palestinians called for a day of protest to mark the start of the hearing. Hezbollah swap deal disappoints Palestinian prisoners Ha'aretz 1/26/2004 Palestinians imprisoned in Israel expressed disappointment with the outcome of the prisoner-exchange deal after listening to a press conference that Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah gave in Beirut yesterday. Though the deal calls for Israel to release 400 Palestinian prisoners, none are people convicted of serious offenses or people with more than three years left to serve. PLC members oppose 'refugee' solution in latest Saudi plan Ha'aretz 1/26/2004 Palestinian lawmakers expressed opposition Monday to a section of a new Saudi-led peace initiative that calls for more than 2 million Palestinian refugees to be absorbed by other Arab states.... According to the initiative, which is being prepared by Arab states, some 2 million Palestinian refugees would be allowed to return to the Palestinian state that would be established. More than 2 million others would be absorbed by other Arab states, and compensated for the suffering they had endured. Israel will not be required to absorb any Palestinian refugees. Saudi Arabia denies proposing relocation of Palestinians on its territory Palestinian Information Center 1/26/2004 Riyadh - An official Saudi source has denied that his country was proposing a new initiative stipulating the relocation of Palestinian refugees on its territory. The Saudi Press Agency quoted the official as saying that the Kuwaiti newspaper "Aseyassah" report was absolutely baseless. The source further denied that Riyadh had tabled a new initiative to settle the Arab-"Israeli" conflict, affirming that that the only such initiative was tabled at the Beirut summit for Arab leaders in March 2002 that was approved by all Arab countries. Hamas Proposes 10-Year Truce For Israeli Withdrawal Islam Online 1/26/2004 RAMALLAH, West Bank, January 26 (IslamOnline.net & News Agencies) – Hamas top official Abdal Aziz Al-Rantisi said late Sunday, January 25, that the main Palestinian resistance group could declare a 10-year truce with Israel if the latter withdrew from territories occupied in 1967 and a Palestinian state was established. "We propose a 10-year truce in return for [Israeli] withdrawal and the establishment of a [Palestinian] state," Rantisi told Reuters news agency in a telephone interview. Israel scorns Hamas 10-year truce plan eircom.net 1/26/2004 JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Israel has dismissed as ridiculous a proposal from the main Palestinian militant group, Hamas, to declare a 10-year truce if the Jewish state withdraws from territory occupied since 1967. Top Hamas official Abdel-Aziz al-Rantissi told Reuters late on Sunday Hamas had come to the conclusion that it was "difficult to liberate all our land at this stage, so we accept a phased liberation". EU discusses joint submission to The Hague on fence Ha'aretz 1/26/2004 BRUSSELS - European Union foreign ministers Monday discussed a possible joint submission to the International Court of Justice on the West Bank separation fence. "The possibility of an agreed EU communication to the court remains under consideration," Irish Foreign Minister Brian Cowen, speaking for Ireland's EU presidency, told reporters. Cowen said the EU was convinced that Israel's construction of the West Bank barrier was a breach of international law. Gadhafi says world is 'deaf and blind' to Israel's WMDs Ha'aretz 1/26/2004 Libyan leader Muammar Gadhafi accused Israel in an interview Monday of flooding Arab countries with drugs and said he hoped the international community would no longer be "deaf and blind" to Israel's weapons of mass destruction. In the interview, published Monday in the Italian daily La Repubblica a day after a delegation of U.S. lawmakers landed in Tripoli to talk about restoring ties and ending economic sanctions, Gadhafi also welcomed a thaw in ties with the United States and suggested their secret services were already working together against Islamic militants. Germany: We'll free prisoners for Arad Ha'aretz 1/26/2004 The German government has promised to free two Lebanese and an Iranian currently serving life sentences in Germany, and also to try to persuade France and Switzerland to release Lebanese prisoners they hold, in exchange for the return of missing Israeli navigator Ron Arad or his body. The German pledge is included in the prisoner exchange deal reached by Israel and Hezbollah through German mediation. Syria welcomes Turkish mediation with Israel MSNBC 1/26/2004 Both Tel Aviv and Damascus are cautious though hopeful for Turkish plans to try and get the two sides to sit down for peace talks. -- January 26 - Damascus has welcomes Israel’s acceptance of a Turkish offer to mediate in the stand off between the two countries, with Syria’s Information Minister wishing Ankara every success in its peacemaking efforts. Egyptian officials to arrive in Ramallah today Palestinian Information Center 1/26/2004 Occupied Jerusalem - Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher and Intelligence chief Omar suleiman will arrive in Ramallah Tuesday for talks with PA leader Yasser Arafat and other Palestinian officials. The purpose of the visit is ostensibly to pursue earlier efforts aimed at reaching a cease-fire between the Israeli occupation regime and Palestinian resistance groups. France rebuts Israeli charge on anti-Semitism Reuters 1/26/2004 PARIS, Jan 26 (Reuters) - France refuted Israeli charges of rising anti-Semitism on Monday, saying attacks on Jews and Jewish property had dropped by 36 percent last year rather than doubled as Israel's minister for diaspora affairs has asserted. The Interior Ministry reacted after the minister, Natan Sharansky, criticised Paris on Sunday and said 47 percent of all anti-Semitic attacks in Europe last year occurred in France. US Envoys to Arrive in Palestinian Territories Next Tuesday International Press Center 1/26/2004 GAZA, January 26, 2004 (IPC + Agencies) - - The Palestinian Foreign Affairs Minister Dr. Nabil Sha’th assured that the US envoys David Satterfield and John Wolf are due to arrive in the Palestinian territories on Tuesday to meet the Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei’. PLO Slams Attacks on Palestinian Leadership Palestine Media Center 1/26/2004 FM Shaath Speaks with Powell, Seeks Iran’s help -- The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) in a meeting chaired by President Yaser Arafat in Ramallah on Sunday, voiced its surprise for the statements that completely ignore the dangers of the Apartheid Wall Israel is building on occupied Palestinian land in the West Bank and concentrate instead on attacking the Palestinian Leadership, following US Vice President Dick Cheney’s remarks in Davos on Saturday. Sha’th and Eriqat Criticize US Vice President Remarks Regarding PNA International Press Center 1/25/2004 GAZA, January 25, 2004 (IPC+ Al-Jazeera) - - The Palestinian Foreign Minister, Dr. Nabil Sha’th, who is taking part in Davos Economic Forum 2004, and the Palestinian Negotiations Affairs Minister, Dr. Sa'eb Eriqat, criticized yesterday the American Vice President, Richard (Dick) Cheney's remarks regarding the Palestinian National Authority (PNA). Sharon defends prisoner swap deal BBC 1/25/2004 The Israeli prime minister, Ariel Sharon, has been defending a prisoner exchange between his government and the Lebanese guerrilla group Hezbollah. The deal has been criticised by some right-wing Israeli politicians who have argued that it could strengthen Lebanese and Palestinian militants. Palestinian officials have welcomed the swap. Jordanian minister says it's time for Arab states to oppose suicide bombings San Francisco Chronicle 1/25/2004 Jordan's Foreign Minister Marwan Muasher said Sunday that Arab states need to explain their peace proposals to Israelis and take a strong stand against suicide bombings that have claimed hundreds of Israeli lives in the past three years of violence. "We have not publicly, clearly, unequivocally taken a stand against suicide bombs," Muasher declared at a meeting of business and government leaders in the Swiss Alps. Spanish FM: Israel’s Apartheid Wall is an Obstacle to Peace and Stability International Press Center 1/25/2004 DAVOS, Switzerland, January 25, 2004 (IPC+ Agencies)-- Spanish Foreign Minister, Mrs. Ana Palathio, said Sunday that her country is opposed to the Israeli Apartheid Wall, which is cutting deep into West Bank cities, towns, villages and refugee camps, regarding the wall as ‘ an obstacle to peace and stability’. PA lawmaker says Palestinians won’t give up on refugee rights Palestinian Information Center 1/26/2004 Occupied Jerusalem - Palestinian Lawmaker Hatem Abdul Qader has castigated an alleged Saudi peace initiative involving the resettlement of Palestinian refugees in Arab countries, calling it “stupid and suspicious.” Abdul Qader told reporters in Ramallah Monday the Palestinian people would under no circumstances give up their right of return. ICJ won't postpone fence deadline Jerusalem Post 1/26/2004 The International Court of Justice at The Hague rejected a call by Israel to postpone the January 30 deadline for written arguments on the security-fence case, said Foreign Ministry legal adviser Alan Baker. The final draft of Israel's statement to the court was presented Sunday to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's bureau chief, Dov Weisglass. The only part of its strategy which legal experts will divulge is the plan to focus on procedural arguments, especially the court's lack of authority to hear the matter. Israel Confused Over ICJ Hearing as Their Appeals for Delay Rejected International Press Center 1/26/2004 GAZA, January 26, 2004 (IPC + Arab48) - - The Israeli Foreign Ministry's legal advisor and head of the Israeli legal team concerned with tracking the issue of the Apartheid Wall in the International Court of Justice (ICJ), Alan Baker, said that the court has rejected all the appeals they made to postpone or delay the deadline for the hearing, scheduled on February 23, 2004. Israel, Hizbullah to look into more releases after prisoner exchanges on Thursday, Friday Daily Star 1/26/2004 Nasrallah confirms planned talks to free Qantar, The longest-held lebanese detainee -- Israel and Hizbullah will exchange prisoners Thursday and Friday, then later look into more releases and the case of a long-missing Israeli airman, Hizbullah leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah said Sunday. “After Thursday and Friday, there will be no Lebanese prisoners in Israeli jails,” Nasrallah told reporters in Beirut. “But the door is still open and the second stage will be very important, especially for the Palestinians.” Prison Service begins releasing list of prisoners in swap Ha'aretz 1/26/2004 The Israel Prison Service on Monday night began publishing the list of prisoners to be released in the prisoner swap deal with Hezbollah. The list will be updated throughout the night Monday, as the names arrive from the Ministry of Justice.....Lebanese prisoner Mustafa Dirani, who is expected to be freed as part of the deal, will testify on Tuesday at the Tel Aviv District Court in the lawsuit he filed against the State of Israel in March 2002, claiming NIS 6 million in damages for alleged torture and rape by Israeli interrogators. Swap is a significant coup for Hizbullah Daily Star 1/26/2004 BEIRUT: The conclusion of a German-brokered deal to swap four Israelis kidnapped by Hizbullah for hundreds of Arab detainees held in Israel will be perceived as a significant propaganda coup for the Lebanese resistance group, analysts say. Israel has dithered over releasing 15 Jordanian prisoners, despite entreaties from the Jordanian government, and has all but abandoned constructive negotiations with the Palestinian Authority, its ostensible peace partner. Israel exhumes bodies of Hezbollah fighters Middle East Online 1/26/2004 Bodies of 59 Lebanese nationals are being readied for return to their Lebanon ahead of divisive exchange deal. -- Israel was exhuming the corpses of scores of Hezbollah fighters Monday as it finalised a controversial prisoners exchange deal with the Lebanese-based militia which has split public opinion down the middle. Prisoner swap elicits joy from families Daily Star 1/26/2004 Resistance still wants qantar freed from israeli prison - Nongovernmental organizations stress that prisoners cannot be held as bargaining chips for future trades -- News of the prisoner swap between Hizbullah and Israel under German auspices elicited joy from family members of the detained and appeals from non-governmental organizations to respect international law. The swap would result in the release of 23 Lebanese prisoners, in addition to more than 400 Palestinians and 12 Arabs, in exchange for Israeli Colonel Elhanan Tannenbaum, who was kidnapped in October 2000, and the bodies of three Israeli soldiers. Lahoud: Israel needs to ‘recognize’ Hizbullah Daily Star 1/26/2004 President commends resistance for prisoner swap -- President Emile Lahoud said on Sunday that the German-mediated prisoner swap which was announced on the weekend was “clear recognition” by Israel of Hizbullah as a legitimate power. The prisoner swap, which came after three years of intensive negotiations between Hizbullah and Israel with the help of German mediation will involve the exchange of more than 400 Lebanese and Arab prisoners for three Israeli soldiers – presumed dead – as well as Elhanan Tannenbaum who is known to be alive. PM: `We made the correct, moral decision' Ha'aretz 1/26/2004 "The decision on the prisoner deal was not an easy one," Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said at the start of yesterday's cabinet meeting. "It is not often that the government has to deal with value and moral considerations such as these. I believe we made the correct, moral and responsible decision." Analysis / What Nasrallah knows Ha'aretz 1/26/2004 In four days time, Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah will open his victory celebrations in Beirut, though they really began with yesterday's press conference. Four Arab states - Syria, Morocco, Sudan and Lebanon, along with the Palestinians - will owe the Hezbollah leader thanks for freeing their prisoners. Nasrallah's duties to the citizens of the Lebanon after the May 2000 withdrawal of IDF troops from the south of the country have now been completely fulfilled. The Lebanese prisoners, except for Samir Kuntar, will be released and the maps of mine fields laid by the IDF and South Lebanon Army will be handed over to Hezbollah, thus ending the "covert occupation," as Nasrallah puts it. The Shaba Farms area will be the only duty left of Hezbollah's list. Amman source: Israel set to free 20 Jordanian prisoners Ha'aretz 1/26/2004 AMMAN - Jordan expects Israel to release up to 20 Jordanian prisoners by early next month, a foreign ministry source told Reuters on Monday. The release would be a success for the Jordanian government, which is pressing for the release of all 71 of its nationals held in Israel's jails, some since before the 1994 peace accord between the two countries. Israel press agonises over swap BBC 1/25/2004 The agreement between the Israeli Government and the Lebanon-based militant group Hezbollah to exchange a number of detainees has caused much soul-searching in the Israeli press. The deal is viewed as a victory for Hezbollah, and is also seen as having posed a moral dilemma for the government of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. "The pain and the price", declares a headline in Maariv. Another headline in the daily notes the agreement was received "With mixed feelings". Hamas proposes 10-year truce for Israeli pullback Ha'aretz 1/26/2004 A top Hamas official has said his organization could declare a 10-year truce with Israel if Israel withdraws from territory captured in the 1967 Six-Day War. Abdel Aziz Rantisi told Reuters late Sunday that Hamas had come to the conclusion that it was "difficult to liberate all our land at this stage, so we accept a phased liberation. "We accept a state in the West Bank, including Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip. We propose a 10-year truce in return for [Israeli] withdrawal and the establishment of a state," he said in a telephone interview from hiding in the Gaza Strip.

Human Rights..

UN warns over Israeli demolitions BBC 1/26/2004 The United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees is warning that it may not be able to cope with the number of people made homeless by Israeli army demolitions. The head of the organisation, Peter Hansen - on a visit to the southern Gaza Strip - condemned Israel's policy of demolishing houses as a hugely disproportionate military response. A Palestinian Dies of his Wounds at an Iron Gate in the Apartheid Wall International Press Center 1/25/2004 GAZA , January 25 , 2004 (IPC + Agencies)- A Palestinian citizen of Baqa Al Sharqia, adjacent to the West Bank city ofTulkarem died of his wounds Friday overnight when the Israeli soldiers, manning an iron gate of the “Apartheid Wall” in Nazelet Essa , north of Tulkarem, denied access ofa handful of wounded in a car accident in the area to a Tulkarem hospital for treatment. Court extends solitary confinement of Barghouti Ha'aretz 1/26/2004 The Beer Sheva District Court on Monday ordered Tanzim leader Marwan Barghouti held in isolation in prison for another six months. The court's decision came in response to a petition by the Israel Prison Service which said isolation was necessary to limit Barghouti's ability to direct attacks from behind bars. IOF Takes Fingerprints of Naby Saleh Inhabitants, Collects Data on Beit Exa Property International Press Center 1/25/2004 NABY SALEH, Palestine, January 25, 2004 (IPC+WAFA)-- Israeli occupying forces (IOF) began early this morning collecting fingerprints of local inhabitants of the Alnaby Saleh village, northwest of Ramallah city after storming the village, using dozens armored vehicles....The sources added that the soldiers also took pictures of the village from different axis, in an unprecedented move. Eyewitnesses told WAFA News Agency that since the early hours of Sunday, the village has been under full Israeli troops control as these forces forced all inhabitants out in the open including women, children and elderly, despite heavy rains and cold weather. Heavy fines on Arabs venturing into the West Bank Palestinian Information Center 1/26/2004 Nablus - Palestinian sources in the West Bank have said that the Zionist occupation authorities had recently declared intention to impose heavy fines on all Palestinian inhabitants of the 1948 occupied areas venturing to visit the West Bank. Sources said that the occupation forces installed a large placard at the eastern and only entrance to the West Bank city of Qalqilya warning 1948 Arabs that they would be fined up to 800 dollars if they entered the city. Palestinian kidney patient denied treatment Palestinian Information Center 1/26/2004 Nablus - Zionist occupation troops stationed at the Beit Dajan roadblock to the east of Nablus city today barred the entry of a Palestinian kidney patient into the city to undergo dialysis at the Watani hospital. Nasr Abu Jaish, Beit Dajan municipality chief, said that the sick patient was detained for more than two hours at the roadblock in the heavy rain and cold weather. Palestinian father of IDF soldier gets his expulsion delayed Ha'aretz 1/26/2004 A Palestinian who was married to a Jewish woman and has a son serving in the Israel Defense Forces will not be expelled to the territories for another month, pending a High Court of Justice hearing. This follows the state's reply yesterday to a petition filed against the expulsion. UN agency seeks $25 million to rebuild wrecked Gaza homes Ha'aretz 1/26/2004 The United Nations refugee works agency urged donors on Sunday to provide another $25 million to rebuild Palestinian homes wrecked in three years of Israeli-Palestinian violence in the Gaza Strip. "We are appealing to the donors to allow us to do a little more," Peter Hansen, head of the UN Relief and Works Agency serving Palestinian refugees, said at the opening of a housing project in the southern Gaza town of Khan Yunis. Hansen: UN Unable to Cope with House Demolition Expenses in Gaza Strip International Press Center 1/26/2004 KHAN YOUNIS, Palestine, January 26, 2004 (IPC + Agencies) - - The head of the United Nations Relief and Work Agency (UNRWA), Mr. Peter Hansen, warned that with the large scale house demolition by the Israeli forces in the Palestinian territories, his UN agency would suffer a serious lack of resources...."We can simply not keep up with this," he said. Video: More than 14,000 made homeless in Gaza BBC 1/26/2004 The BBC's Linden Kemkaran - "In the last three years more than 14,000 people in the Gaza Strip have been made homeless" Annan Seeks U.N. Commission on Genocide The Guardian 1/26/2004 STOCKHOLM, Sweden (AP) - Warning massacres like those carried out in Rwanda and Bosnia could happen again, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan on Monday proposed an international committee to help prevent genocide. Annan made the proposal at the opening of a three-day conference in Stockholm on preventing genocide.

Economy..

"Sharon allegations making foreigners reconsider TASE investments" Globes 1/26/2004 Excellence-Nessuah's Shlomo Maoz: Foreign investors understand the political developments. -- "I believe that foreign investors will review their investments [in Israel], due to the allegations against Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. Foreign investors are likely to reduce their investments in Israeli stocks, especially those not denominated in dollars," Excellence-Nessuah chief economist Shlomo Maoz told "Globes". Hotel overnights up 3% in 2003 Globes 1/26/2004 Tourist hotel overnights rose by 25%, while hotel overnights by Israelis fell by 1%. -- The number of hotel overnights was 3% higher in 2003 than in 2002. Tourist hotel overnights rose by 25%, while hotel overnights by Israelis fell by 1%. Tourist hotel overnights were 66% below the level before the outbreak of the intifada in 2000, while hotel overnights by Israelis were up 20%. Security exports up 35% in 2003 Globes 1/26/2004 The Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Labor will make a special allocation for promoting security exports to the US. -- The Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Labor will make a special $500,000 allocation for promoting security exports to the US over the next two years, in order to take advantage of the US Homeland Security procurement program established after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the US. Poraz, local authorities union meeting in bid to prevent strike Ha'aretz 1/26/2004 Interior Minister Avraham Poraz was meeting Monday evening with the director of the union of local authorities, Adi Eldar, in an attempt to prevent a partial strike the Histadrut on Sunday threatened to carry out, Army Radio reported. Local authorities workers decided Monday that several groups of workers would strike due to the government's failure to pay the salaries of local authority workers for several months, said the Histadrut. Klein cuts interest rate for February by 0.3% to 4.5% Globes 1/26/2004 The Bank of Israel has cut its key rate by an unprecedented 4.6% since December 2002. -- This afternoon, Governor of the Bank of Israel David Klein announced a cut of 0.3% in the central bank’s key interest rate for February, to 4.5%. The cut was within the expected range.Today’s announcement follows cuts of 0/4-0.5% in each of the past eight months. U.S. to cut $15m in foreign aid to Israel Ha'aretz 1/26/2004 WASHINGTON - The foreign aid that Israel receives from the United States will be reduced by about $15 million this year, following Congress's decision to make an across-the-board 0.59 percent cut to every budgetary line item. Last Thursday, the Senate belatedly approved the foreign aid bill, which includes the annual $2.68 billion grant to Israel. But because of the across-the-board cut, this is $15 million less than Israel had expected.

People..

Palestinian fund-raising calendar becomes collectors’ item Daily Star 1/26/2004 This year’s issue offers pre-1914 photos -- LOS ANGELES: A fund-raising calendar created by a US-based Palestinian relief group is aimed at refuting the common Zionist slogan: “A land without a people for a people without land,” by featuring classic pictures of Palestinian villages prior to the creation of the state of Israel. The Los Angeles chapter of the Palestine Aid Society of America produces a calendar and proceeds are sent to aid educational and health needs of Palestinians in Gaza, the West Bank and south Lebanon. Despite Difficulties, 5,000 Russian Muslims Perform Hajj Islam Online 1/26/2004 MOSCOW, January 26 (IslamOnline.net) – Up to five thousand Russian Muslims undertake the holy journey to Makkah to perform hajj this year despite high costs. Many Russian Muslims complained about the highly-priced visa issuance, hajj costs and the hardships faced by pilgrims traveling by buses. Traveling by road costs about 36,000 Russian rubles ($1300), while by plane around 51,000 ($1800). Attacks against Arab community SFIndyMedia 1/26/2004 In Haifa.. Copyright-free artwork by Brazilian cartoonist Latuff, on behalf of brave Palestinian people and their struggle against U.S. backed Israeli terror. [accompanied by story]: Following the bomb placed in the car of an Arab resident of Halisa - the fifth such case in the recent period. -On Friday, January 16, Issa Ghanaim, who lives near the mosque in Halisa, went out to his work in the early morning hour. When he started driving he heard a strange noise from the bottom of the car and discovered a bomb which was attached to the car. When he detached the bomb and threw it on the roadside the bomb exploded without causing harm. Abdul Rahman Munif, Giant of the Arab narrative dies at 71 Arabic News 1/26/2004 It seems that heavy losses at the Arab cultural scene have been greatly increased with the loss of one of its most prominent figures. Just recently the renowned Moroccan writer Muhammad Shukri died and on Saturday, January 24. Abdul Rahman Munif died but left behind a precious stone embodied in his five- part Mudun al- Milh ( Cities of the Salt ); his three part narrative Ard al-Sawad ( (the land of the black), in addition to his other famous narrative works including his first narrative work "the trees and the assassination of Marzouq," issued in 1973.

International..

Kerry: Israel can't provide goods in talks with Palestinians Ha'aretz 1/26/2004 Leading Democratic presidential hopeful John Kerry on Monday said the government in Israel currently lacks someone who can provide the goods in everything connected to negotiations with the Palestinians. "It's very difficult for Israel to negotiate because in Israel there is nobody to negotiate to actually deliver," Kerry said at a political rally in New Hampshire ahead of Tuesday's primary. Kerry also criticized the settlement policy of the Israeli government and said that it was a mistake to increase building there at this time. European poll: 46% say Jews are 'different' Ha'aretz 1/26/2004 A poll of nine European nations that was released Monday found that 46 percent of respondents said Jews in their nations were "different," and 35 percent said Jews should stop "playing the victim" for the Holocaust. Some 9 percent of the respondents said they "don't like or trust Jews," and 15 percent said "it would be better if Israel didn't exist." Syria denies receiving Iraq arms BBC 1/25/2004 Syria has strongly denied allegations that it has been harbouring Iraqi weapons of mass destruction. The charge that part of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction programme went to Syria before the war came from the ex-head of the US weapons inspection team. David Kay said former Iraqi officials had given evidence that materials had been moved across the border. Female migrant workers in the spotlight at AUB seminar Daily Star 1/26/2004 Many foreign women working in region face abuse by their employers and are inadequately protected by the law -- The situation of migrant domestic workers across the Arab world is generally harsh, particularly in Lebanon where many maids face additional fears and concerns, something which many professors and researchers discussed during a seminar held at the weekend. Elections in doubt, MPs on verge of resigning as Iran crisis deepens Yahoo! News 1/26/2004 TEHRAN (AFP) - Iran's political crisis deepened as hardliners stuck by their power to bar thousands of candidates from next month's parliamentary polls, prompting a government threat not to organise the vote. Officials said the Guardians Council, the conservative-run political watchdog behind the electoral blacklist, had vetoed an emergency move by the reformist parliament to curb their weeding out of candidates. British invest US$ 200 million in Syrian coastal resort Ameinfo.com 1/26/2004 A group of Syrian and British investors are building the largest tourism resort on the Syrian coast. There will be 5,000 beds on completion of the project. -- A new tourism and leisure resort will be built on the Syrian coast following the signing of an agreement in that respect between the municipality of Tartous and a number of Syrian and British private investors. Syria High On U.S. Military Agenda: Paper Islam Online 1/25/2004 WASHINGTON, January 25 (IslamOnline.net) – The toppling of the Syrian regime and the disbanding of Hizbullah resistance movement come high on the military agenda of the current U.S. administration, a prominent Arab-language newspaper reported on Sunday, January 25. Washington is also planning to pressure Syria into stopping its support for Palestinian resistance groups and abandoning its alleged weapons programs, the London-based Al-Sharq Al-Awsat reported citing a western intelligence periodical. US releases Iraqi Al-Jazeera journo iAfrica.com 1/26/2004 An Iraqi cameraman working for Al-Jazeera was released by the US-led coalition in Iraq on Sunday after being detained for more than two months, said a spokesperson for the Qatar-based Arabic satellite television station. Suhaib al-Samarrai was released from a detention camp at Baghdad's notorious Abu Gharib prison after coalition officials "found nothing against him," said spokesperson Jihad Balout. US talks break ice with Gaddafi BBC 1/26/2004 US congressmen have held talks with Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi on a landmark visit to Tripoli. The delegates said the meeting was "warm" and that they had discussed renewing ties between Libya and the US. Jordan, Egypt, Syria and Lebanon sign agreements of second phase of Arab Gas Pipeline Projects MENA Report 1/26/2004 Jordan, Egypt, Syria and Lebanon on Sunday signed agreements of the second phase of the Arab Gas Pipeline Projects, designed to convey natural gas from Egypt to Jordan, Syria and Lebanon. According to Petra news agency, the agreements include a licensed agreement with Al Fajer Company to carry out the second phase, two agreements to sell and purchase gas and an agreement to transport natural gas. 'She has hurled oil on the flames'  The Guardian 1/26/2004 Reactions to the MP's comment on suicide attacks -- Independent Editorial, January 24: "Charles Kennedy should be ashamed of himself. The Liberal Democrat leader sought yesterday to distance himself and his party from the comments of Jenny Tonge, the Lib Dem MP for Richmond Park. Yet what Ms Tonge said on Wednesday was unexceptional. She said the violence and humiliation suffered by Palestinians at the hands of the Israeli state 'made me understand how people can become suicide bombers'. Prisoner deal delights Arab press BBC 1/26/2004 The agreement on a prisoner exchange between Israel and the Lebanon-based Islamic group Hezbollah is warmly welcomed in Monday's Arabic press. Some editorials stress that the German-brokered deal shows Israel has recognised Hezbollah as a movement engaged in a "legitimate struggle Part of Patriot Act Ruled Unconstitutional SFIndyMedia 1/26/2004 LOS ANGELES - A federal judge has declared unconstitutional a portion of the USA Patriot Act that bars giving expert advice or assistance to groups designated foreign terrorist organizations. The ruling marks the first court decision to declare a part of the post-Sept. 11 anti-terrorism statute unconstitutional, said David Cole, a Georgetown University law professor who argued the case on behalf of the Humanitarian Law Project. American Muslims finding their way in the upcoming US elections Daily Star 1/26/2004 Disappointment over ‘war on terror’ causes shift in allegiances - Voters are turning to the Democratic Party and calling for greater political sophistication from their leaders -- LOS ANGELES, United States: Nearly four years ago Ahmed Karram followed the first-ever Muslim bloc vote and cast his ballot for US President George W. Bush. This time around, he’s listening seriously to what the Democratic candidates have to say, and he’s more cautious. “His policy background was unknown, as was his religious affiliation to the Christian right,” said Karram, 52, a Los Angeles financial adviser. Risky E-Vote System to Expand Radio Free USA 1/26/2004 Researchers warned last week that an Internet voting system designed for Americans overseas to use in the November presidential election should be scrapped -- because Internet insecurities could compromise the election. The government dismissed the researchers' findings, saying the report offered false conclusions about the security of the Secure Electronic Registration and Voting Experiment, or SERVE, system. McNamara: 'It's just wrong what we're doing' Radio Free USA/Globe and Mail 1/24/2004 In an exclusive interview, repentant Vietnam War architect Robert McNamara breaks his silence on Iraq: The United States, he says, is making the same mistakes all over again. -- "We're misusing our influence," he said in a staccato voice that had lost none of its rapid-fire engagement. "It's just wrong what we're doing. It's morally wrong, it's politically wrong, it's economically wrong."

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