Israel/ Palestine

By Brian K. Barber, special to Informed Comment Much recent commentary on forging a lasting peace between Palestinians and Israel makes two deceptive and unproductive claims: 1) Hamas is responsible for the recent violence and must alter its behavior; 2) More generally, both Israel and Palestinians must make “painful concessions.” This preoccupation with Hamas severely […]

Apartheid

Do Palestinians have Freedom of Assembly? West Bank Protests Repressed

contributors

BETHLEHEM (Ma’an) — Hundreds of Palestinians took part in marches across the West Bank on Friday calling for an end to the Israeli occupation and in protest against the continued confiscation of Palestinian land and construction of Jewish settlements. Protests took place in Wadi Fukin village near Bethlehem in the southern West Bank as well […]

Apartheid

Did Anyone win the Gaza Conflict? Was it even a “War”?

contributors

By Ramzy Baroud (Maan) In the rush to analyze the outcome of Israel’s 51-day war in Gaza, dubbed Operation Protective Edge, some may have neglected an important factor: this was not a war by traditional definitions of warfare, thus the conventional analyses of victory and defeat is simply not applicable. That being the case, how […]

Displaced and Refugees

Israel: Reverse Illegal Plans for West Bank

contributors

Human Rights Watch (Jerusalem) – Israel should immediately reverse its illegal appropriation of a large swath of land in the occupied West Bank south of Jerusalem, Human Rights Watch said today. The appropriation, announced on September 1, 2014, paves the way for substantial settlement construction near the West Bank town of Bethlehem. Transferring civilian settlers […]

Israel

Gaza: 100,000 Palestinians Left Homeless, Fear unexploded Bombs in Rubble

contributors

GAZA CITY (Ma’an) — UNRWA researchers and engineers will begin evaluation and assessment of damages to the homes of the displaced across the Gaza Strip on Sunday, an official said. UNRWA media adviser Adnan Abu Hasna said that “hundreds of researchers and engineers were fully trained on how to deal with the remains of explosives […]

Israel

Israel’s blockade on civilians of Gaza – no signs of loosening

contributors

(IRIN) NGOs are eager to increase aid to the Palestinian region after a 50-day Israeli bombing campaign left over 2,000 dead, thousands wounded and much of the enclave’s infrastructure in ruins, but access rules continue to present huge challenges. While the exact terms of the ceasefire agreement, reached last week between Israel and various Palestinian […]

Apartheid

Israeli settlers destroy Palestinian grape vines as Israel Steals More Land

contributors

HEBRON (Ma’an) — A group of Israeli settlers chopped down grape vines on Palestinian agricultural property in northern Beit Ummar on Monday, a popular committee spokesman said Monday. Muhammad Awwad said the settlers destroyed seven grape vines in the Wad Abu al-Rish area near the illegal settlement of Beit Ein. The vines belong to Hammad […]

Apartheid

“Let my People Fish”: After the war, Israeli Blockade leaves Gaza Civilians Protein Poor

contributors

DW: “People in Gaza are trying to rebuild their lives as the ceasefire holds. Fishermen have returned to work [still under severe restrictions]; people salvage what they can from the wreckage of homes.” DW: “Gaza: Life After the War | Journal” There are no, zero, security reasons for interfering with Gaza fisherman out to 12 […]