4200 Israeli Violations of Ceasefire in 11 Weeks

[Source of statistics: Palestinian Monitoring Group]

Agreement violations

Jericho ¡V the Israeli Army set up two flying checkpoints near the settlements of Niran and Yitav, searched people and vehicles and prevented people not holding Jericho IDs from crossing, in violation of the agreement that transferred control over the area of Jericho to the Palestinian Authority.

See also Raids below.

Annexation Wall Building: 22 sites

Attacks: 22 ¡V in Occupied Palestine the following were some of the people and areas that came under Israeli fire:

Tulkarem ¡V

Flares fired over the suburb of Dahiyat Irtah.

Palestinians attending the funeral procession of Shafiq ¡¥Awni Abdul Ghani, who was killed by the Israeli Army. The Israelis injured six people in the attack, including two children. One of the wounded was also taken prisoner.

Khan Yunis ¡V

People¡¦s homes in the West Khan Yunis refugee camp (twice, on the second occasion at

11:55pm).

At

9:45pm and again at 10:30pm, the area of Al Qarara.

At

12:05am stun grenades and flares north of the neighbourhood of Al Amal.

At

12:35am fire from a weapon equipped with a silencer and flares over As Satr al Gharbi.

Rafah ¡V

Palestinian security forces demolishing a tunnel opposite Bloc (J) in the Rafah refugee camp.

The neighbourhood of Yabna in the Rafah refugee camp (twice).

Land north of the Sufa Crossing.

Territory to the north of the city.

Intensive fire on people¡¦s homes in Bloc (J) of the Rafah refugee camp (twice - at

9pm and 9:40pm).

At

10:30pm, the As Salaam neighbourhood of the Rafah refugee camp.

At

12:35am, indiscriminate fire on the area around the Rafah Crossing.

At

4:30am, the area of Ureibeh.

Closures: 19

Curfews: 2

Tulkarem ¡V since 4:15am yesterday, the Israeli Army has maintained its presence and its curfew on the village of Seida and Area (A) in the town of Bal¡¦a

Detentions: 7

Home invasions and occupation: Numerous

Jerusalem ¡V the Israeli military turned ¡¥tax¡¦ collectors in a midnight raid on the Qalandiya refugee camp, as a force of about 100 soldiers invaded people¡¦s homes, detaining refugees and ordering those holding Jerusalem IDs to pay their taxes.

Ramallah & El Bireh ¡V the Israeli Army raided the village of Beit ¡¥Ur at Tahta and occupied the house of a villager, for use as a military post.

Hebron ¡V

The Israeli Army raided the town of Dura on Monday and invaded one of the houses.

The Israeli Army raided the village of Imreish, invaded one of the houses and took a villager prisoner.

Injuries: 6

Physical assaults: 2

Nablus ¡V Israeli troops at the Beit Furik checkpoint severely beat up two Palestinians and took them prisoner.

Political prisoners

The Israelis renewed the administrative detention orders (arrest without charge or trial) on three political prisoners and issued an administrative detention order against one other.

All scheduled family visits for political prisoners in Israeli prisons and detention centres have been suspended until further notice.

Prisoners taken: 9

Ramallah & El Bireh ¡V

Omar Mohammed Abu Qubeitah (15)

Isma¡¦il Mahmoud Abu ¡¥Arqoub (15)

Raids: 25

Jenin ¡V the city was raided at 2:15am and an armed confrontation took place between the Palestinian Resistance and Israeli Occupation forces.

Jericho ¡V an Israeli Army patrol raided Area (A) in the village of Ein ad Duyuk at 2am.

Hebron ¡V At 12pm, the Israeli Army raided the city and took one person prisoner. At 7pm, the Israelis raided the city again, set up a checkpoint in the neighbourhood of Wadi al Hariyyah, searched vehicles and impeded the movement of people. At 11pm, the Israeli Army raided the city again and patrolled several of its neighbourhoods.

Settlement activity: 1

Salfit ¡V Israelis from the Jewish settlement of Revava placed caravans on Palestinian land belonging to Deir Istiya town resident, Mahmoud Mustafa Dawoud.

Times indicated in red contribute to the sleep deprivation suffered by Palestinian children.

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Zionism in principle

"There is no other way than to transfer the Arabs from here [Palestine] to the neighbouring countries, to transfer all of them; not one village, not one tribe should be left."

Joseph Weitz

Davar, 29 September 1967

From: My Diary and Letters to the Children

Massada, 1965, III, p. 293.

ććććććććććććHead of PNA Water Department: Israel Exploits Palestinian Water

ćććććć The Palestine News Agency (WAFA) has reported the Head of the Palestinian National Authority's (PNA) Water Department, Fadel K'aoush, as saying on Monday that water in the region is one of the most significant issues in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. K'aoush's remarks came during an international conference "Water, Rights and Values", being held under the supervision of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), until May 4, in the West Bank city of Ramallah. He pointed out that nobody could deny that Israel has used its Occupation of Palestine to exploit Palestinian water resources - 850 million cubic metres from the Jordan River and about 650 million cubic metres of Palestinian ground water.

Palestinians supposedly have exclusive rights to 250 million cubic metres of water but are allowed only 120 million cubic metres, which forces the PNA to purchase water from Israel. The Secretary General of the Palestine Academy for Science and Technology, Emad El-Khatib, was quoted as saying that no one can deny that water is essential for life. Water can be a source of conflict among nations that possess ground water, and there is a danger it could be used as a weapon for political purposes.

US Panel Admits Catastrophic Mistakes and Bias Towards Israel

Top US negotiators responsible for US policy toward the peace process under the Clinton Administration have admitted that the US has made catastrophic mistakes and failures regarding the Israeli-Palestinian peace process under the administrations of both former President Bill Clinton and President Bush.

The criticism of US policy was made by a panel consisting of the former US Ambassador to Israel and Assistant Secretary of State for Near East Affairs, Martin Indyk, the former NSC Adviser on Arab-Israeli Affairs to President Clinton, Robert Malley, the former Deputy Special Middle East Co-ordinator, Dennis Ross, and the former US Ambassador and Special Middle East Co-ordinator, Aaron David Miller. The panel was moderated by MEI President, Edward S. Walker, former US Ambassador to Israel and Egypt and Assistant Secretary of State for Near East Affairs. The conference was hosted and commissioned by the Middle East Institute in Washington DC.

"I don't think in the years that I was in government, which were almost 25, we really ever had an honest conversation at a strategic enough level, with enough Israeli ministry representatives in attendance, that I would describe as an honest conversation about what the Israelis were actually doing on the ground, " said Aaron Miller. He went on to say, "Nor were we prepared to impose, at least in the last seven or eight years, a cost on the Israelis for their actions." Speaking about the Camp David Summit, Miller said, "But far too often, we functioned in this process, for want of a better word, as Israel's lawyer." Dennis Ross, the former US Ambassador and Special Middle East Co-ordinator, pointed out that, according to the panelists, they went far too uncritically surrendering to Israeli attitudes and the pro-Israel lobbies in Washington regarding the final status settlement.

4200 Israeli Violations of Ceasefire in 11 Weeks

An Israeli report broadcast by Israeli Radio late on Sunday acknowledged that Israel continues to violate the de-facto ceasefire outlined in the Sharm Al Sheikh summit. Documented Israeli violations of the ceasefire over the 11 weeks number 4200. An official Palestinian report said that Israeli violations had resulted in the deaths of 20 people, the wounding of 290 others, and more than 600 taken prisoner.

Israeli forces committed 716 shooting incidents, 1230 armed incursions into Palestinian cities and villages, and 820 flying checkpoints to hinder Palestinian freedom of movement between cities and villages. Attacks by Israeli settlers against the Palestinians numbered more than 135 and Israeli troops had expropriated 3000 hectares of Palestinian land and ordered the annexation of another 900 hectares.

A report prepared by the State Information Service (SIS) reveals that during the eleventh week of the ceasefire (from 19-25 April) Israeli forces killed one Palestinian, wounded 30 and took 76 others prisoner in 34 arrest campaigns. The Israelis opened fire on Palestinians on 76 occasions and carried out 52 incursions.

CATERPILLAR PROTEST:

11.30am Sat 7th May 2005.

Assemble at FOODTOWN CORNER, Opposite Tinley St and Quay St Corner, Auckland.

Afterwards join in the monthly rally ¡V *NOTE ¡V now at QEII Square.

Caterpillar sells its specially designed armoured bulldozers and earthmoving equipment to Israel, where it is used illegally in Occupied Palestine to kill people (like Rachel Corrie in March 2003), destroy homes, build roads, construct settlements and the evil Apartheid Wall - all considered war crimes under the Fourth Geneva Convention.

Israel should not be there nor should Caterpillar allow its equipment to be used illegally.

*Note change of venue.

QEII SQUARE (at the HARBOUR END of Queen St Auckland.)

2pm Sat. 7th MAY 2005

The 4th Year of the Second Intifada

Rally for Justice and Peace in Palestine based on an:

1. An End to Israeli Occupation

2. The Right of Return for Palestinian Refugees

3. The Sharing of Jerusalem

4. No Israeli Settlements in Occupied Palestine

Palestine Human Rights Campaign

" target="_blank"> http://www.palestine.org.nz

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