JUNE 2002

Sunday June 30, 2002

Main Headline

The grim Statistics of the Assassinations up to 24.6.2002

Gaza, June, 30, 2002, Wafa - The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights reported that, the Israeli Occupation Forces have carried out from the outbreak of the Intifada until now:

77 assassination operations, i.e.- extra-judicial killings in which

126 Palestinians were killed. Of the killed:

87 were "targeted" persons

39 were bystanders, among them:

11 were children

8 were women - 5 of them only girls.

125 have been injured in the operations,

17 targeted and 108 bystanders.

Several civil buildings and private property have been severely damaged in these operations.

Under the Fourth Geneva Convention, extra-judicial killings are considered to be a War Crime  against people who have not been proven to be involved in illegal acts.

Israeli forces ban paramedics

from entering Hebron Compound

Hebron, June, 30, 2002, Wafa - Israeli troops continue military operations in Hebron banning paramedics, local, and international rescue workers from entering the governor's compound, which came under Israeli forces siege for four days that ended Saturday (June 29, 2002) when the forces blew up the building.

The rescue workers and paramedics arrived to search for potential casualties in the rubble and to assist residents living near the compound whose homes were damaged in the blast. 

However, according to LAW's, LAW - The Palestinian Society for the Protection of Human Rights and the Environment, information, Israeli forces turned down a request from the International Committee of the Red Cross and the Palestinian District Coordination Office to allow paramedics and rescue workers to enter the compound to search for and rescue potential casualties.

Israeli commandos detonated explosives in the northeastern wing of the compound on Friday evening, June 28, 2002. Israel F16 fighter jet and helicopter gun ships shelled the building late Friday evening and early Saturday morning destroying the structure.

The Israeli military operations in Hebron started six days ago.

The Israeli destruction and bulldozing operations in the compound are underway at press time. The fate of people holed up in the compound is still unknown.

International Solidarity Movement Report from Nablus

More than Six villages around Nablus Have Been Cut off Completely by the IOF

Nablus, June, 30, 2002, Wafa - Currently there are more than six villages around the West bank city of Nablus that have been cut off completely by the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF), the International Solidarity Movement Reported.

Tanks, armored personnel carriers (APC's) and bulldozers have created barriers four to five feet in width from dirt and concrete. At many of these barriers the soldiers have created ad hoc checkpoints where they harass, humiliate and prevent the movement of the local Palestinian population. Some villages have been put under curfew, equivalent to house arrest, and all are suffering from the lack of commerce and food deliveries.

Yesterday morning the main road exiting from Balata Refugee Camp in Nablus has been bulldozed, but locals have resisted and filled in a small path for cars to pass. Due to the deep cuts of the bulldozers a sewage line was severed. Raw sewage is running down the street almost reaching nearby Askar Refugee Camp. Curfew in Nablus has prevented any substantive work from being done to fix this awful and risky situation.

In the afternoon internationals witnessed the closure of Boreen, a small Palestinian village. Susan Barclay, Eric and Rae Levine were on ambulance duty with the Union of Palestinian Medical Relief Committees. From the ambulance they watched and photographed Israeli bulldozers, protected by an APC, dig a trench across the only road linking Boreen with the rest of the world. The dirt has been piled high and the internationals have been instructed by the occupation forces that all of the villages are inaccessible, but are not closed military zones!!.

Later, still in the ambulance, they met a group of Palestinian students who told the internationals that they had been picked up by soldiers. The men were separated out, blindfolded, tied and taken to an unknown detention area.

They were later released but some without their identity cards, making it impossible for them to go home.

Denial of Water

The village of Beit Forik has a population of 12,000 and Beit Dajan has 3,500. Only one road leads to these two villages and that road is flanked on each side by Israeli colonies. Palestinians say that they cannot walk this road because of the heavy military presence and the fear of being shot by colonists.

Every year there is a water shortage in the villages and normally water is purchased and trucked in. Currently there are two water trucks sitting at an Israeli military checkpoint and are being denied entry. Internationals investigated this situation and report that the checkpoint consists of six cement blocks and five pillars of concrete that form a small occupation forces camp with tanks and APC's.

The villages have received no water and are desperate for the deliveries.

As a general principle, in both internal and international armed conflict it is lawful to attack only military objectives. From this derives the rule stated in Article 54 of the first of the two 1977 Additional Protocols to the Geneva Conventions that “starvation of civilians as a method of warfare is prohibited.” Denying the civilian population water is just as illegal as denying them food. (Crimes of War p.377)

We represent the United States, Canada, Israel, UK and call on our governments and peoples to condemn these Israeli occupation acts of barbarism.

Supreme court petition submitted protesting

detention conditions at Ansar III

Jerusalem, June, 30, 2002, Wafa - On 27 June, seven Palestinian detainees and ten Palestinian and Israeli human rights organizations submitted a petition to the Supreme Court of Israel protesting the inhumane conditions faced by approximately 500 Palestinian political detainees currently held in Ansar III Detention Center. Arguing that the detention conditions in Ansar III violate the dignity of the detainees, the petitioners asked the Court to intervene and order the military commander of the center to immediately address and improve the conditions in the facility.

The petition was submitted by Adalah Staff Attorney Morad el-Sana. The ten Palestinian and Israeli human rights organizations named as petitioners are Adalah, Qanun (LAW): The Palestinian Society for the Protection of Law and the Environment, HaMoked: The Center for the Defense of the Individual, B'Tselem, Addameer, Al Haq, Women's Center for Legal Aid and Counseling (WCLAC), Nadi el-Asseer (Palestinian Prisoners' Club), the Public Committee Against Torture in Israel, and Physicians for Human Right - Israel. The petitioners named Yuni Ben David, Military Commander of Ansar III and Minister of Army Benjamin Ben-Eliezer as respondents.

Affidavits from detainees obtained during visits by representatives of the human rights organizations indicate that conditions in Ansar III fail to meet minimum adequate standards for detention. Ansar III is situated in the Naqab (Negev) desert, which gets both exceedingly hot during the day and quite cold at night. Detainees are held under canopies that are open on all four sides, affording them no protection from the elements, insects, scorpions, or reptiles. The tents are constructed from tarpaulins placed over metal frames, and floors are made of black asphalt. The tarps are old and worn, and many are torn. Detainees are not given proper beds; instead they sleep on wooden beds, constructed of slats, which are 10 to 15 centimeters from the ground. As a result, they are unable to obtain adequate sleep. Further, detainees are not provided with sufficient amount of cold water necessary in the environment. Such conditions are particularly harsh for many detainees who suffer from ill-health such as high blood pressure and diabetes.

Detainees are also denied sufficient supplies and facilities necessary to maintain basic hygiene. They are allotted insufficient soap (6 bars of soap for 60 detainees for 7 days); sponges (1 sponge for 20 detainees); toilet paper (one roll for 10 detainees for 20 days); and toothpaste (1 tube for 10 detainees for 20 days). They are not given any shampoo or other bath items. They are not given any clothes, so they are unable to change clothes from those which they were wearing at the time of their arrest. Of particular concern is the lack of adequate toilet and shower facilities. There is one bathroom, which serves as a toilet and a shower, for every 20 detainees. There are no toilet seats, rather, there are open ditches constructed from concrete. The facility does not have proper water tanks for cleaning, and detainees must use a water tap for this purpose. In addition, they are not given enough cleaning supplies, and therefore are unable to maintain necessary cleanliness of the facilities. Further, some bathrooms do not have any lights, so using them at night is dangerous.

The petitioners argue that the respondents are violating the fundamental human rights of the detainees under both Israeli and international humanitarian law. The Israeli Basic Law: Human Dignity and Liberty (1992) upholds the right of all persons to dignity. Israeli Supreme Court case law clearly extends the right to dignity to those in detention. Notably in Darweesh v. Prison Authority (1980), Justice Haim Cohen stated that those sentenced to prison in Israel have the right "to be imprisoned in humanitarian, civilized conditions." Further, the detention of these individuals, all of whom are from the West Bank, in Israel is a violation of the Geneva Convention (IV) Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War (1949). Article 76 of this convention states that "protected persons accused of offences shall be detained in the occupied country, and if convicted they shall serve their sentences therein. They shall, if possible, be separated from other detainees and shall enjoy conditions of food and hygiene which will be sufficient to keep them in good health, and which will be at least equal to those obtaining in prisons in the occupied country." The petitioners call on the Israeli authorities to uphold their obligations under Israeli and international law.

Israel to deny entry to Louis Farrakhan

Tel Aviv, June, 30, 2002, Wafa - Israel intends denying entry to Louis Farrakhan, after the leader of the US Nation of Islam organization declared that he planned to propose mediation initiatives of his own for the resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Israel is also afraid that Farrakhan's visit could be provocative and result in disturbances, particularly if he asks to tour the Alaqsa mosques!!.

During a current tour of the Middle East, Farrakhan denounced President George W. Bush's peace plan, charging that it places too many demands on the Palestinians. He called for a condemnation of Israel's treatment of the Palestinians and the harsh living conditions in the territories.

Farrakhan also proposed a plan of his own, according to which the sides would take advantage of his religious authority to mediate between the parties, Israel Ha’aretz newspaper reported.

Events and Developments of the Past 24 Hours

on the Palestinian Arena

Ramallah June 30th 2002 Wafa; Bellow Is a brief of the major events and developments of the past 24 hours on the Palestinian arena:

Saturday June 29, 2002

Main Headline

Alyousfi: “ Only The Palestinians

have the right to elect their Leadership”

Brussels June 29th 2002 Wafa; The Moroccan Prime Minister Mr. Abdurrahman Alyousfi said that only the Palestinian people have the right to elect their leaders, and the same applies on all the other issues.

He said that Morocco is deeply concerned towards the dangerous escalations in the region, pointing out the necessity of an international act to stop any further deterioration.

He also said that the Israeli practices in the Occupied Lands are merely state organized terror.

The Israeli occupation forces shelled

destroying the Palestinian official buildings

Hebron June 29th 2002 Wafa; The Israeli occupation forces started early this morning shelling the “Almuqataa”, The governmental compound in Hebron, systematically demolishing the Palestinian Intelligence HQ, the Precautionary Police main HQ, the Naval Police HQ, the Homicide police HQ, and the main Police HQ.

Eyewitnesses at the blasted location reported that the Israeli occupation forces using a special squad invaded the compound and blasted several buildings with tons of explosives, then using tanks, artillery and the Apache helicopters they shelled many other sections of the compound leveling many buildings to the ground, and causing severe damages to over 15 adjacent civilian residential buildings, and the Israeli occupation forces prevented the Palestinian fire engines and the paramedics to arrive at the locations to extinguish the fires and aid the injured.

“Alqanoon” a Palestinian Human Rights Organization, holds Israel the full responsible for the fate of the besieged in the governmental compound.

An Appeal By Palestinian Church Related Organizations in Light of Bush speech:

Do not See the light at the End of the Tunnel

but also Do not See the Tunnel Itself in our Present Tragic Situation

Jerusalem, June, 29, 2002, Wafa – The Palestinian Church Related Organizations called in an appeal on the need for the Israeli government to come up with a clear plan that specifies its intention to vacate the occupied territories not simply those occupied since September 2000 but also those occupied since June 1967. Hereby is the full text of the appeal:

With the reoccupation of Hebron on the morning of June 25th, practically all towns and cities in the Palestinian Territories, with the exception of Jericho, have come under direct Israeli army occupation. Well over two million inhabitants live under Israeli army imposed curfew for most of the time. In some localities, the Israeli army allows the inhabitants a couple of hours every two to three days in order to stock up on food and other basic commodities. Reports from all parts of the West Bank and Gaza indicate increased and abject poverty among the population and one friend who visited Nablus recently told us that he had never seen such poverty among the population and that what he saw reminded him of the spoken of poverty-stricken Nablus of decades ago. Another friend informed us that in Bethlehem there are families who practically beg for a loaf of bread for their children. But aside from wanting to meet the basic necessities that would ensure survival, the Palestinian population is held hostage by the Israeli government, as this latter wants to barter the end of suicide bombings with withdrawal from Palestinian towns and cities.

President Bush in his speech of June 24th 2002 put the entire burden on the Palestinian side in order to get out of the present impasse. By so doing, he absolved the Sharon-led Israeli government from its responsibilities of presenting a political program that would spell out or at least indicate its plans to end occupation not simply that which started in September 2000 but the original occupation of June 1967. While all of us would like to see an end to suicide bombings, achieving this could not be simply a one-sided affair, as it needs to be paralleled by Israeli expressed willingness to end occupation and live as good neighbors, and not as hegemonic occupiers and oppressors, to Palestinians. An agreed upon political framework is of paramount importance as a basis that would commit the two sides in an equitable manner as they progress towards eventual resolution of the present deadlock.

Granted, we Palestinians are in dire need of genuine reform. But such reform cannot be undertaken under the barrels of Israeli guns and tanks. The impromptu discussions that Palestinians engage in on side streets and in sitting rooms all indicate an overwhelming consensus that things need to change, not to please Mr. Bush or anybody else, but in order to spell out our own vision for our society and its future. Unfortunately, this is something we have not done since the Oslo accords and we should have. Hence a grave responsibility lies on all of us as we examine the prospects for reconstruction and rehabilitation in all areas of government and society. But as important we need to decide ourselves on our own program and political agenda whether as they relate to issues and concerns internal to Palestinian society or whether as they deal with the thorny relationships with the Israelis.

The Israelis cannot escape their responsibilities either. The absence of a clear political program by the Israeli government is tantamount to saying that military occupation would continue. The Israeli policy of destroying the Palestinian governmental and civil society infrastructure is accompanied by continued settlement activity on Palestinian lands. The Israeli government claims that it is fighting potential suicide bombers when it places hundreds of thousands of innocent civilian Palestinians all over the West Bank and Gaza under house arrest for days on end. Even relief and emergency efforts are hindered by the Israeli military from reaching the besieged population, despite claims by the Israeli government that it facilitates and does not obstruct such efforts. The trigger-happy Israeli soldiers often demolish personal and public property, cause injury and death and prohibit ordinary people as well as the sick and elderly from crossing from one locality to another within the West Bank and Gaza Strip. By blaming the National Authority for all the ills of the current situation, the Israeli government lifts off the responsibility that lies squarely on the shoulders of its Prime Minister and other Ministers for the human rights infractions that are committed on a daily and continuous basis against innocent Palestinian civilians by the Israeli occupation army. President Bush by putting the entire burden on the Palestinians to find a way out of the present deadlock mirrors the Israeli blame of the Palestinian Authority and Palestinians, in general.

Given the current situation and in light of President Bush speech, we the undersigned call on our partners and friends worldwide to:

  1. Address your governments and various constituencies on the need for the Israeli government to come up with a clear plan that specifies its intention to vacate the occupied territories not simply those occupied since September 2000 but also those occupied since June 1967.

  2. Ask your governments, particularly the EU governments, to adopt one stand that would insist on the need to have an Israeli commitment to ending the occupation, and to an immediate pullout from the occupied Palestinian cities and towns, as part of the process and deliberations that would lead to the creation of a democratic and pluralistic Palestinian state, in accordance with all UN relevant resolutions.

  3. Stress on the Israeli government and/or its representatives abroad that the infractions that its army is carrying out in the occupied Palestinian territories and at the military checkpoints throughout the West Bank and Gaza Strip go contrary to basic human rights as reflected in international declarations and conventions. The Palestinian people, in light of these continuous infractions, are in need of an international force of protection.  

  4. Ask the Israeli government and its representatives abroad to honor its own claims that it does not hinder relief and emergency efforts by local and international aid organizations to the besieged and curfew Palestinian population. Note that Israel’s actual behavior on the ground on this matter is contrary to the Sphere Humanitarian Charter and Minimum Standards in Disaster Response and the Code of Conduct for the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and NGOs in Disaster Relief based on International Humanitarian Law and the Geneva Convention to which a majority of countries were signatories, including Israel.

  5. Emphasize to the Israeli government and its representatives abroad that continued curfews and closures imposed on the Palestinian population not only affect adversely the economic and social welfare of the population but also contribute to psychological and pedagogical damage that would obstruct tremendously the prospects for eventual peace making between Palestinians and Israelis.

  6. Address your governments and the various media on the need for the American Administration to adopt a balanced and even-handed policy towards the two parties in the Palestinian – Israeli conflict, and especially to emphasize that its present policy is causing extreme human suffering to the whole Palestinian people, and is engendering ever-lasting hatred between East and West.

  7. Indicate to Palestinians your willingness to support them as they contemplate the important questions pertaining to their society and the challenges of transformations they are likely to experience in the coming couple of years.

  8. Continue your support to your Palestinian partners as they strive to serve their people amidst most difficult circumstances.

  9. Join hands with all those willing to work for an immediate end of Israeli occupation. Only can an environment conducive to the eventual resumption of negotiations between the two sides be created.

We aspire for your prayers, good thoughts and action, as our country appears destined to continue experiencing the vicious cycle of occupation and counter occupation. One inspiring thought to those who not only do not see the light at the end of the tunnel but also do not see the tunnel itself in our present tragic situation: there is always light to those who care to see it and work to make it shine on the lives of the oppressed, occupied, besieged and all those who suffer because of the injustice of our situation. May all our efforts add up to end injustice!

* Judge Khalil Aboud – International Christian Committee in Israel – Nazareth

* Mr. Constantine Dabbagh – Near East Council of Churches Committee – Gaza

* Mr. Rifat Kassis – YMCA – Beit Sahour

* Dr. Bernard Sabella – Department of Service to Palestinian Refugees of the Middle East Council of Churches – Jerusalem

* Mr. Ramzi Zananiri – International Christian Committee – Jerusalem West Bank

* Commission Justice and Peace Jerusalem

* Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center – Jerusalem

Friday June 28, 2002

Main Headline

President Arafat received Mr. Muratinos

Ramallah June 28th 2002 Wafa; President Yasser Arafat received yesterday in the presidential HQ in Ramallah, Mr. Miguel Angel Muratinos the European envoy to the peace process in the Middle East.

They discussed the current Palestinian situation under the Israeli atrocious practices in the Palestinian Occupied Lands, and its escalation against the Palestinian people and Leadership.

A Palestinian official statement

Ramallah June 28th 2002 Wafa; An official Palestinian spokesman stated:

The Israeli occupation forces are continuing their atrocious practices in the Palestinian Occupied Lands using tanks, armored vehicles and the killing machines of the Apache helicopters.

Ramallah-Hebron:

The Israeli occupation forces are tightening their ugly siege around the Cities of Ramallah and Al Bireh focusing on the presidential HQ and the Palestinian ministries and other official institutions especially the Ramallah Hospital restricting the movement of the ambulances and the medical staffs.

They are invading the private houses of the Palestinians in the Alamari Refugee Camp near Ramallah ransacking houses, searching belongings, and arresting citizens.

While in Hebron they are imposing tight curfew and shelling the Palestinian houses and public facilities using the killing machines of the Apache helicopters.

Nablus-Jenin-Tulkarem-Qalqilya:

Shelling the Balata Refugee Camp the Israeli occupation forces killed the Palestinian citizen Muhammad Abu Ayyash, while in Jnaid Refugee Camp they invaded the Palestinian security station arresting the Palestinian officers leading them to an unknown location, and in Jenin they have invaded the governmental and police main HQ in the city demolishing them by blasting and shoveling them to the ground. In Tulkarem they set fire in many residential houses and opened their random fire towards the citizens forcing them to stay indoors.

The Israeli occupation forces after announcing lifting of the curfew they shelled the city of Qalqilya and killed the Palestinian citizen Shukri Dawood injuring many others.

Rafah, Gaza

The Israeli occupation forces using heavy military bulldozers supported by tanks and many troops demolished six Palestinian houses, destroying many others, and shoveled vast agricultural lands, also in Beit Lahia they assaulted the citizens imposing their terror on the defenseless citizens.

The Israeli dictations and their military conducts are merely indicating the Israeli intentions of reoccupying our lands forcing us out of it, but our determination on establishing the independent Palestinian State with Jerusalem as its Capital, is much more powerful than all Israeli military superiority.

DENIED ENTRY TO CIVIL MISSION

BY ISRAELI GOVERNMENT

Rome, June, 28, 2002, Wafa - Luisa Morgantini, President of the delegation of the European Parliament for relations with the Palestinian Legislative Council, strongly protests against the behavior of the Israeli authorities, for the denied entry to international civil mission.

The denial is showing once more the repressive policy of the Israeli government and undermining Israeli democracy as well as regular relations with EU citizens. The human chain in Jerusalem had to be postponed.

The human chain, an international event that should have taken place on June 28 and 29 in the West Bank and in Jerusalem, has been suspended due to the expulsion of civilians who wanted to enter Israel in order to attend the event, and to subsequent internal problems. The human chain was an event organized by the Israeli-Palestinian Peoples' Peace Campaign, which represents both Palestinian and Israeli peace movements, among them personalities like Sari  Nusseibeh, Yaser Abed Rabbo, Hanan Hashrawi, Yossi Beilin, Yossi Sarid, Yael Dayan and the two Sakharov Prize winners, Nurit Peled and Izzat El Ghazzawi.

The goal of the demonstration was to show that in both peoples there are majorities that believe in the possibility for peace based on ending the occupation, on two states for two peoples, on Jerusalem as two capitals for two states a just solution for the refugees.

Groups of international civilians who arrived at Tel Aviv airport have been denied entrance by the Israeli border police despite the fact that the initiative had been previously officially permitted by the authorities.

The reason given to explain why entrance was not allowed is that "participating in the human chain is a non sufficient reason for entering Israel".

Many European citizens were expected to arrive in Israel. Among them, some members of the European parliament and around 350 Italians, organized by Action for Peace and Peace Roundtable Coalitions, by the Regional Government of Campania, Toscana and Umbria, and by many associations, trade unions, local authorities and political parties.

Lots of them were obliged to take a flight back to Italy immediately, while 15 of them had to spend a night in a locked room, where they received food and water only after twelve hours and only thanks to the repeated requests of the Italian Embassy in Israel.

Diplomatic sources say the Interior Ministry of Israel took the decision to prevent any international citizens from taking part in the human chain as well as in any other initiative. Knesset members and the leaders of Peace Now - which are among the promoters of the human chain - have been informed and have sought a commitment to change this decision. However, despite this, the Israeli government has refused to change its position.

The Israeli authorities bear a very heavy responsibility, by preventing international support to the forces which are trying to stop the occupation which kills all, to break the circle of violence and terror and to reopen the way to dialogue and negotiation.

Luisa Morgantini states that "It is time for a just peace, peace is necessary to both Palestinians and Israelis, it is time for the Israeli army to stop their crimes, to withdraw and end the occupation, it is time for Palestinian People to build a democratic state. It is time for European Union, Arab Countries, and Russia to make pressure on Israel and the US to implement the international legality, it is time to send international forces, as requested by Palestinians and Israelis for peace, to prevent violence and defend the civilian population".

Thursday June 27, 2002

Main Headline

President Arafat received Mr. Vdovin

Ramallah June 27th 2002 Wafa; President Yasser Arafat received yesterday in the Presidential HQ in the besieged city of Ramallah, Mr. André Vdovin the Russian envoy to the peace process in the Middle East.

H.E. briefed His guest with the devastating consequences of the barbaric wide scale attacks of the Israeli occupation forces against Palestinian civilian and economical targets.

A Palestinian Leadership calls on the G8 in Canada:

“Act immediately to halt the Israeli aggression against the Palestinians”

Ramallah June 27th 2002 Wafa; The Palestinian Leadership launched an urgent call to the G8 convening in Canada as follows:

The Israeli atrocious occupation of the Palestinian lands has brought deep suffering to the Palestinian people for a very long time, and now it is about time when the International legitimacy has imposed itself on the Israeli government, and the world leaders must oblige Israel to comply with the International resolutions and respect the UN security Council’s decisions related to the Middle East crisis.

The Leadership is looking forward for the G8 to force Israel to withdraw from the occupied lands and stop the Israeli atrocious settlement schemes inside the Palestinian occupied lands.

The Palestinian people is a peace loving nation and yearns for peace that was strategically chosen, according to which we have signed a peace agreement with the late Israeli Prime Minister Rabin, who was assassinated by peace hating Israeli extreme current, aiming to blast the peace established between the two nations, therefore they have also assassinated the stability and security in the region.

It has been made clear to the whole world that the Israeli criminal conduct in the Palestinian Occupied Lands of closure destruction killing and prevention of medical aid including destroying hospitals, also the Israeli roaring tanks and armored vehicles in the Palestinian streets of the whole cities, towns, villages, and refugee camps, are not looking for security to their people, on the contrary they are destroying every shred of hope for implementing peace in the whole region and aiming to reoccupy our lands.

The Palestinian people are living in small scattered cantons where the Israeli policy of besieging the entire Palestinian populated places, imposing humiliating conditions on the Palestinian society by suffocating it with the continuous curfews and non stop incursions, where the Israeli occupation forces practice their war crimes of wild arrests, house demolishing, killing children and other Palestinian citizens.

The Palestinian Leadership wonders if the Palestinians are doomed to this unjust fate or is the world ready to help ending the Israeli imposed oppression on them?!.

While the Palestinians have chosen the peace option as a strategic choice the Israelis have rejected the Arab peace initiative proposed by the Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah.

The Palestinians hold the G8 responsible for establishing the longed peace in the Middle East by removing the Israeli despicable occupation with its settlements in order to enable the two nations to practice their lives with dignity, stability and security.

The Palestinian Leadership offers its full cooperation in order to save and protect the peace of the Brave signed in Oslo between the Palestinian Leadership the Israeli former Prime Minister the late Mr. Yitzhak Rabin.

Official Palestinian statement:

“The Israeli government’s state terror against

the Palestinian is still undergoing”

Ramallah June 27th 2002 Wafa; A Palestinian official spokesman stated the following:

The Israeli government is still imposing its organized state terror against the Palestinian civil targets aiming to reoccupy all the previously freed lands according to all the peace signed agreements.

Its isolating the Gaza Strip districts into small separated canton by closing all passages between the major cities of the Strip, while its tanks and Apache gunship helicopters are still shelling the city of Hebron.

Ramallah and Jenin:

The Israeli occupation forces are still besieging the city of Ramallah and the Presidential HQ in particular, and shelled Alamari Refugee Camp wounding two 14 years old boys, destroyed several houses and ransacked many arresting many civilians, yesterday afternoon they killed the 7 years old boy Bassam Saadi from the Jenin Refugee Camp when they shelled the camp targeting the civilians and their remaining houses, they also wounded a 10 years old boy. In Tubas, they shelled and destroyed the police station and the local governor building leveling them to the ground and destroyed many civilian vehicles in an obvious barbaric behavior.

Nablus:

The Israeli occupation forces ransacked three police officers’ houses arresting them after vandalizing their belongings leading them to an unknown destination.

Hebron:

Since last night, the Israeli occupation forces are heavily shelling the old city of Hebron focusing on the buildings inside the ancient wall targeting the trapped Palestinian security officers and some civilians who are defending themselves using humble rifles facing the Israeli tanks and the killing machines of the apache gunship helicopters, while they have ransacked the citizens houses conducting a wide arrest campaign.

The Israeli occupation forces are also reoccupying the rest of the Palestinian cities and their villages and refugee camps imposing tight curfew turning them into Nazi like concentration camps.

It is obvious to the whole world that the Israeli government is targeting the Palestinian man and land aiming to end the Palestinian existence, but our people are determent to protect their rights of independence and freedom, and will continue the struggle until establishing the independent Palestinian State with Jerusalem as its Capital.

2 million Palestinians under curfew

Ramallah, June, 27, 2002, Wafa - Currently all Palestinian cities in the West Bank, except Jericho, are under strict military imposed 24-hour curfew. In real terms this means that almost two million Palestinians in the West Bank are confined to their houses with heavy Israeli military presence on the streets enforcing the curfew.

This situation seriously impinges on the safety of the civilian population: patients cannot get to hospital, people are prevented from going to work, families cannot buy necessary food and medical supplies, children cannot go to kindergarten or even out to play and students are prevented from sitting their final exams.

Yesterday a seven years old boy, Bassam Ghassan As-Saadi, was killed by Israeli soldiers in the Jenin refugee camp. He was out playing with other children when Israeli troops opened fire on them. Bassam was hit by live ammunition all over his body. Twelve year old Fida' Nimr Abu Qandil was injured in the leg in the same incident.

The curfew is enforced by tanks and military patrols in addition to snipers positioned to shoot at anyone violating the curfew. Only when the Israeli occupation army lifts the curfew can people leave their houses, but even then without full assurance of their safety. Last Friday three children and one adult were killed and several others injured when Israeli troops opened fire at them after conflicting information regarding the lifting of the curfew.

The same confusion and chaos occurred in Ramallah yesterday leaving people injured by gas bombs and rubber bullets.

Villages and rural areas are already isolated and disconnected from their surroundings due to the closure and siege. However the current curfew regime imposed on the main cities has severe effects on these villages as they rely on the cities for essential services such as medical care, education and employment. Currently even emergency services are inaccessible to villagers due to the curfews inside the cities.

The lengthy duration and far-reaching scope of the curfews clearly demonstrates that these are collective punitive measures imposed by the Israeli army upon the Palestinian civilian population. Currently the whole population suffers from the effects of the curfew. The use of collective punishment by the occupying power, in this case the imposition of prolonged and wide-spanning curfews is prohibited and illegal according to article 33 of the Fourth Geneva Convention.

Dr. Mustafa Barghouthi said today: "During the last days many people have called the Palestinian Medical Relief with desperate pleas for help.

People need medical treatment, medicines and some people are also running out of food and milk supplies. I fear a humanitarian crisis.

In Ramallah yesterday the Israeli army detained and seriously harassed a 57 year old American volunteer while she was assisting the Medical Relief in distributing humanitarian assistance".

ICRC to double aid to Palestinian areas,

says over 7,000 Palestinians imprisoned by Israel

Ramallah, June, 27, 2002, Wafa - The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) says it has had to double its budget for humanitarian assistance in Palestinian areas because of the continuing Israeli military invasions.

Rene Kosirnik, the top ICRC official in Israel and Palestinian areas, says Israeli military incursions into the West Bank and Gaza Strip have led to the collapse of Palestinian society.

Kosirnik is leaving his post as head of the Red Cross delegation in Israel and the Palestinian territories after two years of service. He says the socio-economic situation in the area has worsened since the present violence erupted in late September of 2000.

"The present capacity, organizational capacity, of the Palestinian authorities has been severely disrupted," Kosirnik explained, "And in other cases, you have areas, which are temporarily, but sometimes for a long period totally cut off, such as villages, which are cut off from direct supplies. What is obvious is their capacity to deliver what any country is meant to deliver, normal public services, has been severely hindered."

The International Committee of the Red Cross has expanded its assistance program to fill some of the gaps. It says it will provide food, water, basic shelter, and household items to as many as 300,000 Palestinians in the coming months.

Kosirnik says one of the most important Red Cross activities is that of protection. "By that we mean, being an advocate, a representative of the victims towards those who have an impact on their life, making representations to the authorities," he explained, "A role of legal advocacy [and] practical activities such as visiting prisoners. That number has drastically increased."

Kosirnik says the number of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel has increased from 2,700 two years ago to over 7,000 now.

Knesset committee approves law denying compensation

to Palestinians injured by Israeli armed forces

Jerusalem, June, 27, 2002, Wafa - On 26 June the Knesset's Constitution, Law, and Justice Committee approved the proposed law denying compensation to persons injured by Israeli security forces in the Occupied Territories. The proposed law will soon be submitted to the Knesset for second and third readings, and thus pass into law.

The proposed law severely infringes the basic right of persons injured by the negligent or intentional acts of IOF soldiers, by attempting to expand the definition of combat activities, for which the state is exempt from compensation.

Human rights organizations repeat and emphasize that the purpose of the law is not to protect IOF soldiers against claims relating to their acts of combat. Rather, it is intended to save state treasury money regarding claims based on injury resulting from the intentional or negligent acts of IOF soldiers, such as firing in violation of army regulations.

The human rights organizations add that the proposed law as a whole is an expression of lack of faith in the courts' ability to determine the truth, and denies the courts discretion in these matters. The proposed law severely infringes the right to bodily integrity, property, and equality, and contravenes the rule of law and the fundamental principles of Israeli and international law. Leading jurists at Israeli universities agree with this assessment.

The attempt to enact a law whose objective is to deny existing rights, leaving the injured with no relief, is unprecedented. Human dignity, the sanctity of life, and the right to bodily integrity are among the basic values of Israeli law. If passed, the law would place an black mark on the laws of Israel.

Dismay at Sharon case decision

Brussels, June, 27, 2002, Wafa - Amnesty International is extremely dismayed at the decision by the Court of Appeal of Brussels that declared a complaint concerning the "Sharon" case inadmissible. The Court's decision was based on its analysis of Belgian law which concluded that no investigation can be opened in Belgium for war crimes, crimes against humanity or genocide unless the suspect is found in the country.

The complaint before the Belgian court concerned the killings of at least 900 Palestinian men, women and children in the Sabra and Shatila refugee camps in the suburbs of Beirut, Lebanon in September 1982.

"This restrictive interpretation of Belgian national law is inconsistent with international law," said Amnesty International.

The organization believes that the Belgian Parliament, in enacting the 1993 law providing for universal jurisdiction over war crimes, as well as in its 1999 amendment to that law extending its scope to crimes against humanity and genocide, intended to provide Belgian courts with the full extent of universal jurisdiction over these crimes permitted under international law.

In fact, the four Geneva Conventions of 1949 authorize Belgium to open an investigation for grave breaches of humanitarian law regardless of the location of the suspect and to seek the extradition of any person suspected of grave breaches with a view to exercising universal jurisdiction even if that person has never been in that country.

The next step in this case is an appeal to the Court of Cassation. If this unfortunate decision is upheld on appeal, Amnesty International will seek an amendment of the Belgian law to ensure that Belgium can continue to act on behalf of the international community in investigating and prosecuting the worst possible crimes in the world when states where the crime occurred have failed to fulfill their responsibilities under international law.

"The massacres of Sabra and Shatila refugee camps were war crimes and need to be fully and impartially investigated," said Amnesty International.

"International law to combat impunity must not be undermined, especially as the International Criminal Court will enter into force on 1 July."

AAI:

Bush proposal no plan forward

Washington, June, 27, 2002, Wafa - Although Arab Americans held out great hope for the President’s Palestinian initiative, today our community is gravely disappointed said an official of the Arab American Institute, AAI. Instead of supporting a realistic resolution of the current Mideast crisis, the President Bush laid out stark ultimatums for the Palestinian people, totally ignoring the desperate reality brought about by the occupation. Although there was a clear effort by the President to demonstrate compassion with the Palestinian people, the overlay of neo-conservative ideology had the net effect of canceling out any understanding that may have been displayed.

Once more, the President’s plan ignores any responsibility on the part of Israel and asks the Palestinians to create a fully functional democratic state before they earn the right to a provisional state.

"The President has set U.S. foreign policy and U.S.-Arab relations back with his announcement. There is nothing here that could give the Palestinians hope, in fact, as we are already seeing, what the President did was allow the Sharon government to continue its repressive military occupation of Palestinian land. The United States has failed this test of leadership in the Middle East," said AAI President Dr. James J. Zogby.

Wednesday June 26, 2002

Main Headline

President Arafat received the French FM

in HE besieged HQ in Ramallah

Ramallah 26th June 2002 Wafa – President Yasser Arafat received yesterday the French Foreign Minister, Mr. Dominique De Filpan, in his besieged Headquarters in Ramallah and discussed with him the situation in the area, due to the Israeli continuous aggression, and the siege imposed on the Presidential Headquarters in Ramallah.

H.E. welcomed his guest and expressed his deep gratitude to the French President, Government and People, for their support to the Palestinian People, and re-emphasized the Palestinian commitment to the Peace process, when HE was asked about President Bush’s demand to replace him, H.E. answered that this is an issue for the Palestinian People to decide.

The French Foreign Minister said that President Arafat reiterated his commitment to peace, in spite of the suffering and difficulties facing the Palestinian People under the Israeli occupation, and concluded as saying that the road of peace will eventually lead to the establishment of the independent Palestinian State.

President Arafat received Moratinus and received

calls from President Bin Ali and King Muhammad the 6th

Ramallah 26th June 2002 Wafa - HE President Yasser Arafat received yesterday the European special Peace Envoy to the Middle East, Mr. Miguel Moratinus, in His Ramallah Headquarters, and received phone calls from HM King Muhammad 6th of Morocco, and the Tunisian President, Zin Alabideen Bin Ali.

President Arafat briefed His partners with the dangerous situation in the area, due to the Israeli continuous aggression, and the siege imposed on the Presidential Headquarters in Ramallah and elsewhere of the occupied Palestinian land.

100 Days Plan of the Palestinian Government

(With reference to the Presidential decree of 12 June 2002)

Jericho, June, 26, 2002, Wafa - Dr. Saeb Irikat, the Local Affairs Minister declared this morning the “100 days” plan of the Palestinian Government, in a press conference which was held in his Ministry Building in Jericho.

He said that “ based upon the Ministerial Committee, headed by Mr. Yasser abed Rabbo, in order to form a “work plan” of the Palestinian Government, the plan was presented and approved by President Arafat, on 22nd of June.

Dr. Irikat emphasized that the plan reflects Palestinian needs, and not because the PNA was asked to do so, as the plan was approved on 22nd of June, before President Bush’s statement.

Dr. Irikat emphasized that the occupation is the problem and not H.E President Arafat, adding that Sharon’s policy is directed to destroy the PNA, and all its institutions, the Palestinian infrastructure, and the Palestinian Abilities, in all fields of daily life.

Dr. Irikat expressed his hope that the convened in Canada will pursue President Bush to put a detailed, time table plan to his vision of the solution of the Middle East crisis.

Hereby is unofficial translation of the plan:

In formulating this plan, the Government was guided by the Presidential decree amending the Cabinet on 9 June 2002, by the President's opening statement in the first meeting of the new Cabinet on 13 June 2002, and by his pronouncements before the Palestinian Legislative Council during its session of 15 May 2002. The Government has thus sought to meet the requirements and demands posed by the current situation, well recognized good by all zealous citizens, PLC members and officials, for whom the national good is foremost.

Based on the above, the Palestinian Government:-

The Palestinian Government, while calling upon all sections of the Palestinian society, in particular the youth, who are the pride and backbone of this steadfast and struggling people, to employ their creative energies in the pursuit of reconstruction and to participate in the making of a promising future and in the making of peace in this blessed and holy land, endeavors to strive truthfully and with unwavering commitment to reform and develop its methods of work and to make them more efficient and effective in the service of the national good, cognizant of the fact that its success in its political and national tasks depends on the trust of its citizens and on its ability to influence the course of events based on this trust. Therefore, the Government takes upon itself to achieve the following:-

A– In the general domain:-

  1. Reinforce the separation of powers, such that the Legislative Council can play its role to the full, as well as the independence of the judiciary and the rule of law.

  2. Restructure the ministries and governmental institutions, review their methods of work and create a modern and effective civil service as elements of a reform process that ensures the effectiveness and efficiency of work in the service of the citizen.

  3. Prepare for holding municipal, legislative and presidential elections and ensure that elections are also held within unions and organizations of the civil society, wherever elections have not been held contrary to the by-laws of these organizations, thus reinforcing the principles of democracy, transparency and accountability.

  4. Put into force all that have been passed.

  5. Give the needs of the people greater attention and endeavor to improve their standard of living, in particular unemployed laborers and other segments of the society that live in dire conditions.

  6. Rebuild the infrastructure that has been destroyed by the occupation.

  7. Tend to the needs of the families of the dead, the wounded, the prisoners and the detainees.

B – In the domain of public security:

  1. Restructure the Ministry of Interior and modernize its apparaas befits the requirements of the present situation.

  2. Attach the Preventive Security Services, the Police and the Civil Defense to the Ministry of Interior so that this Ministry will be in charge of all matters relating to internal security according to the law.

  3. Activate the role of the Ministry of Interior and its apparatuses in the enforcement of court rulings.

  4. Give utmost attention to the need of the population for safety, order and respect of the law and take measures that respond to the expectations of the people and their demands within the law.

  5. Deal with the negative phenomena arising from lack of discipline within the security services and weakening social control.

  6. Reinforce the loyalty to the Authority and to the job within the security services, as a manifestation of the loyalty to the country.

  7. Raise awareness among the population regarding the need for the preceding measures in order to secure their understanding, cooperation and support.

C – In the financial domain:-

  1. Reform operations within the Ministry of Finance with view to serve the public good and to enhance the credibility of the Palestinian National Authority in the financial domain, both internally and externally.

  2. Deposit all income of the Palestinian National Authority: Taxes, fees, profits from commercial and investment activities, foreign aid in grants and loans, including financial extended to projects, in a single account of the treasury, and implement the principle of the indivisibility of the treasury in the management of public funds.

  3. Reorganize commercial and investment operations run by the Palestinian National Authority through the establishment of a Palestinian Investment Fund that will be responsible for managing all these operations and that will be managed by an accountable board that will subjected to the most stringent standards of disclosure and auditing.

  4. Limit expansion of employment in the Public Sector and unify the payroll administration, placing it completely under the Ministry of Finance.

  5. Finish work on a modern pension scheme and put it into force as quickly as possible.

  6. Activate and develop internal auditing, through the appointment of financial auditors from the Ministry of Finance in all positions of responsibility; and external auditing, by enhancing the independence of the Office of Auditor General and having it submit regular reports to the President and the PLC.

  7. Develop the process of preparing the general budget, including the development budget, through the establishment of an organic link between recurrent expenditures and developmental expenditures.

  8. Put in place a monthly expenditure plan for the remainder of 2002 that can be implemented in view of available resources.

  9. Start working on preparing the budget for the year 2002 according to the rules and time line in the current legislation.

  10. Reorganize the financial relations between Ministry of Finance, on the one hand, and the Municipalities and Local Authorities, on the other hand.

D – In the judicial domain:-

  1. Activate the judiciary and secure its needs, such as the appointment of the required number of judges and the building of court houses and offices of the district attorneys in the various cities, as well as building modern prisons.

  2. Implement measures required by the "Judiciary Law", which went into force on 18 June 2002, such as the formation of the Court of Cassation, the establishment of "Department of Judicial Inspection", and the modernization and development of court administrations.

  3. Prepare draft laws, decrees and decisions that will be required once the Basic Law goes into force.

  4. Establish the "Governmental Legal Cases Administration", which will handle legal cases to which the Government is party.

E – In other domains:-

  1. Seek to reinforce national, patriotic and religious ethical and humanistic values, having in mind that Palestine represents a holy land to the whole world, and renounce fanaticism in the educational curricula and spread the sprit of democracy, enlightenment and openness on a wide scale.

  2. Activate the role of the Ministry of Awqaf in the making of the Palestinian individual, and direct its institutions to serve the national and religious objectives that the Palestinian National Authority seeks to achieve.

  3. Strive to find solutions to the chronic financial problems of the universities, schools and hospitals.

  4. Reconsider all government institutions that operate outside the jurisdiction of the ministries, with view to attach them or incorporate them within the body of the ministries, as a necessary measure to reform the public administration and increase it efficiency, in particular in the domain of information, radio and television.

  5. End the role of the security services in civilian affairs that are the responsibility of ministries, according to the law.

  6. Treat the deficiencies in the present employment policy, which has led to and inflated civil service.

  7. Unify and develop the various investment institutions and promulgate laws that encourage and bolster investment.

  8. Train the human resources and employ them under attractive conditions that help reinforce positive work values.

  9. Coordinate with the Political Department of the PLO in order to increase the effectiveness of the diplomatic corps and to carry out the necessary changes.

  10. Rebuild the management boards of government institutions according to the law, including the Palestinian Monetary Authority, for which a governor will be appointed.

    Pay special attention to the pollution of the environment and put into force quickly effective measures in order to deal with the illicit transport and burial in Palestinian territory of toxic wastes by Israel.

The Palestinian Government, as an expression of its determination to implement the measures listed above, during the next 100 days, puts forth the following schedule and commits to implement it:-

  1. The Basic Law will be published in the official Gazette no later than 15/7/2002.

  2. The government will start implementing measures that separate powers immediately.

  3. A Presidential decree annexing the Preventive Security Services, the Police and the Civil Defense to the Ministry of Interior will be issued within one week of the adoption of this plan, and the process of annexation will be completed within two months thence.

  4. Regulations relevant to the Governors will be prepared and issued by the end of September 2002.

  5. Restructuring all ministries and government institutions and reforming their operations will take place starting with the conciliation of the operations of the Ministries of Finance, Planning and International Cooperation, and Economy, Industry and Trade within two months of the adoption of this plan.

  6. Submit the 2003 Budget Law to the Legislative Council on 1/11/2002, as stipulated by the law.

  7. Submit the Chambers of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture Law to the Legislative Council within one month.

  8. Appoint the number of competent judges necessary to activate the judiciary no later than end of September 2002.

  9. Start preparing for holding presidential and legislative elections within one month with view to hold these elections no later than January 2003.

  10. Start preparing for holding municipal elections with view to hold these elections no later than March 2003.

  11. Merge the various information services and domains into the Ministry of Information and Culture no later than the end of September 2002.

  12. The ministries to finish preparing 3-months plans based on the guidelines of this reform and development program and to submit these plans to the Cabinet within two weeks of adoption of this plan.

  13. Start working immediately on implementing all other measures in this plan so as to leave an effect, tangible and visible to the people, within 3 months of its adoption.

Abdulrahim calls upon the USA to establish practical

mechanisms in order to promote the peace process

Gaza 26th June 2002 Wafa - Mr. Tayeb Abdulrahim, The Presidential Secretary, called upon the US Administration, to rapidly establish practical, and obligatory mechanisms, to promote the peace process, by the convening of the International Convention, and the Israeli withdrawal to the 28-9-2000 lines, as a step to create an appropriate climate for the Palestinian local, parliament, and Presidential elections.

Mr. Abdulrahim explained that the US credibility is being tested, and the Palestinians demand clear, actions to be taken, to promote peace in the region.

Palestinian Ambulances again targeted by Israel

in West Bank military incursion

Tel Aviv, June, 26, 2002, Wafa - Israel initiated its most recent incursion into the Occupied Territories in the West Bank. The current military operation includes the reoccupation of Palestinian population centers in the West Bank, and while Israel claims it will take responsibility for the Palestinian civilian population, which is to include the provision of food and other forms of humanitarian aid, evidence on the ground paints a different picture, Physicians for Human Rights – Israel stated.

The last week have brought with it renewed attacks on ambulances and medical staff, and delays in the provision of medical services. While the ability to access medical care in the larger towns throughout the West Bank is poor, that of the villages, in which many Palestinians live, is grave.

The situation to date has not yet reached the severity and intensity of operation so called "Defense Shield", yet PHR-Israel views with growing alarm the rising number of cases in which medical neutrality is violated and human life disrespected. These cases stand in contradiction to earlier commitments made by the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) and rulings by its High Court of, that Palestinian ambulances would be allowed to travel unhindered, and that soldiers would be instructed to respect the international law as it applies to freedom of movement of medical personnel in occupied zones.

UNRWA seeks additional funds to repair damage

to occupied Palestinian territories

Geneva, June, 26, 2002, Wafa - The lead United Nations agency assisting Palestinian refugees appealed for an additional $56 million to cover costs related to the damage and destruction following the events of March and April in the occupied territories.

The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) released the supplementary $55.7 million appeal in Geneva, saying it was "over and above" the agency's $117 million emergency request for this year.

According to Rene Aquarone, Chief of the UNRWA Liaison Office in Geneva, the amount was needed for shelter repair, relief and social systems, infrastructure rehabilitation, additional food aid in addition to what was already foreseen in the emergency appeal, education, and employment generation.

Employment generation was important because as the occupied territories went further into this crisis, the possibilities and the coping mechanisms of Palestinians had eroded basically to non-existence, Mr. Aquarone said at a press briefing.

Pointing to Israel’s re-occupation of the territories in the last few days, Mr. Aquarone said UNRWA felt that it was seeing signs of a more long-term re-occupation around Bethlehem and other areas. The Agency had been previously able to access most of the re-occupied areas and had provided immediate humanitarian needs, including food and medical supplies, but many of these zones were now closed.

In response to a question about the effects of the new wall that Israel was building, Mr. Aquarone said that it was a "very visible, concrete thing" but in terms of the Palestinian refugees, it did not make very much difference to them because they were just not being allowed to circulate.

Two PCHR staff members deported by Israeli authorities in two days

Ramallah, June, 26, 2002, Wafa - Israeli Authorities at Tel Aviv airport have for the second day in a row refused entry to a Palestinian Centre for Human Rights, PCHR, staff member. Eva Rinsten, a Swedish lawyer coming to work for PCHR, denied entry and send back to Sweden only 1 ½ hour after her arrival at approximately 5.30am yesterday. Ms. Rinsten arrived at approximately 04.00 today on a KLM flight. She was interrogated, denied entry and immediately put back on the same KLM flight she came with.

Sunday morning PCHR International Legal Officer Victoria Metcalfe, a British citizen, was denied entry, detained for more than 10 hours in a holding cell at the airport before being sent back to the UK. Both Ms. Rinsten and Ms. Metcalfe have told PCHR, that a number of foreigners trying to enter Israel was denied entry and deported along with them. Similar reports from local and international NGOs and individuals prove that Israeli authorities in recent months have escalated the practice of denying entry to foreign human rights workers, activists and journalists; including two Belgian citizens seeking to visit the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT) on 10 April and 38 French activists on 8 April. Three days ago 200 Italian activists were refused entry.

PCHR as well as the Swedish Embassy are now investigating Ms. Rinsten’s case and the reason for her deportation. PCHR will furthermore continue to work through legal channels to ensure that Ms. Rinsten and Ms. Metcalfe will be able to return to the OPT to continue their work with PCHR.

PCHR condemns the deportation of two of its staff members and are extremely concerned about the Israeli policy of obstructing professional human rights lawyers from working with an internationally recognized human rights organization. This deportation policy is part of an overall policy of obstructing internationals from witnessing, collecting evidence and communicating to the international community about Israeli violations of Palestinian human rights. PCHR calls upon relevant bodies, including governments and international human rights organizations, to demand that the Israeli government allow human rights defenders to carry out their work.

Israeli soldier beats, threatens to shoot PRCS medic

Nablus, June, 26, 2002, Wafa - The Emergency Medical Services station at the Palestinian Red Crescent Society, PRCS, Nablus Branch responded to a call to transport a woman in labor case from Kufr Qalil village to Rafidia Hospital, Nablus.

On their way to hospital, Sami Asarafi, Medic and Khalid Al-Khalili, Driver, were signaled to stop by Israeli border police jeep that was accompanied by an armored tank at the Al-Kanadi School intersection. One of the soldiers ordered (through a bullhorn) the ambulance crew to get out of the ambulance. They were then ordered to walk towards the border police and tank. Once Sami and Khalid got very close to where the soldiers were standing, one of the soldiers began to beat Khalid on the face and head saying, 'It's curfew, you are not allowed to walk, you are not allowed to go to the hospital and if you do, I will shoot you'.

Sami and Khalid were released after the 15-minute ordeal. However, the Israel border police denied the ambulance access to Rafidia Hospital forcing the crew’s return to the PRCS EMS station in order to transfer the woman in labor case to another PRCS ambulance.

In his detailed incident report for PRCS Headquarters, Khalid has requested PRCS HQ to press charges against the soldier who physically attacked and threatened to shoot him.

The First Geneva Convention clearly states that the wounded and sick must be collected and cared for regardless of the party to which they belong. Ambulances and members of the medical services must be protected and respected. They must be allowed to circulate unharmed and unhindered so that they can carry out their humanitarian duties. Relevant Articles: Article 12: (Protection of Wounded and Sick), Article 19: (Protection of Medical Units and Establishments), Article 24: (Protection of Permanent Personnel), Article 26: (Personnel of Aid Societies), Article 35: (Protection of Medical Transports).

Tuesday June 25, 2002

Main Headline

The Palestinian Leadership welcomes Bush’s ideas

Ramallah June 25th 2002 Wafa; President Yasser Arafat and the Palestinian Leadership expressed yesterday, welcomed the ideas in the speech delivered by the USA President George W. Bush.

They considered this USA approach to be constructive and a positive contribution to the peace process, and hopes that the fine details will be discussed through bilateral and direct meetings with the USA Administration and with the Quartet Committee (The USA, the EU, the Russian Federation and the UN) in order to promote those ideas.

A Palestinian comment: “It is an exposed scheme

to attack our citizens and Leadership”

Ramallah June 25th 2002 Wafa; President Yasser Arafat considered the Israeli latest publications of preparing for a wide scale attack against the Palestinians as an exposed scheme of pre meditated assault against the Palestinian people and Leadership.

H.E. said that the Israeli government has practiced the most barbaric war crimes for the past 22 months and they are justifying their actions by falsely describing them as attacks against terror while they are committing assassinations, killings, demolishing houses, destroying fields with the crops, uprooting fruitful trees, systematic destruction of the Palestinian infrastructure, and establishments, they have killed about 2000 Palestinians wounding over 60000 thousands crippling thousands of them, they have destroyed the Palestinian security forces and the security stations and compounds, and above all they have starved the Palestinian people in an attempt to break them down.

H.E.’s comment was published after the Israeli media has broadcasted that the Israeli government intends and prepares for a brutal wide attack against the Palestinian people and leadership.

Phone calls between President Arafat and President Mubarak

King Abdullah, and Crown Prince Abdullah

Ramallah June 25 2002 Wafa; Several phone calls took place yesterday between President Yasser Arafat and the Egyptian President Mr. Housni Mubarak and King Abdullah of Jordan, the Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah, and Mr. Kofi Anan the Secretary General of the UN.

Mr. Nabil Abu Redeneh, President Arafat's media advisor said that they reviewed the critical Palestinian situation under the Israeli escalating aggression. He also said that they discussed the International efforts exerted for stopping this aggression.

Events and Developments of the Past 24 Hours

on the Palestinian Arena

Ramallah June 25th 2002 Wafa; Bellow Is a brief of the major events and developments of the past 24 hours on the Palestinian arena:

Monday June 24, 2002

Main Headline

President Arafat calls for unity

and firm standing against the Israeli aggression

Ramallah, June, 24th 2002 Wafa - H.E. President Yasser Arafat addressed, this morning, the Palestinian People, informing them that the Israeli occupation troops invaded Ramallah- Al Bireh, surrounded the Presidential Headquarters, blocked all entrances to it, and imposed a curfew upon the city.

H.E. explained that this invasion follows a similar invasion to the Major Cities in the West Bank, which included curfew, murder of innocent civilians, among them children, women and elderly.

H.E. said that these attacks reveal the real face, and the real intentions of the Israeli Government, aiming to destroy peace, reinforce settlements, and destruction of the PNA.

H.E. expressed his belief that the Palestinian People will continue to stand united in front of the Israeli aggression; and will not surrender to the Israeli attacks, no matter how many victims will sacrifice their lives defending the Christian - Islamic Holy Places, and paving the road to the independent Palestinian State, with Jerusalem as its Capital.

On its own statement the Palestinian Leadership said that re-occupation is a threat to peace in the region, to the whole world, and to the future of the Palestinian and the Israeli Peoples, adding that all peace forces in Israel, Palestine, the region, and the world must unite against occupation, and aggression, and in favor of just, comprehensive, and lasting peace leading to the establishment of the independent Palestinian State.

Israeli helicopter missiles

kill 6 Palestinians, wound 13 in Rafah

Gaza, June, 24, 2002, Wafa - Continuing on the path of assassinating Palestinian activists, the Israeli army fired several air to surface missiles at Palestinian cars in the Rafah area, south of Gaza, killing six people, including a Palestinian activist and his two brothers. Hospital sources indicated that at least 13 more civilians were wounded in the attack, several are in serious condition.

The attack was carried out near the border between the Gaza Strip and Egypt.

Israeli radio says an Israeli US made helicopter gunship fired several missiles into several civilian vehicles.

The latest extra-judicial execution is one in a long chain of assassinations carried out by Israel in the last two years, a policy that resulted in the death of many civilians and generated international condemnation.

Eyewitnesses said that the bodies of those killed were torn to pieces, as flesh was recovered hundreds of feet away from the spot were the explosions took place.

The attack came a few hours after Israeli forces invaded the West Bank cities of Ramallah and Bireh, and surrounded the headquarters of President Yasser Arafat.

Palestinian officials said scores of tanks and armored vehicles entered Ramallah from various directions, as helicopters hovered overhead.

Israeli forces have imposed a curfew and taken control of strategic points of the city. Israeli occupation troops have moved in and out of Ramallah several times since ending a five-week incursion on May Second. Troops have sometimes closed in around President Arafat's compound, which was heavily damaged by Israeli shells in late March.

Israel has moved troops into several West Bank cities and towns in the past few days, tightening its grip around major West Bank cities.

Over the weekend, Israel called up an estimated 2,000 reservists, to take part of the West Bank invasion.

The mobilization by Israel follows a decision last week by Israel's Sharon's security cabinet that major Palestinian cities and towns would be re-occupied for a lengthy period of time.

UN special committee on Israeli practices to visit Egypt,

Jordan and Syria

Geneva, June, 24, 2002, Wafa - The Special Committee to Investigate Israeli Practices Affecting the Human Rights of the Palestinian People and Other Arabs of the Occupied Territories will visit Egypt, Jordan and Syria from 23 June to 6 July 2002.

The Committee plans to hold hearings in Cairo between 24 and 27 June; in Amman from 29 June to 1 July, and in Damascus from 4 to 5 July.

Since its establishment in December 1968, the panel has repeatedly been denied cooperation by the Government of Israel or access to the occupied territories. The Committee has none the less benefited from the cooperation and information provided by representatives from the Governments of Egypt, Jordan and Syria. The information gathered during these hearings, from witnesses having first-hand and recent experience of the human rights situation in the occupied territories, and from Governmental representatives, is taken into account in the Special Committee's reports to the General Assembly. Information appearing in the Israeli press and the Arab press published in the occupied territories is also made available to the Committee. The Committee formulates conclusions containing its evaluation of the situation as well as recommendations.

The Special Committee was established by General Assembly resolution 2443 (XXIII). It is composed of three Member States: Sri Lanka (Chairman), Senegal and Malaysia. Sri Lanka is currently represented by C. Mahendran, Permanent Representative of that country to the United Nations in New York. Senegal is represented by Absa Claude Diallo, Permanent Representative of that country to the United Nations Office at Geneva. Malaysia is represented by Hasmy Agam, Permanent Representative of that country to the United Nations in New York.

The Special Committee's mandate was renewed for an additional year on 10 December 2001 by General Assembly resolution 56/59. The findings of the Special Committee are contained in its report to the General Assembly; document A/56/491 of 22 October 2001.

The territories to be considered as occupied territories for the purposes of the Special Committee's mandate currently are the occupied Syrian Arab Golan, the West Bank (including East Jerusalem) and the Gaza Strip.

European parliament committees vote in favor

of continued EU aid to PNA

Brussels, June, 24, 2002, Wafa - The European Committees on Foreign Affairs and on Budget have unanimously approved the transfer of €18.7 million from the MEDA program to the Middle East Peace Process budget line, which funds EU assistance to the Palestine National Authority (PNA).

The votes followed a presentation to the two Committees by the European Commissioner for External Relations Chris Patten. The Commissioner reported the findings of an inquiry into allegations made on 5 May 2002 by the Israeli Government on the misuse of EU budgetary assistance to the PNA.

Commissioner Patten declared before the Foreign Affairs Committee: "After scrupulous examination of all the allegations that have been made, I can report to you today that there is no evidence for EU funds used for other purposes than those agreed. There is no reason to state that EU money has financed terrorism or bought weapons."

"We started the work of reform of the Palestinian [National] Authority. If there is to be a Palestinian State there has to be a Palestinian Authority. We will continue our budgetary assistance of € 10 m a month.... Europe should be in the vanguard of a concerted development plan for Palestine," added Mr. Patten.

Urgent appeal from Nablus

Nablus, June, 24, 2002, Wafa - The Israel occupation army has launched a massive military operation against Nablus City, including its four refugee camps. For the fourth time in three months.

Israeli occupation troops have reinvaded the city and suburbs, according to the Israelis, this time the invasion will be for a longer period of time.

The one hundred and fifty thousand residents of Nablus are forced to remain inside their homes as a strict 24-hour military curfew has been imposed over the city.

Already Israeli tanks and armored vehicles have vandalized the streets of the city causing enormous physical damage to the infrastructure. Additionally they have taken permanent positions on top of high buildings, forcing the residents to remain in one apartment of the building.

Mass arrests are taking place in most of the neighborhoods of the city - thus far dozens of Palestinians have been seized and sent to detention centers. The whole social, educational and medical systems have come to a standstill; the end of year high school exam (tawjeehi) has been cancelled due to the fact that students are unable to leave their homes to attend school.

Medical teams are prevented from moving freely, ambulances are frequently stopped and medical personnel are harassed. One doctor and the driver of Medical from medical relief were detained for two hours while attempting to transport an ill two-year-old baby.

Yet again the Israeli army is creating a situation of fear and terror among the civilian population, as well as endangering their lives. There is no justification for the attacks on civilians, and collective punishment Palestinians are subjected to.

This latest Israeli aggression against Palestinians is another facet of the continuing aggression of the Israeli occupation. The international community should realize that the main cause of the current dangerous situation in the region is this occupation, and security and regional stability will not assured until this occupation is ended.

The Union of Palestinian Medical Relief Committees, appeal to the international community to intervene immediately and force the Israeli government to comply with international law and to withdraw its forces immediately from the Palestinian areas.

A Palestinian official statement

Ramallah June 24th 2002 Wafa; An official Palestinian spokesman stated the following:

The Israeli occupation forces have reoccupied completely 8 Palestinian cities and their surroundings, imposing tight curfew and heavy siege, depriving the Palestinians their rights of mobility between the Palestinian lands for their usual attendance, while the Israeli occupation forces are ransacking the Palestinian houses arresting the citizens and leading them to Nazi like concentration camps with humiliation and assaults.

Ramallah-Bethlehem:

The Israeli occupation forces reoccupying the cities of Bethlehem, Beit Sahour and Beit Jala opened their fire towards the citizens and their houses forcing them to stay indoors, while invading the privacy of the Palestinians, ransacking their houses and arresting youth and elderly citizens, including women.

The Israeli occupation troops stationed at Sorda Barrier opened their machinegun fire towards the citizens who tried to use the Sorda passage in order to reach Ramallah or leave it, forcing them to return to where they came from.

Nablus - Jenin:

The Israeli occupation forces have reinforced their military presence in the city by deploying more tanks and armored vehicles, indicating that the Israeli occupation forces are preparing to a wide scale attack on the city, while the old section of the city was subjected to the Israeli artillery fire for several hours yesterday.

The city of Jenin faced the same treatment while the Israeli occupation forces troops ransacked the citizens’ houses and arrested many citizens including minors.

Attacking the surrounding villages, the Israeli occupation forces killed the Palestinian policeman Iyad Samoudi from Yamoon north to Jenin while many other citizens were reported injured.

Khan Younis:

Many children were injured due to Israeli shelling to the Namsawi neighborhood in the city of Khan Younis, while the rest of the Gaza Strip cities are still under occupation where the Israeli occupation forces ransack the residents arresting civilians and destroying property.

Simultaneously the Israeli government is trying to re-impose the Israeli civil authority on the Palestinians in an attempt to replace the democratically elected Palestinian Leadership with its institutions.

The entire international community is demanded to act immediately to stop the Israeli aggression against the Palestinians.

Sunday June 23, 2002

Main Headline

President Arafat welcomed the European

statement about independent Palestine

Ramallah June 23rd 2002 Wafa; The Official spokesman of President Yasser Arafat issued a statement yesterday, in which President Arafat welcomes the European stand towards the independent Palestinian state on the Occupied Lands since 1967.

President Arafat reiterated the Palestinian people and Leadership’ commitment to the peace process based on the International legitimacy and UN Security Council resolutions.

President Arafat calls on the European Union to impose pressure on Israel, obliging it to stop its aggression against the Palestinians, end its siege and withdraw from the occupied Palestinian lands.

H.E. also welcomed the European decision to help the Palestinians to rehabilitate their destroyed infrastructure and establishments, to enable the Palestinians to resume some normal life and the Palestinian Leadership to continue its efforts exerted for the peace process.

Two phone calls between President Arafat

and Mr. Annan and Mr. Mandela

Ramallah June 23rd 2002 Wafa; President Arafat received yesterday a phone call from the UN Secretary General Mr. Kofi Annan and called The RSA former President Mr. Nelson Mandela.

H.E. discussed with them the current situation under the Israeli escalating aggression and also discussed the International efforts being exerted to bring the Middle East parties back to the negotiating table.

Israel deported 30 Italian peace activists

Ramallah June 23rd 2002 Wafa; Dr. Mustafa Barghuthi said that the Israeli authorities have deported 30 Italian peace activists from Tel Aviv Airport.

He said that the Israeli practices of deporting International activists or monitors indicate that they are scheming atrocious disasters against the Palestinians away from the watching eyes of the press and the International activists.

He also said that the Israeli barbaric measures will never end the International public support to the Palestinians and their just cause.

Events and Developments of the Past 24 Hours

on the Palestinian Arena

Ramallah June 23rd 2002 Wafa; Bellow Is a brief of the major events and developments of the past 24 hours on the Palestinian arena:

Saturday June 22, 2002

Main Headline

President Arafat received Mr. Larsen

Ramallah June 22nd 2002 Wafa; President Yasser Arafat received yesterday in the presidential HQ in Ramallah, Mr. Terje Rod Larsen the special representative of the UN Secretary General Mr. Kofi Annan.

They reviewed the Palestinian dangerous situation under the Israeli escalating aggression against the Palestinian citizens and their property, including the sacred places.

President Arafat wonders why the world is silent towards

the Israeli atrocious crimes against the Palestinians

Ramallah June 22nd 2002 Wafa; President Arafat expressed his worries and disbelief about the suspicious silence of the International community towards the atrocious practices of the Israeli occupation army against the Palestinians.

H.E. wondered is it acceptable to the world that Israel daily slaughters the Palestinians, asking is it appropriate to the free world, the Arab Countries, and the European Countries, to the Christians or to the Moslems, to silent be about such bold crimes?

President Arafat: “President Clinton had no plan”

Ramallah June 22nd 2002 Wafa; Answering a question whether the PNA would accept Clinton’s plan, President Yasser Arafat said that the USA former President had no plan for solving the Middle East conflict, though there where talks in Camp David that might have led to some settlement.

Addressing the press prior to the Friday prayers in Ramallah, H.E. said that the later talks in Taba were important and promising, but the Israelis refused to implement the agreements achieved there, he also said that We have signed documents by the Israelis about those agreements, so did the Europeans and the Egyptians have copies of these agreements.

EU calls for international Middle East conference

to be convened as soon as possible

Seville, Spain, June, 22, 2002, Wafa - Speaking at a press conference o