Posted on May 28th, 2011 by Marian Houk
Egypt formally reopened the Rafah crossing today. Journalists on the scene report that the numbers of Palestinians crossing were fewer than anticipated — apparently partly because of suspicions based on long experience that things might not work out as expected, and partly because of a shortage of money among many in Gaza. It was one [...]
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Filed under: Boundaries & Borders, Donors, Egypt, European Union, Gaza, Human Rights, Israel, Palestine & Palestinians, USA
Posted on May 27th, 2011 by Marian Houk
The EU Representative to the Palestinian Authority, Christian Berger, said in an interview in East Jerusalem that the EU stands ready, if asked, to “come back and resume the tasks of monitoring the [Rafah] crossing point”. As part of the 2005 Agreement on Movement and Access, a bilateral agreement between Israel, after its unilateral “disengagement” from [...]
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Filed under: Boundaries & Borders, Egypt, European Union, Gaza, Human Rights, Israel, Palestine & Palestinians
Posted on May 19th, 2011 by Marian Houk
The May 15 protest at Qalandia checkpoint was something new (see our earlier post) — and something we may be seeing a lot more of in the coming months. Look at these pictures of Israeli soldiers shooting tear gas, and standing in clouds of it, without any protection. Qalandia on Nakba Day 2011 – Israeli [...]
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Filed under: Boundaries & Borders, Human Rights, Israel, Palestine & Palestinians
Posted on May 17th, 2011 by Marian Houk
There has been a collective holding of breath in Ramallah and the West Bank for the past 12 days, waiting to see if Palestinian Authority salaries would be paid. They have been held up this month after the announcement of a Fatah reconciliation agreement with Hamas — considered by Israel [and the U.S., as well [...]
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Filed under: Donors, Gaza, Israel, Palestine & Palestinians
Posted on May 16th, 2011 by Marian Houk
It was the first coordinated, simultaneous, united (though under different leaderships) attempt by Palestinian refugees to return to the land of their origin (if not birth, as up to three generations have been now born outside, in the worldwide diaspora since 1947-48). In the West Bank, the May 15 Qalandia checkpoint event was planned as [...]
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Filed under: Boundaries & Borders, International Humanitarian Law, Israel, Journalism and Journalists, Palestine & Palestinians
Posted on May 15th, 2011 by Marian Houk
Hundreds of Palestinians headed to Qalandia for non-violent protest starting at 11am, intend to cross thru checkpoint. Palestinian protesters intend to cross through Qalandia checkpoint today without permits or military checks, as if it were not there… as if they were free, and not under direct military occupation. For 1st time in a while, post-reconciliation [...]
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Filed under: Boundaries & Borders, Human Rights, Israel, Palestine & Palestinians
Posted on May 14th, 2011 by Marian Houk
Some of the calls for action on this weekend of commemoration of the Nakba (catastrophe), or the Palestinian dispossession that took place some 63 years ago, in the fighting that surrounded the creation of the State of Israel, said this would be the start of the Third Palestinian Intifada — which they want to be [...]
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Filed under: Boundaries & Borders, Israel, Palestine & Palestinians
Posted on May 12th, 2011 by Marian Houk
The tension is thick enough to cut with a knife. The Israeli Defense Ministry declared a total closure of the West Bank from Sunday just after midnight until Wednesday just after midnight, to allow Israelis to commemorate Remembrance Day on Monday, in honor of those who have died in Israel’s wars, which segued immediately into [...]
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Filed under: Boundaries & Borders, Israel, Palestine & Palestinians
Posted on May 5th, 2011 by Marian Houk
Going over some of the newer details about the U.S. operation to take out Osama Bin Laden [OBL or UBL] here are a few answers, none from official sources: A.) Question: Did they, or did they not, see the kill? President Obama’s counterterrorism adviser John Brenner said to journalists on Monday afternoon/evening — not even [...]
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Filed under: Pakistan, USA
Posted on May 5th, 2011 by Marian Houk
According to a source in Ramallah on Wednesday evening, Israel has relented [under pressure, and temporarily] and is releasing tax revenues due to Palestinian Authority [PA]. This money is expected to be in bank today [Thursday], so that PA salaries can be paid this month. This is despite the Palestinian reconciliation deal that was finalized [...]
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Filed under: Israel, Palestine & Palestinians, Quartet
