June 2002 News

News from aljazeerah.info, June 2002 News Updated several times a day

Editorial note: Palestine News Agency news are not edited. Other news by aljazeerah.info are summary translations of news from the Arabic origin. They are not literal translations of complete texts. News commentary is the sole responsibility of aljazeerah.info.

Reactions to President Bush's speech (6/24/02):

The Palestinian Authority highlighted the emphasis on a Palestinian state, stopping settlement activities, and Israeli withdrawal from Palestinian areas. In Israel, the emphasis was on that negotiations should not start until after ending terrorism, violence, incitement, Arafat's rule, and after Palestinian reforms. Israeli newspapers considered the speech as a victory for Israel. There was a jubilation in Sharon's office, which considered the speech as Bush's official acceptance of Sharon's vision of the conflict, putting all the blame on the Palestinian Authority. The Yusha Council, which represents settlers, announced that the Bush speech was a green light for Israel to end the Palestinian Authority.

In Palestine, the speech caused disappointment and increased hopelessness. Ismael Haniyeh, a Hamas spokesperson, said that the speech was nothing but support for the Zionist occupation. He added that Palestinians have no choice but continue their resistance. In the Arab World, silence and disappointment were the general reaction as President Bush conditioned any progress with changing the Palestinian leadership and ending violence first. The European Union, however, expressed its support for the Palestinian leadership through the visit paid by the French Foreign Minister to President Arafat, in his besieged office, in Ramallah (alquds alarabi, 6/26/02).

Israeli cabinet member: Bush deserves the Zionist Medal

Israelis met Bush's address with jubilation. The Minister of Communications, Revon Revlin, said that Bush's speech could have been written by a senior member of the Likude Party. He added to the Israeli Army Radio that he could have made the same speech in the Parliament. In its editorial, Yediot Ahranot newspaper mentioned that Bush is a new member in the Likude Party. Ha'aritz and Israel Radio said that the speech was a victory for Sharon, who managed during his six visits to the White House to convince President Bush to exclude Yasser Arafat. Ma'ariv newspaper quoted an Israeli cabinet member saying that "Bush deserves the Zionist Medal." (alquds alarabi, 6/26/02).

President Arafat received the French Foreign Minister in his besieged HQ in Ramallah

Ramallah 26^th 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 6^th

Ramallah 26^th 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 6^th 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.

Abdulrahim calls upon the USA to establish practical mechanisms in order to promote the peace process

Gaza 26^th 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 asap, 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.

The Entire West Bank is under the Israeli military occupation

Ramallah, June, 26, 2002, Wafa - Ariel Sharon has now completed the implementation of his plan for the total occupation of the West Bank. Helicopter attacks against Gaza have also begun, with six Palestinians killed during an assassination attack and more than 10 injured, most of them civilians, Palestine Monitor reported.

The Israeli army has taken over all areas previously under the jurisdiction of the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank and has now rendered the Authority practically nonexistent. Sharon has succeeded in fulfilling his mission of degenerating the political situation, taking the region back to pre-Oslo conditions. He has completed his destruction of all agreements between Palestinians and Israelis.

Today the Palestinian territories within the West Bank are under 24-hour military curfew, with the Israeli army violating the legal, moral and ethical aspects of international human rights in an unprecedented manner.

The Israeli government continues to insist that it is not bound to international law, rejecting the Fourth Geneva Convention, which governs the legal responsibilities of military occupiers and protects the rights of the occupied. The most recent example of this flagrant disregard for law and decency is the decision by the Israeli government to deport and exile the families of those who have carried out military actions.

We call upon the international community to take immediate action calling for Israel to cease acting with impunity. In response to the completion of the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories, Dr. Mustafa Barghouthi stated, “ Neither Sharon nor his military generals can prevent Palestinians from striving to achieve their freedom and their dream for a just peace.

One day, we as Palestinians will build our independent, sovereign, democratic and peaceful state. Occupation is not the solution but a reactionary measure which aims to destroy the potential for peace.”

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).

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 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.

Israel deported 30 Italian peace activists

Ramallah June 23^rd 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.

An earthquake in north and west of Iran kills about 230 and injures about 1,500

The death toll from a strong earthquake which hit at least eight Iranian provinces on Saturday morning reached 500 in the city of Bou'in-Zahra in Qazvin Province. The Head of Qazvin Province's Red Crescent Society Majid Shalviri said Saturday that some 1,000 have been retrieved from under the rubble. The quake, measuring six degrees on the open-ended Richter scale, hit the northern, central and western provinces of Gilan, Tehran, Kurdestan, Qazvin, Zanjan and Hamedan at around 7:30 a.m. (0300 GMT).

It was succeeded by several aftershocks between 8:10 a.m. and 3:11 p.m. with magnitudes of 4.8, 4.1 and 5.2. Tens of thousands of people were killed or injured in Bou'in-Zahra in another strong earthquake in September, 1962. Saturday's quakes have destroyed more than 20 villages between 50 to 90 percent in the Avaj region of Qazvin Province, an official at the Natural Disasters Department of the city, Majid Fathi Zahraie, said.

Three other people were killed and more than 50 people injured in Razan in the western Hamedan Province, the Governor of the city, Mohsen Moradi-Panah, said. He said the earthquake had caused damages of between 50 to 80 percent in at least 20 villages in the province. The earthquakes caused residents in the provinces of Zanjan, Tehran, Hamedan and Gilan to rush out from their houses in panic.

Relief workers have been dispatched to affected areas and hospitals are said to be teeming with injured people. President Mohammad Khatami has ordered Interior Minister Abdolvahed Moussavi-Lari to "use all means of the country with the coordination of other state apparatus to rapidly assist those affected" in the Saturday earthquakes of Qazvin and Hamedan. Khatami further asked the interior minister to personally take charge of "grave responsibilities which the government and the nation have in this tragic event." The president also offered his condolences to "the esteemed and brave Iranian nation and the bereaved families". The death toll from the strong earthquake which hit at least eight Iranian provinces on Saturday morning is still rising (Tehran Times, 6/23/02).

Abu Dhabi TV in a later broadcast mentioned that there were about 1,500 injuries as a result of the earthquake, in addition to the 230 victims or dead.

Abu Ghaith says that Bin Laden is safe and will appear in a video shortly

Sulaiman Abu Ghaith, Alqaeda spokesman, denied that any of the prominent alqaeda leaders were injured during the US bombing of eastern Afghanistan.

He said that Bin Laden, Mulla Oman, and Ayman Al-Dhauahiri are in good health. He added that 98% of alqaeda leaders have survived the US campaign in Afghanistan. He also said that Osama Bin Laden will be seen in a video shortly. He also mentioned the debate in the US about whether the Bush admin. knew about Sept. 11th attacks or not which indicates that the audio tape was recorded within the last four weeks.

Abu Ghaith announced that alqaeda would launch new attacks in the place and time suitable to it. He claimed that several American soldiers were killed in Afghanistan and he declared that alqaeda was responsible for the Gerba operation in Tunisia. The Abu Ghaith's statement was published in an alqaeda flier that reached the London based Alquds Alarabi newspaper and was published on June 6, 2002.

President Arafat: “President Clinton had no plan”

Ramallah June 22^nd 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 on 21 June, Spain FM Mr. Josep Piqué said that "there no peace process in the Middle East at present. Instead, we find ourselves in an increasingly serious situation. Irrespective of the statement the President of the United States intends to make on his vision of the conflict, the current situation is untenable. The continuing attacks are a constant step backwards and a real obstacle to the Palestinian people being able to have a future of peace and stability. But Israel’s initiatives of permanent occupation of the territories and of raising physical barriers are also a step backwards on the road to peace. Accordingly, the sooner we reaffirm the need for an international conference and the principles which need to underpin it, the better it will be for everyone."

Mr. Piqué indicated that the Seville European Council would be approving a short, precise and robust declaration calling for fresh political impetus to be given to the process.

Israeli military court rejects journalists' appeal

Amman, June, 22, 2002, Wafa - An Israeli occupation army's court has rejected appeals for the immediate release of two Palestinian journalists employed by foreign news agencies, their lawyer said yesterday.

But the lawyer, Mohammad Burgal, said the court had agreed on Tuesday that it would release Reuters cameraman Jussry Al Jamal on July 10, three weeks before the scheduled end of his three-month term of detention without charge.

Jamal and Agence France-Presse photographer and Hussam Abu Alan are being held on suspicion of assisting Palestinian resistance groups waging an uprising against Israeli occupation!!. No evidence has been produced against them.

Abu Alan's three-month detention is due to end on July 23, but the Israeli occupation authorities can extend the term.

“The court decided not to release them immediately for what it said were security reasons but will release Jussry on July 10,” said Burgal, who is representing both men.

The court did not explain why it was unwilling to release Jamal immediately even though it was prepared to free him on July 10. A military spokeswoman who was asked for information about the decision did not comment.

Jamal, 23, was detained near a hospital in the West Bank city of Hebron on April 30. Abu Alan was detained near Hebron on April 24.

Both are being held at the Ofra detention camp near the West Bank city of Ramallah, where the lawyer says they are being given poor food and held in cramped conditions with hundreds of other detainees.

Reuters and Agence France-Presse have repeatedly demanded their release and accused Israel of violating press freedoms by continuing to hold them without charge.

Israeli officials, who have denied most applications for journalists accreditation by Palestinians this year, says Israel does not recognize them as journalists.

Israel has detained thousands of Palestinians, and later released many of them, since launching a military offensive in the West Bank on March 28 .

The offensive ended after five weeks but has been followed in recent weeks by daily raids into Palestinian-ruled cities, towns, villages and refugee camps in which more Palestinians have been arrested, the Jordan Times reported.

10 Palestinians killed, including 5 children, 30 injured, in an Israeli rampage in the Palestinian territories

Israeli forces fired on a market in the West Bank city of Jenin on Friday, killing four people and wounding at dozens others after Palestinians mistakenly thought a curfew had been lifted, Palestinian witnesses said.

The dead were Ahmed Ghazawi, about 6, and his 12-year-old brother Jamil, as well as a 6-year-old girl, Sajedah Famahwi and Helal Shetta, 50, the deputy director of the city's department of education, a doctor at a hospital in the city said. Hospital sources said that six people were in serious condition

"People thought the curfew was no longer on. They got hungry and wanted bread, so they went to the market to buy some. The Israelis opened fire," Jenin's acting governor, Haider Irsheid, said. the shelling also destroyed many commercial stores and several houses leaving many families without sheltering roofs (Jenin, June, 22, 2002, Wafa).

A fifth child, Husam Al-Sa'adi (13) was killed under the rubble of his house in Jenin, too, which was blown up by Israeli soldiers. In Gaza, Israeli soldiers killed the Palestinian child, Hisham Shamalakh (8), when they opened fire at Palestinians, which injured a mother and her three daughters. Three Palestinian workers were killed by Israeli soldiers at Beit Hanoon crossing point, without any provocation. The victims were Wa'il Ajour (33), Hatem Nusair (26), and Ismael al-Shurafi (30). In Nablus, Israeli settlers attacked the village of Huwara and killed Adnan Idris (22) for no reason other than indiscriminate revenge for a previous attack on a settlement by two Palestinians, who were killed in the attack.

The Israeli occupation forces have arrested thousands of Palestinian men ages 15-50, from the villages and cities they have reinvaded. From a small village near Jenin, called Burqeen, they have arrested almost all men of the village whose ages are 15-50 (Alhayat aljadedah, 6/22/02).

The occupation forces’ aggression is escalating against the Palestinians

Ramallah June 21^st 2002 Wafa; A Palestinian official spokesman stated last night the following:

The Israeli occupation forces are escalating their aggression against the Palestinian districts focusing on Bethlehem, Beit Jala, and Beit Sahour, completely reoccupying them while tightening their occupation on Jenin, Qalqilya and their refugee camps, brutally ransacking and invading the Palestinian private houses, searching them and randomly arresting civilians, shoveling groves and destroying olive trees.

Bethlehem District:

After reoccupying the Holy City of the Nativity Bethlehem the Israeli occupation forces reoccupied the adjacent cities of Beit Sahour and Beit Jala, under heavy shelling targeting the residential houses and imposing a brutal curfew, ransacking the civilians’ houses arresting hundreds of Palestinian citizens terrorizing them at the time of the year’s final examinations at the various schools.

Ramallah:

The Israeli occupation forces re-invaded the town of Betounia near Ramallah taking over several houses emptying them from their inhabitants, ransacked the other houses where they brutally invaded them arresting the civilians by the hundreds especially the house of Sami Ramlawi while imposing a tight curfew preventing citizens even from looking through the windows.

Jenin-Qalqilya-Hebron-Nablus:

The Israeli occupation forces are tightening their grip on the said cities, imposing a barbaric siege arresting citizens leading them to Nazi like concentration camps, while abusing, humiliating and beating them.

The Hebron district was not spared from the Israeli brutal practices where the Israeli occupation forces invaded the villages of Yatta, Bani Naeem and Alfawar Refugee Camp.

The Israeli occupation forces re-invaded the Village of Beit Eba, Jnaid and the Alnajah University in Nablus, stopping the Palestinian vehicles and arresting the passengers treating them according to the Israeli traditional of humiliation, assaults and beating the civilians regardless their age or sex.

The Gaza Strip:

The Israeli occupation forces opened their artillery fire towards the Palestinian populated places north to the Strip, and elsewhere in the midsection of the Strip, they shoveled agricultural lands belong to private citizens while their tanks roared in the Abu Alajeen, Alhammamat, and Aljaafarwi populated areas shooting their tank and automatic gunfire randomly towards the citizens and their houses terrorizing them and causing damages to the property.

The Israeli occupation forces’ behavior in the Occupied Lands proves that the Israeli government is implementing a preplanned scheme to destroy the Palestinian entity and cancel the Oslo agreements in order to evacuate the Palestinians and deport them away from their legitimate homeland under the sight and hearing of the International suspiciously silent countries and with the total approval of the USA Administration.

The Palestinian Leadership reiterates that the Palestinians will never cooperate with such a scheme and will protect their rights until establishing the independent Palestinian State with Jerusalem as its Capital.

Jenin refugee camp: arbitrary arrests and ill-treatment

Jerusalem, June, 21, 2002, Wafa - In the last two days, Israeli forces have transferred more than 600 Palestinian residents of Jenin refugee camp to Salem detention and interrogation center, where they were detained and interrogated. Last night, about 150 Palestinian detainees were released and transferred to the village of Rommani. They were ordered to remain in the village for a period between two weeks and one month.

There is strong evidence that the majority of those released have been ill-treated with some reports of potential torture. Currently, the area of Jenin refugee camp has been completely sealed off and Israeli forces have begun to round up all men between the age of 15 and 55.

This Israeli measure, in which Palestinian detainees after their release are not allowed to return to their homes and families, is a way of further displacement of mostly Palestinian refugees, LAW said.

Arbitrary arrest, physical abuse, torture and the failure to accord procedural rights to persons in detention and at trial violate international human rights norms binding upon Israel, in particular those codified in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.

Arbitrary arrest or detention is prohibited by Article 9 of the ICCPR. The prohibition on arbitrariness means that the deprivation of liberty, even if provided for by law, must still be proportional to the reasons for arrest, as well as predictable. Article 9 also specifically requires that detainees be immediately informed of the reasons for their arrest and promptly be told of any charges against them, and that they be brought promptly before a judge empowered to rule upon the lawfulness of the detention.

LAW is gravely concerned about the fate of thousands of Palestinian political prisoners who are still in custody, without charge or trial, often under administrative detention orders which may be renewed indefinitely. There is strong evidence that the majority of those detained have been arbitrarily detained, and that thousands of Palestinians have been rounded up, humiliated, ill-treated and held in poor conditions as a collective punishment.

LAW calls on the Israeli government to ensure that the rights of detainees are protected in accordance with international human rights and humanitarian law. Moreover, LAW calls on the international community, in particular the member states of the European Union to ensure Israel's respect for the Fourth Geneva Convention and to live up to their legal obligations.

Knesset committee to vote on law denying compensation to Palestinians harmed in occupied territories

Jerusalem, June, 21, 2002, Wafa - On Monday, June 24 2002, the Knesset's Constitution, Law and Justice Committee will vote on Israel government's proposed law denying compensation for Palestinians harmed by Israeli forces in the Occupied Territories. If the bill is approved by the committee, it will then be passed on to a second and third vote in the Knesset plenum.

In December, 2001, the committee held a discussion regarding the proposed law. During the discussion, Israel Justice Minister Meir Shitrit and Deputy Army Minister Dalia Rabin-Phelossof, presented the basic principles of the proposed law. Representatives from the Association for Civil Rights in Israel, Physicians for Human Rights Israel and B'Tselem, The Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories, who were present during the discussion, explained their opposition to the bill in detail.

This bill, in its former versions, was rejected after having been condemned by academics in the legal field and human rights organizations in Israel and abroad.

This bill grants Israel a sweeping exemption from liability for injuries and damages it caused to innocent residents of the Occupied Territories.

The bill severely contravenes the right to bodily integrity, property and equality. It also contravenes the principle of the rule of law and the principles underlying the Israeli Judicial system, and violates international law.

Through this proposed law, the Israeli government seeks to evade its responsibility for injuries to innocent persons in order to save public funds. This objective cannot justify the serious violations of the fundamental rights of those injured.

The attempt to enact a law whose objective is the forfeiture of existing rights without providing any remedy for those injured is unprecedented.

6 Palestinians killed, 5 injured by Israeli occupation forces in Gaza and Jenin

2 Palestinians attack Itamar settlement, near Nablus, killing 6 Israelis and injuring 8 others

In Jenin, Israeli occupation forces killed a 12-year old Palestinian child and injured other members of his family, when they blew up their neighbor's house. Israeli occupation forces also killed another Palestinian child in Gaza and injured five others, including a woman. Israelis killed three armless Palestinian workers in Bet Hanoon, as they were going to their work. These were the initial accounts of Palestinian losses in human life and injuries as a result of the Israeli reoccupation of the Palestinian territories. Israeli occupation forces also rounded up about 2,500 Palestinians, agaes 15-50, from various Palestinian cities and villages.

Regarding Israeli losses of human life, 6 Israelis (four of them are from one family) were killed and 8 were injured in the Itamar settlement, near the Palestinian city of Nablus, in the West Bank. Two Palestinians from the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) attacked the settlement. The Palestinian Authority condemned killing Palestinian and Israeli civilians alike and a group of Palestinian intellectuals issued a statement asking Palestinian organizations not to target Israeli civilians (Alquds, 6/21/02).

7 Israelis killed, 40 injured in a Jerusalem suicide bomb

Israeli occupation forces reinvade Jenin and Qalqilya

Israeli helicopter attack, Gaza Jabalia, and Khan Younis

The Israeli government authorized a reoccupation of the entire West Bank

Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades announced its responsibility for the suicide bomb that killed 7 and injured 40 Israelis, in addition to the Palestinian bomber, today. The explosion happened in the French Heights, in Jerusalem amid top Israeli security after yesterday's suicide bomb, near Gilo settlement. In retaliation for the first bomb, Israeli occupation forces reinvaded the cities of Jenin and Qalqilya. Israeli Apache helicopters attacked with missiles three targets in residential areas in Gaza, Jabalia, and Khan Younis. Eight Palestinians were wounded in the attack and several buildings and factories were completely destroyed. The Israeli government authorized its armed forces to reoccupy the entire West Bank in the following hours.

The two Palestinian bombs and the Israeli military reactions led President Bush to postpone delivering his long-awaited address about resolving the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. The Palestinian Authority issued statements condemning the two bombs but for the first time blamed the Israeli policies of oppression and continuous occupation for the state of hopelessness among Palestinians which leads to the cycle of violence (Abu Dhabi TV, 6/19/02).

A Bus Suicide Bomb in Jerusalem, killing 19 and injuring 50

Muhammed Hazaa Al-Ghool, a Palestinian young man from Nablus, detonated a bomb in a bus, killing himself, 19 Israelis, and injuring about 50 more of them.

The Palestinian organization, Hamas, declared its responsibility for the bomb (Abu Dhabi TV, MBC TV, 6/18/02). The explosion comes in an atmosphere of defiance from both sides. Sharon does not want to withdraw Israeli occupation forces from Palestinian areas and the Palestinians do not want to show him that they have submitted to the humiliation of the military occupation. The world is watching with indifference.

11 killed, tens injured in US Karachi consulate bomb

A car bomb exploded at the fence of the US Consulate in Karachi, killing 11 and injuring ten, all of whom were Pakistanis. The incident happened in an area close to Marriott Hotel, where 14 people were killed with another suicide bomb, on May 8. A marine and five Pakistani employees were injured and the Consulate building had some damages (alquds al-arabi, 5/15/02).

The US closes its embassy and consulates in Pakistan

The US embassy and consulates in Pakistan closed their doors following the Karachi Consulate bomb. The US State Department officials accused groups linked to Alqaeda as responsible for the bomb. Pakistani sources said that the incident demonstrates the ability of Alqaeda to work despite its losses in Afghanistan. A new group called Alqanoon, the law, claimed responsibility in a statement written in Urdu handwriting. The Karachi police chief said that his office received a copy of the statement by fax (alquds al-arabi, 6/15/02).

11 killed in a massacre, south of Algiers

Members of a rebel group assassinated five members of one family, including two little girls three and four years old. This was a punishment for a member of the group who turned himself in to the government, in response to the government amnesty offer for rebels who turn themselves in. The massacre happened in Al-Duwaira, 25 km southwest of Algiers. While the assassins were leaving the area, they saw a group of six people. They killed them, too (alquds al-arabi, 6/15/02).

A new videotape: Thousands of Taliban and Alqaeda were killed in Afghanistan, the Pentagon denies

The Irish journalist, Jimmy Doran, presented his documentary film to the German and European parliaments. The film shows massacres committed against Taliban and Al-Qaeda prisoner in Afghanistan, with participation from both Afghani fighters and American soldiers. Corpses of 1,500-4,000 massacred prisoners were buried under sands. The US Central Command denied participation of American soldiers (alquds al-arabi, 5/15/02).

The G-8 will work to prevent supplying Alqaeda with weapons of mass destruction

The foreign ministers of the G-8, or the eight giant economies of the world: the US, Canada, the UK, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and Russia, met in Canada during the second week of June. They agreed to work hard with other countries to deny Alquaeda access to weapons of mass destruction. They also called for peaceful negotiations between India and Pakistan, and between Israelis and Palestinians. However, they have just repeated the US and Israeli positions that the time is not ripe for an international conference about the Middle East (alquds al-arabi, 5/15/02).

The US withdraws officially from Start-2 treaty with Russia

The US withdrew from the Start-2 treaty with Russia, last December. As six months have passed since the first announcement, the withdrawal has become official. The treaty was designed to deter the US and the Soviet Union from deploying further missiles. The Bush administration mentioned that the withdrawal was warranted to develop new missile systems against ballistic missiles that may be launched from Third World countries or "terrorist" organizations (Alquds al-arabi, 6/15/02).

The US expels an Iraqi diplomat from New York

A US official announced that the US ordered the expulsion of an Iraqi diplomat, working as a member of Iraq's UN delegation. He was accused of doing some activities that do not suit his job. The diplomat's name is Abdul Rahman Sa'ad, the first Secretary of the Iraqi UN Mission. The Iraqi Ambassador to the UN, Muhammed Al-Dori, has not commented on the news (alquds al-arabi, 6/15/02). However, Abu Dhabi TV said that the US has not asked the Iraqi diplomat to leave.

Mbeke ends talks with Qaddafi concerning the new African Union

President Mbeke, of South Africa, ended talks with the Libyan leader Mu'ammer Al-Qaddafi in Tripoli. The two leaders agreed to continue in the preparations to declare the African Union, in South Africa, next month. The African Union will include all African countries and will focus on the creation of a common economic market. Qaddafi was angry because Libya was excluded from a meeting between African and European leaders in Rome, last week. The meeting was about a European Marshal Plan to Africa (alquds al-arabi, 5/15/02).

Bush and Howard in agreement about Iraq

President Bush and Australian Prime Minister, John Howard, announced after their talks in the white House that they are in agreement about Iraq. President Bush said that there is no ready plan to attack Iraq right now. However, the US will consult with its allies before any such attack in the future (alquds al-arabi, 5/15/02).

The CIA chief visited north Iraq in preparation for the US invasion of Iraq

The CIA chief, George Tennet, visited north Iraq in preparation for the US invasion of that country. He paid that visit after finishing his job between Palestinian and Israeli leaders at the end of the Israeli military campaign. He met with the Kurdish leaders, who pledged their support for the invasion. He also assessed the readiness of north Iraq airports to receive US forces part of the invasion. Moreover, he visited the US special forces positioned in Jordan, as part of the invasion plan (Almanar, 6/15/02).

US and British planes bomb Iraqi positions

The US Central Command announced that the US and British planes attacked an Iraqi military position in Al-Amara, which is about 265 to the southeast of Baghdad. Iraqi spokesperson announced that Iraqi defenses launched land-air missiles against the US-British planes, which were flying in south Iraq. He also mentioned that Iraqi air defenses targeted US and British planes coming from Turkey and flying over northern Iraq. He added that the British and US flying missions over Iraq have reached 39,317 since the Desert Fox operation, in 1998 (alquds al-arabi, 5/15/02).

Israeli-Turkish water alliance against Arabs

A study conducted by Abu Dhabi government pointed to the fact that the Arab world has only 0.5% of the world fresh water resources. The Arab individual had 981 cubic meters of fresh water in 2000, which is very much lower than an Arab had in 1950, which was about 3,126 cubic meters. The study mentioned that although Arab states realize the problem, they have not agreed on a national strategy to address it. The study added that the 290 million Arabs live below the water poverty level of 1000 cubic meters, set by the UN. The study also pointed to the Israeli-Turkish water alliance that aim at controlling the Arab water resources (alquds al-arabi, 6/15/02).

Peres announces resumption of communication with Palestinian leaders

The Israeli Foreign Minister, Shimon Peres, told the Israeli Radio that he had contacts with two Palestinian officials as a resumption of communication. He added that the contacts are going slowly because of the mutual mistrust. The radio mentioned that the two Palestinians were Ahmed Qurai, the Speaker of the Legislative Council, and Saeb Erikat, the Minister of Local Governments (alquds al-arabi, 6/15/02).

The Israeli newspaper, Yediot Ahranot, mentioned that the talks were about the regional peace conference and that Peres talked to Muhammed Dahlan, the Gaza Strip security chief, in addition to Erikat and Qurai. Erikat denied that the contacts were political. Rather, they were about humanitarian issues. Peres also mentioned that he observed Sharon's orders that Israeli officials should not talk to President Arafat. Erikat mentioned that Palestinians reject any ideas concerning a temporary Palestinian state that President Bush may suggest in his overdue speech (Alquds, 6/15/02).

The European Union follows the US in considering Palestinian resistance organizations as terrorist groups

The European Union followed the US in considering Palestinian organizations as terrorist groups. Last year, the EU listed Hamas and Jihad alone as terrorist organization. The EU council of foreign minister, which will meet on Mondy, will add to the list names of Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, Palestine Liberation Front, and the Popular Front for the liberation of Palestine. The measure will also include freezing deposits of these organizations in European banks (Alquds, 6/15/02).

Israeli member of Parliament: Israel will disappear if it continues its expansionist policies

The Israeli member of parliament, Naomi Kazan, also a member of the Meretz opposition party, said that if Sharon achieves his dream of Greater Israel, then Israel will disappear in ten years, and will be replaced by another state. Kazan criticized the Israeli policy of building a fence between Palestinians and Israelis without reaching peace. She said that her party believes that the right solution is the establishment of a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders. She also urged convening the international conference that should lead to the Palestinian state. Kazan, who was talking in London, added that a new Israeli political party will emerge from the Israelis who believe in peace with the Palestinian people. The party will include the peace camp in the Labor Party, Meretz, Arab Parties, and some Russian immigrants. She expected that this party will be the second strongest after Likude, then it will be first, later (alquds al-arabi).

Arab students in Cairo, Damascus, and Dubai universities coordinate boycott of US companies

Activists from five Arab states, particularly university students, have started a campaign to boycott American product, in response to the US support for Israel. The campaign targeted Starpex Cafe branches, Nestle, Coca Cola, Johnson and Johnson, and Burger King. These companies were selected first for their support of Israeli policies. The second group in the list includes AOL-Time, Warner, Disney, Stay Louder, Nokia, Revlon, and IBM (alquds al-arabi, 6/15/02).

Al-Yahya unites Palestinian security agencies

The new Palestinian Minister of the Interior Affairs, Abdul Razak Al-Yahya, established a committee of experts to study and recommend the new form of the organization of Palestinian security agencies. The goal is uniting all of them in one chain of command and control. Preventive security agencies in the West Bank and Gaza Strip will be united in one agency, too. Al-Yahya emphasized that there would be no contradiction in the goals and practices of various security agencies.

The Israeli army chief of staff, Mofaz, expressed his doubts that Al-Yahya would be able to control the activities of security agencies because of his close ties to President Arafat.. Mofaz, who was talking in the Washington Institute for Near Eastern Policy (WINEP), added that this man (Al-Yahya) would not be able to control Palestinian resistance (that Mofaz call terrorism).

Any US plan should lead to ending occupation to be acceptable, say Palestinians

The Palestinian cabinet member, Saeb Erikat, said that any US plan to solve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict should lead to ending the Israeli occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. This should be done according to a timetable that leads ultimately to a Palestinian state. He said that in comment on President Bush's intent to announce his plan to solve the propblem, which is expected to be announced within a week (alquds al-arabi, 6/15/02).

Russian Jewish immigration destabilizes the Middle East

The Zayed Center in Abu Dhabi, UAE, published a study about the history and the consequences of the Russian Jewish immigration to Israel. It pointed that Russian Jews represented the third major world Jewish community in addition to Israel and the US. The study mentioned that the spread of the Zionist ideology was a major pushing factor fro Russian Jews to immigrate to Israel. The one million Russian Jewish immigrants represent a problem for the Palestinian people because they support settlement in the occupied territories. Consequently, they may contribute to the destabilization of the Middle East (alquds al-arabi, 6/15/02).

Lengthening prison time without charges for 1000 Palestinian prisoners

Since the Israeli military campaign on the Palestinian people on March 29, 2002, Israeli occupation forces have arrested about 8,500 prisoners. About 1,000 of them were changed into "administrative" prisoners, who are kept in prison without charges or trial. Other Palestinian prisoners in Ofer, Ansar, and Majeddo, all suffer from shortage of food, clothes, and medicine. They live in 28-30 prisoners per tent, and they are mistreated by the guards (alquds al-arabi, 5/15/02).

Israel builds a fence around the West Bank that adds more lands to the Israeli side

After completing a fence around Gaza Strip, Israel will start building a 350 km fence around the West Bank, in an attempt to prevent Palestinians from entering Israel to conduct military attacks there. Abu Rudaina, President Arafat's Advisor, announced that the fence is illegal because it is going to be built on Palestinian lands. He added that only peace will bring security to Israel, not building fences (alquds al-arabi, 5/15/02).

No peaceful settlement as long as Sharon is in office, says Gaza security chief

Chief of Security in Gaza Stip, Muhammed Dahlan, said that there would be no peaceful settlement for the Palestinian-Israeli conflict as long as Sharon is the Prime Minister of Israel. He added that all what Sharon is interested in is the continuation of the Israeli occupation of Palestine and the continuation of settlement activities. Dahlan pointed that suicide bombing is the answer for the Israeli attacks on Palestinian cities. He also said that the "Protective Fence" that Sharon is building would not protect Israelis. Only peace would, he added (alquds al-arabi, 5/15/02).

Two-thirds of Israelis trust Sharon

Israeli newspaper, Yediot Ahranot, published results of a survey on Friday. The survey showed that two-thirds (67%) of Israelis trust the leadership of Sharon. However, they complained of his economic policies. Despite that trust in Sharon, 67% of Israelis still expect that they may become targets of violence from Palestinians. The survey demonstrated the continuous Israeli people's support for the Sharon military campaign against the Palestinian people (alquds al-arabi, 6/15/02).

Former US Senator: The US media delivered a distorted and mistaken picture about the conflict in the Middle East

Beirut June 14^th 2002 Wafa; Former USA Senator Mr. James Abu Rezeq accused the Israeli Government yesterday, of refusing the peace process and of persisting in destroying the Palestinian entity and denying the Palestinian rights.

Addressing the press he also said that the USA media delivered a distorted and mistaken picture about the conflict of the Middle East, twisting the facts by describing the Israeli PM to be a peace person while he is a war criminal, and describes the Palestinians as terrorists while they are struggling for their independence and freedom, against the Israeli occupier.

NPAC accuses Israel for the suffering of the Palestinians

Oslo June 14^th 2002 Wafa; The “Norwegian Public Aid Committee” issued a statement yesterday in which it holds Israel fully responsible for the instability in the Middle East, and for the suffering of the Palestinians and for the mass massacres and destruction the Israeli occupation forces are still causing and carrying out throughout the Occupied Palestinian Lands.

It also accuses Israel for the deportation of the Palestinians from their houses, misplacing them and creating second and third waves of refugees in their own lands.

It pointed out the importance of aiding the Palestinians immediately to enable them to commence rebuilding what the Israelis have destroyed.

Ramallah June 14^th 2002 Wafa; Below is a brief of the major events of the past 24 hours on the Palestinian arena:

The Israeli occupation forces destroyed over 50 acres of olive and palm groves belong to the village of Khuza’a near Khan Younis in the Gaza Strip. Eyewitnesses said that the Israeli occupation forces covered by intensive gunfire using military tanks, bypassed the village aiming for the groves. On the other side of Khan Younis the Israeli soldiers stationed at the watchtowers of the illegal Jewish settlement of Neve Dkalim opened their machinegun fire towards the residential neighborhoods of the city of Khan Younis, causing damages to the buildings, and injuring 5 citizens including a 3 years old infant.

The Israeli occupation forces invaded the town of Tubas in the West Bank arresting seven Palestinian police officers, destroying the precautionary police station, using the USA made Apache gunship helicopters and imposing tight siege and curfew on the town.

The Israeli occupation forces’ invasion into the Alrajbi family’s house in East Jerusalem, in order to arrest their son, caused the death of the senior citizen Khader Alrajbi (70), due to inhaling poisonous gases tossed into his house by the Israeli soldiers.

The Israeli occupation forces have heavily shelled the Altoffah and the Beit Hanoon Passages, using machinegun fire from the Neve Dkalim watchtowers and tank fire from tanks stationed behind the Green Line of the Gaza Strip- Israel.

At 3:00 a.m. Friday, the Israeli occupation forces invaded Beit Foreek town near Nablus and arrested several men and women after ransacking the houses and terrorizing the inhabitants, then they imposed a tight curfew, preventing the citizens from leaving their houses and chasing those who attempted to use the mountain roads in order to reach the adjacent villages.

A Palestinian suicide bomb in Herzilya and a bus attack in Hebron

A Palestinian suicide bomber detonated a bomb in an Israeli restaurant in Herzilya, north of Tel Aviv. The explosion killed the bomber and injured 15 Israelis, nine of whom were taken to hospitals, and two of them are in serious conditions. Another explosion targeted Israeli settlers in Kiryat Arba, near Hebron, in the Palestinian territory of the West Bank. The target bus was carrying secondary school Israeli children. Three students were injured in the incident. A Palestinian stabbed an Israeli soldier in Bab El-Amoud, in occupied East Jerusalem. These Palestinian attacks followed the Israeli military raids on most of the Palestinian cities and villages (Abu Dhabi TV, 6/11/02).

As Sharon meets with Bush, Israeli occupation forces raid on most Palestinian cities and villages

The Israeli Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon, met with President Bush yesterday. Sharon told Bush that he intends to get rid of the Palestinian President Yassir Arafat. He is just waiting for the right time to exile him. Sharon also told Bush that the time is still not ripe for Palestinian-Israeli peace talks. When answering press questions, President Bush did not object to what Sharon said. Actually, he agreed that "conditions do not exist for peace." When asked if he agrees with Sharon about removing Arafat, he dodged the question saying, "Arafat is not the issue."

While Sharon was meeting with Bush in Washington, Israeli occupation forces raided on most Palestinian cities and villages. This included Ramallah, Tulkarem, Qalqilya, and Hebron and their villages and surrounding areas. Israeli occupation forces arrested tens of Palestinians indiscriminately, damaged houses and businesses, and disrupted utility services, such as water, electricity, and telephone lines (Abu Dhabi TV, 6/11/02).

Israeli occupation forces besiege Arafat's office again preventing the meeting of the new Palestinian government

News commentary: In response to Israeli and US demands that the Palestinian Authority reform itself, President Araftat signed the basic law (provisional constitution), decided Presidential and parliamentarian elections to be held late this year, created a Security Ministry to include all security agencies, and reduced his cabinet in compliance with the law. However, the response from Israeli government was sending Israeli tanks to occupy Ramallah and raid on other Palestinian cities. Moreover, President Arafat's office was besieged again, blaming him for any resistance conducted by groups he cannot control, particularly after the destruction of the infrastructure of Palestinian security forces. The siege led to the prevention of the first meeting of the new government. These Israeli actions mean that the Israeli government is not interested in any Palestinian reforms or in peace between the two peoples (aljazeerah.info).

Ramsfield warns Kuwait from getting closer to Iraq

The US Secretary of Defense, Donald Ramsfield, visited Kuwait during his current tour that will also carry him to India and Pakistan. In a speech in Kuwait, he warned the Kuwaitis against getting closer to Iraq. He said that this would be like "a lion hugging a chicken." Rumsfield's Kuwaiti hosts did not give any comments, particularly on the analogy he used (alquds al-arabi, 6/11/02).

6 Palestinians killed by Israeli occupation forces

The Israeli occupation forces reinvaded several Palestinian cities, towns, villages and refugee camps, killing six Palestinian civilians. In Rafah, the invading Israeli occupation forces opened their machinegun fire towards Palestinians in Sofa Passage in Rafah, killing Muhammad Wadi and Osama Abu So’od from the Palestinian Border Guards and the civilian Yousef Malahi from Farah City, while other Israeli soldiers opened their automatic gunfire towards a cabby Muhammad Abu Omar, while he was driving his cab near Rafah passage, wounding him in the shoulder and the arm.

In Halhol, the Israeli occupation forces accompanied by the unleashed settlers invaded the Town of Halhol using several tanks and some military vehicles, and opening their fire randomly ransacking the civilian houses and arresting several citizens, while killing one citizen that his identity could not be established due to the Israeli detention of the body preventing the Palestinian ambulances to evacuate him.

In Sudania/north Gaza Strip, the Israeli invading forces penetrated into the residential area reaching the American school while shooting their way in, killing one Palestinian near the beach. In Qalqilya, Ziyad Refa’t Yaseen (43) died in the hospital due to wounds sustained on the 26^th of last May when the Israeli occupation forces invaded the city. In Jenin and Jebaa, the Israeli occupation forces re-invading the City of Jenin, opened their machinegun fire towards the citizens wounding Yousef (55) and Fathi (22) Khalilia and arrested three other citizens. And in the adjacent town of Jebaa they shoveled 30 acres of agricultural lands belong to citizens from the town during which they injured six Palestinian including three children (Wafa, 6/9/02).

3 Israeli settlers killed in a Palestinian attack in the West Bank

Two Palestinians attacked the settlement of Karmi Tsur, near Halhoul, Hebron, killing three settlers and injuring five Israeli soldiers. One of the Palestinian attackers was killed, the other retreated to the area fields. The two belonged to the Hamas organization (AL-Ayyam, 6/9/02).

Effects of the Israeli war on the Palestinian people: unprecedented deterioration in economic and living conditions

A Bir Zait University survey showed that 40% of Palestinian families are with an unemployed head of a household. The monthly income of 40% of families is less than $200. The survey also found that 17% of Palestinian families are without any family income. This reached 23% in Gaza Strip and 13% in the West Bank (Aljazirah, 6/9/02).

Bush and Mubarak disagree on Arafat's role and the timetable of announcing the Palestinian state

President Bush and his National Security Advisor, Condi Rice, prefer a timetable for a final peaceful settlement for the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. However, he disagreed with the Egyptian President, Hosni Mubarad, to announce the Palestinian state next year. He also disagreed with Mubarak about Arafat's role and performance. While Mubarak defended Arafat, Bush repeated his usual disapproval saying that he is disappointed of Arafat's performance and that the Palestinian people deserve a better leadership. Bush will announce his final position in a final policy speech before the proposed conference is held in Turkey (alquds, 6/9/02, Abu Dhabi TV, 6/10/020.

Peres: The US proposes that Israel trade settlements with the right of return for Palestinian refugees

The Israeli Foreign Minister, Shimon Peres, announced that the US is preparing ideas to solve the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. One idea is that Israel trade its settlements in the occupied territories with the right of return for Palestinian refugees. However, an American officials said that the Bush administration has not finalized its ideas yet (alquds, 6/9/02).

Sharon in Washington for Bush's approval to remove Arafat ... Bush agrees with Sharon

Upon arrival to Washington, the Israeli Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon, had a proposal to remove Arafat. He would seek President Bush's approval for his proposal. When they met, Bush expressed his usual disappointment of Arafat's performance, but he stopped short of supporting Sharon's proposal. However, he agreed with Sharon that there is no need for peace talks now, which means closing doors of hope for the Palestinian people (Aljazirah, 6/7/02, Abu Dhabi TV, 6/10/02).

OPEC maintains the present production levels, in its June 26 meeting

Algerian Energy Minister, Shakib Khalil, announced that OPEC would maintain the current level of oil production. OPEC's last decrease in oil production was in January 2002, when it was decreased by 1.5 million barrels a day, to reach a total of 21.7 million barrels a day (Albayan, 6/9/02).

President Arafat received the Japanese Foreign Minister

Ramallah June 9^th 2002 Wafa; President Yasser Arafat separately received yesterday in the Presidential HQ in Ramallah, the Japanese Foreign Minister Mrs. Yoriko kawaguchi. He. briefed his guest with the latest developments in the region and the Palestinian currently deteriorating situation due to the Israeli aggression, attacks and suffocating siege.

President Arafat discussed with Mrs. Cawagoshi the Japanese role in the International activities in supporting and aiding the Palestinians, also exerting pressure on the Israeli government to withdraw from the Occupied Lands. Mrs. Cawagoshi reiterated the Japanese supporting position to the Palestinian people. She also said that she will convey her impressions to the G 8 Countries meeting in Canada the coming week.

Dr. Nabil Sha’ath the Palestinian Minister for Planning and International Affairs said that Japan and Palestine have signed a symbolic support agreement, in which the Japanese Government aids the Palestinians and trains professional crews in various fields. Moreover, Mrs. kawaguchi has assigned a special representative to observe the developments in the Middle East.

Arafat retires after the declaration of the Palestinian state

Muhammed Subaih, Palestine's representative at the Arab League announced that President Arafat told a Fatah convention that he would retire as soon as the Palestinian state is declared. (Al-Hayat Al-Jadedah, 6/7/02).

Israeli occupation forces destroy most of Arafat's compound

The Israeli occupation forces fiercely attacked President Arafat's headquarters in Ramallah, with dynamite and tank fire, destroying most of it including his bedroom. That was in retaliation for the car suicide bomb in Majeddo, which killed 13 Israeli soldiers, 3 civilians, and the suicide bomber (Aljazirah, 6/7/02).

Ben Eliezer: suicide bombing is a Palestinian weapon that Israel cannot face

After meeting with a 20-year old Palestinian would-be suicide bomber woman in prison, the Israeli Defense Minister announced that Israel cannot face this Palestinian weapon. He added that Palestinians have abundance of this highly effective weapon (Alquds, 6/7/02).

The Palestinian Higher Follow-Up Committee urges the Palestinian Authority to release Sa'adat

The actual coalition of the Intifadha, known as the Palestinian Higher Follow-Up Committee, urged the Palestinian Authority to speed up the release of Sa'adat, the Secretary-General of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestin, who had been acquitted by the Palestinian Supreme Court (Al-Hayat Al-Jadedah, 6/7/02).

Israeli occupation forces kill 2 Palestinians in Gaza, raid on Jenin and Hebron

Two Palestinians were killed in Dair El-Balah, when an Israeli tank fired at them. Tens of Israeli tanks raided on Jenin, Hebron and Nablus, firing at Palestinians in residential areas. Apache helicopters also supported the Israeli raids with attacks from the air on Tulkarem and Nablus. Several Palestinians were arrested (Al-hayat Al-jadedah, 6/7/02).

65% of Israelis support the evacuation of settlements

The Israeli Tel Aviv University conducted a survey that showed that 65% of Israelis supported the evacuation of Israeli settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories, part of a peaceful solution to the conflict (Al-Hayat Al-Jadedah, 6/7/02).

63% of Palestinians support resumption of peace talks to end conflict with Israel

The Palestinian Beir Zait University conducted a survey that showed that 63% of Palestinians supported the resumption of peace talks with Israel to end the conflict (Alquds, 6/7/02).

Israel starts building a fence that separates it from the West Bank

Israel will start building a fence on the 1967 borders to separate Palestinian areas from Israel. The start will be a separation between the two towns of Um Al-Fahem and Taiba. Then, a fence will start From Tulkarem to Qalquilya. The Israeli objective is to prevent Palestinians from entering Israeli populated areas, to prevent suicide bombing (Alquds, 6/7/02).

Bush to announce a peace initiative within a month

President Bush is about to announce a US initiative that leads to the establishment of a Palestinian state within the June 4, 1967 borders. The initiative does not address the final status problems, like final borders or the refugee problem. Bush will wait until he listens to Mubarak and Sharon, after he had listened to Prince Abdallah (Alquds, 6/7/02).

Two viewpoints within the Bush administration about what to do with the Palestinian- Israeli conflict

Pro-Israel war hawks in the Bush administration and Congress want the US to play the role of conflict management only. They want to help maintain its occupation while crushing the Palestinian resistance and controlling the Palestinian people. The other group of policy makers and experts in the administration looks at solving the conflict in the interest of the United States. They want a two-state solution to end the conflict (Alquds, 6/5/02).

Hosni Mubarak in Washington for talks about peace

The Egyptian President, Hosni Mubarak, arrived at Washington for talks with President Bush about how to bring peace between Palestinians and Israelis. He will propose an initiative that would lead to the declaration of the Palestinian state at the beginning of 2003 (Al-Ahram, 6/7/02).

Iraq buys 5,000 Pigeaut cars

The Iraqi government has ordered the purchase of 5,000 new French cars, Pigeaut 406. This is a continuation of deals with the same French company, which started last year. The cars will be distributed to the registered citizens (Ksatoday, 6/7/02).

Inter-Arab investments increase by 6.3%

A report issued by the Arab establishment for investment guarantees mentioned that inter-Arab investments reached $2.7 billion, in 2001. This represented a 6.3% increase, compared with the 2000 investments (Iraqi Jumhuriya, 6/7/02).

Israeli settlers form a secret army to terrorize Palestinian residents

Members of the Kahane group formed with other settler an organization that they called "Judia Fighters." The Israeli interior intelligence sources call them the Halhoul gang, as they raided the Palestinian town of Halhoul. They are also responsible for attacking Palestinian elementary schools in Jerusalem areas (Alittihad, 6/7/02).

A car suicide bomb destroys an Israeli bus, Killing 17 and injuring 50

A Palestinian car suicide bomb approached an Israeli bus, many of its passengers were soldiers, and exploded. The suicide car bomb and the bus were totally destroyed, killing the Palestinian suicide bomber and 16 Israeli passengers. The explosion also injured about 50 other Israelis, about 36 of whom are in critical conditions. The attack happened near Majeddo, south of Haifa.

The Palestinian organization, The Islamic Jihad, declared its responsibility but did not mention the name of the suicide bomber. This is a new policy to protect the family of the suicide bomber, the organization's spokesperson said. He also added that this proves the failure of Sharon's policy, called "Protective Fence," that he has adopted to achieve security through the use of force. He also said that the attack was timed to coincide with the 35th anniversary of the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories, which passes today.

Israeli retaliation: Few hours later, Israeli helicopter and tanks attacked the Palestinian city of Jenin, in retaliation, as it is the closest Palestinian city to the place of the attack. Israeli occupation forces also killed a Palestinian in Bet Emr (MBC TV, 6/5/02).

A NEW CYCLE OF VIOLENCE IS LOOMING

1. Palestinian Supreme Court decides releasing Sa'adat

2. Israel threatens to assassinate Sa'adat if he is released

3. Arafat decides to keep Sa'adat in prison, to protect his life

4. Sa'adat's followers are angry

The Palestinian Supreme Court issued a decision today ordering the government to release the Secretary-General of the Popular Front For the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), Ahmed Sa'adat. Sa'adat is one of six Palestinians who are kept in a Jericho Prison, under the supervision of American and British officers. Four of them were convicted and sentenced to different periods of imprisonment for the assassination of the Israeli cabinet member, Rehav Am Zeeve. The assassination was in retaliation for the Israeli assassination of the former PFLP Secretary-General, Abu Ali Mustafa. Sa'adat was arrested to be investigated about the case but he was not charged. The transfer of the six prisoners to Jericho was part of a Palestinian-Israeli deal, brokered by the US and Britain, that ended the siege of President Arafat in Ramallah.

Yesterday, Monday (6/4/02), the Palestinian Supreme Court convened in Gaza and ordered the release of Sa'adat as he has not been charged of any crimes. This was the first decision the Supreme Court made after President Arafat had signed a legislation that guaranteed the independence of the Judiciary branch of the government, on May 14, 2002. The decision is very important for the Palestinian national unity government Arafat is trying to form in accordance to the new basic law (constitution) he signed few days ago.

Immediately, Israeli leaders announced their intention to prevent Sa'adat's release. The Israeli Primie Minister, Ariel Sharon, said that his government had already taken the necessary measures to prevent that from happening. The Israeli Defense Minister, Ben Eliezer, said that his government will demand extraditing Sa'adat if he is released. Ghissin, Sharon's advisor, was more blunt. He said that Israel would execute him, threatening to assassinate him.

The Palestinian Local Governments Minister, Saeb Erikat, said that the Supreme Court decision put President Arafat in a critical position. He has to release Sa'adat, but at the same time he has to protect him from Israeli assassination. The Palestinian Justice Minister, Freih Abu Medain, said that the Palestinian Authority would not be able to release Sa'adat for his own protection. This angered members of the PFLP, who want their leader to be set free (Alquds, Al-Ayyam, Al-quds al-arabi, 6/4/02).

News commentary: This is a crisis in the making, that may lead to a new round of violence between Israelis and Palestinians. Israel assassinated the former PFLP leader, Abu Ali Mustafa. The PFLP assassinated the Israeli cabinet member, Zeeve, in retaliation. The assassins of Zeeve have been convicted and spending time in prison. But the Israeli assassins of Abu Ali Mustafa have not been convicted. The issue has not even been mentioned. Instead of closing this page and opening a new one, the Israeli government has already declared its intention to continue this vicious cycle of assassinations. With full support from the US and silence from the world governments, it is more likely that Israelis may attempt to assassinate Sa'adat. Actually, they have not stopped their military campaign against Palestinian cities, towns, and villages since Marach 29, 2002.

A Syrian dam collapses, killing ten people, drowning several villages

The Zayzoon dam, near the Syrian city of Hama, collapsed yesterday after its walls had cracked earlier. Ten people were declared dead as a result of the flood, which drowned the area including several villages. People were evacuated to mountains and the area was declared disastrous. The Syrian government asked for help from the UN (MBC TV, Abu Dhabi TV, 6/5/02).

Russian-Chinese efforts to diffuse India-Pakistan crisis

The Russian President, Putin, and the Chinese President, Zemen, have made sustained efforts to diffuse the India-Pakistan crisis. There was even a possibility that the Pakistani President, Musharraf, and the India Prime Minister, Vajpayee, may meet face to face for talks about ways to diffuse the crisis. This was expected to happen at the end of the economic summit conference of central Asian countries, which was held in Alma Ata, in Kazakhstan. Although the conference ended without such a meeting, there was a general feeling that the crisis had been diffused.

It seems that Pakistan has agreed to make sure that no new infiltrations would happen from the Pakistani part of Kashmir into the Indian side of the disputed area. India, however, wants to make sure that Pakistani measures for that effect will continue. The US also played an important role in assuring India that Pakistan would stop such infiltrations. The US is particularly interested in the conflict because it wants to prevent members of Al-Qaeda and Taliban will not find a safe haven in Kashmir. Finally, both Indian and Pakistani leaders have assured the world leaders and public opinion that nuclear weapons would not be used in any conflict (Abu Dhabi TV, MBC, alquds al-arabi, 6/4/02).

The UN appoints more inspectors for the Iraq

The UN Secretary-General, Kofi Anan, will meet with the Iraqi Foreign Minister, Naji Sabri, in Vienna, on June 4. During this third round of talks, the first was in March and the second in May, the emphasis will be on the logistics of enabling the UN team of inspectors to arrive to Iraq to look for weapons of mass destruction. One sign that this is possible is that the 58-member committee will be increased by hiring more members. The committee will supervise the work of the 230-member team, which will do the inspection (alquds al-arabi, 6/4/02).

News commentary: The Committee's work stopped in 1998, when the US and Britain attacked Iraq, then maintained that Iraq still has weapons of mass destruction. Iraq has always maintained that it did not have such weapons. The Iraqi government also demanded an end to the embargo and economic sanctions imposed on its people, which led to the death of about one and a half million people. The importance of the return of the UN inspectors is that it is a way to diffuse the current crisis. The Bush administration has threatened many times that the US would invade Iraq because of the threat it represents. The return of the inspectors may help diffuse the crisis in that Iraqis will be seen as conceding to the US. At the same time, it is a face-saving measure for the Bush administration to stop the rhetoric about invading Iraq.

The US loses its friends in Iran because of the "Axis of Evil"

In his state of the Union speech, President Bush described Iran, Iraq, and North Korea, as the "Axis of Evil." This immediately put moderate elements in the Iranian society and government in a critical situation. They argued for a dialogue with the US. Actually, President Khatami was one of those. After the speech, he had no choice but to join the anti-America hardliners in the country. He described Bush's description as "threatening, humiliating, and a hardline that we reject and we will not be flexible anymore." However, Khatami will continue as a moderate Iranian leader, who will resume his interest in improving the US-Iranian relations whenever the US government becomes more diplomatic and interested (alquds al-arabi, 6/4/02).

Malaysian Prime Minister: increasing Islamic anger against Israel because of its policies toward Palestinians

The Malaysian Prime Minister, Abdallah Badawi, said that there is an increasing anger among Muslims against Israel as a result of its policy toward the Palestinian people. He also warned against an unprovoked US attack on Iraq. It will create the same sense of anger and injustice among Muslims everywhere. He added that he was told that a decision to attack Iraq had been made and it is only a matter of time to start it. He commented that Israeli aggression against the Palestinian people and such unprovoked attack on Iraq will create an atmosphere of injustice and anger everywhere among Muslims, which may lead to the creation of organizations such as Al-Qaida (alquds al-arabi, 6/4/02).

Israel receives the CIA Chief by more raids on Palestinian areas

The Chairman of the CIA, George Tenet, arrived at Tel Aviv to meet with Israeli leaders on Monday, then with Palestinian leaders on Tuesday. His visit is part of the efforts of reorganizing the security forces of the Palestinian Authority, which is an Israeli condition for the resumption of any peace talks. To show their resolve concerning the continuation of their aggression against the Palestinian people, Israeli leaders ordered Israeli occupation forces to intensify their raids and attacks on Palestinian areas. They raided on Ain Bet elma refugee camp, Balata refugee camp, and Nablus City. They continued the closers, curfews, and stopping Palestinians at checkpoints between cities, particularly from and to Ramallah. Israeli tanks raided the city of Qalqilya and Albeereh, near Ramallah. The city of Tulkarem is still under siege, and Israeli bulldozers uprooted trees along the road connecting the city with Bet Emr. Israeli Bulldozers also uprooted trees in Khan Younis (Aquds, 6/4/02).

News commentary: In all these places, a typical Israeli occupation forces behavior is firing indiscriminately at people, injuring any number of them. Houses are blown up and walls are demolished to reach another house, to achieve a surprise and terrorize house residents. All young men of the neighborhood are rounded up, arrested, and investigated. Nobody knows for sure how many Palestinian young men have been arrested so far. In all these areas, there are shortages of food, water, and medicine. There is no working economy any more. Israel is terrorizing the entire Palestinian population and all what the Chairman of the CIA is going to do is asking Arafat to reform his security organization, instead of telling Israel to stop its aggression.

Hamas, PLF, and Jihad reject Arafat's offer to join the Cabinet

Representatives of three Palestinian resistance organizations announced that they rejected President Arafat's offer for them to join a national unity government. These are Hamas, Jihad, and Palestine Liberation Front (PLF). They have rejected the offer because they still reject the Oslo agreements between the PLO and Israel, which allowed the creation of the Palestinian Authority. They added that Israel has not observed the agreement and continues its occupation of the Palestinian territories. They also added that they look for national unity for more resistance of the Israeli occupation (Alquds, 6/4/02).

The Italian Prime Minister visits Algeria

The Italian Prime Minister, Barlasconi, is visiting Algeria to sign two important agreements that would strengthened the Italian-Algerian economic partnership. A new gas pipe line would be constructed to carry Algerian gas to Italy and Germany, and it will cost about $2 billion. The other agreement is about a marine cable that will carry Algerian-generated electricity to Italy and Germany. These projects will increase Algerian energy exports to the European Union, which amounts to $3 billion a year, right now. Next week, the Algerian President, Boutafliqa, will visit Italy, together with the Nigerian and South African Presidents, part of an initiative that encourage European investments in Africa (alquds al-arabi, 6/4/02).

England and Sweden 1-1 in their first soccer game, in world cup finals

Leading a young team by example, David Seaman saved Sven-Goran Eriksson from the ignominy of defeat at the hands of his native Sweden as England drew their opening World Cup group game 1-1 in Saitama. David Beckham may have returned from injury to provide the corner from which Sol Campbell headed his first international goal to give England the lead on 24 minutes. However, Beckham could only last the pace for an hour and, by that time, Sweden had deservedly equalised through Niclas Alexandersson after an error by Danny Mills. Only a series of superb saves by Seaman kept the Swedes at bay thereafter as the England defence looked worryingly uncertain, with Rio Ferdinand battling to hold them together (Times on line, 6/2/02).

"It was a fair result but we could have scored a second goal in the first half and won the game in that way, but Sweden played well in the second half. "It's the first game - we didn't win, we didn't lose and now we have to look forward with great faith and hopefully we will play for more than 45 minutes against Argentina. "We've got Argentina on Friday and now we've got two finals (Argentina and Nigeria) if we want to go on playing in the World Cup. It will be difficult for us but difficult for Argentina as well. "I guess 1-1 today is fair because we played better in the first half and they came out very well in the second half and created a lot of problems for us.

"In the first 35 minutes we did very well and controlled it and with a bit of luck we might have scored a second goal. "But the game changed in the second half. They played long balls with good quality and were very strong at winning the second ball. We suffered in the second half." When asked about Danny Mill's mistake that led to Sweden's equaliser: "You sometimes make mistakes. It could have been different if we had scored the second goal." Asked about Beckham's substitution: "I thought he did well in the first half but in the second half he got very tired. But the injured players we've had (Beckham and Kieron Dyer) will become fitter with every day." (Guardian, 6/2/02).

Germany defeats Saudi Arabia: 8-0 in their first games in the football world cup finals

The 'sons of the desert', widely regarded in advance as a potential hazard to the modern, stumbling and inconsistent version of the three-times champions, failed to muster a truly worthwhile shot and faded away like a mirage as Miroslav Klose helped himself to a hat-trick and the Teutonic musclemen headed six goals out of eight.

It was the biggest win in Germany's long World Cup history and the greatest seen in the finals since Hungary crushed El Salvador down among the orange groves at Elche in south-eastern Spain in 1982. 'I don't know what happened, we collapsed, I am very disappointed and it is a disastrous result for all the people of Saudi Arabia,' said the coach Nasser Al-Johar afterwards.

Germany, beaten 5-1 by England in Munich only nine months ago, have made much progress since that stunning night, but not enough to suggest this victory is a tasty signal of greater things to come. The truth here is that Völler knew the Saudis' weakness and his players exploited it.

From the start, there was a surreal air about the evening's proceedings inside the roofed, high-tech and futuristic Sapporo Dome. When the teams came out, it was to polite applause, a battery of cameras flashing among the Japanese fans spread among the empty seats. The Saudis huddled together before the kick-off, but it did them no good. They were quickly in such disarray nothing could help them.

By the half-hour mark, the shot count was 11-0 to Germany and the match score was 2-0, Klose having powered a downward header in from a cross by Michael Ballack, after the giant Carsten Jancker had failed to connect. Jancker's mere presence was unsettling and his rampaging figure spread panic every time the ball flew through the air in the Saudis' penalty area.

It was no surprise, therefore, when Klose made it two after 25 minutes with another header, from another Ballack cross, nor when Ballack, looking fit, strong and in the mood, delivered the third, with another header, aided by a dive, from a swinging cross from Christian Ziege.

After the interval, Jancker made it four with a well-placed right-foot shot, after a clever back-heel by Klose. The irony in the human battering ram scoring the first goal struck by a foot was lost on the crowd who clapped gently, while about 1,750 German fans enjoyed a small orgy of celebration. Klose, from a Bernd Schneider cross, headed his hat-trick goal and Germany's fifth after 69 minutes by when they were easing up amid a rash of substitutions.

The sixth came with another powerful header, this time from the defender Thomas Linke, after 75 minutes, the seventh when Thomas Bierhoff, on as a substitute steered in an easy-looking shot from 25 yards and the eighth from a perfectly-struck direct free-kick by Schnieder in added time. Ballack could have scored between times, but shot directly at Mohammed Al Daeyea's legs, giving the goalkeeper his only remotely satisfying moment.

Klose, who has prompted many Germans to compare him to Gerd Müller with his scoring feats (he has now smacked in 11 goals from 13 starts, including three hat-tricks), was composed and modest afterwards. He thanked his team-mates and, like Völler, talked of keeping his feet on the ground (Guardian, 6/2/02).

Israeli occupation forces demolish St. Barbara Church, near Ramallah

Ramallah June 2^nd 2002 Wafa; the Palestinian Leadership severely condemned last night the Israeli dangerous war crime against the Byzantine historical church of the fourth centaury in the village of Aboud near Ramallah.

President Yasser Arafat stated that the Israeli occupation forces invaded Aboud village, imposed curfew, attacked the citizens, and opened automatic gunfire towards residents with the Palestinian flag raised on top including the Church. They booby trapped the entrance and the ancient walls, and using a remote control, they blew up this historical and religious monument. President Arafat issued direct orders to the Palestinian Public Works Ministry to immediately commence rebuilding the Church.

Palestinian human rights groups urge US envoy, Burns, to help release member of the Palestinian Legislative Council, Barghouthi, from Israeli prison

Ramallah June 2^nd 2002 Wafa; Bellow is a brief of the major headlines of the events of the past 24 hours on the Palestinian arena:

In a meeting in Ramallah between the Palestinian lawyer Khader Shquerat head of the Palestinian human rights organization “Alqanoon” and the USA Secretary of State’s envoy to the region Mr. William Burns, Mr. Shquerat demanded Mr. Burns to exert utmost efforts to release PLC member Marwan Barghouty from the Israeli prisons. He also told Mr. Burns that any political move will be useless unless all Palestinian prisoners are released.

During the new Israeli incursion to the city of Tulkarem two Palestinians were severely injured, according to medical sources in “Dr. Thabet Hospital” the two victims were hit by the Israeli tank fire opened randomly towards the residential areas to intimidate the citizens and provoke them.

Mr. Nabil Abu Redeneh, President Arafat media advisor said that the USA and the EU exerted efforts are fruitless; he also said that the peace process needs the established third party of the Quartet Committee, and he demanded the committee to act effectively to end the Israeli occupation.

The Israeli occupation forces stationed in the old section of the city of Nablus killed Tareq Kharaz (23) when an Israeli sniper shot him in the head.

Archimandrite Dr. Attalla Hanna the official spokesman of the Orthodox Church in Jerusalem and the Holy Lands, condemned the Israeli attack against the St. Barbara Church in Aboud village in the West Bank, calling all peace loving nations and governments to stop the Israeli aggression against the sacred places.

The occupation authorities detained the Nablus Wafa office manager Dr. Abdulkareem Sarhan for 24 hours accusing him of abetting the Palestinians against Israel which he denied all charges. They have brutally interrogated him and beating and humiliating him, then they released him with no charges.

War with India could force nuke strike, although Pakistan wo