Human Rights
Israeli activists help Palestinians harvest olive crop
 "Fearful that radical Jewish settlers will swoop and steal their olives, Palestinians are turning to an unlikely source of protection to secure this year's desperately needed harvest," writes Agence France-Presse's Jennie Matthew. "Several hundred Israelis, from left-wing activists to moderate Jewish settlers, regularly volunteer to help Palestinians pick olives, believing that their presence deters the worst excesses of radical violence. 'I think what we do now is the way of peace. Palestinians and Jews work hand in hand on the trees and pick fruit together,' says Zacharia Sada, West Bank coordinator for the Israeli rights group Rabbis For Human Rights."by Jennie Matthew |
Perpetuating the cycle of violence
 Speaking about the situation in Gaza, D. Ahmad Abu Tawahina of the Gaza Community Mental Health Programme characterises the Palestinian psychological environment as "terrifying" and "traumatising". Israel's policies are "creating a health and environmental disaster".
Israel is waging "psychological warfare" against Gazans. "Life becomes unpredictable. No one can avoid involvement. No one can hide. Trauma is caused by these uncontrollable, unavoidable and uncontainable factors. People cannot develop coping strategies. They have a feeling of helplessness which induces depression. Israel is driving the whole community into a pathological state, paralysing Palestinians." |
Palestine - making a bad situation worse
GAZA - With Hamas in control of the Palestinian Authority government, and Western donors halting all direct aid to it, an already precarious humanitarian situation in the West Bank and Gaza could turn worse.
by Mohammed El Samhouri
Elias Chacour, Noted Peace Activist, Named Archbishop in Israel
Over the years, Elias Chacour has gone head-to-head with local politicians, Israeli government officials and even leaders of his church who stood in the way of his vision and his projects to better the lives of his people. He has led marches to Jerusalem protesting treatment of Palestinians, faced down Israeli military, stubbornly continued to re-plant uprooted olive trees and to proceed with construction plans for his school despite government refusals for permits. In February that same priest became the first native Palestinian who is also an Israeli citizen to be named the Melkite Catholic archbishop of Israel.
By Patricia Lynn Morrison
Freedom in Our Time
 The next government must not shackle itself by fostering the new myth that unilateralism will solve our problems. We will never be released from the occupation if we do not engage and negotiate with the Palestinians. During Pessah (Passover) this year let us remember that the experience of slavery has created for us a deep consciousness and a passionate commitment to freedom and justice as incorporated in the Torah. We vow to remember that we were once slaves in Egypt and today we can retell our story of liberation. Let us truly become free, free from occupation, free from conflict and free to build peace with our neighbours. by Gershon Baskin |
Bil'in's Struggle: On the ground, among the public, at court
The persistent struggle of the Bil'in villagers against the Separation Wall/Fence being erected on their land is increasingly getting the attention and involvement of the Israeli mainstream. In August and September, the army made a concerted effort to break the protests by force, and make of Bil'in an intimidating "example" to other villagers contemplating resistance to decrees and oppressive measures.
'Sharon's way' was always Israel's way
"[The] formula for the parameters of unilateral solution are: To maximise the number of Jews; minimise the number of Palestinians; not to withdraw to the 1967 border and not to divide Jerusalem," then-Israel Deputy Prime Minister Ehud Olmert told Israel's Haaretz newspaper in December 2003.
By Sherri Muzher
