News from occupied Palestine (10th February 2010)

oppression-in-palestine

- PCHR concerned over violence at PFLP rally in Gaza 1/2/2010

 

 Bethlehem - Ma'an - The Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) expressed deep concern over attacks by police officers on a number of participants in a festival organized by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) on Friday.

 In a statement, the PCHR stressed that the right to peaceful assembly and the right to freedom of opinion and expression are fundamental human rights ensured by the Palestinian Basic Law and international human rights instruments.

 According to investigations conducted by PCHR, the PFLP organized a festival in the central Gaza Strip's Al-Bureij refugee camp. The festival, titled "Loyalty to the Wise Man," was organized to commemorate the second anniversary of the death of George Habash, the late leader and founder of PFLP. It was held in an open area in the east of the camp, near Saladin Street.

 When the festival ended, Palestinian police officers started attacking a number of participants with clubs, according to PCHR. Those participants were waiting for buses to take them home. PCHR documented the injury of seven participants, who were injured in various parts of their bodies. Some of them were taken to the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital in Deir El-Balah for medical treatment.

 In his testimony to PCHR, one of the injured participants stated: "At approximately [5pm] on Friday, some young men and I were waiting for buses at Saladin Street. An officer got closer and asked us to leave the area immediately, and insulted us. Police officers then started beating us with clubs. They hit me on my head and back until I fainted. I woke up at Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital where I received medical treatment, and was then released."

 Another one said: "At approximately [5pm], while my friends and I were waiting for buses to take us to Al-Maghazi refugee camp when the festival ended, an officer got closer an asked us to leave the area immediately. He then used radio to call a police force. Three police vehicles arrived and started chasing us until they caught us. Members of the force started beating me on different parts of my body using clubs until I fainted. I woke up at al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, where I received medical treatment and underwent an x-ray."

 In light of this testimony, the PCHR said it "[s]trongly condemns the use of force by Palestinian police officers to disperse a number of participants in the festival, and expresses its grave concern over the recurrence of such attacks."

 It called upon the de facto government in Gaza "to seriously investigate this attack and bring the perpetrators to justice," and stressed that "people's right to peaceful assembly is ensured by the Palestinian Basic Law and the relevant international human rights instruments."

 The group asserted that "suppression of festivals is part of a policy of muzzling and flagrant assaults on public liberties."

 

 

-Gaza power plant shut's down 1 of 2 generators 7/2/2010

 

  Gaza – Ma'an – The Gaza Energy Authority announced on Saturday that the sole power plant shut down one of its two generators as a result of the ongoing fuel shortage in the coastal enclave.

 "The remaining amount of fuel is enough to operate one generator until Sunday morning," a statement said.

 "The power plant's capacity has dropped to 30 megawatts ... Gaza districts will suffer as a result, leaving the plant unable to provide power for around 50% of the residents. This will rise to 60% if bad weather continues as it causes electrical malfunctioning."

 The Energy Authority called on international parties, Arab states, and delegates of the Islamic Conference Organization to end Gaza's power crisis by holding the Ramallah-based Ministry of Finance responsible for decreasing the fuel allowance into Gaza, which it said mirrored Israel's blockade policy on the Strip.

 Furthermore it urged municipalities, heads of municipal councils, the Coastal Water Authority and the Ministry of Health to undertake the necessary procedures to deal with the power crisis, and called on residents to cooperate with technical crews.

 On Thursday, authorities warned that the power plant will cease all operations late Friday night due to a lack of fuel.

 The plant had already shut down services to all but 30-40 percent of the coastal strip by nightfall on Thursday, the Gaza Energy Authority said, noting that the sudden cold front in the region spent the remaining fuel faster than expected.

 The Energy Authority has notified mayors and municipalities across Gaza, and was informing the Health Ministry and major telecommunications companies PalTel and Jawwal to prepare for the worst.

 "People are trying to stock up on fuel to operate private generators for the buildings and institutions that have them," according to Emad Eid, the director of Ma'an's Gaza City bureau. He said that while Gazans are used to these blackouts, most generators in private homes are too weak to produce enough electricity for heating, and are used predominately for simple needs like charging mobile phones.

 Eid also noted the unfortunate timing of the shutdown, accompanying a sharp drop in temperatures across the occupied territories and Israel. "It's already freezing here, and it's only going to get worse," he said.

 The plant has four generators, and while all are functional, only one is being used. This generator supplies electricity to the population of Gaza for 16 hours a day because there is not enough fuel to power all four.

 The fuel for the plant is purchased from and delivered by Israel, via trucks through the Kerem Shalom crossing in southern Gaza. The majority of fuel used for personal use is smuggled from Egypt through the tunnel matrix, and fills private generators in homes. The power plant, however, can only use Israeli industrial grade diesel.

 An EU contract paying for fuel shipments expired on 30 November 2009, according to Kan'an Obeid, deputy manager of the Energy Authority in the coastal enclave. While the EU had been providing the service after the contract expired, officials notified the authority that they would no longer pay for the fuel shipments unless the Palestinian Authority in Ramallah drafted a new agreement and payment scheme.

 

- Stop the Wall offices hit in late night raid 9/2/2010

 

 Late last night Occupation forces raided the Stop the Wall offices in Ramallah. Some 10 military jeeps, hummers and an armoured bus surrounded the building as soldiers searched rooms, turning the office upside down and confiscating computer hard disks, laptops, and video cameras along with paper documents, CDs, and video cassettes.

 Part of the mounting repression of the anti-Wall movement, this attack on the Campaign offices comes after the arrests of Jamal Juma’ and Mohammed Othman, who were both were later released after significant international pressure. Other arrest operations are ongoing, and currently some 40 anti-Wall activists are held for their grassroots mobilizing and international advocacy efforts in Israeli jails.

 Many of those arrested are residents of Ni’lin, a village known for its fierce protests against the Wall. As part of an intensifying arrest campaign, 20 people were arrested last month in what has been the most serious campaign of arrests targeting the grassroots anti-Wall movement in the village.

 Occupation forces have also been targeting international activists. Two foreign nationals working with the International Solidarity Movement (ISM) were arrested in Ramallah several nights ago after Occupation forces raided the apartment where they were staying. Last month, another activist with the same organization was also arrested during a Ramallah night raid and deported.

 The continuous targeting of the popular grassroots movement will not intimidate Palestinians struggling against the Wall. Resistance on the ground and on the international stage will continue will only cease once the decision of the International Court of Justice, which calls for the Wall to be torn down, is implemented.

 

 

-Israel Creates First 'Army-owned' University, By Jonathan Cook - Nazareth:

 

http://palestinechronicle.com/view_article_details.php?id=15704

 

Documentary from BBC about Jerusalim and the daily genocide, interviews from both sides of the wall.

Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WC1xG4j5kdA&feature=player_embedded

Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZqzxnedU_W8&feature=player_embedded

Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nab2P-dvqTg&feature=player_embedded

 

 

Video: Goldstone Facts, The Real Story Behind Israel's Invasion of Gaza.

Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIpA6sXksNw&feature=player_embedded

Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHDoH4hrFfs&feature=related

Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ftfsGWdHU0A&feature=related