Issue No : 48
Palestinian Cultural Organization Malaysia
17th June, 2013
| 1
17th June, 2013
Issue No : 48
Read In This Report P4
Two Jordanian hunger strikers transferred to hospital 6
Israel expands settlements
P5
Thousands of Arab Negev residents rally against Prawer Plan
P9
P6
Malaysia wants “Israel” to stop building settlements in Palestine
There are no short cuts to Freedom, Justice and Dignity Dr. Daud Abdullah Captives in the Negev subjected to sanctions
P 11
Palestinian Cultural Organization Malaysia 2 |
Palestinian Cultural Organization Malaysia
Issue No : 48
17th June, 2013
CONTENTS News of Palestine
Israel expands settlements
4
Thousands of Arab Negev residents rally against Prawer Plan Two Jordanian hunger strikers transferred to hospital
5 6
Palestinians demonstrate across West Bank Action group: 1,354 Palestinian refugees killed in Syria so far
7 8
Malaysia wants “Israel” to stop building settlements in Palestine
9
Malaysia & Palestinian Cause
Malaysia wants “Israel” to stop building settlements in Palestine
10
Articles & Analyses
There are no short cuts to Freedom, Justice and Dignity
Palestinian Cultural Organization Malaysia
11
| 3
17th June, 2013
Issue No : 48
News of Palestine
Netanyahu sets conditions for resumption of negotiationsI
Israel expands settlements
14/06/2013 As US Secretary of State John Kerry increases his efforts to revive the moribund peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians, the Israeli government is pushing ahead with the expansion of a number of illegal settlements. Media reports reveal that the expansion was approved by exDefence Minister Ehud Barak before the general election earlier this year.
respond to Palestinian demands in this regard. Netanyahu stated on Monday that the construction in West Bank settlements would continue and denounced the “preconditions” made by the Palestinian authority for the resumption of the peace talks as incapacitating.
On the other hand, Netanyahu has also set out his conditions for the resumption of talks with The settlement to have the largest number of the Palestinians; the establishment of a demilinew units is Itamar, which is built on land be- tarised Palestinian state which recognises Israel longing to the Palestinian villages of Beit Foreek as a distinctly “Jewish state”. Netanyahu’s anand Owarta to the south of Nablus in the occu- nouncement was made after a senior official in pied West Bank. Work on 675 new housing units the Israeli Ministry of Defence had said that his is to resume there. country rejects the two-state solution, ahead of In a related context, Israeli Prime Minister Ben- a visit by US State Secretary John Kerry who is jamin Netanyahu reiterated his government’s re- seeking to launch new peace talks between the fusal to halt settlement expansion activities and Israelis and the Palestinians.
Source: Agencies 4 |
Palestinian Cultural Organization Malaysia
Issue No : 48
17th June, 2013
Thousands of Arab Negev residents rally against Prawer Plan
13/06/2013
Thousands of Palestinians holders of Israeli citizenship on Thursday demonstrated in Beersheba in southern Israel in protest against the Prawer Plan which will displace thousands of Bedouin families in the Negev desert.
to force the protesters to lower Palestinian flags they were waving. Several Arab members of Knesset joined the rally including Jamal Zahalqa, Ahmad Tibi, Ibrahim Sarsour and Talab Abu Arara. Chairmen of the Islamic movement “Sheikh Raed Salah” and Hamamd Abu Daabis also attended the protest along with several mayors and heads of local councils of Bedouin villages in the Negev.
A Ma’an reporter said the demonstrators waved Palestinian flags as they marched in front of an Israeli governmental complex in the center of Beersheba chanting slogans against the Prawer Plan. Earlier this week, the Al-Naqab Association for Large numbers of Israeli police officers deployed Land and Human Beings called upon all resiin the area. Heated arguments broke out between dents of Negev to join a protest organized by the demonstrators and police officers who tried to Higher Guidance Committee of the Arab Resiprevent the protesters form shutting down of- dents in the Negev. fices in the complex. The officers tried as well Source: Ma’an News Agency
Palestinian Cultural Organization Malaysia
Palestinian Cultural Organization Malaysia
| 5
17th June, 2013
Issue No : 48
Health of Abdullah al-Barghouthi deteriorates
Two Jordanian hunger strikers transferred to hospital
12/06/2013
The health condition of two Jordanian hunger strikers in Israeli jails have sharply deteriorated where they were transferred on Monday from Ramle prison hospital to Soroka Hospital, Palestinian human rights sources revealed. Alaa Hammad, sentenced to 12 life terms, and Munir Mari, sentenced to 5 life terms, were transferred to Soroka Hospital due to their health deterioration following his hunger strike since early May, the Jordanian prisoners’ lawyer confirmed.
ing properly by keeping him handcuffed and shackled to his bed, she added. The Israeli Prison Administration has met with the Captive Movement leadership to discuss the Jordanian prisoners’ hunger strike especially in light of their serious health conditions.
Five Jordanian prisoners have been on a hunger strike since May 2013 to demand transfer to a Jordanian prison to serve out their sentences. They are also demanding that Israel reveals the whereabouts of 20 Jordanian prisoners who have Meanwhile, the wife of the hunger striker Abdul- disappeared whilst in Israeli custody, and the relah Barghouthi confirmed that her husband was turn of others who were killed during fighting transferred from Ramle prison hospital to Afula with Israel and have been thrown into numbered hospital in very serious health condition. The Is- graves. raeli prison authorities prevent him from praySource: PIC 6 |
Palestinian Cultural Organization Malaysia
Issue No : 48
17th June, 2013
Palestinians demonstrate across West Bank
08/06/2013
Dozens of Palestinians suffered light injuries Friday as Israeli forces tried to disperse weekly demonstrations throughout the occupied West Bank.
Two people were injured and dozens others suffered tear-gas inhalation in Bilin, near Ramallah, where residents and supporters held a weekly protest against settlements, the wall and the In al-Maasara, near Bethlehem, participants in a confiscation of land. Israeli forces fired rubberweekly march raised Palestinian flags, pictures coated steel bullets, tear gas, and stun grenades of prisoners and Palestinians killed by Israel and at protesters near the wall. chanted against the occupation. Israeli forces used shields to stop demonstrators from reaching confiscated lands in the area. Activists said that the demonstrations were to mark the anniversary of the 1929 Buraq uprising, and to protest the Prawer Plan in the Negev, which would displace the local Bedouin population.
Palestinian Cultural Organization Malaysia
In Kafr Qaddum, a village near Qalqiliya, a child was detained and dozens suffered tear-gas inhalation. Israeli forces had posted fliers earlier in the village threatening children with arrest.
Source: Ma’an News Agency
| 7
Issue No : 48
17th June, 2013
Action group: 1,354 Palestinian refugees killed in Syria so far
12/06/2013 The action group for the Palestinians in Syria said that about 1,354 Palestinian refugees have been killed by the Syrian regime forces and its militias since the outbreak of the revolution.
violent armed clashes broke out between the free army revolutionists and the regime forces at AlMuatamarat checkpoint.
Other refugee camps including Dara’ah camp The action group stated on Wednesday that a also saw the fall of many projectiles with not rePalestinian young man named Alaa Abul-Lail ported casualties. and a woman named Hanan Abdullah were The humanitarian situation in the Palestinian refkilled on Tuesday in a projectile attacks on Hus- ugee camps, especially in Dara’ah camp, is cataseiniya refugee camp. strophic and there is no one relief group extendIt said that several projectiles fell in different ar- ing help to them, the action group noted. eas of Husseiniya refugee camp and caused injuries among many Palestinian civilians, while
8 |
Source: MEMO
Palestinian Cultural Organization Malaysia
Issue No : 48
17th June, 2013
Malaysia & Palestinian Cause
Malaysia wants “Israel” to stop building settlements in Palestine 13/06/2013 Malaysia has demanded that Israel immediately cease building of illegal settlements and to dismantle existing illegal settlements in Palestine and other occupied Arab territories. Malaysia’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN) in Geneva Datuk Mazlan Muhammad said Israel’s actions affirmed its total disregard, disrespect and disdain for human rights, humanitarian and international law. “The action of Israel is in fact carefully and meticulously calculated and designed to alter the political, economic, social, historical, cultural and demographic character of the Occupied Territories. “The continued expansion of illegal settlements merely paves the way for Israel’s creeping and eventual annexation of the Occupied Territories,” he told the general debate on the human rights situation in Palestine and other occupied Arab territories at the 23rd Regular Session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva. Stressing that Palestine had suffered the atrocities of Israel for far too long, Mazlain said it was inconceivable that in the new millennium there still existed entire peoples who were subjected
Palestinian Cultural Organization Malaysia
to foreign occupation. He said Malaysia also demanded that Israel immediately and fully lift its illegal blockade of the Gaza Strip that has caused much hardship to the Palestinian people and frustrating the international community’s effort to extend humanitarian assistance. “We condemn the continued Israeli military aggression in the Occupied State of Palestine and the Syrian Golan (Heights) and invasion into the site of the holy Al-Aqsa Mosque,” he added. The envoy also expressed Malaysia’s regret that the Security Council had not been able to resolve the issue despite its ability and mandate to do so under the UN Charter. Therefore, Malaysia reiterated its position that the international community had a legal and moral obligation to end the illegal and unlawful occupation of Palestine and other occupied Arab territories. “Malaysia, in this regard, stands ready to extend all necessary support to the Palestinian people to put an end to Israel’s illegal occupation,” he added.
Source: BERNAMA | 9
17th June, 2013
Issue No : 48
Articles & Analyses
There are no short cuts to Freedom, Justice and Dignity By: Dr. Daud Abdullah* Palestine was shaken by a number of diplomatic tremors this week. The aftershocks were felt as far away as Washington, forcing US Secretary of State John Kerry to postpone his next visit to the region indefinitely. The epicentre was the public declaration by Israel’s deputy defence minister, Danny Danon, that his government is “staunchly opposed to a two-state solution and would block the creation of a Palestinian state if such a proposal ever came to a vote.” In the real world, this remark would be enough to put an immediate end to the fraudulent peace process and its “twostate solution”, which Danon concedes is an illusion. None of the affected parties can honestly claim that they did not see this coming. They have had 20 years to realise that Israel has never intended to withdraw from the lands it has occupied since 1967, or recognise the Palestinian right to self-determination. Danon mockingly told the Times of Israel newspaper that any future negotiations with the Pal10 |
might undermine the status quo. Calls by coalition member Tzipi Livni for Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu to distance himself from his ministers’ remarks rang patently hollow. As a former Likud member herself, Livni knows that Netanyahu’s entire political career was premised on these views. She did not, however, have to wait very long for estinians must be conducted a response. with Egypt and Jordan. On Wednesday, Mr Netanyahu In an obvious attempt to enrefused to endorse a joint state- dorse the view of his coalition ment which was originally partner, Naftali Bennett, the scheduled to be read out with his Minister of Transport weighed Polish counterpart, Donald Tusk, in a few days later calling for after their meeting in Warsaw. a new solution other than the The statement said in part that idea of two states. Significant“both governments agree on the ly, his intervention came at a urgent need for progress towards conference of the Israel Land a two-state solution to the Israe- Agency attended by 39 Knesset li–Palestinian conflict…” members from the Likud, JewUndoubtedly, the main casualty ish Home, Shas and the United from the tremors has been the Pal- Torah Judaism parties. Reports estinian leadership in Ramallah. from Israel confirm that the Having invested all of their po- purpose of the meeting was litical capital in the American led to issue new laws that would “peace process” their despair and strengthen the position of the regret is now palpable. Speaking settlements in the occupied to a group of foreign diplomats West Bank, including Jerusalast weekend, chief negotiator lem, and the Jordan Valley, and Dr Saeb Erekat decried that in- pre-empt any measures which
Palestinian Cultural Organization Malaysia
Issue No : 48
17th June, 2013
Articles & Analyses stead of having their state, the Palestinians, after two decades of negotiations, have ended up with house demolitions, expulsions and settlements on their land.
imminent. The Ramallah authority is still, very naively, pinning its hopes on the honesty of the US. Alas, the facts do not justify such faith.
In 1975, the US gave a solemn “Today I come to my city, Jeri- commitment to Israel, which was cho, where Israel demolished enshrined in a letter from Presifive houses and displaced its dent Gerald Ford to Prime Mininhabitants, sixty people,” said Erekat. “A few days ago they demolished nine houses in Jerusalem and displaced 77 people; after two decades of negotiations Israel still demolishes homes and displaces their inhabitants and builds settlements in their place.”
“
In what appeared to be a clear expression of contrition the veteran Erekat told his listeners that the Palestinian recognition of Israel was a mistake after all, “because at the time they should have demanded that Israel identify its borders so that we would recognise it within those borders”. Israel remains the only UN member state which has never defined its borders. Of course recognising an error is one thing, but correcting it is another, but there is nothing in the PA’s diplomacy that suggests that a change of course is
They would accept it if they knew Israel wouldn’t give them an independent state.
ing from putting forth proposals that Israel would consider unsatisfactory.” In today’s context Israel’s minimal demand is the annexation of sixty per cent of the West Bank and consignment of the Palestinians to the remaining forty. When asked if he thought Palestinians would accept this, Netanyahu wrote as early as 1994, “They would accept it if they knew Israel wouldn’t give them an independent state”.
If ever the Palestinian leadership believed for one moment that Israel was committed to a two-state solution, the disclosures of the past week have proven them wrong. This may yet be a blessing in disguise, ister Yitshak Rabin. It subjected for there is now a golden opall future American diplomatic portunity to reset the Palestininitiatives in the region to Isra- ian national compass to 1947, el’s approval. Rashid Khalidi, a the year of the seminal injusformer advisor to the Palestinian tice that was the UN Partidelegation at the 1991 pre-Oslo tion Plan and Resolution 181. negotiations in Washington cites The main lesson of the last 20 the relevant part of that docu- years has to be that there are ment in his book, Brokers of De- no short cuts to freedom, jusceit: “Should the US desire in the tice and dignity. You have to future to put forward proposals go back to the original sin in of its own, it will make every ef- order to right the wrongs that fort to coordinate with Israel its it created. proposals with a view to refrain-
”
* Daud A. Abdullah is the current Deputy Secretary General of the Muslim Council of Britain. He has been senior researcher at the London-based Palestinian Return Centre and editor of the Return Review, which has recently been replaced with the Journal of Palestinian Refugees Studies.
Palestinian Cultural Organization Malaysia
| 11
Issue No : 48
12 |
17th June, 2013
Palestinian Cultural Organization Malaysia