Palestinian Council for Justice and Peace
April 2001
Jewish fundamentalism successfully accomplished the first stage of its political takeover bringing together powerful elements of Israeli military industry under one umbrella. This fundamentalism represents those who believe in the philosophy of might, the establishment of Greater Israel and resolving the Palestinian problem within this context. This alliance of fundamentalists does not believe in mutual interests and normal regional relations and strongly profess that Arabs only understand the language of force. Thus, they plan to coerce the Arab region by means of brutal force including nuclear weapons. Proponents of this coalition consider the peace process a serious peril that would devastate the national Jewish makeup. Thus, their anti-peace position is strategically fundamental and could only permit some cosmetic changes. Additionally, this front considers the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) a serious obstacle to its political takeover and explicitly advocates its destruction and the assassination of its leaders with Yasser Arafat on top of the list. The recent Israeli escalation through using helicopter gun-ships to bombard Palestinian national security posts, confronting peaceful demonstrations on the 25th anniversary of Land Day with brutal force, intensification of the propaganda campaign against the PNA and President Yasser Arafat, trumpeting threats to assassinate political activists and Intifada leaders and dismemberment of the Palestinian Territories reinforcing the already rigorous siege around Palestinian towns and villages, constitute principal elements in Sharon’s policy to bully the Palestinian people and its leadership into submission to Israeli dictated conditions. The Palestinian people that remained, for the past 53 years, steadfastly truthful to its usurped national rights despite atrocities, oppression, transfer and unrelenting campaigns by Israel to devastate Palestinian economy and properties, would continue to challenge and resist Israeli annihilation campaigns. This people would safeguard its historical accomplishments and hold resolutely to its legitimate rights especially the right to freedom from occupation and the right to establish an independent sovereign Palestinian state with Jerusalem as its capital. Sharon will eventually realize the mighty Israeli military machine is unable to break the will of the Palestinian people. Rather, it would bolster their dedication to achieve their goals. Sharon will understand, after it is too late, that a military solution is impossible and only a political solution would put an end to the conflict. The international community and many Israeli leaders have realized this for so long.The security that Israel allegedly claims it is seeking would only be realized through a genuine peace based upon ending the occupation, recognition of the Palestinians’ right to self-determination and to an independent sovereign state of their own and a just solution to the refugees’ problem.
Israeli occupation forces continued its aggression against the Palestinian people, leadership and establishments. American-made helicopter Apache gun-ships assaulted several posts of the Palestinian National Security and other PNA sites killing and wounding scores of civilians.
In total disregard for international law and international humanitarian law and other instruments relevant to the protection of civilians at time of war, Israeli occupation forces continued undeterred with its brutal assault against Palestinian civilians.
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon ratified a military scheme known as "One Hundred Days" proposed by Israeli Chief of Staff. The plan aims to bring the Palestinian people and leadership to its knees in a three-month time. It involves tightening the already rigorous siege around Palestinian urban centers, dismemberment of the Occupied Palestinian Territories into 64 totally isolated sectors, closure of roads through digging deep trenches restricting further the movement of civilians and goods throughout the territories, and vandalizing infra-structures in several areas.
The whole world stands silent as scores of Palestinians fall victim to Israeli atrocities. Ironically, the United States vetoed down a potential resolution by the UN Security Council that could provide international protection for Palestinian civilians. The American veto shielded Israeli atrocities giving Israel the green light to continue the spiral of killing more Palestinians and to devastate further their property.
Israeli forces killed 31 Palestinians in March 2001 bringing the total of martyrs to 456 since the beginning of the current uprising on 28 September 2000.
a.. On 3 March 2001, Ubai Mahmoud Darraj, 9 year-old Palestinian, was killed inside his family home in al-Bireh, near Ramallah. Israeli forces sprayed the house with heavy machine gunfire. Doctors extracted a 500 mm caliber bullet from his body.
b.. On 3 March 2001, Israeli soldiers
killed 13 year-old Mohammad Mahmoud Hellis in the Gaza Strip.
c.. On 4 March 2001, Israeli soldiers fired 500 mm caliber machine guns indiscriminately at a residential area in al-Bireh. ‘Aida Ftaiha, a 43 year-old Palestinian woman was killed inside her vehicle on her way home.
d.. On 11 March 2001, Israeli soldiers killed Ziad ‘Ayyad, a 27 year-old Palestinian in Gaza. ‘Ayyad was working his field when Israeli soldiers fired two artillery shells at him. Shrapnel wounded him in the leg. Israeli soldiers went into the field and finished him off in cold blood.
e.. On 18 March 2001, Israeli settlers from Neve Ya’acoub, an illegal settlement north of occupied Jerusalem, killed 10 year-old Mohammad Ismail Nassar and threw his body in a nearby bush. Israeli military used nail-filled high explosive shells against Palestinian areas. A Palestinian official confirmed the nail-like shrapnel cause extensive tearing to the body tissue. Israeli authorities did not deny the reports.
f.. On 28 March 2001, Israeli soldiers killed 11 year-old Mahmoud Darawish in al-Fawwar Refugee Camp near Hebron.
a.. The total number of Palestinians wounded since 28 September 2001 rose to 22500 persons. 40% of the 15000 persons that were hospitalized were children.
b.. On 1 March 2001, Israeli soldiers shot and wounded 5 year-old Fatima Abu-Salah in Khan Younis in the Gaza Strip.
c.. On 3 March 2001, Israeli shrapnel injured 6 year-old Mohammad Fathi Qashta and 11 year-old Mohktar Barbach near Rafah in the Gaza Strip.
d.. On 21 March 2001, an Israeli settler shot and wounded Amir Youssef, a 13 year-old Palestinian from al-Saweiah village in the Nablus District. The child was on his way home from school.
e.. On 21 March 2001, five Jewish extremists assaulted and tortured Ahmad Munir Sha’abneh, a 19 year-old Palestinian, from occupied Jerusalem. The victim was transferred to hospital for treatment of deep wounds. The assailants remain free.
f.. Eight Arab and Palestinian journalists were injured by Israeli fire and tear gas as they covered Israeli aggressive measures against Palestinian civilians. Rifa’at Zahri, a correspondent with the Egyptian Middle East News Network was hospitalized. The Palestinian Human Rights Center affirmed a total of 72 Arab, Palestinian and foreign journalists were injured since 28 September 2001.
a.. Israeli military authorities confiscated a total of 263 dunums of land during last March. This included 166 dunums in al-Qarrara/Gaza; 30 dunums planted with olive trees in Baita/Nablus; 30 in Bait Jala/Bethlehem; 10 in Bait Kahel/Hebron and 17 in Bithunia near Ramallah.
b.. The Regional Committee for Planning and Construction ratified designs to build 120 housing units near Bait Jala/Bethlehem, 300 units with a club on the French Hill and a new police station in Sheikh Jarrah in occupied East Jerusalem. Additionally, the Municipality of West Jerusalem ratified plans to build 2800 housing units on Jabal Abu-Ghnaim in occupied East Jerusalem. The planned construction would throttle the occupied Holy City and obstruct Palestinian urban planning in the area. The Israeli Housing Ministry prepared plans to build 2000 additional units in Adam, an illegal Israeli settlement, north of East Jerusalem.
c.. Settlers setup a number of pre-fabricated houses in several areas throughout the Occupied Palestinian Territories. These areas included Abu-Sbaih Mountain in Baita near Nablus; the illegal settlement of Magen David near Hebron; and in the illegal settlement of Mivo Doutan south of Jenin. The Israeli army erected a new military post near the village of Far’oun in Tulkarem District. Additionally, the occupation authorities began paving a by-pass road extending Road 60 that passes through Palestinian areas near Hebron. The road construction caused extensive damage to farmland in southern West Bank.
a.. Israeli bulldozers dredged over 750 square dunums of farmland throughout the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
b.. An environmental crisis erupted in Gaza during last March when a reservoir used to collect sewage water from Israeli settlements did burst. About 3.5 million cubic meters of soiled water gushed out to cover large areas of farmland, houses, and swept over 30 vehicles. Thirty Palestinians were injured. Losses were estimated in the hundreds of millions of dollars. The Israeli army had evacuated settlers from the area shortly before the incident but did not inform the Palestinian side.
c.. Israeli occupation forces and settlers uprooted 650 mature olive and other fruit trees in Bethlehem, Salfit and Gaza areas.
d.. A report by the Palestinian Ministry of Agriculture affirmed Israeli forces, since 28 September 2001, had uprooted 215000 mature trees; destroyed 382 dunums of greenhouses; devastated 2222 dunums of farmland planted with vegetables and 7538 dunums planted with fruit trees. The report added Israeli bulldozers had dredged 30000 square dunums of land used for field crops.
a.. Israeli occupation authorities imposed further restrictions on the movement of people throughout the Occupied Territories. Palestinians remain unable to travel freely between towns and/or villages. Israeli forces intentionally damaged several main highways by digging deep trenches across the roads. Israeli bulldozers dug trenches in several points across the Ramallah-Birzeit Highway. This road is the only open artery for residents of 30 villages in the District. Palestinians had to resort to dirt and/or farm roads to bypass Israeli roadblocks. Even these roads were not spared devastation by Israeli bulldozers. Military roadblocks hindered the movement of employees in the public or private sectors. Work at hospitals, schools and university was frequently disrupted.
b.. International instruments prohibit all forms of discrimination and oppression against children and women including, arbitrary detention, collective punishment and torture by occupation forces or agents of the occupying state in the occupied territories. Some of these measures constitute war crimes.
c.. Israeli forces raided several towns, villages and refugee camps during last March. Most of the raids, conducted at night, terrorized the civilian population. Israeli army imposed strict curfews on several urban centers. The Old Quarter of Hebron has been under curfew for the past four months.
d.. Israeli common criminals, mainly drug addicts and traffickers serving time at Tal Mund Central Prison, assaulted juvenile Palestinian political prisoners. Israel holds about 80 Palestinian juveniles, accused of political and resistance activities, at Tal Mund. International instruments prohibit incarcerating juveniles in the same sections with adult prisoners.
a.. Israeli occupation forces, using bulldozers or missiles, destroyed 15 houses in Rafah (Gaza Strip) and in Bait Ummar (Hebron) and in Rafat (Ramallah). Israeli forces shelled several areas in Gaza and the West Bank causing extensive damages to private and public property. Soldiers destroyed a chicken farm near Rafat; a propane fueling station in Rafah (Gaza); several artesian wells in Bani Na’im (Hebron); a factory for pre-fabricated cement blocks in Gaza and several garden walls in Bait Jala (Bethlehem).
b.. Meir Marghalit, a Council Member in the Municipality of West Jerusalem, affirmed the Municipality had earmarked one million Israeli Shekels for demolition of Palestinian homes in occupied Jerusalem. He said: “Mr. Olmert’s municipal policy aims to dislodge Palestinians out of Jerusalem in order to maintain a 70% Jewish majority in the Holy City”.
a.. Israeli soldiers shelled with artillery and heavy machine guns several mosques in Gaza and the West Bank. The Mosques of Khlail al-Rahman in ‘Abassan (Gaza), the Rafah Mosque and ‘Ebad al-Rahman Mosque in Balata (Nablus) sustained heavy damages caused by rockets and artillery shells. Copies of the Holy Qur’an were sprayed with bullets.
b.. In his Sermon, during the Hajj Season (Pilgrimage), the Imam (Preacher) of the Sacred Mosque in Mecca –Saudi Arabia called for an end to the bloodshed in Palestine and for the liberation of al-Aqsa Mosque the Third Holiest Shrine for Moslems.
c.. On 16 March 2001, Israeli occupation forces closed off the Sunni Mosque in the city of Hebron. Additionally, they closed down the Moslem Waqf Department in the city. The Waqf or Awqaf is the Department responsible for overseeing Moslem property and religious affairs.
d.. On 10 March 2001, Israeli soldiers prohibited Archbishop Michael Sabbah from entering the village of ‘Ain ‘Areeq near Ramallah despite his diplomatic passport. The Archbishop was supposed to hold a mass at the village’s church. Moreover, Israeli soldiers forced Vicar John Shinti to sit on a rock at the entrance to the village. He was later released.
a.. The Israeli rigorous siege around Palestinian cities, towns and villages disrupted the educational process in the Occupied Territories. For the last six consecutive months students and teachers were unable to reach educational institutions. About 30 schools in Hebron were affected by prolonged closures and curfews.
b.. In a letter to UNESCO, the Palestinian Ministry for Education affirmed 65 students were killed and over 2000 were injured by Israeli fire. The letter indicated that 247 schools with 91500 attendees and 4530 teachers were seriously affected by Israeli arbitrary measures.
c.. On 1 March 2001, Israeli gunfire did not spare a kindergarten in ‘Grand ‘Abassan near Gaza. Fatima Abu-Salah, five year-old, was seriously injured.
d.. On 16 March 2001, Israeli soldiers threw concussion grenades against students at al-Ibrahimia School in Hebron. Eight children aged 6-9 were injured and many others were terrorized by the attack.
a.. An expecting Palestinian woman went into labor and gave birth inside a taxi on 1 March 2001. Israeli soldiers prohibited the taxi from transferring her to hospital in Tulkarem.
b.. On 13 March 2001, 80 year-old Na’im Abed Qassous died at an Israeli roadblock. Soldiers detained the vehicle carrying the patient to hospital for hours. The same day, Israeli soldiers prohibited a vehicle carrying 48 year-old Amira ‘Assaf from Jenin to a hospital in Nablus. The soldiers discarded family pleas that the patient was critically ill.
c.. Dr. Mustafa Bargouthi affirmed 400 urban centers in the Occupied Palestinian Territories are deprived of appropriate medical services because of the Israeli siege. The Palestinian Ministry for Health reported that 70% of Palestinian urban centers lack access to essential vaccines especially infant vaccines. The Ministry warned this could lead to widespread epidemics.
d.. On 20 March 2001, Israeli forces seized 15 ambulances donated by Saudi Arabia at the Rafah Border Crossing between Egypt and Gaza. Also, Israeli soldiers apprehended an ambulance and assaulted the driver, Luai Raddad, north of occupied Jerusalem.
e.. Dr. Subhi Shalash, Director of the Arab Council for Medicine, Science and Technology, affirmed Israel had used highly developed oppressive measures against the Palestinian people. According to Dr. Shalash these measures include lethal elements that could cause functional and structural impairment in human tissues and glands, particularly, reproduction glands in both sexes. These elements are internationally categorized along with nuclear and radioactive elements as genocidal weapons.
a.. On 1 March 2001, a group of Israeli settlers vandalized the water network in Tamma Springs east of Bait Fourik, a village, in Nablus District.
b.. On 2 March 2001, Israeli soldiers prohibited a German delegation from Hans Reidel Institute from entering Ramallah. The delegation was supposed to meet with Palestinian officials.
c.. On 10 March 2001, Israeli settlers vandalized electrical power transformers in Kafr al-Dik and Bruqin near Salfit.
d.. Israeli occupation authorities denied a Palestinian delegation the right to travel. The delegation was supposed to participate in the Greek Confederacy Conference.
e.. On 21 March 2001, Israeli police began issuing arbitrary fines to Palestinian drivers traveling on highways in the Occupied Territories. The fines are known as “Intifada Fines”.
f.. On 27 March 2001, reckless Israeli settlers assaulted Palestinians and vandalized private and commercial property in the city of Hebron. The settlers also ransacked stores and set fire to dozens of vehicles in downtown Hebron.
a.. Israeli Daily Ha’aretz reported on 28 February 2001 that the Israeli army Central Regional Command is considering legalizing vigilante militias organized by Israeli settlers in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
b.. On 4 March 2001, Tzevi Ariel wrote in Ha’aretz: “Legalizing settlers’ actions against the Palestinian population is very dangerous and a cause for regional destabilization”.
c.. Israeli Daily Ha’aretz reported on 28 February 2001 an Israeli court sentenced ‘Amit BarTzedik, a reserve soldier, 20 days of actual imprisonment for refusing to serve in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. On 15 March 2001, Ma’ariv Daily affirmed 600 Israeli soldiers had refused to serve in the Occupied Palestinian Territories since the beginning of the current uprising on 28 September 2000.
d.. On 9 March 2001, Israeli Peace Movement Gush Shalom referred to Israeli military actions such as digging trenches to close the Birzeit-Ramallah Highway and the electricity off the area constitute “State Terrorism and inflicting unnecessary suffering on civilians”.
e.. “We have got to stop talking down to the Palestinians with the language of occupiers to the occupied. We must understand they are people like us and their freedom is no less than ours. We have to realize that real borders between two states would guarantee tranquility”. Uri Savir, a top Israeli negotiator, Ma’ariv on 12 March 2001.
f.. “Israel must cease all forms of violence against the Palestinians before asking them to end violence on their side first. Israel is the stronger side and must take the initiative to end violence”. Gedeon Levi, Ha’aretz, 12 March 2001.
g.. “Playing games with the fate of a whole people, insulting and inflicting suffering upon them to serve Israeli interests must be prohibited. The carrot and stick policy must be left to animal trainers. Treatment of human beings that have been under occupation for decades must be entirely different”. Gedeon Levi, Ha’aretz 18 March 2001.
h.. “The killing of children by Israeli soldiers is itself a terrorist act. Dozens of children were killed during the current Intifada some were casting stones at soldiers but many were simply playing in front of their homes”. Gedeon Levi Ha’aretz 23 March 2001.
i.. “Collectively starving a whole people, depriving hundreds of thousands of their freedom by administrative measures and imposing prolonged curfews on thousands others in Hebron to allow a hundred reckless settlers party and get drunk are only measures of a corrupt and monstrous occupation that would ricochet to suffocate Israelis”. Yisrael Sigal, an Israeli journalist, Yedi’ot Ahronot 13 March 2001.
j.. “We, who were brought up with memories of Nazi crimes, have set the Holocaust as the only criteria to judge human beings. But, it seems we have learned that any crime less than the Holocaust is an acceptable one. For the past five months the Territories (Palestinian Territories) are witnessing a campaign of genocide, slow but calculated and systematic against the Palestinian people. Apparently, we do not see it in the numbers of hundreds killed or thousands maimed, many became blind or suffered permanent disabilities. They die slowly as some cannot even find a hospital to treat their injuries and many others cannot survive in face of massive starvation or devastation of infra-structures imposed on their people”. Tania Reinhart, Ha’aretz 14 March 2001.
k.. On 16 March 2001, in a letter addressed to Palestinian colleagues, dozens of Israeli academics and university students deplored the oppressive policies of colonization and siege perpetrated by the Israeli occupation forces in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
l.. “The present situation is very grim. Anyone who did not speak up against the barbaric crimes against the Palestinian people could not possibly exonerate himself from shedding the blood of Palestinians. What is happening today in the Occupied Palestinian Territories is simply unlawful practices according to international law and norms”. Myron Benvenesti, Ha’aretz 16 March 2001.
m.. Israeli Daily Ma’ariv reported an ambulance team from Red Star of David had refused to treat a Palestinian journalist that was injured while covering confrontations with the Israeli army. An Israeli source commented: “The denial of emergency treatment to a wounded person on the basis of his Arab origin is a discriminative act”.
n.. “Before I was drafted for military service I had extreme rightist views about Arabs whom I thought were just a group of unknown beings. But, when I came to serve at Megiddo Detention Compound suddenly I began to see them as women and children with human features. My views began to change and I realized how oppressed they are”. An Israeli female soldier served at Megiddo Detention Camp. Al-Ayyam Palestinian Daily 17 March 2001.
o.. “Anyone with common sense can realize how unrealistic the idea of Greater Israel is. The partition of land between Jews and Palestinians is the only possible solution. The occupation is a temporary situation. Sharon must go to the White House with what he had inherited from his predecessors: Peace is more valuable than land”. Uzi Benz-Mann, Ha’aretz 18 March 2001.
p.. “The settlements are the principal obstacle towards peace with the Arab World. The occupation would go on in the absence of peace and vise versa. The Palestinian people are simply revolting against this occupation. This is what other peoples have done and would do. There is no army in this world that can put an end to this revolution”. Uri Avneri, President of Israeli Peace Now Movement, Ma’ariv, 20 March 2001.
q.. “The overall closure, the siege around Palestinian cities, towns and villages and the curfews are discriminative measures carried out by Israel against the Palestinian people. These restrictions are not only to punish the Palestinians but to provide comfort to Jewish settlers”. The Israeli Center for Human Right Information B’Tselem, al-Hayat al-Jadida Daily, 23 March 2001.
r.. “Millions of Palestinians have been living under a belligerent occupation since 1967. They have been deprived of their basic human rights. This situation provides the Palestinians with the right to resist the occupation with whatever means under their disposal including the use of force”. Baruch Kimerling, al-Ayyam Daily, 26 March 2001.
a.. “Israel would never be able to impose its aggressive designs upon the Palestinian people and the Arab region. Israel must realize that peace could not be achieved unless through full implementation of signed agreements and resolutions of international legitimacy towards consolidation of a comprehensive, just and permanent peace in the region”. President Yasser Arafat in a speech to the African Summit, Sirt, Libya, 2 March 2001.
b.. “We fully support the right of the Palestinian refugee to return to their homes”. Karl G. Bimosmark, Member of Swedish Parliament, Al-Quds Daily, 1 March 2001.
c.. The South African Parliament agreed to send a fact-finding mission to the Occupied Palestinian Territories. The decision is part of South African efforts to end the crisis between the Israeli and Palestinian sides. The mission would be made of members of the South African Parliament. Al-Ayyam Daily 1 March 2001.
d.. “The silence of the European Union regarding the deteriorating situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories and the Israeli atrocities against the Palestinian people is unethical. The European Union stands today as a mute devil unable to defend its commitments, interests or its own investments”. Mazen Shaqqoura, al-Ayyam Daily 16 March 2001.
e.. “The failed negotiations at Camp David did not trigger violence in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Rather, it is the unending Israeli occupation and its atrocities against the Palestinian people. Ending the occupation is the principal condition for ending violence in order to create favorable and promising conditions to conclude a peace agreement”. Henry Siegman, a distinguished member of the American Foreign Relations Council, Ha’aretz, 28 February 2001.
f.. On 2 March 2001, the Palestine Representative at the United Nations Dr. Nasser Qudwa called upon the UN to send a mission of observers to the Occupied Palestinian Territories. The mission, to be made from military observers and police officers, would ensure international protection for the Palestinian people.
g.. “It is very difficult to know how much longer the Palestinian people would endure. Certainly, you cannot overstretch a piece of rubber otherwise it would break. One third of the Palestinian people had been hit by poverty. The number of poor may well reach over 50% if things do not change rapidly”. Peter Hanssen, Director of UNRWA, Hayat al-Jadida Daily 12 March 2001.
h.. On 19 March 2001, Egyptian Foreign Minister ‘Amr Moussa called upon members of the UN Security Council to bear responsibility to provide international protection for the Palestinian people and to safeguard their rights recognized by the international community.
i.. In its report to the UN Human Rights Commission, the UN Fact Finding Mission asserted the necessity to provide international protection for the Palestinian people in general and for the Palestinian refugees in particular in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. The report also condemned the Israeli oppressive policies against the Palestinian people.
j.. Mr. Don Betz, President of the International Coordinating Committee for Palestine, called for an international conference to provide international protection for the Palestinian people. Don Betz made his call during a speech to the United Nations Conference held in Vienna last February to provide assistance for the Palestinian people.
k.. The Director-General of Amnesty International asserted the need to deploy international observers throughout the Occupied Palestinian Territories to monitor Israeli violations against the Palestinian people.
l.. The International Fact Finding Mission, headed by Senator George Mitchell, met with several Palestinian officials and ordinary citizens. The Palestinians demanded international protection for the Palestinian population facing Israeli atrocities. Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon had met the mission earlier. He considered “The formation of the mission was a grave error as no one has the right to put Israel on trial”.
On 1 March 2001, the Arab-American University in Jenin, northern West Bank, organized a cultural event at the University Campus. The University’s troupe presented a night of Palestinian folklore music and dancing. Additionally, the Jenin Refugee Camp organized an art exhibition consisted of work inspired by the Intifada.
On 14 March 2001, the Palestinian Ministry for Culture in cooperation with the French Cultural Council organized in Nablus a special event to commemorate Woman Day. Several speakers discussed the significant role played by Palestinian women resisting the occupation. The event included folklore music and dancing.
The Palestinian National Soccer Team made it to the semi-finals for the World Cup in 2002. The team played against Hong Kong, Qatar and Malaysia. Also, The Palestinian Ministry for Sports and Youth organized a special chess tournament in Jericho to honor the Martyrs of al-Aqsa Intifada.
On 17 March 2001, the Yazur Charitable Association organized an exhibition of photos and Palestinian heritage artifacts at Balata Refugee Camp. The Umma College organized the Jerusalem Week displaying books, computer software and scenes of the Intifada.
On 18 March 2001, about 300 Palestinian artists and musicians participated in a peaceful demonstration towards the Israeli blockade near Qalandia Refugee Camp north of occupied Jerusalem. The artists played music, sang Intifada songs and chanted slogans demanding an end to the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian Territories.
a.. The Arab Summit, held in Amman on 27-29 March 2001, affirmed:
b.. Unequivocal support for the Palestinian people in their struggle to regain legitimate national rights and its efforts to establish an independent state with Jerusalem as its capital;
c.. The need to safeguard Christian and Moslem Holy Shrines in the City of Jerusalem;
d.. The need to work with the UN Security Council and General Assembly to provide international protection for the Palestinian people;
e.. Formation of a legal committee to document Israeli war crimes against the Palestinian people;
f.. Holding Israel responsible for the problem of Palestinian refugees;
g.. Arab leaders expressed resentment over the American veto against a proposed UN Security Council Resolution that would provide international protection for the Palestinian people.
Peopel Under Occupation, May 2001
A Periodical - Deals With The Israeli Violations
Issued by The Palestinian
Council for Justice and Peace
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