20 oct 2017
by Dina Badie, Huffington Post/Days of Palestine
Trump’s decision to withdraw from UNESCO is a flagrant attempt to punish Palestinians for doing what Israel has done all along. Israel has monopolised the “facts on the ground” debate through government-sanctioned settlement expansions into the West Bank, including an announcement this past week about new developments, including in the city of Al-Khalil (Hebron).
Recent estimates of the Jewish settler population living within the internationally-recognised pre-1967 “green line” territory of the West Bank number in the 300,000-400,000 range. Israel does not exactly recognise the green line as the future boundary between the two states, and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has increasingly distanced himself from even discussing a two-state solution in his hard turn toward the right-wing fringes of Israeli politics.
Even prior to Netanyahu’s return to power, Israeli leaders who at least rhetorically favoured a two-state solution consistently discussed the need for “land swaps” to accommodate the growing number of Jewish settlers residing outside of Israel’s officially recognised boundaries.
With the Israeli occupation having marked its 50th year anniversary this past summer, the facts on the ground are, in fact, likely here to stay. At the same time, the peace process has been in utter disarray over the last 25 years or so, with the 1993 Oslo Accords having marked the last real diplomatic breakthrough.
Despite other negotiations having taken place since, there has been little progress in resolving the increasingly convoluted final status issues of borders, Jerusalem, refugees and security, in part because of Israel’s “facts on the ground.” Nonetheless, over 70 per cent of the world’s nations, excluding the United States, Israel, and much of Europe, recognise Palestine as a state.
Widespread bilateral recognition is no consolation for continued occupation and a lack of official international recognition at the United Nations. Without it, the Palestinians have no political or legal recourse.
At the same time, Palestinians are both politically and territorially divided, with the Palestinian Authority maintaining control of the West Bank, and Hamas preserving control over Gaza. Though a unity agreement was just signed between the two sides, previous attempts at presenting a united front have failed because of competing priorities and irreconcilable disagreements. Moreover, Israel, especially under Netanyahu, will not negotiate if Hamas is in the picture.
With a long-stalled peace process, the Palestinian Authority, under the leadership of Mahmoud Abbas began to look for alternatives to the direct negotiation with Israel. In 2011, he mounted a statehood campaign at the United Nations, which was, of course, bound to fail because of the American veto. Nonetheless, he found ways to establish a new set of “facts on the ground,” by gaining Palestinian accession to a number of international organisations, including UNESCO.
If Palestine could gain membership in these organisations, it could accrue tangible benefits while helping to consolidate a norm of recognition by working as a state alongside other nations. The US sought to undermine Palestine’s moves by ending financial support for these institutions, and now, the Trump administration announced its complete withdrawal from UNESCO.
This decision is yet another illustration of the American double standard when it comes to the Arab-Israeli conflict, including on the issue of “facts on the ground.” While the US has long condemned Israel’s expansion of settlements, its criticism has been muted and rhetorical and the special relationship has survived countless announcements of settlement construction.
When the Palestinians lay their “facts on the ground,” which are by most reasonable measures less provocative than the physical movement of Israelis into West Bank territory, the US reacts with punitive economic and diplomatic manoeuvres reserved for only one side of the conflict (and by extension, the international organisations that recognise them).
Considering the organisation’s mission, there is nothing fundamentally threatening about Palestinian participation in UNESCO. The United States and Israel are instead fearful of the possibility that what talks like a state and walks like a state may eventually be universally recognised as a state in more influential venues such as the UN and the International Court of Justice (ICJ). That, of course, is the point of laying facts on the ground. There comes a time when a norm – be it settlers or institutional membership – becomes so entrenched that it is nearly impossible to backtrack.
If any American administration is going to play a relevant role in brokering a solution, it must recognise facts on the ground for what they are… facts on the ground. That the Trump administration withdrew from UNESCO to punish Palestinian membership in the same week that Israel announced new settlements in Al-Khalil is absurd. Either condemn them equally or allow both sides to stake their claims as they see fit.
Dina Badie is an Assistant Professor of Politics and International Studies at Centre College. Her expertise is in American Foreign and Security Policy in the Middle East and Asia.
VIDEO: 10/15/17 US and Israel Show UNESCO their Anti-Palestinian Bias
Trump’s decision to withdraw from UNESCO is a flagrant attempt to punish Palestinians for doing what Israel has done all along. Israel has monopolised the “facts on the ground” debate through government-sanctioned settlement expansions into the West Bank, including an announcement this past week about new developments, including in the city of Al-Khalil (Hebron).
Recent estimates of the Jewish settler population living within the internationally-recognised pre-1967 “green line” territory of the West Bank number in the 300,000-400,000 range. Israel does not exactly recognise the green line as the future boundary between the two states, and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu has increasingly distanced himself from even discussing a two-state solution in his hard turn toward the right-wing fringes of Israeli politics.
Even prior to Netanyahu’s return to power, Israeli leaders who at least rhetorically favoured a two-state solution consistently discussed the need for “land swaps” to accommodate the growing number of Jewish settlers residing outside of Israel’s officially recognised boundaries.
With the Israeli occupation having marked its 50th year anniversary this past summer, the facts on the ground are, in fact, likely here to stay. At the same time, the peace process has been in utter disarray over the last 25 years or so, with the 1993 Oslo Accords having marked the last real diplomatic breakthrough.
Despite other negotiations having taken place since, there has been little progress in resolving the increasingly convoluted final status issues of borders, Jerusalem, refugees and security, in part because of Israel’s “facts on the ground.” Nonetheless, over 70 per cent of the world’s nations, excluding the United States, Israel, and much of Europe, recognise Palestine as a state.
Widespread bilateral recognition is no consolation for continued occupation and a lack of official international recognition at the United Nations. Without it, the Palestinians have no political or legal recourse.
At the same time, Palestinians are both politically and territorially divided, with the Palestinian Authority maintaining control of the West Bank, and Hamas preserving control over Gaza. Though a unity agreement was just signed between the two sides, previous attempts at presenting a united front have failed because of competing priorities and irreconcilable disagreements. Moreover, Israel, especially under Netanyahu, will not negotiate if Hamas is in the picture.
With a long-stalled peace process, the Palestinian Authority, under the leadership of Mahmoud Abbas began to look for alternatives to the direct negotiation with Israel. In 2011, he mounted a statehood campaign at the United Nations, which was, of course, bound to fail because of the American veto. Nonetheless, he found ways to establish a new set of “facts on the ground,” by gaining Palestinian accession to a number of international organisations, including UNESCO.
If Palestine could gain membership in these organisations, it could accrue tangible benefits while helping to consolidate a norm of recognition by working as a state alongside other nations. The US sought to undermine Palestine’s moves by ending financial support for these institutions, and now, the Trump administration announced its complete withdrawal from UNESCO.
This decision is yet another illustration of the American double standard when it comes to the Arab-Israeli conflict, including on the issue of “facts on the ground.” While the US has long condemned Israel’s expansion of settlements, its criticism has been muted and rhetorical and the special relationship has survived countless announcements of settlement construction.
When the Palestinians lay their “facts on the ground,” which are by most reasonable measures less provocative than the physical movement of Israelis into West Bank territory, the US reacts with punitive economic and diplomatic manoeuvres reserved for only one side of the conflict (and by extension, the international organisations that recognise them).
Considering the organisation’s mission, there is nothing fundamentally threatening about Palestinian participation in UNESCO. The United States and Israel are instead fearful of the possibility that what talks like a state and walks like a state may eventually be universally recognised as a state in more influential venues such as the UN and the International Court of Justice (ICJ). That, of course, is the point of laying facts on the ground. There comes a time when a norm – be it settlers or institutional membership – becomes so entrenched that it is nearly impossible to backtrack.
If any American administration is going to play a relevant role in brokering a solution, it must recognise facts on the ground for what they are… facts on the ground. That the Trump administration withdrew from UNESCO to punish Palestinian membership in the same week that Israel announced new settlements in Al-Khalil is absurd. Either condemn them equally or allow both sides to stake their claims as they see fit.
Dina Badie is an Assistant Professor of Politics and International Studies at Centre College. Her expertise is in American Foreign and Security Policy in the Middle East and Asia.
VIDEO: 10/15/17 US and Israel Show UNESCO their Anti-Palestinian Bias
Hamas chief Ismail Haneyya on Thursday received a Swiss ambassador in his office in the blockaded Gaza Strip.
Haneyya met with Ambassador Thomas Gerrer in his Gaza office, but no details were revealed on the issues discussed in the behind-closed-doors meeting.
A number of Hamas leaders and a Swiss delegation were in attendance.
On Wednesday, Haneyya met with the Russian ambassador to Palestine as part of a series of meetings staged by Hamas following the Cairo-brokered reconciliation deal, signed on October 12.
Haneyya met with Ambassador Thomas Gerrer in his Gaza office, but no details were revealed on the issues discussed in the behind-closed-doors meeting.
A number of Hamas leaders and a Swiss delegation were in attendance.
On Wednesday, Haneyya met with the Russian ambassador to Palestine as part of a series of meetings staged by Hamas following the Cairo-brokered reconciliation deal, signed on October 12.
Hamas on Thursday leveled heavy criticism at the US Envoy to the Middle East, Jason Greenblatt, saying he is trying every possible effort to obstruct inter-Palestinian reconciliation.
Hamas said Greenblatt’s statements represent an attempt to meddle in Palestinians’ home affairs and impede national reconciliation.
Hamas vowed to leave no stone unturned until the terms of the national reconciliation deal materialize on the ground.
Sometime earlier, Greenblatt said Hamas must recognize Israel and proceed with disarmament if it wishes to be part of consensus Palestinian government.
Hamas said Greenblatt’s statements represent an attempt to meddle in Palestinians’ home affairs and impede national reconciliation.
Hamas vowed to leave no stone unturned until the terms of the national reconciliation deal materialize on the ground.
Sometime earlier, Greenblatt said Hamas must recognize Israel and proceed with disarmament if it wishes to be part of consensus Palestinian government.
Members of the Palestinian security forces loyal to Hamas march during a graduation ceremony in Gaza City on December 4, 2014.
US President Donald Trump’s Middle East Peace Envoy Jason Greenblatt released a statement on Thursday, echoing statements by the Israeli government on the recent Palestinian reconciliation deal signed earlier this month by the rival Hamas and Fateh movements.
According to Ma’an, Greenblatt, who has visited Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory a number of times since Trump took office in January, began his statement by saying that “all parties agree that it is essential that the Palestinian Authority be able to assume full, genuine, and unhindered civil and security responsibilities in Gaza and that we work together to improve the humanitarian situation for Palestinians living there.”
“The United States reiterates the importance of adherence to the Quartet principles: any Palestinian government must unambiguously and explicitly commit to nonviolence, recognize the State of Israel, accept previous agreements and obligations between the parties – including to disarm terrorists – and commit to peaceful negotiations,” Greenblatt said.
“If Hamas is to play any role in a Palestinian government, it must accept these basic requirements.”
Shortly after the Palestinian unity government was formed, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reacted with similar sentiments, conditioning the acceptance of the deal on recognizing Israel and disarming Hamas, which Israel considers a terrorist organization.
According to Ynet news, Israel set a series of conditions that must be met before it would recognize the agreement. The condition included Hamas seizing all tunnel digging and missile manufacturing, “an end to terror attacks against Israel,” and the immediate release of Israeli citizens and return of the remains of Israeli soldiers being held by Hamas in Gaza.
Netanyahu’s statement following the agreement marked a significant softening of tone, compared to comments he made in 2011 during reconciliation talks, saying “if Hamas joins the Palestinian government we will not hold negotiations with the Palestinian Authority.”
The disarmament of Hamas and the future of its military wing has also been prioritized as a key issue in the deal by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who said he does not want a Hezbollah situation in Gaza, where the Fateh-led Palestinian Authority (PA) would administer the territory and Hamas would maintain its military power.
Numerous attempts have been made in the past to reconcile Hamas and Fateh since they came into violent conflict in 2007, shortly after Hamas’ 2006 victory in general elections held in the Gaza Strip.
US President Donald Trump’s Middle East Peace Envoy Jason Greenblatt released a statement on Thursday, echoing statements by the Israeli government on the recent Palestinian reconciliation deal signed earlier this month by the rival Hamas and Fateh movements.
According to Ma’an, Greenblatt, who has visited Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory a number of times since Trump took office in January, began his statement by saying that “all parties agree that it is essential that the Palestinian Authority be able to assume full, genuine, and unhindered civil and security responsibilities in Gaza and that we work together to improve the humanitarian situation for Palestinians living there.”
“The United States reiterates the importance of adherence to the Quartet principles: any Palestinian government must unambiguously and explicitly commit to nonviolence, recognize the State of Israel, accept previous agreements and obligations between the parties – including to disarm terrorists – and commit to peaceful negotiations,” Greenblatt said.
“If Hamas is to play any role in a Palestinian government, it must accept these basic requirements.”
Shortly after the Palestinian unity government was formed, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reacted with similar sentiments, conditioning the acceptance of the deal on recognizing Israel and disarming Hamas, which Israel considers a terrorist organization.
According to Ynet news, Israel set a series of conditions that must be met before it would recognize the agreement. The condition included Hamas seizing all tunnel digging and missile manufacturing, “an end to terror attacks against Israel,” and the immediate release of Israeli citizens and return of the remains of Israeli soldiers being held by Hamas in Gaza.
Netanyahu’s statement following the agreement marked a significant softening of tone, compared to comments he made in 2011 during reconciliation talks, saying “if Hamas joins the Palestinian government we will not hold negotiations with the Palestinian Authority.”
The disarmament of Hamas and the future of its military wing has also been prioritized as a key issue in the deal by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who said he does not want a Hezbollah situation in Gaza, where the Fateh-led Palestinian Authority (PA) would administer the territory and Hamas would maintain its military power.
Numerous attempts have been made in the past to reconcile Hamas and Fateh since they came into violent conflict in 2007, shortly after Hamas’ 2006 victory in general elections held in the Gaza Strip.
19 oct 2017
The Permanent Representative of the Palestinian Authority to the United Nations, Riad Mansour, said that the UN’s Security Council is ‘paralyzed’ when it comes to Israel.
Mansour reiterated the “commitment of the Palestinians, despite the difficulties, to the two-state solution based on the pre-1967 borders, and the relevant UN resolutions.”
He added, “We have done our part by reunifying our people, territories, and political system, which are among top national priorities,” referring to the Palestinian reconciliation agreement signed recently in Cairo.
Mansour’s remarks came in a statement Wednesday night during the regular session of the UN’s Security Council on the Palestinian issue.
“We are committed, both at the regional and international levels, to our obligations. We carry out our responsibilities in line with international law, including humanitarian law and human rights law,” he continued. “What about Israel?” he asked. “The UNSC gets paralyzed when it comes to Israel and we ask you: When will you act?”
He noted, “We continue to insist on peaceful, political and legal means to end the Israeli occupation of our land and end the repression of our people and recognize their national rights and aspirations, including living in dignity and prosperity in their independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital.”
In his statement, the Palestinian diplomat stressed the importance of the international community's support for the reconciliation agreement “in order to ensure its success.”
Of course, this must include lifting the illegal and inhumane Israeli blockade imposed on the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip for more than a decade now, and this must also include meaningful steps to accelerate reconstruction and healing.”
Mansour expressed his “deep gratitude for Egypt,” for its role in reaching the reconciliation agreement between Fatah and Hamas.
Hamas and Fatah signed a reconciliation agreement in Cairo last week, brokered by Egypt, which allows the Palestinian national government to manage the affairs of the Gaza Strip.
Mansour reiterated the “commitment of the Palestinians, despite the difficulties, to the two-state solution based on the pre-1967 borders, and the relevant UN resolutions.”
He added, “We have done our part by reunifying our people, territories, and political system, which are among top national priorities,” referring to the Palestinian reconciliation agreement signed recently in Cairo.
Mansour’s remarks came in a statement Wednesday night during the regular session of the UN’s Security Council on the Palestinian issue.
“We are committed, both at the regional and international levels, to our obligations. We carry out our responsibilities in line with international law, including humanitarian law and human rights law,” he continued. “What about Israel?” he asked. “The UNSC gets paralyzed when it comes to Israel and we ask you: When will you act?”
He noted, “We continue to insist on peaceful, political and legal means to end the Israeli occupation of our land and end the repression of our people and recognize their national rights and aspirations, including living in dignity and prosperity in their independent state with East Jerusalem as its capital.”
In his statement, the Palestinian diplomat stressed the importance of the international community's support for the reconciliation agreement “in order to ensure its success.”
Of course, this must include lifting the illegal and inhumane Israeli blockade imposed on the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip for more than a decade now, and this must also include meaningful steps to accelerate reconstruction and healing.”
Mansour expressed his “deep gratitude for Egypt,” for its role in reaching the reconciliation agreement between Fatah and Hamas.
Hamas and Fatah signed a reconciliation agreement in Cairo last week, brokered by Egypt, which allows the Palestinian national government to manage the affairs of the Gaza Strip.
18 oct 2017
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Arab and European lawmakers reacted furiously to an Israeli parliament representative’s comments at an international conference on Wednesday.
The Knesset delegation to the annual conference of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) walked out following this afternoon's plenum meeting, during which a series of anti-Israel proposals were approved. Among the proposals approved were calls for the release of Palestinian MPs and rebuke of Israel for holding lawmakers in administrative detention. |
Members of the delegation to the conference, MKs Nachman Shai (Zionist Union), Sharren Haskel (Likud), Yossi Yona (Zionist Union), Haim Yellin (Yesh Atid) and Knesset registrar Yardena Meller-Horowitz left the hall.
The head of the delegation, Shai, claimed at the conference that Israel is committed to promoting peace with all its neighbors, including the Palestinians, but that this will not come at the expense of an uncompromising struggle against terror.
After the meeting, the Israeli delegation sent a note of protest to outgoing President Saber Chowdhury of Bangladesh, saying that he had today seriously damaged the neutral status of the organization by permitting Arab states to constantly lambast and interrupt Israeli spokesmen, and that he himself had not allotted the Knesset delegation time equal to that of the other delegations.
Commenting on the Israeli note, Kuwait’s National Assembly Speaker Marzouq al-Ghanem told lawmakers gathered at Inter-Parliamentary Union talks in Russia: “The saying ‘if you have no shame do as you please’ applies to the comments made by this rapist (Israeli) parliament,”. The video of Al Ghanem’s outburst has gone viral online.
During the discussion about the condition of Palestinian lawmakers arrested by Israeli authorities, al-Ghanem said that this “represented the most dangerous types of terrorism – the terrorism of the state”.
“You should grab your bags and leave this hall as you have witnessed the reaction of every honorable parliament around the world,” he said, addressing the Israeli delegation.
“Leave now if you have one ounce of dignity, you occupier, you murderer of children.” The Israeli delegation left the talks following the remarks by al-Ghanem and several other parliaments in the midst of applause.
Palestinian delegate Kais Abdul Karim said Israel’s self-proclaimed democracy cannot be built on the ruins of international law and people’s rights.
Jordanian MP Wafa Bani Mustafa said the Palestinian detainees in Israeli jails are not terrorists. “Terrorism is perpetrated by Israel all day and night in Palestine.”
The Pakistani envoy also said a country, like Israel, which butchers women and children is the real terrorist.
Israeli MK called 'child murderer' by Kuwaiti parliamentarian
During Inter-Parliamentary Union's 137th meeting, Kuwaiti parliament speaker verbally attacks Israeli delegation, calling them representatives of 'occupying and oppressing parliament.'
Kuwaiti parliament speaker Marzouq al-Ghanim on Wednesday publicly rebuked the Israeli parliamentary delegation at the 137th meeting of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in St. Petersburg, Russia on Wednesday.
"The representative of this occupying and oppressing parliament is the most dangerous type of terrorist. This is state terrorism. This is what this oppressor represents," said the Kuwaiti representative.
Later, al-Ghanim hurled insults at MK Nachman Shai (Zionist Union), the head of the Knesset, and demanded him to leave to the sound of applause.
"You have to take your suitcases and leave the hall after seeing the reactions of all the respected parliaments from around the world!" he shouted. "Get out of the hall now, if you have a shred of respect, you conqueror, you child murderer!"
The chairman of the organization did not allow MK Sharren Heschel (Likud) to respond, and turned off her microphone. As a result, the delegation, which also included Prof. Yossi Yona (Zionist Union) and Haim Jelin (Yesh Atid), decided to leave the hall.
"To fight for the truth and against the liars, we have to remain in the plenum, not to leave, and to fight for our right to speak. But as soon as delegation member Heschel could not voice the Israeli side of the discussion due to the plenum chairman's decision, I decided, out of friendship, to leave and support her," MK Jelin later said.
Jelin added that "the decisions in the plenum were tainted by blatant anti-Israeli bias. It's a shame that international hypocrisy is reaching a place that is supposed to mark a fruitful dialogue between (all countries from around—ed) the world."
The IPU is an international umbrella organization for parliaments. Its members include 166 parliaments and 10 inter-parliamentary associations. It serves as a forum for meetings and dialogue between members of parliaments in order to promote the goals of peace and cooperation between the nations and the promotion of representative democracy.
Israel holds a member status, and the Knesset makes sure to participate regularly in the Association's conferences.
The verbal altercation took place ten days after Labor MK and former party head Amir Peretz, who was visiting Morocco as part of a conference held by the Parliamentary Assembly for the Mediterranean and the World Trade Organization, was faced aggressive protesting from parliamentarian Achsan Abed el-Halak, who yelled at him, "You're a war criminal! You were the Israeli defense minister and you're not welcome here."
The head of the delegation, Shai, claimed at the conference that Israel is committed to promoting peace with all its neighbors, including the Palestinians, but that this will not come at the expense of an uncompromising struggle against terror.
After the meeting, the Israeli delegation sent a note of protest to outgoing President Saber Chowdhury of Bangladesh, saying that he had today seriously damaged the neutral status of the organization by permitting Arab states to constantly lambast and interrupt Israeli spokesmen, and that he himself had not allotted the Knesset delegation time equal to that of the other delegations.
Commenting on the Israeli note, Kuwait’s National Assembly Speaker Marzouq al-Ghanem told lawmakers gathered at Inter-Parliamentary Union talks in Russia: “The saying ‘if you have no shame do as you please’ applies to the comments made by this rapist (Israeli) parliament,”. The video of Al Ghanem’s outburst has gone viral online.
During the discussion about the condition of Palestinian lawmakers arrested by Israeli authorities, al-Ghanem said that this “represented the most dangerous types of terrorism – the terrorism of the state”.
“You should grab your bags and leave this hall as you have witnessed the reaction of every honorable parliament around the world,” he said, addressing the Israeli delegation.
“Leave now if you have one ounce of dignity, you occupier, you murderer of children.” The Israeli delegation left the talks following the remarks by al-Ghanem and several other parliaments in the midst of applause.
Palestinian delegate Kais Abdul Karim said Israel’s self-proclaimed democracy cannot be built on the ruins of international law and people’s rights.
Jordanian MP Wafa Bani Mustafa said the Palestinian detainees in Israeli jails are not terrorists. “Terrorism is perpetrated by Israel all day and night in Palestine.”
The Pakistani envoy also said a country, like Israel, which butchers women and children is the real terrorist.
Israeli MK called 'child murderer' by Kuwaiti parliamentarian
During Inter-Parliamentary Union's 137th meeting, Kuwaiti parliament speaker verbally attacks Israeli delegation, calling them representatives of 'occupying and oppressing parliament.'
Kuwaiti parliament speaker Marzouq al-Ghanim on Wednesday publicly rebuked the Israeli parliamentary delegation at the 137th meeting of the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) in St. Petersburg, Russia on Wednesday.
"The representative of this occupying and oppressing parliament is the most dangerous type of terrorist. This is state terrorism. This is what this oppressor represents," said the Kuwaiti representative.
Later, al-Ghanim hurled insults at MK Nachman Shai (Zionist Union), the head of the Knesset, and demanded him to leave to the sound of applause.
"You have to take your suitcases and leave the hall after seeing the reactions of all the respected parliaments from around the world!" he shouted. "Get out of the hall now, if you have a shred of respect, you conqueror, you child murderer!"
The chairman of the organization did not allow MK Sharren Heschel (Likud) to respond, and turned off her microphone. As a result, the delegation, which also included Prof. Yossi Yona (Zionist Union) and Haim Jelin (Yesh Atid), decided to leave the hall.
"To fight for the truth and against the liars, we have to remain in the plenum, not to leave, and to fight for our right to speak. But as soon as delegation member Heschel could not voice the Israeli side of the discussion due to the plenum chairman's decision, I decided, out of friendship, to leave and support her," MK Jelin later said.
Jelin added that "the decisions in the plenum were tainted by blatant anti-Israeli bias. It's a shame that international hypocrisy is reaching a place that is supposed to mark a fruitful dialogue between (all countries from around—ed) the world."
The IPU is an international umbrella organization for parliaments. Its members include 166 parliaments and 10 inter-parliamentary associations. It serves as a forum for meetings and dialogue between members of parliaments in order to promote the goals of peace and cooperation between the nations and the promotion of representative democracy.
Israel holds a member status, and the Knesset makes sure to participate regularly in the Association's conferences.
The verbal altercation took place ten days after Labor MK and former party head Amir Peretz, who was visiting Morocco as part of a conference held by the Parliamentary Assembly for the Mediterranean and the World Trade Organization, was faced aggressive protesting from parliamentarian Achsan Abed el-Halak, who yelled at him, "You're a war criminal! You were the Israeli defense minister and you're not welcome here."
16 oct 2017
People in different parts of the globe rejoice the fall of the rain, except for Palestinian man Omar al-Hourani, 30 years old, who begins in each rainy season in Gaza along with his family a new chapter of suffering.
Omar lives with his sick mother, along with his wife and his four children in a caravan. The rainwater gets through the cracks to his belongings, as what happened to him days ago when it rained heavily, increasing the family’s suffering.
Al-Hourani's family arrived in Gaza to escape the bombing in the Syrian city of Daraa in 2011, and having four children with no work opportunity he could not afford to rent an apartment.
Wreck and poverty
When the PIC team went to visit him, the rainwater seemed to sneak through the cracks of the three tin rooms, in which he lives, which were abandoned by his relatives years ago, but he could not secure a house from charities.
Omar told the PIC reporter, “In Gaza, my wife gave birth to our four children, the oldest of whom is five and a half years old, the youngest are twins of three, and the caravan where we live is located on government land. My family is threatened with expulsion anytime. Rainwater gets through the sealing in winter and our conditions are very difficult.”
Omar bought a pack of plastic cover after he borrowed 80 shekels from a friend to cover the sealing of the rooms of the caravan and the space in front of it during winter.
“The rain drowned the caravan and I called the police, and visited the municipality. They didn’t help us, and I do not work and I live alone after all my relatives left the place. My daughter feels afraid of winter, and starts crying. All I dream of is an apartment that would accommodate us.”
Distrust
Omar’s wife pulls out of a small tin room they use as a cooking spot, expressing her lack of confidence in humanitarian institutions and NGOs.
She added to the PIC reporter, “Everyone visits us, asks for the identity papers then we do not see them afterwards. Even the Land Authority photographed the caravan and my family. They promised to give us a flat, but no one followed up. Our situation is miserable.”
Omar’s wife is angry at what she describes as favoritism that led to her family’s deprivation of having an apartment in a residential city in Gaza after her husband's name appeared in the beneficiaries’ lists. She packed her belongings and her children's clothes wishing to move to her new apartment before she knew that they got no place to move in.
A sick mother
Omar's mother looks from behind the tin door, which became wet after the last rain spell, calling on the children to stay away from the rainwater.
She notes to the PIC reporter, “Our situation is difficult and this room is drenched in rainwater, and all we demand is a small house. I am divorced for twenty years. One of my sons was killed in Syria and the others are in Turkey, Syria and Sweden, and the children here are afraid of the rain and are always crying.”
The mother is lying on a bed with fractures in her arm and leg. For three years, she has been hoping of receiving the joyous news of giving Omar and his children a house, with four walls.
Omar lives with his sick mother, along with his wife and his four children in a caravan. The rainwater gets through the cracks to his belongings, as what happened to him days ago when it rained heavily, increasing the family’s suffering.
Al-Hourani's family arrived in Gaza to escape the bombing in the Syrian city of Daraa in 2011, and having four children with no work opportunity he could not afford to rent an apartment.
Wreck and poverty
When the PIC team went to visit him, the rainwater seemed to sneak through the cracks of the three tin rooms, in which he lives, which were abandoned by his relatives years ago, but he could not secure a house from charities.
Omar told the PIC reporter, “In Gaza, my wife gave birth to our four children, the oldest of whom is five and a half years old, the youngest are twins of three, and the caravan where we live is located on government land. My family is threatened with expulsion anytime. Rainwater gets through the sealing in winter and our conditions are very difficult.”
Omar bought a pack of plastic cover after he borrowed 80 shekels from a friend to cover the sealing of the rooms of the caravan and the space in front of it during winter.
“The rain drowned the caravan and I called the police, and visited the municipality. They didn’t help us, and I do not work and I live alone after all my relatives left the place. My daughter feels afraid of winter, and starts crying. All I dream of is an apartment that would accommodate us.”
Distrust
Omar’s wife pulls out of a small tin room they use as a cooking spot, expressing her lack of confidence in humanitarian institutions and NGOs.
She added to the PIC reporter, “Everyone visits us, asks for the identity papers then we do not see them afterwards. Even the Land Authority photographed the caravan and my family. They promised to give us a flat, but no one followed up. Our situation is miserable.”
Omar’s wife is angry at what she describes as favoritism that led to her family’s deprivation of having an apartment in a residential city in Gaza after her husband's name appeared in the beneficiaries’ lists. She packed her belongings and her children's clothes wishing to move to her new apartment before she knew that they got no place to move in.
A sick mother
Omar's mother looks from behind the tin door, which became wet after the last rain spell, calling on the children to stay away from the rainwater.
She notes to the PIC reporter, “Our situation is difficult and this room is drenched in rainwater, and all we demand is a small house. I am divorced for twenty years. One of my sons was killed in Syria and the others are in Turkey, Syria and Sweden, and the children here are afraid of the rain and are always crying.”
The mother is lying on a bed with fractures in her arm and leg. For three years, she has been hoping of receiving the joyous news of giving Omar and his children a house, with four walls.
