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Palestinian Affairs weekly report

Veteran freed Palestinian prisoner dies at 84

Abstract: Palestinian freedom prisoner Samy Younis, freed from the occupation jails, died at the age of 84. Younis spent 28 years in Israeli jails and was finally freed as part of the prisoners swap deal between Hamas and Israel.

Dr. Fayz Abushamalla, Gaza

Palestinian freed prisoner, Samy Younis, who spent 28 years in Israeli jails, and was finally released as part of the 2011 prisoners swap deal between Hamas and Israel, died peacefully at the age of 84 in the Palestinian town of A’rra in present day Israel. His only wish was to see his hometown before he dies and not to be sent there as a dead body. His wish came true.

In 2009, when Sami Younis felt his death might be near, he wrote a will to his family saying: “if I die, don’t burry me quickly, take me to my hometown, and leave my body for a while in my house’s yard. Let me sleep on my bed for a while, then put my body under my strawberry tree, let me recall all these memories, let me say a farewell to the place I loved.”

Younis died in the place he loved without having chains on his body. I knew him in 1986 when we met in Askalan prison; he was full of energy and life. This man realized that the land of Palestinian is for Palestinians. Thus, he became angry when some Palestinians recognized Israel especially that he took arms and fought along the Palestine Liberation Organization. He didn’t shake when he was captured in 1983 with two of his relatives. Although Israel realized that the body of Younis is too weak to enable him fight again, the prison authorities decided to keep him in prison, sending a message of fear to anyone might be thinking of doing the same. Israel has always refused to release Younis, claiming that he holds an Israeli citizenship, and that what he did was an act of betrayal. Younis was only released when Alqassam Brigades forced Israel to release him in the prisoners swap deal. In 2009, I wrote an article in which I said: “Sami Younis of the Fatah movement turned 80 years old behind the Israeli bar. He does not complain about pain in prison, but rather, he is worried that Israel managed to erase his memory. I appeal to Hamas not to release Gilad Schalit even if Israel casts its lead on the heads of Palestinians. Hamas kept its word and freed Younis.”

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Palestinian children victims of Israeli colonies

Abstract: a report published by Human Rights Watch found out that Israel exploits Palestinian children by paying them low wages at its colonies built on lands confiscated from the Palestinians in the West Bank.

Human Rights Watch, New York

A report published by Human Rights Watch has revealed that Israel exploits Palestinian children and uses them to grow, harvest, and pack agricultural products. In violation of international standards, the report concluded, Israeli farms pay low wages to Palestinian child workers. The report “Ripe for Abuse” states that “children as young as 11 work on some settlement farms, often in high temperatures. The children carry heavy loads, are exposed to hazardous pesticides, and in some cases have to pay themselves for medical treatment for work-related injuries or illness.”

Human Rights Watch interviewed 38 minors and 12 adults. They all work at seven colonies in the Jordan Valley, which occupies nearly 30 percent of the West Bank. Israeli restrictions on Palestinians there, according to the report, “cost the Palestinian economy more than US$700 million each year, according to World Bank estimates.” Poverty hits 33.5% in the Jordan Valley, the highest in the West Bank.

Hamas, Israel: truce or another hot summer?

The author explains that all indications on the ground, despite the recent escalation in the Gaza Strip, suggest that Hamas and Israel are heading in the direction of reaching a long-term truce agreement.

AL monitor, Middle East Pulse

Dr. Adnan Abuamer, Gaza

The ceasefire between Hamas and Israel, reached in August 2014 after 50-day war, has maintained a relative calm. No major breaches were recorded by both sides, except for exchanging fire between Israel and Salafi groups in Gaza. Despite this, Hamas’ military wing is taking unprecedented steps in the confrontation with Israel, since the beginning of 2015.

Al-Qassam Brigades have implemented extensive missile tests and published photos of training sites adjacent to the fence separating the Gaza Strip and Israel. In May, Hamas allowed hundreds of Palestinians to watch towns and villages near the border. Issam Idwan, the Head of a Hamas-affiliated refugee group stressed that this step aims to “to materialize the Palestinian dream of returning to the occupied territories.”

Hamas has also sent bulldozers and trucks to pave a road 250 meters away from Israel.

“Al-Qassam [Brigades'] latest movements aim at collecting intelligence information on the Israeli army locations beyond Gaza’s border and to increase Hamas fighters’ audacity to confront [Israel]. This is not to mention facilitating al-Qassam [Brigades'] patrols on the border alongside Israel’s patrols and to establish electronic military barracks to monitor the border,” an official on condition of anonymity said.

According to Hamas clandestine discussions, the author was informed about, “Al-Qassam [Brigades'] moves aim at putting an end to Israel’s security restrictions on eastern Gaza. Hamas’ military wing seeks to keep the Israeli army at 300 meters [0.2 miles] away from the border in the east, to protect farmers on their lands, facilitate tunneling and protect drill sites to the nearest point of the border to save time and effort.”

The situation shows that Hamas is not interested in a new escalation with Israel, but rather going in the direction of inking a possible truce, despite some breaches the Gaza Strip experienced in June. Hamas didn’t respond to these attacks to show its interest of reaching a truce and maintaining calm.

PA to go back to zero point

Dr. Yousef Rizqa, Palestinian intellectual and former advisor to former Palestinian Prime Minister

Abstract: Mahmoud Abbas, by dismissing the Palestinian unity government, wants to send a message to France and Israel that he is ready to resume negotiations based on the Quartet’s Conditions and Fatah’s political program.

The Palestinian issue has not achieved any progress ever since Mahmoud Abbas has come to power; even some parties claim that the issue has witnessed a setback during his time. He was the sole engineer of the Oslo Accords, the hero of negotiations, and none of his team can convince even a Palestinian child that they have made any progress.

Mahmoud Abbas has been defeated on the political as well as the personal level. His bitter defeat was his failure in the two-state solution. He wants to save himself after Israel, the U.S, and other Arab countries, have neglected him, by sticking to the French proposal to revive peace talks.

He claims that Jordan and Egypt have accepted the French proposal. He also stated that the new Palestinian government would not include people, who do not accept the Quartet on the Middle East’s conditions, condemn violence, and recognize Israel. A representative of Abbas called various Palestinian factions and informed them that he plans to form a new government that adopts the PLO’s program, which is based on recognizing Israel, refusing resistance, accepting the Quartet’s conditions, and adopting negotiations, and only negotiations, as a means to liberate the Occupied Territory.

Abbas knows that Hamas will not accept these conditions. Hamas’ spokesperson refused these conditions, and considered Abbas’ new plan a coup against what the movement has agreed upon with Fatah. Hamas, Islamic Jihad, PFLP, DFLP are not likely going to participate in Abbas’ new government, which makes it a Fatah government.

All indications suggest that the French proposal is behind the resignation of the unity government. He was directly involved in this proposal and he knows its detail very well. In fact, by dismissing the unity government, he sends messages to France and Israel and encourages them to go back to negotiations. In brief, Abbas wanted to bring Palestinian factions to the zero point again so that he could move a step forward.

UN Rapporteur for Palestine: disturbing reports of human rights situation under Israeli occupation

UN office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights

Abstract: the Special Rapporteur of the United Nations on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories noted that the situation in Palestine is worsening especially in Gaza, which has been under siege for 8 years and has survived another Israeli assault in summer 2014.

Makarim Wibisono, the Special Rapporteur of the United Nations on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967 expressed deep concern over the human rights of Palestinians living under continued Israeli occupation.

The expert said after his second visit to the region, “reports show that the occupation policies restrict Palestinians’ life, and push the Palestinians to leave their land and their homes, especially in area C in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.”

Mr. Wibisono could not access the occupied Palestinian territory because the Israeli government did not grant him access, and has not formally responded to his requests to access Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory.

He warned that “the explanations received reflect that the reality is a matter of deep concern. The crisis in the war-torn Gaza has deepened. In the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, there are daily violations of Palestinian rights in terms of land loss in favor of illegal settlement.”

He continued, “closing our eyes allow these practices to continue, the international community should ensure that Palestinians are no exception to the universal human right.”

Mr. Wibisono said “accountability is crucial to deal with past abuses and to prevent future violations….this includes accountability for violations in the context of successive Israeli military operations, including the hostilities in 2014 in Gaza. This is the only way forward.”

Situation in Gaza

He noted that after nearly one year, the 12,600 homes that were destroyed during the hostilities in 2014 had not yet re-built. Mr. Wibisono said that the blockade, which is now in its 8th year, imposes severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinians, and on exports and imports, which made Gaza dependent on international aid and created a rise in unemployment.

The Special Rapporteur referred to the issue of the lack of access to health care in Gaza, due to the escalation of hostilities last summer, where more than 11,000 Palestinians were wounded. He said: “health services are also affected due to the blockade. There are chronic and permanent shortage of medicines and medical supplies.”

European Campaign to End Gaza Siege: legal action to be taken against attack on Freedom Flotilla III

Abstract: the European Campaign to Lift Gaza Siege called upon the international community to provide needed protection for activists onboard of Freedom Flotilla III, sailing to Gaza to break its 8-year-long siege.

Alresalah Newspaper, Gaza. Alresalah is a Palestinian local newspaper published in the Gaza Strip.

The European campaign to lift the siege on Gaza asserted the need to provide the necessary protection for international participants on board of the Freedom Flotilla III, which is sailing to Gaza, saying it would take legal actions against those who attack the boats before international courts.

Ramy Abdo, a member of the European campaign, warned at a press conference with IHH and the Palestinian national committee to break the siege took part in, of the consequences of the attack on the Flotilla and the European peace activists onboard.

The Freedom Flotilla III is carrying dozens of peace activists from around the world, including official figures, parliamentary and European politicians, journalists and artists, as well as Arab figures.

Abdo stressed the right of the Gaza Strip of having a port and a waterway linking it with the outside world, adding that it "will give the Palestinians a chance to have a free and independent access to the world, and would serve as a cornerstone of the vitality of the local economy.”

ENDS


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