Israeli policy splits Palestinian families

Al Jazeera English, November 7, 2012 To Westerners and Palestinians, Gaza “is hell”, says Ali Batha. “It’s a scary place … It’s the last place in the world [people want to go].” There’s Gaza’s 30 per cent unemployment rate, and the Israeli blockade that restricts imports and exports. Clean drinking water is increasingly scarce. Fuel …

When did the Israeli blockade of Gaza begin?

The Huffington Post, July 26, 2011 Maan News Agency, July 28, 2011 The flotilla was intended to challenge the Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip, a closure that has been decried as a violation of international law. While Israel prevented the boats from reaching the Gaza Strip, the initiative was successful in bringing media attention …

Israel continues to ignore human toll of siege on Gaza

The Huffington Post, July 1, 2010 Maan News Agency, July 2, 2010 Fidaa Talal Hijjy, a resident of the Gaza Strip, was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s disease in 2007–the same year Israel’s blockade of Gaza began. As her health deteriorated, so did Gaza’s medical system. Drugs are in short supply. Hospitals lack necessary equipment. And because …

Don’t give up the fight

The Jerusalem Post, December 18, 2009 Led by over one hundred NGOs, thousands of people gathered in Tel Aviv on Friday to unite under the banner of human rights. The rally, organized by the Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) and timed to coincide with International Human Rights Day, centered on the theme “en …

Israeli blockade strangling Gaza agriculture

The Electronic Intifada, October 29, 2009 Recently, Israel announced that it would import palm fronds from the Gaza Strip for the Jewish holiday of Sukkot. The move came at the behest of Minister of Religious Services, Yakov Margi, who feared that a shortage of palm fronds and a local monopoly on the item would send …

Israel tightens the noose on advocacy organizations

Israel tightens the noose on advocacy organizations The Electronic Intifada, September 23, 2009 Israel’s new tactic The Khaleej Times, October 3, 2009 Mu’tasem Billah Abu-Mastfa was born in Gaza. Though he is just nine months old, his parents are already trying to get him out of the Strip. Abu-Mastfa was born with severe congenital heart …