Archives for 23 January 2014

United Nations screening of the Gaza documentary “Where Should the Birds Fly?”

Fida Qishta and Laila El-Haddad

Fida Qishta and Laila El-Haddad

On the occasion of the International Year of Solidarity with the Palestinian People, the Working Group of the Palestinian Rights Committee organized a screening of Fida Qishta’s documentary “Where Should The Birds Fly?” at UN Headquarters on Monday, 20 January 2014. The screening was followed by a conversation between Fida Qishta and Laila El-Haddad, Palestinian author and journalist (“The Gaza Kitchen“, 2012).

23 January 2014 – More Settlements in the West Bank and Missiles in the Gaza Strip Aggravate Tensions

Excellency,

I regret to inform you of the continuing turmoil and deterioration of the situation in the Occupied State of Palestine due to illegal and provocative policies that continue to be pursued by Israel, the occupying Power.  While serious peace efforts are being undertaken both regionally and internationally to achieve peace and to salvage the two-State solution, Israel instead continues to choose aggression and colonization.  In fact, not a single day has passed since the resumption of peace talks in which the occupying Power has ceased its oppressive and destructive measures threatening to derail the peace talks and threatening to create an environment for violence to erupt and spiral out of control.

 The latest spate of Israeli crimes took place yesterday, Wednesday, 22 January, in the Gaza Strip, an integral part of the State of Palestine, which remains under an oppressive, unlawful blockade.  For the second time in a week, Israeli occupying forces launched military strikes against the Gaza Strip, firing a missile at a car carrying Ahmed Zaanin, 21 years old, and Mahmoud Zaanin, 23 years old, killing them both.  We continue to condemn this illegal practice of extrajudicial executions repeatedly perpetrated by Israel, the occupying Power, and call for the international community to take measures to ensure accountability for such grave violations of international law and human rights law. [Read more…]