Madison Rafah Journal

A PCHR Report on Gender-Specific Impact and Consequences

Palestinian Centre for Human Rights, 28 September 2009

In conjunction with the presentation of the UN Fact Finding Mission’s report to the Human Rights Council on 29 September, the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) releases “Through Women’s Eyes: A PCHR Report on the Gender-Specific Impact and Consequences of Operation Cast Lead”.

The Israeli offensive claimed the lives of 118 women, and injured at least 825 more. However, although the numbers of victims and casualties illustrate the appalling human toll of this conflict, the true extent of the suffering lies in the day-to-day reality of life in the Gaza Strip following Operation Cast Lead, as civilians struggle to rebuild their lives, come to terms with their loss, and restore some semblance of human dignity

PCHR has released ‘Through Women’s Eyes’ in order to highlight the gender-specific impact of Operation Cast Lead and the illegal Israeli closure. As a result of the patriarchal nature of Palestinian society, women in the Gaza Strip – victims of ‘peacetime’ discrimination – are particularly susceptible to the marginalization, poverty, and suffering brought about as a result of armed conflict and occupation. Israeli attacks result in often ignored gender-specific consequences. PCHR has chosen to allow these consequences, and the reality of life after the offensive, unfold through the victims words; although this report is necessarily grounded in international law, it is perhaps fitting that human rights, and human suffering, are expressed through human stories.

This report presents the cases of 12 women affected by Israeli attacks over the course of Operation Cast Lead. These examples are intended to demonstrate the extent of the suffering inflicted on the individual civilians of the Gaza Strip, and the continuing difficulties they face as a result of the devastation wrought by Israeli forces and the ongoing illegal closure.

‘Through Women’s Eyes’ highlights the difficulties women in the Gaza Strip face as they attempt to come to terms with their grief and their injuries; with the loss of their children, their husbands, their relatives, their homes, and their livelihoods. These narratives are illustrative, not only of the trials faced by women in the Gaza Strip, but of the resilience and strength they have demonstrated over 42 years of conflict and occupation. (Read on …)

Cassandra Dixon’s Photo Report on her time with Christian Peacemaker Teams in the South Hebron hills

7:00-8:30 pm
South Police Precinct Building
815 Hughes Place
Madison [Map]

Hi Friends,

In case any of you would like to see some photos of the village of Tuwani, where I traveled with CPT in the spring, I’d like to invite you to this meeting of the Womens International League for Peace and Freedom in Madison.

The village has had, as usual, a difficult summer. The children were repeatedly harassed on their walk back and forth to summer camp. The road to the nearby village of Kallet Adbea was blocked by Israeli soldiers who used a buldozer to create huge earth mounds, cutting off the 700 Palestinians who live in the village from both Tuwani, to the south, and Yatta, to the north. New demolition orders have been issued for structures in the village of Tuwani, and one new small house was pushed over.

As always, I thank you for your continued care and concern for the people of Tuwani, and of Palestine. There is more information on these incidents and others available on CPT’s website. (Read on …)

Arab American Institute, September 4, 2009

Israel is issuing a “Palestinian Authority Only” visa stamp to only some Americans–some Arab Americans–in a clearly discriminatory system of racial profiling. This arbitrary stamp prevents these ‘branded’ Americans from entering Israel… Jerusalem… and thus, can prevent American citizens from reaching the American Consulate, the American Embassy, or even from leaving Gaza itself, neither north through Israel, nor south through Egypt. And it’s happening now.

“Israel appears to have defined, for itself, three categories of U.S. citizenship: American Jews, whom they see as having “birthright advantages”; most other U.S. citizens, as long as they have no know identification with Palestinians, who are respected and protected; and then, finally, Arab Americans whose rights as U.S. citizens Israel does not fully recognize.

In behaving thusly, and given the U.S. failure to act decisively to put an end to this behavior, both Israel and the U.S. are in violation of their obligations,” writes Dr. James Zogby, president of the Arab American Institute, in “Enough is Enough”.

Over the past few decades, thousands of American citizens have been denied entry into Israel or the Occupied Palestinian Territories by Israeli authorities without just cause. The policy appears to be deliberately targeted towards Palestinian-Americans, Arab-Americans and supporters of Palestinian rights. Such discriminatory policies are a clear violation of article 26 of the UN International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.

Denying entry to American citizens also puts the Government of Israel in clear violation of the 1951 Treaty of Friendship, Commerce and Navigation between the United States of America and Israel. This treaty agrees that U.S. citizens traveling there be permitted “to travel therein freely, to reside at places of their choice; to enjoy liberty of conscience… and to bury their dead according to their customs.” The Treaty also prohibits “unlawful molestations of every kind,” and guarantees U.S. citizens “the most constant protection and security.” (Read on …)