May 16, 2006

Physicians for Human Rights - Israel, B'Tselem, the Association for Civil Rights in Israel , the Al Mezan Center for Human Rights and the Gaza Community Mental Health Program petitioned the Israeli Supreme Court and demanded that the IDF's decision to reduce the 'safety zone' for artillery fire on the Gaza Strip be cancelled. Their statements failed to acknowledge that terrorist groups exploit civilians as cover for launching attacks against Israel, or insist that the PA prevent such attacks.

See "Playing Russian Roulette with Human Rights" by Alex Margolin.

However, in April, B'Tselem released a press statement which strongly denounced the firing of Qassam rockets into Israeli towns by Palestinian terrorist groups. The statement described these acts as "war crimes" and criticized the Palestinian groups who fire the Qassam's for launching them from areas where civilians live.

In a press release of 24 April, the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) labeled the killing of al-Aqsa terrorists in Bethlehem "extra-judicial executions" and called terrorists "activists." In addition, PCHR's press release of April 27, condemned an IDF attack on Islamic Jihad terrorists who were on their way to launch Qassam rockets at Israel. PCHR called on the international community to "intervene to stop such crimes." PCHR has Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the UN and was given a grant of $370,000 by the Ford Foundation in 2005.

An editorial at the Miftah website dated April 20 described the suicide bomber who killed eleven people on April 17 as "innocent." The article stated that the bombing "took nine innocent Israeli lives and one innocent Palestinian life", described Israeli policy as "state terrorism" and called U.S. insistence on the PA to prevent terrorist attacks an "unachievable demand."

On 17-19 June the Canadian Council for Refugees will hold the International Refugee Rights Conference. Badil, an NGO which advocates the so-called "right of return" of Palestinian refugees to Israel (as opposed to the West Bank or Gaza) will be running a workshop on Palestinian refugee rights at the conference.

Following pressure from numerous Palestinian and International NGOs, Roger Waters has changed the venue of his concert from Tel Aviv to the Neve Shalom/Wahat al Salam "co-existence town "in Israel. Waters originally rejected pressure to cancel the concert completely as requested by the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic & Cultural Boycott of Israel. Waters has helped promote War on Want's campaign opposing the security barrier.