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CMEP Bulletin
August 31, 2012
New Violence, Political Maneuvering Ahead of UN Session, and more
 New Palestinian Statehood Bid at the UN General Assembly This Fall
Palestinian Politics, Iran, and the Non-Aligned Movement
Violence Continues, Arrests Made, New Anti-Hate Education Effort
Verdict in Case of Death of Rachel Corrie
Migron Evacuation Ordered
Gaza Growing
New Palestinian Statehood Bid at the UN General Assembly This Fall
There were mixed signals this week about whether Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas will ask the UN General Assembly this fall to give recognition to a Palestinian state as a UN non-member state. UNGA recognition of a Palestinian state, even if as a non-member state, would give Palestinians greater authority in UN bodies to bring complaints against Israel. This move is strongly opposed by Israel and the U.S.
It was said at first that Abbas would mention the idea of UNGA recognition in his speech to the UN, but not move the question to a vote so as not to embarrass the U.S. and risk a cut off of U.S. assistance just prior to the U.S. elections. Later statements left it unclear whether or not the Palestinian Authority would call for a vote on recognition in the UNGA. Abbas is under political pressure from his Palestinian constituencies to show positive results from cooperation with Israel and the U.S. on security measures in the face of continued Israeli occupation. But he is also under strong countervailing political pressure from the U.S. upon which the PA depends for political and economic assistance. Recognition of a Palestinian state by UNESCO last year was costly, as Congress suspended the annual contribution from the U.S. to UNESCO of several millions of dollars. The funding cut forced UNESCO to suspend a number of projects.
Palestinian Politics, Iran, and the Non-Aligned Movement
There was a political dust up this week between the Palestinian Authority that controls the West Bank and Hamas that controls Gaza. PA President Abbas was invited to attend a meeting of the Non-aligned Movement in Tehran to discuss  strategy in the UN this fall and said he would go. The Iranian hosts, who support Hamas in Gaza, then invited the Hamas leader, who said he would go to Tehran also. Abbas, who represents the PA in the UN, then said he would not go to Tehran if Hamas went. Iran later apparently withdrew the invitation to Hamas, stating that "[o]nly Mahmoud Abbas, the acting Palestinian Authority chief, has been invited to attend the Tehran summit from Palestine. No formal invitation has been sent for anyone else." At the same time it is known that parts of the Hamas are not happy with Tehran, as some of its leadership has left Damascus because of opposition to the Iranian-backed violent crackdown on the uprising there.
Violence Continues, Arrests Made, New Anti-Hate Education Effort
Israeli police arrested three adolescents from the West Bank settlement Bat Ayin on Sunday for the firebombing of a Palestinian taxi that took place on August 16.
On Tuesday, nine Jewish teenagers were indicted on charges for assault and incitement to racism and violence after an August 16 beating in Jerusalem that nearly killed one Arab youth. Eight of the suspects are minors, but one is 19 years old and prosecutors will try him as an adult.
As two million Israeli children returned to school Monday, the education ministry instructed all junior high and high schools in Israel to conduct a lesson on the Jerusalem attack. Many Israeli politicians blamed inadequate education on the subject of racism for the violence.
On Wednesday in a Palestinian village near Ramallah, settlers sprayed racist graffiti on buildings and cars and attempted to set a vehicle on fire. Israeli police and army officials arrived at the scene to investigate but they have not made any arrests.
On Friday morning, two rockets fired from Gaza by terrorists landed in the southern Israeli city of Sderot. One of them hit a house, causing property damage and the other landed in an open field without exploding.
Verdict in Case of Death of Rachel Corrie
On Tuesday, August 28, an Israeli judged ruled that the state was not responsible for the death of Rachel Corrie. The lawyer who filed the suit on behalf of her parents vowed to appeal to Israel’s Supreme Court. Corrie was killed in 2003 when she stepped in front of a bulldozer that was preparing to destroy a Palestinian home in Gaza. Her sacrifice has become an inspiration to countless others who also work to resist the occupation.
Migron Evacuation Ordered
The Israeli Supreme Court ruled against settlers attempting to delay the evacuation of their homes in the West Bank settlement outpost of Migron. The judges wrote, “We order the petitioners be evacuated from the outpost not later than September 4, 2012 and that the buildings be removed no later than September 11, 2012. The appeal has been rejected.” The court ruled two years ago that Migron was built on private Palestinian property.
Gaza Growing
The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) released a report this week highlighting the urgency for investments in Gaza’s infrastructure. The report warns that Gaza will have a half a million more people by 2020 and they will have even more trouble accessing essentials such as water, sanitation and education services if investments do not keep pace with growth.
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Formed in 1984, Churches for Middle East Peace is a coalition of 24 national Church denominations and organizations, including Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant traditions. It works to encourage U.S. government policies that actively promote a just, lasting and comprehensive resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, ensuring security, human rights and religious freedom for all people of the region.
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