From Occupied Palestine

There's a settler in every Israeli
AMIRA HASS
Ha'aretz, 6 July 2005

The hunting season is at its height, and the settlers are the prey. They have become a target for criticism in the media to an extent whose like is hard to remember. They are criticized for sending their children to block roads, for hitting and cursing soldiers, for the disappearance of blue-and-white ribbons on cars (and sometimes the antennas, as well), for occupying a Palestinian house in Muasi and for throwing stones at a Palestinian youth.

Israeli journalist Amira Hass reflects on reporting under occupation
AMIRA HASS and AMY GOODMAN
Democracy Now!, 12 April 2005

Amira Hass, the only Israeli journalist living in the Occupied Territories, joins us in our firehouse studio to discuss the current withdrawal from Gaza and expansion of settlements in the West Bank, the "apartheid system" in Israel and life in the "prison" of the Occupied Territories. [includes rush transcript]

Palestinians also sleep in the day
AMIRA HASS
Ha'aretz, 31 March 2005

"The Israelis don't sleep at night, and we, the Palestinians also sleep in the day time."

So said an East Jerusalemite Palestinian recently. He was referring to the submission with which the Palestinian public in general and its leadership in particular accepts the progress of the Israeli plan to cut off East Jerusalem and its residents from the rest of the West Bank. The saying is more than just an expression of sorrow mixed with anger, and it goes beyond the issue of the Israeli-Palestinian situation. It contains within it the viewpoint that an oppressed public that doesn't merely passively collect victims has the ability to act and make a change to improve its situation; and that not every plan to dispossess them is a guaranteed success. If you want, it's an optimistic-humanistic view. But it needs supporters.

Tul Karm has been liberated?
AMIRA HASS
Ha'aretz, 23 March 2005

"Well, have you been liberated?" we asked a Tul Karm resident, aged 52.

"So they say," he replied.

This is how he describes the situation: "The kids [armed Fatah youngsters] are roaming the streets, shooting in the air and believing their own declarations that they have been set free. If and when the Israeli army wants to reenter the town, it will. What difference does it make to us that soldiers entered the town at night and left? None. They say the Anavta roadblock will be removed, but in our experience they will immediately place a mobile block in its place. And the roadblock at Shufa junction [at Tul Karm's southeastern exit] has not been removed.

Optimism is one thing, bulldozers another
AMIRA HASS
Ha'aretz, 2 February 2005

Until the mortar shelling on Gush Katif yesterday and Monday, optimism in Israel was on the rise. Sharon talked about a historic breakthrough in relations with the Palestinians; Palestinian policemen once again deployed in the Gaza Strip with their weapons; Qassams didn't land in Sderot; there's talk of a meeting between Mahmoud Abbas and Sharon; the Israelis are talking about gestures and releasing 900 prisoners; Peres is talking about jump-starting the economy in Gaza; and Mofaz and Dahlan have met twice already. The general feeling is that despite several wrenches in the works and despite the gaps that emerged in talks between security officials, the sheer fact there are talks attest to the improvement.

The army can't close Gaza checkpoints - they were already closed
AMIRA HASS
Ha'aretz, 17 January 2004

Israel's announcement that it is closing the three checkpoints around the Gaza Strip in the wake of last Thursday's terror attack at the Karni crossing has created the impression that all the crossings have been open recently. This, however, is not the case.

Political Abstention
AMIRA HASS
Ha'aretz, 12 January 2005

Until five, six in the afternoon I felt proud and happy, and then everything changed," attorney Raji Sourani told the Palestinian Appeals Court judges, describing what thousands of people felt on the Palestinian election day.

The initial impression of a strong turnout and diligent obedience of the rules and regulations was impressive. But in the afternoon, the festive feelings were replaced by concern. The turnout was lower than expected. The announcement by the election commission that it was extending voting hours was not surprising. "It was definitely possible to interpret it as concern for all, because of the checkpoints, the Israeli delays, the fears," Sourani said as he continued to describe the events to the three judges whose panel was formed especially for election affairs.

Dump the checkpoints
AMIRA HASS
Ha'aretz, 5 January 2005

Leading up to Sunday's presidential election in the Palestinian Authority is the sort of frenetic activity characteristic of every election campaign - the quarreling and prognostications, the rumors and mudslinging. Discussion of the differences between the candidates - mainly Mahmoud Abbas (Abu Mazen) and Mustafa Barghouti - is even finding its way into children's conversations.

PA: Road system shows Israel intends to keep settlements
AMIRA HASS
Ha'aretz, 1 December 2004

The map of alternate roads and passages for Palestinians only, which Israel asked the donor countries to finance, is consistent with the remarks made by the prime minister's adviser, Dov Weisglass, in a recent Haaretz interview. The map demonstrates that, after implementing the plan to disengage from Gaza and the northern West Bank, Israel plans to strengthen its hold on most of the territory of the West Bank and to leave the settlements intact (except for the four settlements in the Jenin area that are included in the disengagement plan). This is the conclusion reached by Palestinian Authority geographers working in the Palestinian Planning Ministry and the Negotiation Support Unit (NSU).

Prisoners say only heir Barghouti
AMIRA HASS
Ha'aretz, 11 November 2004

Palestinian security detainees are waiting to hear what prisoner Marwan Barghouti has to say: What is his position on the emerging leadership? Does he intend to contend in the planned elections?

According to a lawyer who met with prisoners at Nafha prison this week, the security detainees, particularly those belonging to Fatah, speak of Barghouti as the Palestinian people's new leader. They await his pronouncements as they waver between wanting to give the collective leadership now taking shape a chance and mistrusting it. In any case, as one lawyer overheard the security detainees say, any leadership that arises will not be deemed legitimate nor receive their support if it does not work on behalf of their release.