if we wise, we can save the world community
30/12/2022
30/05/2022
Israel-Palestine conflict
Nakba Day: What happened in Palestine in 1948?
This year marks 74 years of Al-Nakba, or the Palestinian experience of dispossession and loss of their homeland.
Every year on May 15, Palestinians around the world mark the Nakba, or catastrophe, referring to the ethnic cleansing of Palestine in 1948.
Having secured the support of the British government for the creation of a Jewish state in Palestine, on May 14, 1948, as soon as the British Mandate expired, Zionist forces declared the establishment of the State of Israel, triggering the first Arab-Israeli war.
Palestinians mark 74th Nakba amid anger over journalist’s killing
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Zionist military forces expelled at least 750,000 Palestinians from their homes and lands and captured 78 percent of historic Palestine. The remaining 22 percent was divided into what are now the occupied West Bank and the besieged Gaza Strip.
INTERACTIVE What is the Nakba infographic map
The fighting continued until January 1949 when an armistice agreement between Israel and Egypt, Lebanon, Jordan and Syria was forged. The 1949 Armistice Line is also known as the Green Line and is the generally recognised boundary between Israel and the West Bank. The Green Line is also referred to as the (pre-) 1967 borders, before Israel occupied the rest of Palestine during the June 1967 war.
Israel’s military occupation of Palestine remains at the core of this decades-long conflict that continues to shape every part of Palestinians’ lives.
Mapping the Palestinian villages Israel destroyed
Between 1947 and 1949, Zionist military forces attacked major Palestinian cities and destroyed some 530 villages. About 15,000 Palestinians were killed in a series of mass atrocities, including dozens of massacres.
On April 9, 1948, Zionist forces committed one of the most infamous massacres of the war in the village of Deir Yassin on the western outskirts of Jerusalem. More than 110 men, women and children were killed by members of the pre-Israeli-state Irgun and Stern Gang Zionist militias.
INTERACTIVE Mapping Palestinian villages destroyed by Israel infographic
Where are Palestinian refugees today?
There are some six million registered Palestinian refugees living in at least 58 camps located throughout Palestine and neighbouring countries.
The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) provides assistance and operates hundreds of schools and health facilities for at least 2.3 million Palestinian refugees in Jordan, 1.5 million refugees in Gaza, 870,000 refugees in the occupied West Bank, 570,00 refugees in Syria and 480,000 refugees in Lebanon.
The largest camps in each are Baqa’a in Jordan, Jabalia in Gaza, Jenin in the occupied West Bank, Yarmouk in Syria, Eand in El Hilweh in Lebanon.
More than 70 percent of Gaza’s residents are refugees. About 1.5 million refugees live in eight refugee camps around the Gaza Strip.
According to international law, refugees have the right to return to their homes and property from which they have been displaced. Many Palestinians still have hope of returning to Palestine.
The plight of Palestinian refugees is the longest unresolved refugee problem in the world.
INTERACTIVE Where are Palestinian refugees today - infographic map
(Al Jazeera)
Palestinians’ life under occupation
Israel’s military control over the Palestinian people affects every aspect of their lives, from what services they can access and where they can travel to whom they can marry and where they can live.
Leading international NGO, Human Rights Watch (HRW) says Israel is “committing the crimes against humanity of apartheid and persecution against Palestinians”.
In a damning investigation, HRW documented a range of Israeli abuses, including extensive seizures of Palestinian land and property, unlawful killings, forcible transfer, drastic movement restrictions, administrative detention and the denial of citizenship to Palestinians.
INTERACTIVE What is Israeli occupation infographic
(Al Jazeera)
Every year, Israel demolishes hundreds of Palestinian homes. According to data compiled by OCHA, between 2009 and 2022, at least 8,413 Palestinian-owned structures were demolished by Israeli forces, displacing at least 12,491 people.
Forcible displacement is a violation of international law. Most of these structures (79 percent) are in Area C of the occupied West Bank which is under Israeli control. Twenty percent of these structures are in occupied East Jerusalem.
Israel also holds some 4,450 Palestinians – including 160 children, 32 women, and 530 administrative detainees – in prisons.
On April 17 every year, Palestinian Prisoner’s Day is commemorated to highlight the plight of those held in Israeli jails and their struggle for freedom against the Israeli occupation.
Israeli settlements grow
Israeli settlements are heavily fortified Jewish communities built illegally on Palestinian land.
Some 750,000 Israeli settlers live in at least 250 illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank and occupied East Jerusalem. Israeli settlements are illegal under international law.
INTERACTIVE What are Israeli settlements
Settler attacks against Palestinians and their property are a regular occurrence in the occupied West Bank and occupied East Jerusalem, home to some three million Palestinians.
The Israeli government has openly funded and built settlements for Israeli Jews to live in, offering incentives and subsidised housing. This has meant the population of Israeli settlers in the occupied West Bank and occupied East Jerusalem is growing faster than the Israeli population of Israel.
Four deadly assaults on Gaza
The Gaza Strip has been under an Israeli sea and air blockade since 2007. Since 2008, Israel has waged four wars on the Palestinian territory, killing more than 4,000 people.
Bordered by Israel and Egypt on the Mediterranean coast, the Gaza Strip is about 365sq km (141 sq miles), similar in size to Cape Town, Detroit, or Lucknow. It is one of the most densely populated areas in the world, and because of Israel’s continuing occupation has been described as “the world’s largest open-air prison”.
In its most recent bombardment of Gaza, which lasted from May 10 to May 21, 2021, Israeli forces killed 261 people, including 67 children, and wounded more than 2,200, according to the United Nations.
For Palestinians, Nakba is not a historical event, it is a continuing process of displacement that has never stopped.
INTERACTIVE Gaza 2021 war
Al Jazeera Media Network logo
© 2022 Al Jazeera Media Network
19/05/2022
UN Jerusalem resolution: How each country voted
A country breakdown of the General Assembly vote rejecting US decision to recognise Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.
Published On 21 Dec 2017
21 Dec 2017
The United Nations General Assembly has voted by a huge majority to declare a unilateral US recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital “null and void”.
At an emergency session of the General Assembly on Thursday, 128 countries voted in favour of a resolution rejecting US President Donald Trump’s controversial decision on December 6.
Nine countries voted against, while 35 abstained.
Trump had earlier threatened to cut aid to UN members who would vote against his decision.
Here is a country breakdown of the General Assembly vote:
Member states that voted in favour of the resolution
A: Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Andorra, Angola, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan
B: Bahrain, Bangladesh, Barbados, Belarus, Belgium, Belize, Bolivia, Botswana, Brazil, Brunei, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Burundi
C: Cabo Verde, Cambodia, Chad, Chile, China, Comoros, Congo, Costa Rica, Cote d’Ivoire, Cuba, Cyprus, Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea), Denmark, Djibouti, Dominica
E: Ecuador, Egypt, Eritrea, Estonia, Ethiopia
F: Finland, France
G: Gabon, Gambia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Grenada, Guinea, Guyana
I: Iceland, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Italy
J: Japan, Jordan
K: Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan
L: Laos, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg
M:Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Malta, Mauritania, Mauritius, Monaco, Montenegro, Morocco, Mozambique
N: Namibia, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Niger, Nigeria, Norway
O: Oman
P: Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Peru, Portugal
Q: Qatar
R: Republic of Korea (South Korea), Russia
S: Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, Serbia, Seychelles, Singapore, Slovakia, Slovenia, Somalia, South Africa, Spain, Sri Lanka, Sudan, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland, Syria
T: Tajikistan, Thailand, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Tunisia, Turkey
U: United Arab Emirates, United Kingdom, United Republic of Tanzania, Uruguay, Uzbekistan
V: Venezuela, Vietnam
Y: Yemen
Z: Zimbabwe
Member states that voted against the resolution
G: Guatemala
H: Honduras
I: Israel
M: Marshall Islands, Micronesia
N: Nauru
P: Palau
T: Togo
U: United States
Member states that abstained
A: Antigua-Barbuda, Argentina, Australia
B: Bahamas, Benin, Bhutan, Bosnia-Herzegovina
C: Cameroon, Canada, Colombia, Croatia, Czech Republic
D: Dominican Republic
E: Equatorial Guinea
F: Fiji
H: Haiti, Hungary
J: Jamaica
K: Kiribati
L: Latvia, Lesotho
M: Malawi, Mexico
P: Panama, Paraguay, Philippines, Poland
R: Romania, Rwanda
S: Solomon Islands, South Sudan
T: Trinidad-Tobago, Tuvalu
U: Uganda
V: Vanuatu
18/05/2022
JERUSALEM
Jerusalem is the religious and historical epicenter of the world. A surreal and vibrant city, holy to Jews, Muslims, and Christians – over one-third of all the people on the earth. Jerusalem is as unique as she is special. Beyond her religious and historic significance, Jerusalem is the capital of modern-day Israel and an advanced, dynamic city. Jerusalem has to be seen to be believed. Exploring Jerusalem solo is fantastic, and if it’s your first time visiting this glorious place, a tour of Jerusalem is a must. With so much to see and know, having an experienced guide with you is indispensable and worth every penny.
THE OLD CITY
The Old City of Jerusalem is full of the historic and religious elements that make this city so special. The one-square-kilometer walled area is central to Judaism, Islam, and Christianity. The Western Wall in the Jewish Quarter is the last remaining wall of the Jewish Temple compound. Also, it is the holiest site in Judaism. Jesus died, was buried and resurrected in Jerusalem. The Church of the Sepulchre in the Old City is shared between many denominations. In Islam, Jerusalem is said to be from where Muhammad rose into the heavens. The Dome of the Rock makes this city the third holiest for Muslims.
There are four quarters in the Old City: Jewish, Muslim, Christian, and Armenian. Each contrasts with each other, yet what remains bizarrely constant is the way in which the residents of this surreal place rush about on their daily business. A great overview of the Old City is on the Ramparts Walk. The Old City of Jerusalem is a must. Our Half-Day Old City Tour or the Jerusalem Day Tour are great ways to see this amazing place. If you’re staying down south in Eilat, this Jerusalem, Bethlehem, and Dead Sea Day Tour from Eilat is a good option, too.
THE CONTEMPORARY SIDE OF THE CITY
Jerusalem is not all old, though. Modern, West Jerusalem is the capital of modern-day Israel containing the modern-day functions you would expect of any capital city. Although not as liberal as its younger, more relaxed sister, Tel Aviv (just 45 minutes by road), Jerusalem has become a distinguished cultural center. The wave of great cuisine which has swept across Israel has not missed the city. There are some great restaurants in Jerusalem. Our favorite spots are the German Colony and along Emek Refaim Street. It’s a bit of an oasis of modernity and liberalism among this conservative city. Likewise, modern Jerusalem contains the shops and institutions you would expect anywhere else. All buildings in the city must, by law, be fronted with the magical golden stone the city is famous for.
BEN YEHUDA AND MACHANE YEHUDA
Machane yehuda market
The modern-day center of Jerusalem is the pedestrianized area around Ben-Yehuda Street. It features a large selection of restaurants, cafes, and stores. Just in the last couple of years, however, this has come under competition from Mamilla. It’s a pedestrianized mall leading right up to the Jaffa Gate of the Old City containing very upmarket shops, restaurants, and hotels. Often overlooked, Jerusalem’s nightlife scene is actually vibrant and something that offers a totally different experience to Tel Aviv.
Here you can also find the Machne Yehuda Market, Jerusalem’s largest market with over 250 vendors. The Machne Yehuda Market is one of the most vibrant parts of the city. You can buy groceries and household items in the many stalls. Or enjoy the delicious hole-in-the-wall style restaurants and great bars for nightlife enthusiasts.
MANY MUSEUMS
There is a fascinating array of museums in Jerusalem. Of these, perhaps the most important is Yad Vashem. On beautiful Mount Herzl, this is Israel’s memorial for the millions who perished in the Holocaust. The incredible museum tells the story of the Holocaust. It uses words, chilling architecture, and moving multimedia displays. Yad Vashem isn’t fun, but it is somewhere everybody should visit. Just down the road from Yad Vashem is the Israel Museum. It houses a huge selection of artistic, archaeological, historical, and cultural displays. This includes the world-famous Dead Sea Scrolls. Our favorite for kids is the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo, technically Israel’s most popular visitor attraction with a great selection of animals. It also has some more common-day favorites!
Ultimately, Jerusalem is like nowhere else, a city where old and new jostle for space. Incredibly intense, Jerusalem, the ‘City of Gold’ is somewhere beyond explanation. No visit to Israel is complete without a visit here, no matter how long.
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