The JVP Health Advisory Council’s round up of health reports and advisories impacting the lives of Palestinians living under military occupation.
According to the Palestinian Health Ministry in the Gaza Strip, since the Great Return March protests started on March 30th:
– Israeli soldiers have killed 112 Palestinians, and injured 13,190
– 13 Palestinian children have been killed and 2,096 have been injured
– 502 Palestinians were shot in the head and neck
– 283 Palestinians were shot in the chest and back
– 225 Palestinians were shot in the abdomen and pelvis
– 27 of the wounded Palestinians suffered amputations of their legs, one of his arm, and four others had fingers severed by Israeli fire
On Sunday, Mohammad Tamimi, 15, was thrown into the back of an unmarked car by undercover Israeli agents dressed as Arabs in the occupied village of Nabi Saleh and detained until the end of the night. Mohammad is recovering from a life-threatening injury after being shot in the head by Israeli forces five months ago.
New Yorkers turned Times Square into a ground for dissent Friday afternoon, taking to the streets in support of Palestinians actively resisting Israeli occupation and dispossession.
San Francisco State University Professor Rabab Abdulhadi is fighting off yet another attack by the Lawfare Project, the Zionist group that maliciously sued her last year. Her attorneys write: “Lawfare’s stunt has exposed the fundamental weakness in Zionist arguments that advocacy for Palestinian freedom is equal to discrimination against Jewish students. The lawsuit lays bare that Israel advocates prefer to silence and bully campus critics of Israel rather than confront the policy issues raised by Israel’s denial of freedom and equality to Palestinians.”
At least 20 Palestinians and Israeli peace activists were arrested Friday night in Haifa city during a peaceful protest against the Israeli crimes in Gaza.
Many are puzzled why Gaza citizens would risk death by confronting the Israeli military at the borderline. Tom Helman, Joshua Grossman, and Peter Klutz-Chamberlin report on a recent meeting with Palestinian youth from Gaza that helps make the answer to this question clear.
The United Nations highest human rights body voted Friday for an independent investigation into human rights violations in “the military assaults on the large-scale civilian protests that began on 30 March 2018,” carried out by Israeli in Gaza.
Statement by civil society organizations in Israel: “In light of recent barbaric and inhumane military actions carried out against unarmed protesting Palestinian civilians in Gaza by Israeli forces protests have erupted all over the world and in Israel in solidarity with Gaza and its victims. Amongst the many hotspots, Haifa experienced the highest number of Police brutality cases and arrests of activists and high school students. Demonstrators have been gathering daily to peacefully express their right to protest and stand by the “March of Return” victims. Police have escalated their intervention and use of violence against protesters each day culminating in the mass arrests and brutality witnessed on Friday night.”
Salena Tramel writes from Mali: “As West African Muslims celebrate the arrival of their holy month through fasting and prayer, they do so holding up Palestinians. They match that with action in the fight against land and water grabs, not only in the Sahel but also around the world.”