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Week in Review - Palestinians Commemorate Al Nakba [May 9 - May 15]

May 15 marks the 62nd anniversary of the 1948 catastrophe, or Al Nakba, which marked the expulsion of over 800,000 Palestinians from their homes when the state of Israel was created. Marches and demonstrations took place throughout the West Bank and Gaza with the various factions agreeing to hold joint marches on the occasion and a siren went off at midday marking the disaster 62 years ago.

The anniversary comes just days after Israel's "Jerusalem Day" celebrations, which mark the occupation and unilateral Israeli annexation of east Jerusalem during the 1967 war. Tens of thousands of Israelis, mostly right wingers and settlers, took to the streets of the city, marching and waving Israeli flags. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also said on the occasion that construction would never be halted in Jerusalem. "We are building the city. We will continue to build it and ensure it thrives," Netanyahu said in a Jerusalem Day speech.

Not coincidently, an Israeli plan to build 12,000 housing units in Al Walaja, southeast of Jerusalem was reported that same day. According to press reports, Palestinians in the area have been told that if they agree to the settlement building, Israel would turn a blind eye to the 95 home demolition orders already in place.

This is not the only settlement plan for Jerusalem announced by Israel this week, despite the start of proximity talks between Israel and the Palestinians. On May 9, the Israeli peace group Peace Now announced that renovation works had begun for the construction of 14 new housing units in the Palestinian Jerusalem neighborhood of Ras Al Amoud. Already 50 Jewish families live in the settlement, which was financed by Jewish American millionaire Irving Moscowitz. The plan includes the construction of 104 houses in a built up Palestinian area.

Then on May 11, the Palestinian press reported that the Israel Land Authorities claim they own land behind the US consulate in east Jerusalem, on which Israeli authorities are planning to build a mall. The three plots of land are both privately owned and the property of the Islamic Waqf.

These announcements all came after the launching of proximity talks between Israel and the Palestinians on May 9. They also came after US reassurances to the Palestinians that any provocative measures would be met with US discontent. But just as US States Department Philip Crowley proudly announced that Israel would not build in the Ramat Shlomo neighborhood for at least two years, Netanyahu himself reassured his people that this was nothing new. The settlement building was in its beginning stages and would not get underway for two years in all cases.

President Mahmoud Abbas, for his part, vowed he would work against so-called incitement against Israel in Palestinian society with the US warning that either side would be held accountable for actions that "undermine trust" during the course of the talks. Unfortunately, illegal settlement construction in east Jerusalem does not fall under this category for the Americans. US envoy George Mitchell is scheduled to return to the region for a second round of talks next week.

Also on May 9, a disturbing report was released by the Association for Civil Rights in Israel in which it said that 74 percent of Palestinian children in Jerusalem live under the poverty line along with nearly two-thirds of all Palestinian families in the eastern sector of the city. The report cited "severe discrimination and neglect" in east Jerusalem in comparison with its western sector.

On May 14, 14 left wing Israeli activists were arrested during the weekly protest against the Sheikh Jarrah settler takeover. The protesters said police used brutality and four demonstrators were taken to hospital. In Beit Safafa, Israeli police tore down a solidarity tent erected near the Salah family, who was evicted from their home by Jewish settlers over a week ago. The elderly couple had been living in the tent since being made homeless.

In the West Bank, the body of 16-year old Aysar Zaben was found outside the village of Mazra'a al Sharqiya on May 13, northwest of Ramallah with gunshot wounds to the back. The village falls between settlements of Shiloh and Ofra. Palestinians say settlers shot and killed the boy who was throwing stones at Israeli cars.

A day later, on May 14, two Israelis were lightly injured when they were shot at the Halamish Junction near Ofra. Later in the day, the Aqsa Martyrs Brigades claimed responsibility for the shooting, saying it was in retaliation for Zaben's killing.

On May 10, Israeli occupation authorities handed the owners of 10 Palestinian houses from the Hebron-areas of Khallet Abu Baida and Jalajel demolition orders.

Meanwhile, in Gaza, on May 13, Human Rights Watch released a 116-page report entitled, "I Lost Everything: Israel's Unlawful Destruction of Property in the Gaza Conflict". The report documents 12 cases during Operation Cast Lead in which Israeli forces extensively destroyed civilian property, including homes, factories, farms, and greenhouses, in areas under their control, without any lawful military purpose. "Almost 16 months after the war, Israel has not held accountable troops who unlawfully destroyed swaths of civilian property in areas under their control," said Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director at Human Rights Watch. "Israel's blockade continues to keep Gazans from rebuilding their homes, meaning that Israel is still punishing Gaza's civilians long after the fighting is over."

That statement holds true today. On May 14, Israeli military sources said an explosive charge was detonated under an Israeli military vehicle north of Rafah but with no reported injuries. Following this incident, Palestinians reported that eight Israeli tanks and four bulldozers infiltrated 500 meters into Gaza, destroying wide swathes of land.

Finally, on May 13, Russia stood up to Israel for its criticism of Russian President Dmitry Medvedev's meeting with Hamas politburo chief Khaled Mashaal last week. Israel's foreign ministry lashed out at Russia, saying it was "deeply disappointed" in Medvedev's decision to meet Meshaal. In response, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Andrei Nesterenko said in a statement, "Hamas...is a movement supported by the trust and sympathy of a significant part of Palestinians," admitting that, "We have regular contacts with this movement."

"It is known that all other participants of the Middle East quartet are also in some sort of contact with Hamas leadership, although for some unknown reason they are shy to publicly admit it," Nesterenko said.

During the meeting Medvedev urged Hamas for the quick release of captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.