By Laura Zuber
Impunity Watch Senior Desk Officer, Middle East

TEL AVIV, Israel – On June 24, the Islamic Jihad fired several rockets into the southern Israeli town of Sderot. While there were no causalities, the rockets did cause damage to residences.

In claiming the rocket attack, the Islamic Jihad stated that the attack was in retaliation for the Israeli assassination of two members in the West Bank, which was not included in the Hamas-Israeli agreement. The Islamic Jihad also stated that the attack was exceptional and in response to a specific action.

This is the first challenge of the five-day old ceasefire effective in Gaza. In response to the “clear and grave violation” of the cease-fire agreement, Israel has closed its border crossings with Gaza. The crossings were to have opened at 8am on June 25.

Israeli military liaison official Peter Lerner said they would stay closed until further notice. “Any reopening will be in accordance with security considerations,” he told Reuters.

In addition, the International Middle East Media Center reports that Palestinian medical authorities confirmed that Salem Abu Raida, 80, was wounded with several live bullets in the shoulder fired by Israeli soldiers manning the borders. When he was injured, he was standing outside of his home, located close to the Israel-Gaza border. The incident occurred less than 24 hours after the rocket attack.

Not only does the rocket attack challenge the viability of the cease-fire agreement, but it also challenges the authority of the parties involved; especially Hamas and Israeli Prime Minister Olmert.

Hamas must prove to Israel and the international community that it has control over Gaza in order to be included in future negotiations. However, it is also necessary for Hamas not to be seen as supporting the Israeli government. For example, Hamas’ reaction to the rocket attack was a cautious one: they condemned the Israeli killings in the West Bank, but at the same time, they called on Palestinians “to exercise self-restraint and continue observing the agreement.”

In addition, Prime Minister Olmert is facing a Knesset vote which would dissolve his government, bringing new elections, on June 25. Many analysts saw a successful cease-fire agreement as Olmert’s last chance to remain in office.

One minister in Olmert’s government stated, “If he thought that making peace was going to save him, he learnt a serious lesson — that you need two people to make peace, and not one desperate man… I think his time is up; the break in the truce was the last straw. The Knesset will not give him another break.”

For more information, please see:

International Middle East Media Center – Israeli Army Wounds an Elderly Palestinian in Southern Gaza – 25 June 2008

Reuters – Israel Closes Gaza Crossings after Rocket Attack – 25 June 2008

Times (London) – Ehud Olmert’s Leadership Faces Final Hours as Rocket Attack Threatens Ceasefire – 25 June 2008

Al Jazeera – Violence Threatens Gaza Truce – 24 June 2008

The Christian Science Monitor – Gaza Rockets Strain Israel-Hamas Truce – 24 June 2008

By Ben Turner
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

ZANJAN, Iran – A female student who alleged that she was molested by the vice-chancellor of the university has been arrested.  It is unclear what charges she is being charged with, but the prosecutor in the case has been quoted as saying that publicizing certain crimes is worse than the crimes themselves.

After the initial allegations were made, large demonstrations broke out all over the university’s campus.  Sit-ins were staged and students grabbed the vice-chancellor and handed him over to authorities.  The woman alleged that the vice-chancellor harassed her after she went to discuss a problem with him.  Both the victim and the vice-chancellor are currently in custody.

For more information, please see:
AKI – Iran: University Protests Over Sexual Abuse – 20 June 2008

BBC – ‘Harassed’ Iran Student Arrested – 20 June 2008

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BAQUBA, Iraq – A female suicide bomber killed 15 people and wounded 39 others at a government building in the northern Iraqi city of Baquba.  Among those dead are eight police officers, two women and one child.

The attacker stepped out of a car and walked toward a group of police officers and detonated the explosives she was wearing.  The attack marks the second time this year that a suicide bomber apparently intent on killing police officers attacked the crowded downtown area of Baquba.

The attack also follows a recent trend of increased use of women as suicide bombers.  Female suicide bombers have carried out at least 21 suicide attacks this year in Iraq, up from eight in all of 2007.

For more information, please see:
Washington Post – At Least 15 Killed by Female Bomber in Iraq – 23 June 2008

BBC – Suicide Bombing Rocks Iraqi City – 22 June 2008

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BAGHDAD, Iraq – Iraqi council member Raed Hmood Ajil opened fire on U.S. soldiers after a meeting in a town just south of Baghdad.  Two U.S. soldiers were killed and three U.S. soldiers and an Iraqi interpreter were wounded.

The councilmen came out of his car with an assault rifle and shot at American soldiers until he was killed by return fire.  The attack occurred after U.S. soldiers and Iraqi officials had attended a ceremony to open a new park.

For more information, please see:
Washington Post – Two U.S. Soldiers Killed as Iraqi Council Member Opens Fire After Meeting – 24 June 2008

CNN – Iraqi Councilman Kills U.S. Soldiers – 23 June 2008

By Laura Zuber
Impunity Watch Senior Desk Officer, Middle East

WASHINGTON D.C., United States – US Ambassador James Foley, the US Department of State’s coordinator for Iraqi refugees, will visit Syria from June 23-26.  His visit to Syria is part of a trip to four Middle Eastern countries in an effort to increase the number of refugees going to the US.

The UN High Commissioner for Refugees estimates that nearly 1 in 10 Iraqis are either internally displaced or has fled the country.  An estimated 2.3 million are refugees, with nearly 1.5 million refugees live in Syria and 500,000 in Jordan.  In 2007, some 52,000 Iraqis applied for refugee status, making them the largest applicant group.

Foley’s Middle East tour includes stops in Turkey, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria and the purpose is to increase the number of Iraqis traveling to the US in order to reach President Bush’s goal of accepting 12,000 Iraqis by the end of September.

“He will assess the needs of Iraqi refugees in these countries and look at ways to enhance programs that provide assistance to refugees and help resettle the most vulnerable in third countries,” said Kurtis Cooper, a Department of State spokesman.

For more information, please see:

Associated Press – US Diplomat to visit Syria on Iraqi Refugees – 20 June 2008

Reuters – Refugees of Shattered East Account for 50% of World-s Refugees – 20 June 2008

By Laura Zuber

Impunity Watch Senior Desk Officer, Middle East

GAZA CITY, Gaza – On June 17, Mahmoud Zahar, a Hamas leader in Gaza, confirmed at a news conference that militant groups had agreed a truce with Israel. In addition, Hossam Zaki, Egyptian Foreign Ministry spokesman, said, “Both sides have pledged to halt all hostilities and all military activities against each other.”

Israeli officials have yet to confirm that a truce has been reached with Hamas. But, security sources said an accord is in the offing. Defense Ministry official Major General (res.) Amos Gilad left Tuesday for Cairo to conclude the final agreement. While, Ehud Barak, Israel’s defense minister, stopped short of announcing an official agreement, he stressed the importance of making all possible efforts toward achieving calm.

According to the detailed time table released by Hamas, the six month cease-fire will occur in a series of stages. First, all violence should end beginning at 6am June 18. Then, if the cease-fire holds, then Israel will gradually relax the border blockade and begin to allow more supplies into Gaza. After two weeks of peace, the Israel and Hamas will begin discussing opening the Rafah border crossing, from Gaza into Egypt, and the release of captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.

Hamas official Ahmed Yousef told the BBC: “I am confident that everybody will abide by what we’ve agreed. All the groups which went to Cairo gave their okay to the ceasefire… If anybody does anything, they will be doing it on their own.”

Despite the renewed optimism for lasting peace, there is a fair amount of skepticism. In the past seven days, IDF operations have resulted in the deaths of 20 Palestinians in Gaza. For example, two IDF operations in and near Khan Younis killed six Palestinians. Also, according to Israeli military, over 90 rockets and mortar shells have been fired by Palestinian militants into Israel.

In related news, on June 16, the new Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967, Richard Falk addressed the UN Human Rights Council. In his address, Falk expressed concern that his role would be biased and asked the UN to expand his mandate to include investigating human rights violations carried out by Palestinians, as well.

Currently, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian territories occupied since 1967 is limited to investigating Israeli violations of human rights and international humanitarian law in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. This has caused Israel and others to argue that the Human Rights Council is biased and one-sided.

Falk stated that “the idea of investigating violations of international humanitarian law only make sense if all the relevant parties are included.” Also, that attention has been diverted from Israel’s human rights abuses in the Palestinian territories by those who argue his role is one-sided and biased. “One exposes the real character of the occupation much more effectively if one responds to that criticism, which I think is in any event a fair criticism.”

Falk’s appointment as the new Special Rapporteur was controversial. In 2007, Israel responded angrily when Falk compared Israel’s treatment of Palestinians with Nazi atrocities against Jews during the Holocaust. At the June 16 meeting of the Human Rights Council, Israel expressed concern as to whether Falk fulfilled the requirement that the Special Rapporteur be independent, impartial and objective.

For more information, please see:

Guardian – Israel and Hamas Agree Ceasefire as Air Strike Kill Six Palestinian Fighters – 18 June 2008

Ha’aretz – Hamas, Egypt Back Gaza Truce, Israel yet to Confirm Deal – 18 June 2008

Al Jazeera – Israel-Hamas Truce Announced – 17 June 2008

BBC – Israel and Hamas ‘Agree Truce’ – 17 June 2008

Human Rights Tribune – Thunderclaps over Palestine – 17 June 2008

International Herald Tribune – New UN Rights Expert Wants to Investigate Palestinian Abuses as well as Israel’s – 16 June 2008

ReliefWeb – High Commissioner for Human Rights and Special Rapporteur on Situation in Occupied Palestinian Territories Address Council – 16 June 2008