NEW YORK CITY, United States – UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon ordered an investigation into reports of rocket firing from a UN school in Gaza.  On October 29, an Israeli aircraft filmed militants firing mortars from a school in Beit Hanoun run by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA).  The video shows militants entering the school grounds and firing several rockets.  During the time of the incident, the school was empty; its teachers and students were evacuated prior to the incident due to an Israeli incursion in the area.

The spokeswoman for the secretary general, Marie Okabe, said that “the secretary-general condemns this abuse of UN facilities, which is a serious violation of the UN’s privileges and immunities.” Also, that “he calls on all involved in this conflict to avoid actions that endanger the lives of civilians, especially children, and that put at risk UNRWA’s ability to carry out its humanitarian mission.”

For more information, please see:

BBC – Mortars fired from UN Gaza school – 9 November 2007

International Herald Tribune – UN condemns use of Gaza school by Palestinian militants – 9 November 2007

AHN – Palestinian rocket attack launched from UN-run school in Gaza – 8 November 2007

Reuters – UN’s Ban orders probe of shooting for Gaza school – 8 November 2007

By Kevin Kim
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

TEHRAN, Iran – Iran on Thursday denounced Interpol’s decision to place on a wanted list five prominent Iranians for the bombing of a Jewish cultural center in Buenos Aires in 1994. On previous day, the global police agency’s general assembly responded to Argentina’s request by voting to issue the “red notices” seeking the extradition of the Iranians and a Lebanese allegedly responsible for the attack that killed 85 people.

Red notices inform governments that a certain individual is wanted with a view to extradition but do not force a country to arrest suspects. Although the notices do not always result in the wanted individual’s apprehension, they are symbolically important and can put government leaders on the spot for letting suspects roam freely in their country. Notices also make it more risky for suspects to travel abroad.

Iran, which had fought hard to avoid having the country’s name linked to the bombing, denounced the decision as politically motivated and unlawfully influenced by Israel and its friends in the United States. Foreign ministry spokesman Mohammad Ali Hosseini also criticized Interpol for allowing its professional reputation to be tarnished by “succumbing to the Zionist regime and some dominant power’s political will.”

Last year, Argentina issued international arrest warrants for nine in connection with the bombing, including former Iranian President Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani. However, Interpol in March issued its own wanted notices against six of the nine, excluding Rafsanjani.

The Iranians who made the list include former intelligence chief Ali Fallahian; Ahmad Vahidi, a Revolutionary Guards general; Mohsen Rabbani, former cultural attaché at Iran’s embassy in Buenos Aires; Mohsen Rezaei, former head of the Revolutionary Guards; and Ahmad Reza Asghari, former third secretary in Iranian embassy in Buenos Aires and a Revolutionary Guards general.

So far, Iran has denied all allegations linking 1994 bombing to the aforementioned Iranians. Hosseini said “Iran will take necessary legal measure and other steps until these notices are cancelled and will demand compensation as well.” In addition, in a retaliatory move against Argentina, an Iranian court summoned five Argentines accusing them of “actions against the security of the Islamic Republic.”

For more information, please see:

AFP – Interpol warrants decision pleases Israel, angers Iran – 8 November 2007

Reuters – Iran rejects Interpol wanted notices – 8 November 2007

International Herald Tribune – Iran rejects Interpol decision to add Iranians to most-wanted list – 8 November 2007

Associated Press – A look at 6 put on Interpol wanted list – 8 November 2007

ABC News – Interpol issues red notices against bombing suspects – 8 November 2007

By Vivek Thiagarajan
Impunity Watch Senior Desk Officer, Middle East

Since October 46,030 Iraqis have returned to their homes in Baghdad.  This is a significant increase from the 3,200 families that returned to Baghdad since January.  (Reuters)  The recent influx of people shows the “improved safety situation,” according to Brigadier General Qassim al Moussawi.  (Dallas Morning News)  He is a major proponent of a plan to increase troops to eliminate terrorist operations in Baghdad.

Another reason for the high return of Baghdad’s refugees is the tightened border control by Iraq’s neighbors.  These bordering nations have absorbed around 2.3 million refugees since the beginning of the war with Iraq with Syria absorbing 1.2 million refugees alone.

These bordering nations have tightened there restrictions on the Iraqi refugees.  For example, at the al-Waheed border crossing from Iraq into Syria scores of Iraqi refugees have lined up for weeks seeking to get visas into Syria.  Last month, Syria passed a rule to cut down on the number of immigrants entering the country.  The new rule only gives visas to merchants and academics.  Thus, the new number of Iraqi immigrants allowed into Syria is a far cry from the 4,000-6,000 Iraqi immigrants that previously entered on a daily basis.

In comparison, during the past year the US admitted 1608 Iraqi refugees.  (The Herald)  The European country that has admitted the most Iraqi refugees is Sweden, which has only allowed 18,000 refugees.  Yet, even these European countries have increased asylum rules to further decrease immigration of Iraqis.

The influx of Iraqis back into Baghdad is shows the increased safety.  As more Iraqis return to the area, it should improve the stability of the area.  Also, it will improve the economy and provide a better lifestyle for the people in Baghdad.

For more information, please see:

Dallas Morning News- Declining violence leads 46,000 refugees back to Iraq, government says- 8 November 2007

Reuters- Iraq says families returning home as violence ebbs- 9 November 2007

Gulf News Daily- 46,000 Iraqis return home- 8 November 2007

The Herald- Iraqis begin to return to homes they fled- 10 November 2007

Washington Post- Officials Cite Return Of Iraqis to Baghdad As Violence Declines- 8 November 2007

By Laura Zuber
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

JERUSALEM, Israel – On November 7, Peace Now, an Israeli NGO, released a report on development of illegal settlements in Occupied Palestinians Territories (OPT).  The report stated that, according to government statistics, the settler population is now 267,500; showing an annual growth of 5.8%.  This is more than three times the annual growth of Israel (1.8%).

The settlements are viewed as a violation of international law, which prohibits occupiers from populating occupied land.  Expansion of settlements is underway, despite Israel’s claims of a “settlement freeze” and its obligations under the US-backed “road-map” to dismantle unauthorized outposts built since March 2001.  According to the report, in 34 unauthorized outposts permanent structures are being built and construction is underway in 88 authorized settlements.  Most of the large projects are being built in settlements located in the West Bank, but on the Israeli side of the Separation Barrier, especially in settlements near East Jerusalem, the Ma’ale Adumim bloc, the Gush Etzion bloc, and Giv’at Ze’ev bloc

The report on the continued settlement expansions has several implications regarding the upcoming peace conference scheduled for later this month.  The settlements are a key issue for Palestinians, who want their future state to include all of the West Bank.  The settlements threaten the continuity of the West Bank, breaking it up into two portions, and will cut it off from East Jerusalem.  Peace Now’s director, Yariv Oppenheimer, said that “if you want to have a two-state solution then you can’t continue to expand settlements.”  The continued expansion of settlements makes an already difficult discussion of borders more difficult.

The report:
Peace Now – Construction in settlements continues – 7 November 2007

For more information, please see:
Telegraph – Israeli settlers increasing in West Bank – 8 November 2008

Al Jazeera – Jewish settler outposts “expanding” – 7 November 2007

Associated Press – Israeli watchdog: Settlements growing – 7 November 2007

BBC – West Bank settlements “expanding” – 7 November 2007

International Herald Tribune – Israel talks peace, but expanding settlement hurts prospects for Palestinian state – 7 November 2007

Jerusalem Post – Peace Now: settlements are expanding – 7 November 2007

International Middle East Media Center – Report: Illegal Israeli settlements rapidly expanding – 7 November 2007

By Kevin Kim
Impunity Watch Reporter, Middle East

CAIRO, Egypt – Torture is endemic in Egypt. In less than a week, two separate incidents of Egyptian torture have surfaced on media, raising concerns over the country’s current human rights condition.

On Monday, an Egyptian court jailed two police officers for three years each for torturing a bus driver during police custody. Although a trial featuring police officers accused of torture was nothing new in Egypt, it was the first case involving a video that was circulated on the Internet.

In January 2006, Emad el-Kebir was detained for trying to stop an argument between his cousin and a policeman. Following his release, he was arrested again and was jailed for three months after a judge found him guilty of resisting arrest. El-Kabir later filed a complaint about his mistreatment during detention.

In November 2006, several Egyptian bloggers posted a video, which also later appeared on the popular video-sharing site YouTube, showing el-Kebir naked from the waist down being sodomized with a stick. As he screamed in pain, the officers ridiculed him. He was also hit with shoes, a whip, and a gun. The video was apparently filmed by the assailants on a mobile phone, and was circulated in order to intimidate others.

El-Kabir, who was in court to hear the verdicts against officers Islam Nabih and Reda Fathi, rejoiced the ruling. “God is great! Thank God!” he shouted. “I regained my right. I don’t want anything more than that.”

Torture is widespread in Egypt because suspects are often held in incommunicado for long time and police interrogations take place without restraint. A few days after el-Kebir’s victory, a man’s body was found on the street in Giza. He had been tortured by police for three days, and eventually died.

The Egyptian authorities deny all allegations of systematic torture in the country and insist that these cases are isolated incidents.

For More information, please see:

BBC News – Egyptian man dies ‘after torture’ – 7 November 2007

News 24 – Man dies after police torture – 7 November 2007

Human Rights Watch – Police officer get three years for beating, raping detainee – 7 November 2007

Associated Press – 2 cops sentenced for torture – 5 November 2007

BBC News – Egypt police jailed for torture – 5 November 2007