RAMALLAH, West Bank – On November 12, the Voice of Palestine radio program reported that the Israeli military arrested two Hamas legislators.  According to the report, Mariam Saleh was arrested in Ramallah.  Saleh is the first female lawmaker to be arrested by Israel.  Israel has confirmed Salah’s arrest.  The second arrest, which remains unconfirmed, is of Khaled Tafesh in Bethlehem.

These recent arrests bring the number of detained Hamas lawmakers to 41.  In January 2006, Hamas won the parliamentary elections, winning 74 of the 132 seats.  Hamas accused Israel of trying to interfere with parliament’s ability to meet and function.  Palestinian sources report that 16 others, mostly members of Hamas, were also arrested in the West Bank city of Tulkarm.

For more information, please see:

Al Bawaba – Israel nabs two Hamas lawmakers – 12 November 2007

International Herald Tribune – Two Hamas lawmakers arrested by Israeli troops in West Bank – 12 November 2007

Reuters – Israel arrests two Hamas legislators – 12 November 2007

Yedioth – IDF arrest 2 Hamas lawmakers – 12 November 2007

Refugee aid agencies fear that they will not be able to adequately help the 60,000 Iraqis who flee their homes every month.  The fear is magnified by the approaching winter, which will further inhibit the aid workers seeking access to the remote areas containing the displaced.

The difficulties that the agencies must overcome are accurately assessing the number of displaced people, what the displaced people need, and how to safely reach those in need.

The difficulty of reaching the displaced peoples is that they are less likely to flee to other nations because of the tighter border control restrictions.  The tighter control of the border has lead many people to flee to the mountains, which compounds the problem of reaching the remote areas with the necessary blankets and other needs.

The aid agencies are trying to provide the basic necessities for the displaced peoples, and if possible also provide education.

For more information, please see:

IRIN News- IRAQ: Aid agencies struggle to support over two million displaced Iraqis- 11 November 2007

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