Following the visit to Gaza of a sixteen-person committee created by the UN Human Rights Council, the United Nations released the results of Palestinian and Israeli investigations into Israel's 2008-2009 military attack on Gaza, Operation Cast Lead.

Freedom Flotilla Coalition Meets in Stockholm ... 

It has been over two months since Israel's 31 May 2010 deadly assault on the Freedom Flotilla and little to nothing has been done to hold Israel accountable for its savage attack that led to the killing of nine of our colleagues, or to end Israel's continued violations against the Palestinian people, especially the 1.5 million residents of Gaza. As such, we are continuing our global, grassroots effort to stand up to Israel's ongoing intransigence, including planning our next direct action. The Freedom Flotilla Coalition has just concluded its meeting in Stockholm, Sweden, where we discussed plans to enlarge our coalition to include the various groups around the world that want to join us, as well as intensify our efforts to mobilize a new flotilla. The world must continue to demand that Israel cooperate with the UN Human Rights Council's investigation committee, in order to ensure independence, thoroughness, credibility, and justice for the victims.

 An inter-ministerial committee commissioned by Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu voted to deport 400 children of migrant workers. The remaining 800 out of the 1,200 children in question will be allowed to remain in Israel.

According to the approved criteria, Hebrew-speaking children enrolled in the Israeli school system, whom have been in Israel for more than five years, were born in Israel or entered before the age of thirteen, are in first grade or higher, and whose parents entered the country legally, will be granted permanent status.

Thirteen ministers approved the vote, ten voted against the recommendations, and four abstained. The agreement applies only to children whose parents entered Israel legally. Children who do not meet the criteria will be forced to leave the country within a month, together with their families.

Tuesday, 03 August 2010 12:50 Tania Kepler for the Alternative Information Center (AIC)    The Jerusalem Municipality Planning and Building Committee has approved the construction of 40 new housing units in the East Jerusalem settlement of Pisgat Ze'ev. Approval for these four new buildings, each with 10 apartments, comes less than a month after the municipality approved 32 other units in the settlement.