Palestinian Companies Forced to Buy Israeli Products

by Lina

Israel is constantly inventing new ways of making life in the occupied Palestinian territories ever more difficult and humiliating and several companies in the Nablus region have recently been subject to one of these policies. ISM Nablus visited but one of the affected companies – a small enterprise started in 1995, employing only three people.

They receive tenders from various private and public medical institutions in Nablus, and import supplies directly from abroad – mainly from Turkey, Italy and China. The majority of their shipments are based on inquiry and most items are low-cost such as syringes, casts, stethoscopes, gloves and IV-bags. Occasionally, larger and more expensive items such as infant incubators and electrically powered beds are needed and imported. In the past year, the price to import and process shipments has drastically risen, although it is only recently that companies in Nablus have been affected. One particular order got stuck in Israeli customs for more than 2 months and the company was forced to pay an additional import fee of 25,000 NIS (about $5,000 dollars) to access the order.

The fee was officially required for covering the cost of a so-called CB (Certification Body) Test Report. The CB scheme originated in Europe, where nations were moving toward adopting a common set of International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) standards. It was originally intended to provide a common test format to be used by all participating certifying agencies, but manufacturers are increasingly using the CB test report as final proof of compliance to a specific international standard. Although the goal of the CB scheme is to provide a harmonized international environment, manufacturers must still comply with local electrical installation codes and practices. This creates deviations for many countries, which greatly decreases the value of the scheme.

Despite these difficulties, Israeli authorities claim that these new fees are designed to ensure quality. It is, however, clear that the addition of these fees to the regular costs of foreign imports, has a prohibitive effect on small companies such as that described above. On average, this new policy means that each item will be 10 times more expensive to import.

The only way to circumvent the CBTR and related costs, is to buy directly from Israel. By adding these fees for foreign imports, Israel is in fact forcing Palestinian companies to buy Israeli. This is, apart from politically unappealing, also much more expensive than importing directly from foreign manufacturers.

The interviewed company and its client institutions are not the only ones to suffer from this unprecedented offensive on foreign imports. The proprietor of one Nablus company was unable to meet the costs and consequently had to send back a large shipment to China and buy the same items from Israel. Several other company owners are now, reluctantly, considering doing the same.

AP: Gazans Protest Journalists’ Abduction

Associated Press

Palestinian journalists in Gaza protested on Saturday against the kidnapping of a Fox News correspondent and cameraman, as concern about the men’s safety grew.

Cameraman Olaf Wiig, 36, of New Zealand, and American correspondent Steve Centanni, 60, were snatched Monday from their TV van near the Palestinian security services headquarters in Gaza City.

More than two dozen foreigners have been abducted by Palestinian gunmen, usually in an attempt to settle personal scores, but almost all have been released within hours. This is the longest that foreigners have been held. Security officials are especially concerned because all the armed groups have denied involvement and no demands have been put forth.

About 30 members of the Palestinian Journalists’ Union gathered outside the parliamentary building in Gaza, holding up signs demanding the men be freed. Other signs called for security in Gaza, where armed men wander the streets freely.

Jennifer Griffen, chief Fox News correspondent for the Middle East, called the kidnapping a “test for the Palestinian people.”

“We don’t care who kidnapped them, we want them returned unharmed. This is a very serious case for the Palestinians, for the Palestinian Authority,” Griffen said.

Khaled Batch, a leader of the Islamic Jihad militant group, said kidnapping members of the media “silenced the voice of freedom and justice.”

“We … have experienced oppression and denial. We don’t want to practice this pain and suffering on others, on other wives and people,” Batch said.

Bil’in Demonstration Against the Wall Turns Blue

Today, August 18, the Israeli army and Border Police tried to prevent the weekly non-violent demonstration of Palestinians, Israelis and internationals in Bil’in against the illegal confiscation of their farmland by the Apartheid Wall and settlements. They used brute force to prevent the demonstration from reaching the site of the wall, despite an Israeli military court decision that people in Bil’in have the right of freedom of speech through “legitimate resistance”. In the morning of the demonstration a member of the Popular Committee of Bil’in received a call from the military threatening to use force to prevent the demonsratators from reaching the intended goal of the Wall.

Before the demonstration even began, the army and Border Police were already positioned within the village with armored Jeeps and a water canon. Bright blue water was fired from the canon at the demonstrators, totally unprovoked, as soon as they were within range of the massive white tank. Many demonstrators were soaked by the blue liquid, dying their hair, clothes and skin, and most of them reported subsequent burning and irritation of the skin that lasted into the night. Tear gas was also used against the demonstrators as soon as the water canon was engaged, so it is unclear whether the burning was from gas being absorbed into the wet skin and clothing, or whether the water itself contained a chemical. Regardless, the message from the Israeli army was clear: non-violent protest will not be tolerated and will be met by increasing displays of force.

As usual, the soldiers continued to use sound grenades, rubber bullets, and also the water canon as the protestors and journalists were retreating. There were seven people injured by rubber bullets and gas, including one photographer with Associated Press and several people had skin irritation and a hard time breathing from the tear gas.

The theme of this week’s demonstration was the continuity of the resistance in Bil’in, and the villagers and activists carried the message “You Cannot Break Our Spirit.” The Bil’in Popular Committee Against the Wall and Settlements has organized weekly demonstrations since January 2005 against the wall and against the illegal confiscation of 60% of their farmland, and will steadfastly continue with their weekly demonstrations despite the army’s apparent intent to brutally repress them. The army’s behaviour at last week’s and this week’s demonstrations clearly show that they are trying to terrorize the villagers, internationals, and Israelis into not holding this demonstration anymore.

A representative of the national Islamic forces gave a speech at the beginning of the demonstration encouraging Bil’in and their supporters to continue struggling together despite the many forces that want the joint struggle to fail. On behalf of Bil’in’s Popular Committee Against the Wall and Settlements, members added that they hope for the speedy recovery of supporters, Lymor Goldstein and Rina Klauman, who are still in the hospital for injuries incurred from last week’s demonstration.

Lymor, an Israeli lawyer, who was shot in the neck and head by rubber-coated metal bullet at close range last Friday, underwent immediate surgery to remove the bullet and shards of his skull, which was successful. He was put back in intensive care today, however, due to a severe infection in his brain and is undergoing surgery today.

Rina, from Denmark who suffered from a severe concussion, after a soldier beat her with the butt of his gun last Friday, is still hospitalized and awaiting the results from her MRI. However, she is beginning to feel better and is finally able to walk on her own today.

For more information:
Abudullah Abu Rahma: 054 725 8210
Mohammed Khatib 054 557 3285
ISM Media Office 02 297 1824

Teenage Settlers Hurl Glass Bottles at Human Rights Workers

By Missy and Giuseppe

At approximately 1:00 PM on August 17th, settler boys were throwing rocks at Palestinian people descending the Qurtaba School stairs. One international human rights worker approached the area quickly, but was told by the soldier to get away. The soldier then came yelling out of his post, and threw his chair at the settler boys nearby. He then grabbed one of the boys and yelled at him, in Hebrew. The Palestinians who were coming down the stairs continued on their way, but were very frightened of the situation, and left quickly down Shuhada Street.

At around 1:30, while three internationals were talking on Shuhada Street, one female settler teenager and two younger boys walked past. The settlers stared and suddenly threw a large glass bottle at the human rights workers, which landed at their feet. The settlers took off running towards the checkpoint, where the soldier at the post began yelling and running after them. One of the settlers attempted to hit the soldier and took off running. One international attempted to talk to the soldier, but he said to her, “Go away! This isn’t for you, it’s for myself!” Palestinians were walking down the road at this point, and had seen the settler kids throw the glass bottle at the internationals. One Palestinian man was very concerned and called the police, telling them what happened; the police never came.

About five minutes later, an human rights worker stationed at the checkpoint, came to Shuhada Street to report that settler kids had thrown a glass bottle at her. It was verified that they were the same settlers who had just thrown the bottle at other human rights workers.