Palestinians closed their shops and businesses throughout the West
Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem on Thursday August 29, to
protest Israel's expansion of settlements, the wanton destruction
of a Palestinian youth center in East Jerusalem by the Israeli
army, the refusal by the Israeli army to hand over control of
Hebron and the six month border closure and travel restrictions
imposed on most Palestinians living in the West Bank, Gaza and East
Jerusalem.
The Palestinian Authority also issued a call for mass prayers
on Friday August 30, at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem even though
most Palestinians are barred from entering that part of Jerusalem.
Reports say that Israel moved in large numbers of troops around
Jerusalem to prevent anyone from entering the city.
In another development the Canadian government officially
protested Israel's demolition of a $41,000 playground paid for by
Canadian taxpayers. The playground was part of a community youth
center in a Palestinian quarter of Jerusalem that was destroyed by
the Israeli army Tuesday night. "We find it to be regrettable and
provocative and we are conveying that to the government of Israel,"
Canadian Foreign Affairs spokesperson Rodney Moore said. "We are
not satisfied with the explanation provided by Israel to justify
the actions taken," Moore added.
The situation in Palestine is one of no war-no peace which the
U.S. imperialists favor at the moment in order to prepare
conditions to impose an imperialist peace. Unless the interference
of the foreign imperialists is overcome no genuine peace is
possible that will right the historic wrongs done to the
Palestinian people. The Israeli state is behaving in the most
arrogant manner possible as it thinks that U.S. imperialism will
always be there to rescue it from the disasters of its own making.
Shawgi Tell
University at Buffalo
Graduate School of Education
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
