GENEVA - The main UN human rights forum overwhelmingly reaffirmed Friday the Palestinian people's right to self-determination and statehood, calling it a basic condition for achieving a lasting Middle East peace.

The United States and Guatemala were the only countries to vote against the resolution, put forward by Arab and Islamic states at the UN Commission on Human Rights. The other four permanent Security Council members - Britain, China, France and Russia - voted in favor, while Canada abstained.

Under the resolution, the Commission upheld the "inalienable, permanent and unqualified right of the Palestinian people to self-determination, including their right to establish their sovereign and independent Palestinian State."

AMMAN, Jordan (AP) - An international coalition campaigning to keep children out of war said Sunday that although young Palestinians have been caught up in the violence in Israel, they were not being recruited to fight. The issue was raised during a regional conference on child soldiers that opened in Jordan on Sunday. Israel was not invited to the conference.

The high number of Palestinian teens and children among the casualties since Israeli-Palestinian clashes erupted last September has led some Israelis to accuse Palestinian officials of deliberately putting children in harm's way.

Pre-Historic Era

Some archeologists believe that they have found human remains in parts of what was to become Palestine that date back to 600,000 B.C. There is also extensive archeological evidence that shows that settled agricultural communities were established in different parts of Palestine as early as 10,000 B.C. Copper and stone tools as well as other artifacts have been found near Jericho, the Dead Sea and Bi'r As-Sabi' that date back to about 5,000 to 4,000 B.C.

(3,000 - 2,000 B.C.) Canaan in the Early Bronze Age

by Mona Salem

CAIRO, - Arab foreign ministers renewed an appeal here Monday for an international protection force for the Palestinians and warned the United States against moving its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

The foreign ministers were meeting at Arab League headquarters to prepare for an Arab summit in Amman on March 27, which is expected to focus on the Palestinian uprising against Israel and the crumbling UN sanctions on Iraq.

"Arab countries together address the United Nations Security Council, asking it to meet immediately to study ways to set up an international force to protect the Palestinian people," the Arab League said in a statement.

DID YOU KNOW:

Since 1967, Israel has demolished more than 7000 Palestinian homes in the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza, leaving some 40,000 people homeless.

THAT:

Since October more than 500 homes have been destroyed by tank fire, missiles and army bulldozers.

THAT:

Last week alone, the Israeli Civil Administration demolished 28 houses on the West Bank.

THAT:

This week its East Jerusalems turn: 19 houses belonging to Palestinians are slated for demolition.

THAT:

House demolitions represent a cynical use of law and planning for purely political purposes.

THAT:

28-11-2000

OIC delegation attends UN Security Council session New York, UN, IRNA -- The UN Security Council had an emergency session late Monday to survey the Palestinian-Israeli crisis attended by a group of foreign ministers of the Islamic countries dispatched to the U.N. by the OIC for the purpose.

by Charley Reese

U.S. policy toward the most destabilizing factor in the Middle East – the Israeli-Palestinian conflict – is to support Israel and to never offend the Israeli lobby.

US politicians use a number of rhetorical devices to disguise this policy, since it guarantees not only a continuation of the conflict, but a continuing supply of terrorists and an increasing hostility toward American foreign policy in the region. They use rhetoric to pretend to be interested in a solution.

By Reuven Kaminer (Israeli activist and writer), Jerusalem

The real intent of the assassination of Sheikh Ahmad Yassin is identical with Sharon's disengagement ploy: to block any significant opportunity for the resumption of efforts towards genuine negotiations. The fixed goal is the targeted assassination of any chance for peace.

Diary Account: The last day in the life of 12 year old Muhammad

When 12-year-old Palestinian Mohammad spoke of how he wanted to be a soccer champion, his black eyes flashed and he would kick an imaginary ball off to a successful goal. His mother, busy with her six other children, would nod her head and say, "Yes, perhaps one day when you are big and stronger, you will go off to the Olympics and win a gold medal."

"Before that, Mom," he would say enthusiastically, "I just want to be the star of my school soccer team. Then I will begin to think about growing up and the Olympics."

By JAMES RON

Israel has chose Ariel Sharon as prime minister, for left-leaning Israelis, a Sharon victory has brought an end to the peace process. For his supporters, only a tough ex-general can deliver a lasting deal.

Regardless of Sharon's true agenda, however, his credibility will be sorely tested by allegations of past involvement in crimes of war. With today's intolerance for serious human rights abusers, Sharon's record is likely to cause Israel acute international embarrassment.

At issue are three incidents in Sharon's past: