Palestinian resistance attacks the Israeli army in the Gaza strip, while the Israeli army kidnap a number of Palestinians in the West Bank. These stories and more, coming up, stay tuned.

The Gaza strip

In a series of Palestinian resistance attacks on Israeli targets, a number of resistance factions today claimed responsibility for the targeting of Israeli areas and soldiers. Shells landed on the Israeli towns of Sderot and Kfar Azza, and several others also targeted a number of army jeeps to the east of Gaza City and Kissufim checkpoint in southern Gaza Strip.

The Israeli media reported that the Israeli government allowed flower and strawberry exports to leave the Gaza strip. Flower and strawberry crops are funded by the EU and according to the report the exports will go to the European Union via Israeli commercial terminals. This decision was made shortly after Palestinian farmers and Israeli human rights groups petitioned the Israeli high court of Justice against the Israeli government and its Prime Minister Ehod Olmert.

The Israeli army the EU, USA, UK and Russia imposed a crippling economic embargo on the Palestinians shortly after Hamas won the 2006 Palestinian elections. In addition to the embargo the Israeli army closed all terminals in or out of the Gaza strip and refused to allow goods to leave or enter the coastal region shortly after the Hamas party took total control of Gaza.

The West Bank

The Israeli army kidnapped four Palestinian civilians in two military operations that targeted the West Bank cities of Ramallah and Hebron on Wednesday.

Elsewhere Israeli troops handed out military orders to villagers from Al Khader village, south of Bethlehem city, in the southern part of the West Bank, to prevent them from continuing to construct their homes. Sources in the village said that the military orders included seven homes that are under construction.

In addition to the seven homes the Israeli army demolished a well used by farmers in Al Khader and told some farmers that their wells will also soon be destroyed. The Israeli army said that the homes and wells must be demolished and removed since they are obstacles to the planned route of the illegal wall that is being built on lands stolen by the army from the village.

Conclusion

Thank you for joining us from occupied Bethlehem. You have been listening to Palestine Today from the International Middle East Media Center, www.imemc.org, brought to you by Nate Bremen and Ghassan Bannoura.