Settlers take over a Palestinian-owed home in Jerusalem's old city and soldiers kidnap 27 civilians from the west Bank. These stories and more coming up; stay tuned.

News Cast

A group of Israeli settlers took over a Palestinian-owned house in Jerusalem's old city on Thursday morning. The owner, Nasser Jaber, told reporters, a group of Israeli settlers took over his house. He tried to stop them, yet, Israeli police who arrived to the scene forced him away making way for the settlers to take the house over.

Neighbors gathered near the house police officers surrounded the area and did not allow them to reach the house then confiscated a number of residents ID cards, witnesses said. Later in the day, the Jerusalem Municipality demolished a Palestinian owned shop just outside of the Old City.

The municipality claimed that the shop was built without permits. While handed out demolishing orders to more homes that belongs to Palestinians located in Al-Isawiya area in Jerusalem. The Israeli government has intensified its demolition campaign of Palestinian-owned homes. The Jerusalem municipality handed out demolition orders to 176 Palestinian families in March alone, and 88 another orders were handed out in February.

The authorities have rarely granted Palestinian residents permission to build homes in Jerusalem, since Israel occupied the city of in 1967.

Elsewhere the Israeli military kidnapped 27 civilians during pre-dawn invasions targeting a number of Palestinian communities in the west Bank on Thursday. Eleven were kidnapped from a village near Jenin, three from Qalqlia city, seven from Jericho, in addition to three from Al Izriyah town near Jerusalem, and two from Bethlehem city.

In other news one settler was killed and another injured when a Palestinian man attacked Israeli settlers in the illegal settlement of Bat Ayin near the southern West Bank city of Bethlehem on Thursday at noon. Israeli medical sources said the 13 year old boy died of his wounds shortly after reaching the hospital while the 7 year old sustained serious wounds.

Israeli sources said that the attacker used to work in the settlement, adding that he attacked the settlers with an axe. The Israeli military said that the man escaped after the attack. The army radio added the attacker sustained injuries when settlers tried to stop him.

Palestinian sources said Israeli troops have invaded the village of Saffa, near the settlement, and rounded up men aged 15 to 45 and released them after interrogation. Bat Ayin is part of the Gush Etzion settlement bloc, one of the largest settlements blocs in the West Bank.

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. This report has been brought to you by George Rishmawi and Ghassan Bannoura.