Today, to the north of Hebron, in the village of Surif, about 85 trees were set on fire by settlers from the nearby Bat Ayn settlement. The Palestinian Solidarity Project reported that half the trees in the area were damaged. No Israeli police or military attended the scene.

Ma'an reported that Palestinians and Arab League officials are likely to reject a US proposal for a 90-day temporary freeze on settlement construction in the West Bank. According to the proposal, the US would give Israel both support at the UN and supply 20 fighter aircraft in exchange for the freeze extension.

Israeli Deputy Prime Minister Meridor stated today that US proposal for a 3 month settlement freeze would not be voted on until the Obama administration officially put in writing its four major promises in return for the freeze construction.

In addition, some documents uncovered by Israeli reporters with the Ha'aretz newspaper showed that leaders from the settlement of Ariel, the largest settlement in the West Bank, filed a petition to the Israeli government in 2001 demanding the return of past VAT taxes, claiming that since Ariel was not a part of Israel, it did not have to pay these taxes.

Also today it was reported that four Belgian citizens, who were on board the Freedom Flotilla to Gaza when it was attacked by Israeli forces on May 31, 2010 are planning to sue the Israeli government.

That sums up our news for today, thank you for joining us from occupied Bethlehem, you have been listening to Palestine Today, from International Middle East Media Center. For more updates, please visit our website at www.imemc.org. This report has been brought to you by Husam Qassis and Collin Bell.