Israeli soldiers attack the village of Nabi Saleh, the Isreali government considers apologizing to Israel, and the October Palestinian elections will only be held in the West Bank. These stories and more coming up, stay tuned.

In events from Wednesday, The Israeli Knesset approved in Preliminary Reading a law that allows “nonprofit” and nongovernmental fundamentalist Israeli settler groups, especially the El Ad group, administrative power to run the so-called “National Gardens in David’s City”, in Silwan Palestinian neighborhood, in occupied East Jerusalem.

The Israeli Ministerial Cabinet discussed on Wednesday the current crisis with Turkey that resulted after Israel attacked the Turkish solidarity Ship of the Freedom Flotilla last year, killing nine Turkish activists, and decided to apologize for what was described as “mistakes that took place during the attack,” but will not apologize for the attack itself.

Also, Wednesday night after settlers burned Palestinian fields, Israeli soldiers invaded the village of Nabi Saleh, firing gas bombs and rubber bullets. They occupied the home of Hussam Al Tamimi. Clashes went on through the night. There are no confirmed injuries.

Israeli soldiers, stationed along the Annexation Wall surrounding Qotna village, near Jerusalem, were responsible for the latest fire that consumed Palestinian trees in the Khallit Al Rabee’ area, in Qotna.

Moving on to today, this morning five Palestinians were kidnapped, four from the village of Arraba and one from Illar. In addition to the kidnappings, four detention notices were issued in Arraba.

Meanwhile a summer camp for children in Northwest Gaza was vandalized ten minutes after midnight Thursday morning. The assailants damaged a billboard sign, torched part of the camp stage, and burned a United Nations flag.None of the UN personnel were hurt when the ten attackers came to vandalize the UN sponsored summer camp.


In political news, an official from the Central Elections Commission stated that the October 22 Palestinian elections will only take place in the West Bank. He cited interference from Hamas as the reason for the canceling of elections in Gaza.The announcement to cancel the October elections in Gaza came from the CEC after it was informed of the decision by the government.

That rounds up the main news for today. Please join us again tomorrow for a summary of important events in the Palestinian Territories. You have been listening to Palestine Today from the International Middle East Media Centre. For more updates please visit our website at www.imemc.org. This report has been brought to you by Husam Qassis and me Danny Johnes.