This Week in Palestine, a service of the International Middle East Media Center www.imemc.org, for November 15 through 21, 2008.
As the senior Palestinian and Israeli Politicians meet for talks, Israel tightens the siege on the Gaza Strip and continue its attacks on the West Bank obstructing any chances to advance peace talks, these stories and more are coming up, stay tuned.
Nonviolent Report
Let us begin our weekly report as usual with nonviolent actions in Palestine.
Palestinians mark the International Children Day with nonviolent demonstrations in several parts of the West Bank, in addition to the protests against the wall and settlements.
Maasara
A woman and a child were wounded during an anti-wall nonviolent protest in the village of Al-Ma’asara near Bethlehem on Friday.
The Palestinian villagers were accompanied by a number of International and Israeli peace activists who marched after the Friday prayer to protest the construction of the wall on the villages land.
The protestors carried Palestinian flags and signs calling for the removal of the wall. Marking the International Children Day. Protestors also carried signs condemning Israeli measures against Palestinian Children.
As the march arrived near the construction site of the wall, troops, geared up with batons and machine guns attempted to stop them by placing a barbed wire on the road.
Troops tackled the protestors and in the process wounded 52-year-old Suad Joma’a and 10 year old Iyad Hasan bruised by the attacks and were treated on sight by Palestinian medics.
Bilin
In the village of Bil'in near Ramallah, dozens of Palestinian and international demonstrators choked on teargas in their weekly nonviolent anti-wall demonstration.
Local sources reported that the protest had been peaceful as Palestinian, Israeli and international peace activists waved Palestinian flags, banners and posters, when the army attacked them.
The source added that Israeli soldiers "showered protesters with rubber-coated metal bullets, injuring dozens" during the protest. Most reported injuries were due to teargas inhalation.
Similar to Al-Ma’asara protestors carried signs marking the World Children's Day, demonstrations reflected on Israel's "aggression and occupation" that harms Palestinian children. Hundreds of Palestinian children were killed by Israeli forces over the last 8 years of uprising. Thousands of children have been injured and manyof the political prisoners are minors languishing in Israeli prisons"
Demonstrators called on Israel to release all detainees and stressed that its "racist wall" must be removed, along with settlements, roadblocks and checkpoints in the West Bank.
Nilin
Not far from Bil’in, the residents of the village of Ni’lin took to the streets in a peaceful demonstration to protest the building of the wall on village lands.
Israeli soldiers showered the protestors with tear gas causing dozens to choke, including cameraman for Watan TV, Mahmoud Harbiyat.
Many were treated for gas inhalation by field medics.
Nablus
In Nablus area, residents of the villages near the evacuated settlement of Homesh, organized a nonviolent demonstration to protest the return of six settler families to the evacuated land.
Ten protestors were wounded when the Israeli soldiers fired rubber-coated steel bullets and tear gas canisters at the protestors.
This is the second demonstration organized by the popular committee against the colonial settlement activity in this area.
Israeli soldiers prevented the protestors from entering the evacuated settlement. This settlement was evacuated in 2005 as part of the unilateral disengagement plan during which Israel pulled out from four small settlements in the West Bank, however, all of them remained until this moment under military order, which prevents Palestinians from entering the evacuated areas.
For IMEMC this is George Rishmawi
Political Report:
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert, met this week amidst stalemate of Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations and continued Israeli attacks on both Gaza and the West Bank, the details with IMEMC's Dina Awwad.
During a meeting in West Jerusalem with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Israeli Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert, pledged to release 250 Palestinian detainees from Israeli jails.
President Abbas also called on Olmert to ensure a halt to the Israeli army attacks on the Gaza Strip and end closure of the region, which has been in place for more than two weeks now.
Meanwhile, this week, Israeli foreign minister, Tsibi Livni, downplayed the Israeli settlement activities across the occupied West Bank, saying the issue is being exaggerated.
Livni's remarks came on the sideline of a meeting with her British counterpart in Tel-Aviv. A British government spokesman, had noted earlier that the Israeli settlements in the West Bank are illegal and constitute a stumbling block in the path of peaceful negotiations.
This week, U.N Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon, called on the Israeli Prime Minister, during a phone call, to ease the siege Israel is imposing on the Gaza Strip.
The call came in the backdrop of repeated Israeli military warnings of carrying out a large-scale offense on Gaza as well as keeping up with the closure of the coastal territory.
Israeli defense minister, Ehud Barak, hinted at Israel's willingness to abide by an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire deal with the ruling Hamas party in Gaza, while Hamas has repeatedly said the ball is now in Israel's court.
In the meantime, the Israeli government decided this week to boycott the Durban conference for human rights, claiming some parties including Arab countries will use the conference to attack Israel as 'violator of human rights'.
In the Gaza Strip, as the humanitarian situation is rapidly deteriorating because of the Israeli blockade of the coastal Strip, a number of human rights groups called for a press conference for lifting the Israeli blockade immediately to avert a humanitarian crisis.
The United Nations, from its part, had warned of the fact it would not be able to bring in food assistance to more than 700,000 Palestinian refugees in Gaza as Israel continues closure of Gaza's commercial crossings.
At the internal political level, national unity dialogue between the political parties of Hamas and Fatah are blocked as Hamas insists that the Abbas-led Palestinian Authority in the West Bank should release all Hamas detainees from its jails.
The Islamic Jihad group in Gaza said that the dialogue should constitute a basis for national unity among Palestinians , voicing fears that Hamas might take a very major step by declaring its own president in the Gaza Strip after January2009, when Abbas's term in office comes to an end.
For IMEMC's this Dina Awwad
Gaza Report:
Earlier this week, the Israeli military killed four Palestinian fighters in northern Gaza, as tanks rolled into southern Gaza. Israeli closure of Gaza's crossings continues for the third week consecutively. More from IMEMC's Rami Al-Meghari in Gaza.
This week, Israeli naval vessels attacked Palestinian fishing boats near the Gaza shores. The naval forces detained 15 fishermen and three international peace activists who joined the fishermen.
The three internationals, an Italian, an American and a Scotsman, have been transferred to the Ben Gurion international airport for their deportation by Israeli authorities.
The internationals are protesting in the airport, carrying out a hunger strike and demanding the release of Gaza's fishermen.
Meanwhile, the Israeli military invaded the southern part of the Gaza Strip, destroying Palestinian-owned farm land in Rafah. This invasion followed the Israeli killing of four Palestinian fighters in northern Gaza.
In response to the Israeli military actions and more than two weeks of closure at the crossings, Gaza-based resistance groups continued to shoot homemade shells onto nearby Israeli areas.
Israeli defense minister, Ehud Barak, had warned of carrying out a large-scale attack on Gaza unless the homemade shell fire stops. The ruling Hamas party said that the ball is in the hands of Israel, with respect to an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire deal, signed in June of this year.
This week, in the shadow of such developments, human rights groups in Gaza warned of an imminent humanitarian crisis across the coastal territory, unless the border crossings are reopened.
Also, this week, the Hamas's armed wing, Ezziledin Alqssam brigades, announced that one of its fighters was killed by an Israeli tank shell in eastern Gaza. No other source verified the news.
For IMEMC's This is Rami Al-Meghari in Gaza
West Bank Report:
Israeli military attacks on the West Bank continue this week, as Israeli troops attacked several areas, wounding a number of residents and detaining several others. More details with IMEMC's Jessica Husly in the West Bank.
This week in the occupied West Bank, the Israeli military wounded six Palestinian civilians. The injuries occurred during an Israeli invasion into the city of Bethlehem.
Also, the Israeli military attacked refugee camps in both the cities of Nablus and Hebron detaining over 13 residents.
In other cities such as Jenin, Tulkarem and Qalqilia, the Israeli military detained more than 20 Palestinian residents.
In the occupied east Jerusalem, the Israeli police rampaged a sit-in tent, erected by a Palestinian family, which was displaced earlier by Israeli extremist settlers.
Meanwhile, the ruling Hamas party in Gaza said that the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank arrested 17 Hamas members and supporters from various areas in the West Bank.
For IMEMC, this is Jessica Hulsey
And that was just some of the news this week in Palestine. For constant update check out our website, www.IMEMC.org. Thanks for joining us from occupied Bethlehem. This week's report has been brought to you by Hussam Qassis and George Rishmawi, good bye.
Nonviolent Report
Let us begin our weekly report as usual with nonviolent actions in Palestine.
Palestinians mark the International Children Day with nonviolent demonstrations in several parts of the West Bank, in addition to the protests against the wall and settlements.
Maasara
A woman and a child were wounded during an anti-wall nonviolent protest in the village of Al-Ma’asara near Bethlehem on Friday.
The Palestinian villagers were accompanied by a number of International and Israeli peace activists who marched after the Friday prayer to protest the construction of the wall on the villages land.
The protestors carried Palestinian flags and signs calling for the removal of the wall. Marking the International Children Day. Protestors also carried signs condemning Israeli measures against Palestinian Children.
As the march arrived near the construction site of the wall, troops, geared up with batons and machine guns attempted to stop them by placing a barbed wire on the road.
Troops tackled the protestors and in the process wounded 52-year-old Suad Joma’a and 10 year old Iyad Hasan bruised by the attacks and were treated on sight by Palestinian medics.
Bilin
In the village of Bil'in near Ramallah, dozens of Palestinian and international demonstrators choked on teargas in their weekly nonviolent anti-wall demonstration.
Local sources reported that the protest had been peaceful as Palestinian, Israeli and international peace activists waved Palestinian flags, banners and posters, when the army attacked them.
The source added that Israeli soldiers "showered protesters with rubber-coated metal bullets, injuring dozens" during the protest. Most reported injuries were due to teargas inhalation.
Similar to Al-Ma’asara protestors carried signs marking the World Children's Day, demonstrations reflected on Israel's "aggression and occupation" that harms Palestinian children. Hundreds of Palestinian children were killed by Israeli forces over the last 8 years of uprising. Thousands of children have been injured and manyof the political prisoners are minors languishing in Israeli prisons"
Demonstrators called on Israel to release all detainees and stressed that its "racist wall" must be removed, along with settlements, roadblocks and checkpoints in the West Bank.
Nilin
Not far from Bil’in, the residents of the village of Ni’lin took to the streets in a peaceful demonstration to protest the building of the wall on village lands.
Israeli soldiers showered the protestors with tear gas causing dozens to choke, including cameraman for Watan TV, Mahmoud Harbiyat.
Many were treated for gas inhalation by field medics.
Nablus
In Nablus area, residents of the villages near the evacuated settlement of Homesh, organized a nonviolent demonstration to protest the return of six settler families to the evacuated land.
Ten protestors were wounded when the Israeli soldiers fired rubber-coated steel bullets and tear gas canisters at the protestors.
This is the second demonstration organized by the popular committee against the colonial settlement activity in this area.
Israeli soldiers prevented the protestors from entering the evacuated settlement. This settlement was evacuated in 2005 as part of the unilateral disengagement plan during which Israel pulled out from four small settlements in the West Bank, however, all of them remained until this moment under military order, which prevents Palestinians from entering the evacuated areas.
For IMEMC this is George Rishmawi
Political Report:
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert, met this week amidst stalemate of Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations and continued Israeli attacks on both Gaza and the West Bank, the details with IMEMC's Dina Awwad.
During a meeting in West Jerusalem with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Israeli Prime Minister, Ehud Olmert, pledged to release 250 Palestinian detainees from Israeli jails.
President Abbas also called on Olmert to ensure a halt to the Israeli army attacks on the Gaza Strip and end closure of the region, which has been in place for more than two weeks now.
Meanwhile, this week, Israeli foreign minister, Tsibi Livni, downplayed the Israeli settlement activities across the occupied West Bank, saying the issue is being exaggerated.
Livni's remarks came on the sideline of a meeting with her British counterpart in Tel-Aviv. A British government spokesman, had noted earlier that the Israeli settlements in the West Bank are illegal and constitute a stumbling block in the path of peaceful negotiations.
This week, U.N Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon, called on the Israeli Prime Minister, during a phone call, to ease the siege Israel is imposing on the Gaza Strip.
The call came in the backdrop of repeated Israeli military warnings of carrying out a large-scale offense on Gaza as well as keeping up with the closure of the coastal territory.
Israeli defense minister, Ehud Barak, hinted at Israel's willingness to abide by an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire deal with the ruling Hamas party in Gaza, while Hamas has repeatedly said the ball is now in Israel's court.
In the meantime, the Israeli government decided this week to boycott the Durban conference for human rights, claiming some parties including Arab countries will use the conference to attack Israel as 'violator of human rights'.
In the Gaza Strip, as the humanitarian situation is rapidly deteriorating because of the Israeli blockade of the coastal Strip, a number of human rights groups called for a press conference for lifting the Israeli blockade immediately to avert a humanitarian crisis.
The United Nations, from its part, had warned of the fact it would not be able to bring in food assistance to more than 700,000 Palestinian refugees in Gaza as Israel continues closure of Gaza's commercial crossings.
At the internal political level, national unity dialogue between the political parties of Hamas and Fatah are blocked as Hamas insists that the Abbas-led Palestinian Authority in the West Bank should release all Hamas detainees from its jails.
The Islamic Jihad group in Gaza said that the dialogue should constitute a basis for national unity among Palestinians , voicing fears that Hamas might take a very major step by declaring its own president in the Gaza Strip after January2009, when Abbas's term in office comes to an end.
For IMEMC's this Dina Awwad
Gaza Report:
Earlier this week, the Israeli military killed four Palestinian fighters in northern Gaza, as tanks rolled into southern Gaza. Israeli closure of Gaza's crossings continues for the third week consecutively. More from IMEMC's Rami Al-Meghari in Gaza.
This week, Israeli naval vessels attacked Palestinian fishing boats near the Gaza shores. The naval forces detained 15 fishermen and three international peace activists who joined the fishermen.
The three internationals, an Italian, an American and a Scotsman, have been transferred to the Ben Gurion international airport for their deportation by Israeli authorities.
The internationals are protesting in the airport, carrying out a hunger strike and demanding the release of Gaza's fishermen.
Meanwhile, the Israeli military invaded the southern part of the Gaza Strip, destroying Palestinian-owned farm land in Rafah. This invasion followed the Israeli killing of four Palestinian fighters in northern Gaza.
In response to the Israeli military actions and more than two weeks of closure at the crossings, Gaza-based resistance groups continued to shoot homemade shells onto nearby Israeli areas.
Israeli defense minister, Ehud Barak, had warned of carrying out a large-scale attack on Gaza unless the homemade shell fire stops. The ruling Hamas party said that the ball is in the hands of Israel, with respect to an Egyptian-brokered ceasefire deal, signed in June of this year.
This week, in the shadow of such developments, human rights groups in Gaza warned of an imminent humanitarian crisis across the coastal territory, unless the border crossings are reopened.
Also, this week, the Hamas's armed wing, Ezziledin Alqssam brigades, announced that one of its fighters was killed by an Israeli tank shell in eastern Gaza. No other source verified the news.
For IMEMC's This is Rami Al-Meghari in Gaza
West Bank Report:
Israeli military attacks on the West Bank continue this week, as Israeli troops attacked several areas, wounding a number of residents and detaining several others. More details with IMEMC's Jessica Husly in the West Bank.
This week in the occupied West Bank, the Israeli military wounded six Palestinian civilians. The injuries occurred during an Israeli invasion into the city of Bethlehem.
Also, the Israeli military attacked refugee camps in both the cities of Nablus and Hebron detaining over 13 residents.
In other cities such as Jenin, Tulkarem and Qalqilia, the Israeli military detained more than 20 Palestinian residents.
In the occupied east Jerusalem, the Israeli police rampaged a sit-in tent, erected by a Palestinian family, which was displaced earlier by Israeli extremist settlers.
Meanwhile, the ruling Hamas party in Gaza said that the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank arrested 17 Hamas members and supporters from various areas in the West Bank.
For IMEMC, this is Jessica Hulsey
And that was just some of the news this week in Palestine. For constant update check out our website, www.IMEMC.org. Thanks for joining us from occupied Bethlehem. This week's report has been brought to you by Hussam Qassis and George Rishmawi, good bye.
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