Welcome to Palestine Today, a service of the International Middle East Media Center www.imemc.org, for Wednesday December 17 2008
The Islamic Jihad movement called on all Palestinian factions to declare the end of the truce with Israel, as the Israeli army did not halt its assaults against the Palestinians, and assassinated the leader of the al-Quds Brigades, the armed wing of the Islamic Jihad movement in Jenin, located in the northern part of the West Bank. thes nes and more comping up stay tuned
In an interview with the Palestine News Network, Abu Mojahid, spokesperson of the Islamic Jihad in the West Bank, said that his movement believes that Israel insists on continuing its crimes and political assassinations against Palestinians, and calls for a united Palestinian position regarding ending the truce with the Israeli occupation.
In other news, Palestinian security sources reported that an Israeli contingent invaded the village early Wednesday morning, closing all entrances and cordoning off the area. The sources said that the invading troops imposed a curfew, using loudspeakers, as soldiers ransacked residents' homes in the village, rounding up at least three residents.
Witnesses said that the soldiers held one of the village residents in one of the homes, as other soldiers cordoned off two other homes. The Israeli soldiers vandalized furniture inside. Israeli military attacks and arrest campaigns throughout the occupied West Bank continue unabated, despite the presence of Palestinian Authority security forces in many of the West Bank areas.
On Tuesday, the Israeli High Court sentenced the elected head of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC), Dr. Aziz Dweik, to 36 months imprisonment. Acting PLC head, Dr. Ahmad Bahar, described the ruling as unjust and said that Israel does not have the legitimacy to prosecute democratically elected Palestinian officials.
The ruling was made on Tuesday afternoon by the Ofer Israeli Military Court, near the West Bank city of Ramallah.
Dr. Bahar said that the Palestinians and their legislative council do not recognize the Israeli courts, as they are courts formed by the occupation. He added that sentencing Dweik to 36 months is Israel’s response to democracy as the PLC and its head were democratically elected by the Palestinian people.
He demanded international human rights groups and international parliaments to intervene and ensure the release of Dr. Dweik as he is the elected head of the PLC.
Also on Tuesday, Independent Palestinian Legislator, and head of the Popular Committee Against the Siege (PCAS), Jamal El Khodary, stated on Tuesday that the adoption of Security Council Resolution 1850 is unbalanced and favors Israeli interests and illegal measures of the occupation.
El Khodary added that this resolution provides protection for the illegal Israeli measures against the Palestinian people, as it supports unbalanced bilateral Palestinian-Israeli talks. He also said that this resolution gives Israel another free hand to annex more Palestinian lands, increase the Gaza siege, and allow Israel to annex the West Bank and Jerusalem.
In international politics, United Nations General Assembly President, Father Miguel d’Escoto Brockmann, issued a statement accusing Israel of slander after Israeli officials claimed that Brockmann barred the Israeli envoy to the UN from giving a speech in the General Assembly.
Israel claims that Brockmann barred Professor Gabriel Shalev from delivering a speech at the opening ceremony of a UN session on Human Rights.
Brockmann said that the Israeli claims are rumors and are slanderous. He added that he has been receiving death threats after senior Israeli officials participating in the UN session published the Israeli claims on a number of websites. An official probe has been initiated in light of the death threats.
Brockmann also slammed Israel for barring Richard Falk, the UN Human Rights envoy for occupied Palestine, from entering Israel.
In news from Lebanon, Russia has agreed to supply the Lebanese Military with 10 MiG-29 fighter jets, Lebanese Defense Minister Elias Murr said on Tuesday during a visit to Moscow.
The ITAR-Tass news agency reported that the planes would be provided under the context of “aid”.
Murr spoke during Tuesday's talks in Moscow with Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov.
Rio Novosti news agency reported that Serdyukov stated that Moscow had received a weapons procurement list from the Lebanese armed forces, which would be considered in the near future. He added that “the fighter deliveries would provide a fresh impetus to military cooperation between the two countries.”
Inside sources quoted by the Rio Novosti news agency said the MiG-29s "will be sold at a hefty discount."
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 Justin Theriault and Husam Qassis.
In an interview with the Palestine News Network, Abu Mojahid, spokesperson of the Islamic Jihad in the West Bank, said that his movement believes that Israel insists on continuing its crimes and political assassinations against Palestinians, and calls for a united Palestinian position regarding ending the truce with the Israeli occupation.
In other news, Palestinian security sources reported that an Israeli contingent invaded the village early Wednesday morning, closing all entrances and cordoning off the area. The sources said that the invading troops imposed a curfew, using loudspeakers, as soldiers ransacked residents' homes in the village, rounding up at least three residents.
Witnesses said that the soldiers held one of the village residents in one of the homes, as other soldiers cordoned off two other homes. The Israeli soldiers vandalized furniture inside. Israeli military attacks and arrest campaigns throughout the occupied West Bank continue unabated, despite the presence of Palestinian Authority security forces in many of the West Bank areas.
On Tuesday, the Israeli High Court sentenced the elected head of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC), Dr. Aziz Dweik, to 36 months imprisonment. Acting PLC head, Dr. Ahmad Bahar, described the ruling as unjust and said that Israel does not have the legitimacy to prosecute democratically elected Palestinian officials.
The ruling was made on Tuesday afternoon by the Ofer Israeli Military Court, near the West Bank city of Ramallah.
Dr. Bahar said that the Palestinians and their legislative council do not recognize the Israeli courts, as they are courts formed by the occupation. He added that sentencing Dweik to 36 months is Israel’s response to democracy as the PLC and its head were democratically elected by the Palestinian people.
He demanded international human rights groups and international parliaments to intervene and ensure the release of Dr. Dweik as he is the elected head of the PLC.
Also on Tuesday, Independent Palestinian Legislator, and head of the Popular Committee Against the Siege (PCAS), Jamal El Khodary, stated on Tuesday that the adoption of Security Council Resolution 1850 is unbalanced and favors Israeli interests and illegal measures of the occupation.
El Khodary added that this resolution provides protection for the illegal Israeli measures against the Palestinian people, as it supports unbalanced bilateral Palestinian-Israeli talks. He also said that this resolution gives Israel another free hand to annex more Palestinian lands, increase the Gaza siege, and allow Israel to annex the West Bank and Jerusalem.
In international politics, United Nations General Assembly President, Father Miguel d’Escoto Brockmann, issued a statement accusing Israel of slander after Israeli officials claimed that Brockmann barred the Israeli envoy to the UN from giving a speech in the General Assembly.
Israel claims that Brockmann barred Professor Gabriel Shalev from delivering a speech at the opening ceremony of a UN session on Human Rights.
Brockmann said that the Israeli claims are rumors and are slanderous. He added that he has been receiving death threats after senior Israeli officials participating in the UN session published the Israeli claims on a number of websites. An official probe has been initiated in light of the death threats.
Brockmann also slammed Israel for barring Richard Falk, the UN Human Rights envoy for occupied Palestine, from entering Israel.
In news from Lebanon, Russia has agreed to supply the Lebanese Military with 10 MiG-29 fighter jets, Lebanese Defense Minister Elias Murr said on Tuesday during a visit to Moscow.
The ITAR-Tass news agency reported that the planes would be provided under the context of “aid”.
Murr spoke during Tuesday's talks in Moscow with Russian Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov.
Rio Novosti news agency reported that Serdyukov stated that Moscow had received a weapons procurement list from the Lebanese armed forces, which would be considered in the near future. He added that “the fighter deliveries would provide a fresh impetus to military cooperation between the two countries.”
Inside sources quoted by the Rio Novosti news agency said the MiG-29s "will be sold at a hefty discount."
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 Justin Theriault and Husam Qassis.
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