Palestine Today 032509

Israeli naval forces attack fishermen in Gaza and troops shoot a boy in the West Bank, these stories and more coming up; stay tuned.

The News Cast

The Israeli Navy attacked a Palestinian fishing boat, kidnapped the four fishermen who were onboard, and took over the boat, on Wednesday morning, local sources reported. The fishermen, three brothers and a relative were taken to an unknown destination. They were fishing in Palestinian territorial waters near Rafah, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip, witnesses said.

Locals say the Israeli Navy frequently attack fishermen and shell Palestinian fishing boats, and have wounded and kidnapped dozens of fishermen before. Earlier this week a young Palestinian fisherman was shot and seriously wounded when the Israeli navy shelled an area, north-east of Gaza City.

In other news, Israeli soldiers shot and seriously wounded a Palestinian youth at the Huwwara roadblock, south of the northern West Bank city of Nablus on Wednesday morning. Local sources said that the boy was shot by the Israeli troops, then soldiers called an ambulance and took the boy away.

Meanwhile, the Palestine News and Information Agency, WAFA, reported on Wednesday morning that Israeli soldiers kidnapped 17 Palestinians civilians after the army invaded a number of villages and cities in the West Bank. The army invaded Nablus, Ramallah and Hebron, broke into and searched dozens of homes.

The Israeli civil court of Al Khideara extended on Wednesday the detention of the 22 young men who were taken by the police on Tuesday during the clashes that took place in the town of Um Al Fahem in Northern Israel. Residents tried to stop Israeli right wing group from marching into the town.

During Tuesday’s clashes the Israeli police attacked residents and local community leaders in Um Al Fahem injuring eight civilians, including one critically.

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 Ghassan Bannoura and George Rishmawi.