This Week in Palestine -Week 30 2009

Three Palestinian teenagers died this week in Gaza. While Washington says no economic sanctions will be imposed on Israel for a settlement building freeze. These stories, and more, coming up, Stay tuned.

Nonviolent Activities

Let's begin our weekly report with the nonviolent activities in the West Bank with IMEMC's Jane Smith:

Bil'in
Scores suffered on Friday effects of tear gas inhalation during the weekly nonviolent protest against the wall in Bil’in village central west Bank.
The villagers were joined by International and Israeli supporters. As is the case each week the march left the village after the midday prayers and headed towered the wall built on the villagers' lands.
Upon arrival to the gate of the wall, one of the demonstrators threw a football (soccer ball) at the soldiers. Right away the Israeli soldiers responded with a tear gas assault.
This football activity was in response to the recent Israel TV commercial (Cellcome Mobile Phones), in which Israeli soldiers are playing with a Palestinian football that accidentally come flying over the wall.
Organizers were strongly opposed to this commercial as it makes light of the Palestinian situation, shows the Israeli soldiers having fun at the Palestinian expense, and ignores and mocks the real suffering, racial discrimination, and poverty the Palestinians on the other side of the wall face daily.
Nil'in
Also in central West Bank on Friday Israeli soldiers attacked Palestinian villagers along with their international and Israeli peace supporters during the weekly non-violent protest against the wall in Ni'lin village. As the villagers marched towards the location of the Israeli wall, Israeli soldiers attacked people by firing tear gas at them.
Later troops used water canon with Chemical to spray the protesters, which caused cases of poisoning, and side effect among the protestors. Others suffered effects of tear gas inhalation. Israeli soldiers attacked those injured and tried to kidnap them by the village managed to stop the soldiers.
For IMEMC.org this is Jane Smith.


The Political Report

This week, Washington said no economic sanctions will be imposed on Israel for a settlement building freeze in the occupied Palestinian Territories. Meanwhile, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas called such building illegal and must be removed. IMEMC’s Jessica Hulsey has the story

This week, the U.S state department's spokesperson confirmed that his administration will not impose any economic sanctions on Israel. They must stop the settlement activity on occupied Palestinian land.

The spokesperson maintained that the administration rather seeks a peaceful resolution to the issue and that the parties concerned can ensure that through dialogue.

In the meantime, Washington warned Tel-Aviv of carrying out any settlement construction in areas described such as E-1 in the occupied East Jerusalem, arguing this would lead to grave consequences.

In the West Bank city of Ramallah, Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas asserted during a meeting with Russian foreign minister, that all settlement activity including what Israel calls natural growth, as illegal and must be removed.

He also reiterated his Palestinian Authority's commitment to the U.S-backed road map peace plan as well as previously-signed peace agreements with Israel. Negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority have been stalled for the past couple of years.

On the internal level, the rival Palestinian parties, Hamas and Fatah, have not agreed to a national unity deal, despite year-long Egyptian-mediated talks in Cairo.

An Egyptian diplomat was quoted as saying that both parties seem unready for an agreement anytime soon.

Other Palestinian factions have called on Fatah and Hamas to stop their bilateral talks and involve representatives of at least eight other factions, including the PFLP, DFLP and PPP.

Talks are expected to resume by August 25, with no guarantees of success due to wide differences between the two factions.

In June of 2007, the Islamist Hamas party took over Gaza amidst factional fighting with the Fatah. The two rival parties have been at loggerheads since Hamas won the 2006's parliamentary elections.

For IMEMC.org this is Jessica Hulsey.



The Gaza Strip Report

Three Palestinian teenagers died this week in Gaza, meanwhile the Israeli military attacked areas of the Strip, from Gaza IMEMC’s Rami Al Meghari Reports:

A group of unknown gunmen attacked late on Tuesday night a wedding party in Gaza City, causing the injury of at least 40 people. Witnesses told local media that the gunmen hurled hand grenades at the people.

Medical sources said that the attack left 40 injured among a number of people in critical condition. No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

On Wednesday evening Israeli tanks invaded northern areas of the Gaza Strip. Witnesses said that tanks opened fire at people homes as bulldozers destroyed farm lands nearby. No injuries reported.

A Palestinian child, who was shot and kidnapped by the Israeli army near the border fence in Gaza on Sunday evening, died of his wounds in the Soroka hospital in Be’er Sheva’ on Monday night.

The Israeli army claimed that the child, 15 years old, was attempting to infiltrate into Israel in the northern part of the Gaza Strip. The army added that the soldiers shouted at the child, ordering him to stop, and opened fire at him after he failed to do so.

Two Palestinian teenagers were killed and eight others were injured as a tunnel collapsed on them, in the border area between Egypt and Gaza early on Monday morning.

Due to the Israeli blockade of the Gaza strip, that started in June 2007, which is also enforced by Egypt, the population of the Strip has become dependent on the dangerous tunnel trade for its survival. Until now more than 150 people have died in the tunnels.

For IMEMC.org this is Rami Al Meghari in Gaza.



The West Bank Report

Israeli forces this week conducted at least 25 military invasions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. During g those attacks troops kidnapped 21 Palestinian civilians, including two children and one woman. IMEMC’s Katharine Orwell reports:

The Israeli military invasions this week targeted Jericho, Ramallah, and Bethlehem. In June the military said it would stop to invade those cities. However the army has violated its own pledge on daily basses since them.

Settler' attacks targeting Palestinians were reported on Tuesday in a number of West Bank areas. Settlers attacked Palestinian cars near the West Bank cities of Ramallah and Nablus, damage was reported but no injuries.

Among those attacked was Palestinian MP Walid Assaf. The attacks started on Monday when the Israeli military evacuated a number of settler outposts in the northern West Bank.

On Monday, Israeli settlers destroyed at least 4.5 acres of Palestinian owned farm land by setting fire to it, near the northern West Bank city of Nablus.

The Israeli police demolished a home in the Arab village of Um AL Fahem inside Israel. The police arrested 17 youth from the village when they tried to stop the attack. The house according to local sources was demolished first last month.

The police say the house was built without legal documents. The villagers report that the Israeli municipality rarely give them permissions to construct houses, and it cost more than building the house itself.

For IMEMC.org this is Katharine Orwell.

Conclusion

And that's just some of the news of this week in Palestine. For constant updates, please check out our website, www.IMEMC.org. Thank you for joining us from occupied Bethlehem. This week's report has been brought to you by Ghassan Bannoura.