Palestine Today 090709

the Israeli military kidnaps civilians from the West Bank and settlers uproot trees, these stories and more coming up, stay tuned.

The News Cast

Four Palestinian civilians were kidnapped on Monday morning by Israeli troops during invasions targeting a number of West Bank communities.

The invasions were reported in Hebron, in the southern West Bank, and in Ramallah, in the center as well as in Jenin, Nablus and Qalqilia in the north.

Palestinian sources said that clashes between invading troops and local youth were reported in Jenin and Nablus. No injuries were reported.

The Israeli military radio announced that all four men were taken to detention camps for questioning.

Israeli settlers uprooted 50 olive trees on Monday near the central West Bank city of Ramallah, Palestinian sources said.

The sources added that the farmers arrived to their lands on Monday morning to find the trees uprooted and left on the land. The Israeli military announced that a group of settlers undertook the attack.

Four days ago a group of Israeli settlers uprooted 150 olive trees owned by Palestinian farmers in the central West Bank.

In related news, Palestinian officials slammed the Israeli government's decision to build new settlements in the West Bank.

Nabeel Abu Rudinah, an assistant of the Palestinian President called on Europe and the US to push Israel to freeze settlement construction. Meanwhile top Palestinian negotiator, Sa'eb Erekat, said that Israel has clearly chosen the path of settlement construction instead of the path of peace.

On Sunday the Israeli government approved 500 new housing units in settlements in the West Bank, while the settlers announced the creation of a new settlement in the Jordan valley.

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.