Palestine Today 100509

Israeli military kidnaps civilians in the West Bank while police lock down Jerusalem's old city. These stories and more, coming up stay tuned.

The News Cast

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

Local Palestinian sources reported Invasions of the West Bank cities of Qalqilia and Nablus, in the north, as well as Bethlehem city in the south.

The Israeli military radio said that all 12 men kidnapped were on its wanted list and that they have been moved to detention camps for questioning.

In June of this year the military said it would stop attacking a number of West Bank cities, including Bethlehem and Qalqilia, however invasions and kidnaps of civilians in those cities did not stop.

Also on Monday Israeli police forces were heavily deployed in Jerusalem's old city old city due to Sunday's clashes.

Police did not allow Muslim men under the age of 50 to enter the Al Aqsa mosque as thousands of Jews from all ages gathered at the nearby Western Wall for prayers marking a week-long holiday.

On Sunday clashes erupted between Palestinians who gathered at the Al Aqsa mosque and Israeli police. Palestinians feared that Jewish groups will try to enter the location and conduct prayers. In similar clashes last week the Israeli police injured 17 Palestinians and kidnapped 50 others.

Right-wing Jewish groups claim the al Aqsa Mosque, the second holiest place for Moslems world wide, has been built on top of King Suleiman Temple ruins and they want to demolish the Mosque to rebuild the temple once again.

In other developments, a number of Arab countries joined Palestinian factions and NGOs in criticizing the Palestinian Authority headed by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas over failure to endorse a UN report criticizing Israel's conduct in its war on Gaza earlier this year.

The United Nations Human Rights Council deferred endorsement of the report, led by Richard Goldstone, a former South African judge, until March of next year as requested by sponsors of the resolution who were acting on behalf of the Palestinians.

On Sunday Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas dismissed the criticism, and announced that he will investigate the matter. The US, welcomed the delay, and said it was for the interests of its efforts to restart the stalled peace talks between Palestinians and Israelis.

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..