The News Cast:
Palestinian medical sources reported that 17-year old Mahdi Abu Ayyash, from the town of Beit Ummar near of the southern West Bank city of Hebron was pronounced dead Monday morning at Al-Ahli Hospital in Hebron.
The source added the boy was clinically dead for the past six months after being shot by Israeli troops.
Local sources reported that Israeli troops positioned at the entrance of the town which declared a day of mourning and a general strike.
In Jerusalem, Israeli bulldozers backed by a contingent of Israeli soldiers demolished a home in Beit Hanina neighborhood, and destroyed the foundation of another Monday morning.
The home owner, Amjad Alteriqi, a Jerusalem resident was detained and handcuffed as he attempted to stop the demolition of his house.
The destroyed house was recently built and was home to a family of five members. Israeli police claims the house was built without proper building permit.
On the political level, Sami Abu Zuhri, media spokesperson of the Hamas movement, stated that the Sunday speech of president Mahmoud Abbas is filled with contradictions, misinformation and lies.
During his speech on Sunday, Abbas claimed his motives behind the delay of discussing the Goldstone report on the War on Gaza is that he wanted to ensure more support to the report during the UN vote. Abu Zuhri described Abbas' claims as "unacceptable lies" saying that 33 out of 47 countries intended to vote for the report.
In the meantime, Human Rights Watch demanded Israel in a report published Sunday to immediately lift restriction on the Gaza Strip that have left students especially in Public schools without textbooks and the most basic school supplies, such as pens and notebooks.
The report stated "Israel's blockade affects every aspect of life in Gaza, and is even preventing students from having basic school supplies."
Israel has been tightly blocking the Gaza Strip since June 2006, with occasional lift of the blockade and the crossings for a limited amount of time.
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 George Rishmawi.