Palestine Today 05 11 2010

Israeli troops detain civilians from the West Bank while settlers attack Palestinians in a number of locations in the West Bank. These stories and more, coming up, stay tuned.


Israeli settlers destroyed on Tuesday more than 7 acres of lands owned by Palestinian villagers near the southern West Bank city of Nablus. Farmers said the settlers set fire to the crops and fled the scene. Also in northern West Bank, a group of Israeli settlers attacked on Tuesday at dawn, Palestinian farm lands and set it on fire near the village of Jit near Qalqilia.

Villagers said settlers who attacked the village came from the nearby illegal settlement of Gifoun, after the Israeli military confiscated a bulldozer that belongs to one of the settlers.

In related news Israeli troops detained on Tuesday three Palestinian civilians during pre-dawn invasions targeting West Bank communities. Palestinian sources reported that the military broke into a number of homes in the cities of Hebron and Bethlehem, and the nearby villages. Two teenagers were among those detained, the sources added.

Also today dozens of Israeli settlers and a number of other right wing Israeli supporters
marched into the Palestinian town of Silwan in support of a settlement there. Israeli troops closed off streets leading to Beit Yonan settlement, illegally built in the town, and allowed only settlers and their supporters to use it. Settlers marched chanting anti Palestinian and Arab songs and carried Israeli flags, residents reported.

Settlers have been gathering at the Beit Yonan settlement overnight as the Israeli government decided to evacuate it labeling it as illegal. Earlier clashes between Palestinian residents and settlers erupted on Tuesday when settlers attacked residents’ homes in Jerusalem's old city.

Eyewitnesses said settlers attacked Palestinian residents' homes with cocktail-Molotov bombs at the sight of the Israeli soldiers. According to the residents, the Israeli fire squad arrived at the scene one hour late to put off the fire. The settlers were protesting the Israel government decision to demolish settlers' housing units in the old city.
There are nearly half a million Israeli settlers living in West Bank settlements including East Jerusalem, all according to international law are illegal.

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.