Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Barack Obama met yesterday for the first time since the attack on the Mavi Marmara at the end of May.
The two leaders talked about how to get talks between Israelis and Palestinians to move from indirect, to direct face-to-face meetings.
They also discussed the issues of settlement construction in both the West Bank and East Jerusalem but did not comment on it at their joint press conference.
Netanyahu said that “Israel is being pushed to make concessions while the Palestinian seriousness in not being examined.”
Obama described the meeting as excellent and successful, and that it boosted the relation between the two countries. Obama also unconditionally accepted Israel's militarism and policy on nuclear weapon's stating that Israel has "unique security needs."
An Israeli soldier who was involved in the unprovoked killing of two women during the war on Gaza in 2009 has been charged with involuntary manslaughter.
The soldier in question shot the two women even after they were forced to leave their homes by an Israeli order and were waving white flags. The soldier claims he was aiming at their legs.
Over 1400 Palestinians were killed in the war on Gaza.
The Israeli army handed notices to residents of Borqa village, near near Nablus, informing them that their structures would be demolished.
The structures in question are two homes and a metal workshop. They were informed that where the structures were located lay in Area C and that they violated regulations.
The buildings have been standing for many years and construction permits had been obtained but, recently, permission has been denied to make internal modifications to the buildings.
Near Haifa, in Wadi Ara, the Israeli Ministry of the Interior showed up to bulldoze a home they said was built without a permit and outside the limits of the municipality.
Hundreds of members of the community showed up in an attempt to stop the destruction but, were helpless in the face of a strong police presence. The residents were subjected to tear gas and baton-beatings by police.
The Popular Committee in Wadi Ara and Arara declared a general strike in protest of the demolition.
Thank you for joining us from occupied Bethlehem, you have been listening to Palestine Today from the International Middle East Media Center, for constant update, please visit our website at www.imemc.org. This report has been brought to you by Brian Ennis.