On Tuesday at dawn, Israeli soldiers broke into Nafha Prison, in the south-east of Israel. The soldiers violently woke the detainees up and forced them out of their rooms to be searched. The soldiers also claimed that the detainees were hiding mobile phones in their rooms but failed to locate any. The Higher National Committee for Supporting the Detainees called on international human rights groups to intervene and protect the detainees as they are facing ongoing abuse and violations.
On Tuesday morning, Israeli troops kidnapped two Palestinians in a town near Hebron, after breaking into their homes. One of them is a minor.
Also on Tuesday, Palestinian Prime Minister, Salaam Fayyad, was denied to enter in East Jerusalem to celebrate the renovation of two Arab schools. The projects were funded by the Palestinian Authority. The Israeli government regarded this issue as a “violation of Israel’s sovereignty in Jerusalem”.
The Israeli daily Ha'aretz reported that Israeli human rights groups B'Tselem and Hamoked released a report revealing poor conditions and abusive treatment of Palestinians detained in Israeli security service's prison Petah Tikva in 2009. None of the complaints filed by the detainees interviewed, as part of the report, had led to criminal investigation by Israel.
According to the Justice Ministry, interrogations in Israeli security service's detention facilities are carried out within the legal limits.
In Gaza Strip, while truckloads of food and commercial goods entered via the southernmost crossing, Kerem Shalom, the entry of construction materials remained delayed by the Israeli army.
Also in Gaza, a Palestinian citizen was shot by Israeli soldiers in the east of al-Bureij refugee camp in the central area of the region, while he was collecting plastic from a garbage dump.
Furthermore, the region has witnessed tension on Tuesday morning after the Abu Ali Mustafa Brigade, the armed wing of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, fired five mortar shells at the Israeli positions.
Ha'aretz also reported that Hamas authorities banned a demonstration that had been planned on the anniversary of the Balfour Declaration in Gaza City. Palestinian Popular Struggle Front official Mahmoud Zak, commented the prohibition to be a breach of freedom of speech.
And this is some of the news from Palestine; for more updates; please visit our website at www.imemc.org. Thank you for joining us from occupied Bethlehem. This report has been brought to you by Hussan Qassis and Ane Irazabal.