Palestine Today 11 24 2010

Today, Israeli army invaded the villages of Al-Sammou', Ithna and Beit Ummar, near the southern West Bank city of Hebron, and installed several roadblocks.

Israeli army bulldozers also entered in a Bedouin village in the Jiftlik area, in the West Bank’s Jordan Valley and leveled dozens of structures, including homes, in order to expand a Jewish settlement that was built on village lands.

In East Jerusalem, Israeli police demolished a house in the al-Tur neighborhood, near the Mount of Olives. The incident took place just before the house owner Abed Zablah got home with an order issued by the Jerusalem District Court demanding a stop to the demolition.

In addition, a group of settlers took possession of the apartment in the same neighborhood,

With regard to a bomb that was thrown at At Hadarim prison, in Israel, the Palestinian Minister of Detainees, Issa Qaraqe’, held the Israeli government responsible for what he described as an attempt to kill Palestinian leaders and political detainees. There are nearly 800 Palestinian political detainees imprisoned at this prison. No injuries were reported in the attack.

In Haifa, three workers died and seven others were reportedly ill due to a toxic leak at an oil refinery. All victims were found unconscious after inhaling toxic fumes and the incident was regarded as a work accident due to negligence. The Israeli police in Haifa said that the incident does not pose a threat to the residents or to the environment in the area.

Today it was also reported that Shin Bet, the Israeli security service, is considering building a private road through a natural reserve that would connect the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Jerusalem residence to his Caesarea house, through the Route 2 coastal highway. The natural reserve is known to be one of the last habitats of its kind in the country.

In addition, Syrian and Palestinian officials condemned the new Israeli law that mandates that a referendum must be held ahead of any withdrawal from annexed East Jerusalem or the Golan Heights. Experts argue the new law will kill any possibility for the resumption of peace talks with the Palestinians and Syrians, stalled due to Tel Aviv's violations.

That sums up our news for today, thank you for joining us from occupied Bethlehem, you have been listening to Palestine Today, from International Middle East Media Center. For more updates, please visit our website at www.imemc.org. This report has been brought to you by Husam Qassis and Ane Irazabal.