This Week in Palestine week 46 2012

At least 28 Palestinians, among them children were killed this week by Israeli attacks targeting the Gaza Strip this week While Egypt sends its Prime Minter to the coastal region to mediate a truce. These stories and more, coming up, stay tuned.

The Nonviolence Report

Let’s us begin our weekly report with nonviolent activities organized in West Bank. This week five civilians were injured, one critically, five others arrested as Israeli troops attacked on Friday anti wall protests organized at a number of west Bank communities. IMEMC’s Salam Qumsiyeh has the story:

Protests were organized on Friday at the villages of Bil’in Ni’lin and al Nabi Saleh in central West Bank, as well as Al Ma’ssara village in southern West Bank in addition to Kufer Kadum, in the north. This week people marched in solidarity with the Gaza Strip that are being bombarded heavily by the Israeli military.

One local youth was critically injured, many treated for the effects of tear gas inhalation, when Israeli troops attacked the weekly anti wall protest at the village of Kufer Kadum. Villagers and their supporters were attacked by Israeli soldiers before leaving the village.

Three Palestinian civilians were injured; many were treated for the effects of tear gas inhalation when troops attacked the weekly anti wall and settlement protest in the village of Al Nabi Saleh.

Residents along with their international supporters reached the entrance of the village when they were attacked by troop’s station there that fired tear gas and rubber-coated steel bullets.

Later troops invaded the village and fired tear gas at residents’ homes. When resident tried to evacuate the homes soldiers attacked them and arrested two men and three internationals assisting the families to run away from tear gas.

In the nearby Bil’in and Ni’lin, villagers and their international supporter managed to reach the Israeli wall built on lands owned by local farmers. Soldiers stationed there fired tear gas and rubber-coated steel bullets. One local youth sustained moderate wounds in Bil’in. Many were treated for the effects of tear gas inhalation at both villages.

Moreover, many were treated for the effects of tear gas inhalation on Friday when soldiers attacked the weekly anti wall protest at the village of Al Ma’ssara, near the southern West Bank city of Bethlehem. This week protest ended with clashes between local youth the invading troops. No injuries were reported.

For IMEMC News this is Salam Qumsiyeh


The Political Report

While Israeli attacks escalate against Gaza, Egypt sends its Prime Minter to the coastal region to mediate a truce and deliver medical supplies, in the meantime’s the US blames Hamas for the escalation and ask countries that have influence on Palestinian groups to use it to stop their rocket fire. IMEMC’s Ghassan Bannoura has more:

At least 28 Palestinians were killed and about 300 others injured in the ongoing Israeli attacks targeting the Gaza Strip. Egyptian Prime Minister Hisham Kandil visited the Gaza Strip on Friday, a visit said to show solidarity with the Palestinian people after two days of relentless attacks by Israeli warplanes targeting the coastal region. Kandil met with Ismael Haniyeh, Hamas Prime Minister in Gaza.

The two leaders visited local hospitals and meet with a number of the Palestinians wounded in the latest Israeli assault. Kandil told reporters that this visit indicates the strong ties between the Palestinian and the Egyptian people and government.
Hamas welcomed the Egyptian visit and asked Arab countries to intervene to stop the escalated attacks targeting the Gaza Strip.

Ahead of Kandil visited to Gaza, Egyptian President, Mohammad Morsi, warned Israel against attacking official Egyptian delegates adding that the delegates will carry medical supplies to the coastal region.

While the Egyptian delegation was visiting Gaza, Israeli war planes bombarded Gaza, although Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, stated that he will halt the strikes against Gaza during the visit of the Egyptian officials. The Egyptian government announced that Israel have promised a three-hour truce during the delegation visit.

Germany and the US called on Egypt and turkey to use its influence on Hamas and Palestinian groups to halt its attacks from Gaza adding that Israel had the right to protect its self.

Chief Palestinian negotiator Dr. Saeb Ereikat said that the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's efforts are focused on deescalating the violence and save lives in Gaza.

On the issue of Palestinian efforts to obtain an observer seat in the UN Ereikat said that the Palestinian Authority will not succumb to pressures to halt its efforts at the UN trying to grant a none-member state from the UN General Assembly.
For IMEMC News this is Ghassan Bannoura.


The West Bank & Gaza Report

At least 28 Palestinians, among them children were killed this week by Israeli attacks targeting the Gaza Strip this week. The Israeli military have conducted at least 200 air sticks in the coastal region, meanwhile in the West Bank Israeli troops attacked protests organized in solidarity with Gaza, injuring at least three civilians and arresting five others. IMEMC’s Rami Al Meghari reports From Gaza.

The Palestinian Health Ministry in Gaza reported that five residents were killed on Friday by ongoing Israeli aerial and ground bombardment which targeted residential areas, government building as well as farm lands all over the Strip. Among those killed on Thursday was 3 year old Mohamed Sa’ed Allah. The boy was killed when Israeli fighter jets targeted his family home in Jabaliya refugee camp in northern Gaza strip.

On Thursday seven Palestinian were killed in Gaza. An old man and a 2 years old child died on Thursday midday after succumbing to wounds they sustained on Wednesday. Meanwhile other two residents were killed when unmanned drowns fired a missile at a group of residents near a gas station in Beit Lahiya town, northern Gaza Strip. One Wednesday eight residents were killed by the Israeli shilling among them Ahmad Misharawi, 11 months old; Ranan Arafat, 7 years old.

The Israeli escalation started on Wednesday midday when the Israeli air force fighter jets assassinated Ahmad al-Ja’bari, 52, a leader of Al Qassam Brigades the armed wing of Hamas in Gaza. On Saturday and Sunday Israeli air raids left eight Palestinians killed among them two children.

Moreover at least 300 civilians were injured by Israeli attacks this week. Among those injured 30 are in critical conditions, 26 children and 18 women, doctors in Gaza reported.

From its part, Palestinian resistance groups fired rockets and home-made shells at Israeli targets near the Gaza Strip and reaching as far as Tal Aviv and settlements around Jerusalem. Israeli sources said that four Israeli were killed by the Palestinian fire and three soldiers were injured.

Elsewhere in the West Bank this week, protests were organized in solidarity with Gaza and against the Israeli attacks targeting the coastal region. Protests were organized in the cities of Jerusalem Ramallah, Nablus, Hebron and Bethlehem. At least five teenagers were wounded when Israeli troops attacked the protests near Bethlehem city, Ramallah and Jerusalem in addition five residents were arrested during a protest in the old city of Jerusalem on Friday.

For IMEMC News this is Rami Al Meghari in Gaza.


And that’s all for today from This Week in Palestine this was the Weekly report for November 3rd to 9th 2012 from the Occupied Palestinian Territories. For more news and updates please visit our website at www.imemc.org. Today’s report has been brought to you by Husam Qassis and me, George Rishmawi