Occupied Palestine updates ( from 11-01-2007 / present)

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11/02/2008

Israeli military kidnaps a Palestinian Security officer in Bethlehem
Monday February 11, 2008 10:10 by Nisreen Qumsieh - IMEMC News nisreen at imemc dot org

Palestinian sources confirmed that the Israeli military has kidnapped Salem 'Obayyt, 22, in pre-dawn invasion on Monday. 'Obayyt is reported to be a Palestinian Security officer, and resident of Wad Abu Freha, near the southern West Bank city of Bethlehem.




Sources indicated that the invading Israeli force contained at least 10 military patrols in the neighborhood, besieging civilians' homes, opening heavy gunfire and detonating sound bombs, seemingly at random intervals, calling 'Obayyt for hand himself over to the Israeli troops.

The invasion caused substantial damages to homes of civilians before the abduction concluded. The operation ended on Monday morning, as the Israeli military took the man to an undisclosed detention center, without criminal charge.

In a separate operation, an Israeli military unit of some ten patrol vehicles entered the town of Beit Fajjar, west of Bethlehem, late on Sunday night. Clashes broke out with local Palestinian resistance fighters, causing some damages but no injuries. The Israeli army also prevented members of the press form attending the scene to cover the incident.

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Israeli authorities demolish a Palestinian-owned house in Jerusalem
Monday February 11, 2008 13:09 by Ghassan Bannoura - IMEMC News ghassanb at imemc dot org

The Jerusalem municipality has, on Monday, demolished Palestinian-owned house located in the Wadi Al Jouz area in the eastern suburb of Jerusalem city.



Arraameen family looking at their demilsihed home – Photo by Anne Paq - Active Stills


The house was constructed 30 years ago, and is owned by Aishah Arraameen, 56. She received a demolition order over three years ago, and, after hiring a lawyer, the order was canceled.

Aishah's son, Sa'ddi, told IMEMC that, three years ago the Israeli municipality had filed the demolition order under a false name, hence the annulment of the order. One month later, he added, the Israeli authorities issued a new order, bearing the family name.

The family fearing being made to pay the costs of demolition, and so removed the roof top of the house themselves. Aishah moved to live with her son in Hebron city, in the southern West Bank.

This morning, soldiers arrived at around nine in the morning, blocked the area and demolished the rest of the house. The municipality also issued an order forcing the family to pay for the cost of the demolition, Sa'ddi told IMEMC.

Before the army withdrew, they also demolished the foundation of a house located near the Arraameen home. Witnesses said that this house is owned by Hanni Toutah, another resident of Wadi Al Jouz area.

Toutah's house was demolished twice during the year 2007. He then donated the land to a local NGO that deals with children with special needs. The NGO was building the house to accommodate the children, local residents told IMEMC.

Since 1967, when Israeli occupied the city of Jerusalem, house building permits are rarely given to Palestinians of Jerusalem by the Israeli army.

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Two Palestinian patients die due to the Israeli siege on Gaza, death toll due to the siege hits 103
Monday February 11, 2008 16:24 by Ghassan Bannoura - IMEMC News ghassanb at imemc dot org

Two Palestinian patients died on Monday due to the Israeli army siege imposed on the Gaza strip, Palestinian sources reported.

File - 2007


Medcial sources identified the two as Fathiyyia Abu Wardah, 40, and Khadijja Al Aqaad. The sources said that both died of cancer.

Medica; sources said the two have applied to travel for treatment outside Gaza but the Israeli authorities refused to grant them permit, despite of their illness.

On Monday the Palestinian Gaza-based ad-Dameer association for human rights told IMEMC that since June 2007 so far, 103 Palestinian patients died due to the Israeli imposed siege on the Gaza strip.

Sameer Mousa, a lawyer at ad-Dameer, told IMEMC that the three main reasons for the death of those 103 patients are varied, but all related to the tight siege imposed on the Gaza Strip. He cited, lack of medical supplies and equipment and the fact that patients are not allowed to travel outside of the Gaza Strip for medication.

Mousa added "Patients suffer heart problems, cancer, diabetes and Kidney failure, constitute the majority of those who died due to the siege by the occupation." According to ad-Dameer, there are 450 types of medicine missing from Gaza since the total siege on Gaza was enforced by the Israeli army.

Mousa concluded by saying "The operation rooms in most of the Gaza strip hospitals are in danger of total shot down in the near future due to lack of medicine, frequent power failure due to fuel shortage, and lack of spare parts for medical equipments."

The Gaza Strip was placed under a total siege by the Israeli army since June 2007 shortly after the Hamas movement took total control over the strip from Fatah. In September of the same year the Israeli government dclared the Gaza strip as a "Hostile Entity" and stepped up its attacks. In January 2008 the Israeli army decided to further reducing the amount of fuel, electricity, food, and water supplied coming into Gaza.

The Israeli government justifies the siege by saying it comes as a response to the Palestinian resistance firing of home-made shells at nearby Israeli town of Sderot.

Four Israelis have been injured in the past two weeks as a result of Palestinian attacks, meanwhile, around 56 Palestinians have been killed due to Israeli attacks. Palestinians, on the other hand, say their attacks come in response to the Israeli attacks against Palestinians in Gaza and the West Bank.

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A Palestinian man dies of earlier wounds
Monday February 11, 2008 16:52 by IMEMC News ghassanb at imemc dot org

Palestinian medical sources reported that a Palestinian man died on Monday at dawn of wounds he sustained last week.



file - 2007


The sources identified the man as Saleh Nabhan, doctors said that Nabhan was admitted to on Friday to Al Shifa hospital in Gaza after sustaining critical wounds due to an Israeli air strile targeting Gaza city.

Nabhan was clinically dead by Sunday and was pronounced dead on Monday at dawn, doctors added.

Nabhan is the third Palestinian to die in Gaza on Monday. Two Palestinian cancer patients died in the coastal region on Monday due to the Israeli army siege imposed on the region since June 2007

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The Israeli army kidnaps two Palestinians from Hebron
Monday February 11, 2008 17:00 by Ghassan Bannoura - IMEMC News ghassanb at imemc dot org

The Israeli army kidnapped two Palestinian civilians from the southern West Bank city of Hebron on Monday.



File - 2007


Local sources stated that troops attacked and searched homes in Hebron city center and kidnapped Mohamed Zughier, 21 and attacked homes in the nearby Al Aroup refugee camp and kidnapped Mohamed Mahfouth, 22.

Witnesses said that when troops attacked homes in the city of Hebron soldiers attacked beat up men during searching the homes their.

Meanwhile the Palestinian Prisoners Society in Hebron announced on Monday that the number of Palestinian civilians kidnapped from the city since the beginning of February 2008 now stands at 30 civilians.

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Settlers attempt to demolish a Palestinian house in Hebron
Monday February 11, 2008 22:42 by IMEMC Staff saed at imemc dot org

The Palestinian Popular (Folk) Committees reported on Monday that an extremist settlers group attempted to demolish a Palestinian house in Bani Neim village, near the southern West Bank city of Hebron.

File - Image by Maan News Agency


The settlers are from Bani Hefar illegal settlement outpost. The settlers attacked the home, which is mainly under construction, destroyed the windows, doors and stones used for constructing the house.

Israeli soldiers were present in the area but did not attempt to stop the settlers.

Azmi Shiokhy, secretary-general of the Committee slammed the attack and stated that it is part of ongoing violations carried by settlers and soldiers in an attempt to force the residents out of the area and cease their land.

Shiokhy added that the ongoing settlement construction and expansion in villages around Hebron, and the rest of the West Bank, is a direct violation to the rights of the residents and their lands, and a violation to the international law.

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Two Palestinians wounded in an Israeli air strike on Rafah
Monday February 11, 2008 23:04 by Rami Almeghari - IMEMC&Agencies rami at imemc dot org

Two Palestinian bystanders have been wounded on Monday evening after an Israeli air craft fired a missile on a car traveling on a southern Gaza road in Rafah city, witnesses said.


An Israeli jet fighter/ archive photo


Initial reports said that the targeted car carried members of the armed wing of the ruling Hamas movement.

Monday's air strike came hours after Israeli defense minister, Ehud Barak vowed to continue strikes against the Palestinian resistance groups including the ruling Hamas in Gaza.

Israeli military has recently hinted at the possibility of targeting Hamas leaders, in what Israel says a 'response to homemade shells fire' from Gaza onto nearby Israeli towns.

Such Israeli threats against homemade shells launchers are not new, as Israel has been relentlessly engaged in a series of measures against the coastal region since June of last year, beginning with closure through fuel and power supplies cuts and limiting entry of food and medicine items to Gaza's 1.5 million residents.

Over the past three months, the Israeli army has killed more than 200 Palestinians, most of them resistance fighters, including 16 in the past few days alone.

Palestinian homemade shells, in the meantime, have been causing few slight injuries among Israelis in southern Israel and leaving thousands of others in a state of panic.

Meanwhile, the West Bank-based Palestinian cabinet , installed by President Mahmoud Abbas right after Hamas's takeover of Gaza June2007, decided that the latest Israeli threats for Gaza would jeopardize underway Palestinian-Israeli peace talks.

The Islamist Hamas government has shunned peace talks with Israel, until the Israeli army halts all its actions including the closure of Gaza, restriction of movement in the West Bank and construction of new settlements on the occupied east Jerusalem

Several human rights organizations worldwide have been demanding Israel to scale back its actions against Gaza, as United Nations Secretary General, Ban Ki-Moon, has urged the Israeli government to reconsider all such measures.

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Khalid: “Israel approved the construction of 7000 settler home in Jerusalem”
Monday February 11, 2008 23:04 by IMEMC Staff saed at imemc dot org

Member of the Executive Committee of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), member of the Political Bureau of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP), Taiseer Khalid, stated that the Israeli decision to build 7000 homes for settlers around Jerusalem is another Israeli violation which aims at annexing all Arab areas around the city.

Taiseer Khalid


Khalid stated that three week ago, the Jerusalem Municipality Council decided to build 7000 homes for Israeli settlers in land illegally annexed from the Palestinian residents.

He added that this project, and all settlement projects in Jerusalem and around it, aim at emptying the area from its Palestinian residents and force new realities on the ground by totally isolating Jerusalem from its surrounding Arab cities and towns.

Khalid also said that Israel is ongoing in digging tunnels, building bridges and hundreds of housing units for settlers which is another proof that the Israeli government is not interested in fulfilling its commitments to the peace process and the Road Map Plan.

He added that Israel is also ongoing with its illegal settlement activities in Jenin, Salfit, Bethlehem, and several other areas in the West Bank, especially in Tubas and the Plaines areas which became totally isolated from the rest of the West Bank.

Moreover, Khalid said that the United States is siding by Israel and is not playing a balanced role in the peace talks and added that the Palestinian Authority should not hold talks with Israel until the Israeli government and the United States issue clear statements of commitment regarding halting all settlement activities and the construction of the Annexation Wall.

http://www.imemc.org/news_articles/e...sults_offset=0

DATE: 2/11/2008 TIME :22:19
2 Citizens Wounded in Israeli Strike on Civil Car


RAFAH, February 11, 2008 (WAFA)-Medical sources said that two citizens were wounded on Monday evening when Israeli aircraft opened fire on a civil car traveling in the south Gaza city of Rafah.

Hospital sources reported that two bystanders, in al-Shoa'oot area, were hit in the attack, while the passengers could escape inevitable death.

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DATE: 2/11/2008 TIME :18:04
IOF Demolishes House in Jerusalem

JERUSALEM, February 11, 2008 (WAFA) - Israeli bulldozers knocked down a Palestinian-owned house in East Jerusalem, witnesses said.

Local witnesses told WAFA that the house was constructed 30 years ago, and is owned by Aishah Arraameen, 56, who received a demolition order over three years ago, and, after hiring a lawyer, the order was canceled.

they added that today in morning, Israeli soldiers arrived at around nine in the morning, blocked the area and demolished the house. The Israeli municipality of Jerusalem also issued an order forcing the family to pay for the cost of the demolition, the house owners said.

according to witnesses, the soldiers demolished the foundation of a house located near the Arraameen home.

http://www.wafa.ps/english/default.asp
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11.02.2008 18:50
Now released: In a joint IDF and ISA activity overnight, forces arrested Salem Al-Albayat, member of the "Tanzim" terror organization

11.02.2008 14:50
Palestinians hurled Molotov cocktail at Israeli vehicle

http://dover.idf.il/IDF/English/

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12/02/2008

Israeli army pulls out from eastern Gaza as an Israeli soldier wounded
Tuesday February 12, 2008 10:15 by Rami Almeghari - IMEMC&Agencies rami at imemc dot org

A column of Israeli army tanks rolled back early on Tuesday morning from the eastern neighborhood of Gaza City, after an Israeli army undercover unit attempted to sweep into the neighborhood.


A column of Israeli tanks/ archive photo


Local Palestinian sources said that the incurring troops clashed with a number of resistance fighters, who happened to be deployed in the area, in defense of the civilian population.

Medical sources confirmed slight injury of two fighters during few hours of gun fire trade with the Israeli army.

The wounded were medicated in the field by ambulance crews, the medics said.

Meanwhile, Israeli media sources reported that one Israeli soldier was wounded during the small-scale shootout and that the soldier was evicted to the southern Israeli hospital of Surruka.

The aL-Qassam brigades, the armed wing of the ruling Hamas, claimed its fighters fired a barrage of mortar shells towards the invading forces and detonated some explosive devices in the path of the tanks.

The latest Israeli ground offensive on Gaza came after hours of Israeli military threats to carry out a large-scale ground offensive in the Gaza Strip, to undermine resistance groups and end the rule of Hamas over there.

Israeli political spectrum has recently seen a great deal of controversy over attacking the coastal region, with some Israeli ministers demanding leveling to the ground of entire Gaza neighborhoods to deter launchers of homemade shells.

Leader of the Israeli opposition, former prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has downplayed what he termed ' Israeli army attrition operations inside Gaza', calling for an all-out ground offensive against Gaza's 1.5-million residents.

Over the past three months, the Israeli army has killed more than 200 Palestinians, most of them resistance fighters, including 16 in the past few days alone.

Palestinian homemade shells, in the meantime, have been causing few slight injuries among Israelis in southern Israel and leaving thousands of others in a state of panic.

The Islamist Hamas government has shunned peace talks with Israel, until the Israeli army halts all its actions including the closure of Gaza, restriction of movement in the West Bank and construction of new settlements on the occupied east Jerusalem

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Israeli army kidnapp 11 Palestinians in Nablus
Tuesday February 12, 2008 10:41 by Nisreen Qumsieh - IMEMC News nisreen at imemc dot org

Israeli army carried out a large-scale abduction campaign included 11 Palestinians among those eight owners of the money exchange in the northern West Bank city of Nablus. The other three were abducted from the Balata refugee camp.




Eyewitnesses said, the military invaded eight "money exchange" shops in Nablus and kidnapped the owners, five of which were identified as Kathem Huwary, Kader Abu al Su'od, Omar Kalabouna, 'Awni Kalabouna and Husam 'Amera.

In the same operation the military invaded Balata refugee camp in Nablus and kidnapped three Palestinians named as Bakr Abu Hamada, Mohammad, Abu Hamada and Mohammad al Suroji. All the kidnapped had been moved to an unknown detention center.

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Israeli army kidnaps four from Ramallah area, including owner of Money exchange
Tuesday February 12, 2008 10:48 by Nisreen Qumsieh - IMEMC News nisreen at imemc dot org

Israeli military kidnapped four Palestinians from the central West Bank city of Ramallah and the nearby village of 'Arora and attacked several villages in Ramallah district on Tuesday morning.



Local sources reported that army kidnapped two Palestinians among those an owner of money exchange named as Khaled Huwary.

Sources declared that forces kidnapped two Palestinians from 'Arora village, identified as Obeida al Khaseeb,20 and Mohammad al Khaseeb,20. Forces moved them to an undisclosed detention center.

Elsewhere, Israeli army invasioned Nablus city and kidnapped eithg money changers in addition to three others from the nearby Balata refugee camp.

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Israeli army kidnaps one in Tulkarem, two from Jenin and continue their attack on the money changers
Tuesday February 12, 2008 11:24 by Nisreen Qumsieh - IMEMC News nisreen at imemc dot org

Israeli military continued their attacks on Tuesday morning on the places of money exchange in several areas of the West Bank. The attacked started in the northern West Bank city of Nablus; the army kidnapped eight of Money changers and the operation extended to the central part of the West Bank in Ramallah city when the army kidnapped another money changer.





In Tulkarem, the army carried out a wide-scale ransacking campaign and kidnapped one Palestinian. Sources identified the abducted as Sa'eed Awwad from the northern part of the city. Awwad, an officer of the Palestinian Security force was abducted with no stated reason and was taken to an unidentified detention center.

Eyewitnesses reported that the operation coincided with the continuous attack against the places of money exchange as army attacked several places in the city of Tulkarem, confiscating computers and other documents.

In Jenin, forces kidnapped two brothers from the town of Qabatiya, south of Jenin and invaded several homes of money changers.

Sources added that several military vehicles invaded the town, besieged several civilian homes and kidnapped the brothers Mohammad,20 and Tha'er abu al Rab,24. Both were moved to an undisclosed detention center.

Sources also reported that at least 30 military vehicles invaded the city center, randomly opened heavy fire, attacked homes of money changers, ransacking them and confiscated property.

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A Palestinian is kidnapped by Special Forces of Israeli army
Tuesday February 12, 2008 11:43 by Nisreen Qumsieh - IMEMC News nisreen at imemc dot org

On Tuesday morning the Special Force of the Israeli army kidnapped a Palestinian from the village of Kafr Qdoum, north of Qalqilia city in the West Bank.





Palestinian sources reported the Special force was camouflaged in Palestinian civilian clothes and were driving a car with the Palestinian license plate. They kidnapped a Palestinian man identified as Osama Obeid, 21, from a building materials shop in the town.

Sources indicated that the objective of the operation was not known and the abducted man was moved to an unidentified detention center.

http://www.imemc.org/news_articles/e...sults_offset=0
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DATE: 2/12/2008 TIME :19:42
India Condemns Use of Force on Palestinian People

New Delhi, February 12, 2008 (WAFA) - India has condemned the use of force and called upon all sides including Israel to exercise restraint.

"India has followed recent events in Gaza and the West Bank with deep concern and anguish. The misery and hardship faced by the people of Palestine, especially in the Gaza Strip, is deplorable. India condemns the use of force on the civilian population of Palestine and calls upon all sides, including Israel, to exercise restraint, said an official statement issued by the Indian External Affairs Ministry.

"The time to act is now with trust and understanding for a new beginning of hope and fulfillment, and an end to violence. It is imperative that normalcy be restored expeditiously so that the aspirations of the peoples in the region are realized."

In addition to the assistance already delivered by India to the people of Palestine, reads the statement, we stand ready to extend additional assistance to help the people of Palestine to overcome the suffering they are facing now.

The statement added that a package of such assistance is being worked out and will be announced shortly.


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DATE: 2/12/2008 TIME :10:59
IOF Arrests 15 Citizens, Including 2 Brothers in WB


NABLUS, February 12, 2008 (WAFA)-Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) arrested on Tuesday morning fifteen citizens in the West Bank(WB) cities of Nablus and Jenin and Ramallah local sources said.

They added that IOF troops stormed the city and its Balata refugee camp, broke into citizens' houses and arrested nine citizens, leading them into an unknown location.

In Jenin, Israeli troops conducted a search campaign into Qabatiya town and arrested two brothers. In the meantime, the IOF troops broke into exchange shops in the city.

In Ramallah, Israeli troops arrested four citizens in A'roura village and led them into an unknoown place.


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DATE: 2/12/2008 TIME :17:47
IOF Steals Millions of Shekels from Money Changers in WB

RAMALLAH, West Bank (Reuters) - Israeli troops raided Palestinian money changers across the occupied West Bank on Tuesday, seizing cash worth more than $800,000, security sources confirmed.

The sources said Israeli troops entered the homes and offices of a total of 14 money changers.

They also added that the troops arrested five money changers and confiscated three million shekels ($840,000) in Hebron, Nablus, Ramallah, Jenin and Tulkarm.

http://www.wafa.ps/english/default.asp
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12.02.2008 08:01
IDF forces encountered armed gunmen, one soldier wounded

12.02.2008 07:42
Seven wanted Palestinians arrested

12.02.2008 18:55
An IDF soldier was stabbed in the neck and moderately wounded

12.02.2008 15:48
Palestinians opened fire at IDF force

12.02.2008 13:47
Tanzim operative and suspect arrested

http://dover.idf.il/IDF/English/

[IG]

13/02/2008

Three Palestinians kidnapped from northern West Bank
Wednesday February 13, 2008 10:03 by Nisreen Qumsieh - IMEMC News nisreen at imemc dot org

The Israeli military has invaded the northern West Bank cities of Nablus and Jenin, kidnapping three Palestinians in the early hours of Wednesday morning.


Kidnapped Palestinians/archive photo


Local sources reported that troops invaded the city of Nablus and kidnapped two men after attacking their homes. Khaleel Mansour, 18, a resident of Kafr Qalil town, south of Nablus and Mua'yad, 24, a resident of Balata, east of Nablus, were both abducted and taken to an unknown detention center, after being detained without criminal charge.

In a separate operation, the Israeli army also invaded Jenin, kidnapping one and moving him to an undisclosed detention center.

Sources reported that at least ten military vehicles invaded the city, besieged civilians' homes, ransacked them and confiscated property before the operation concluded.

Sources named the man abducted from Jenin as Anas Qa'qour, 20.


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Five Palestinians kidnapped by Israeli army in Bethlehem suburb of Al Khadir
Wednesday February 13, 2008 10:23 by Nisreen Qumsieh - IMEMC News nisreen at imemc dot org

Five Palestinians were kidnapped from the village of Al Khadir, west of Bethlehem city, in a pre-dawn invasion of the area on Wednesday.




Eyewitnesses reported that Israeli military units invaded the town from its western entrance. Using dogs, troops forcibly entered civilian homes and undertook extensive searches, ransacking residents' homes. The army forced civilians from their homes, detaining many of them for several hours in the very cold weather.

Sources have recently identified those abducted as: Mahmoud Sbeih, 23, Mahmoud Saleh, 22, Ahmad Sbeih, Mahomoud Mousa and Ahmad Mousa. All were moved to an unidentified detention center, after being detained without criminal charge.

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Israeli soldier stabbed in Jab'a village, near Jenin
Wednesday February 13, 2008 11:02 by Ali Samoudi - IMEMC News nisreen at imemc dot org

Israeli sources have revealed that a soldier of the Israeli army was stabbed by a Palestinian man from Jab'a village, south of Jenin, on Tuesday night.



Israeli checkpoint/archive photo


Sources claimed the perpetrator to be a member of the Islamic Jihad movement, and was captured directly after the incident.

The Palestinian man was reportedly holding a knife when he arrived at an established Israeli checkpoint at the village entrance. A military spokesperson stated that the unidentified man then stabbed a soldier, causing him minor injuries. The army confirmed that they had detained the man in custody and indicated their belief of his membership of the Islamic Jihad movement.

In the wake of the operation, the army closed the area and several Israeli army units patrolled the area, carrying out widespread invasions, ransacking family homes during the operation.

On Wednesday, the district of Jenin is still undergoing a tight blockade imposed by the Israeli military for the fifth consecutive day. Troops have also constructed dirt barrier roadblocks at the entrance to the village of Jab'a.

The construction of dirt barriers involves excavating the road on either side of the barrier, to provide a massive pile of earth and concrete between two ditches. The excavation often threatens underground power and communication cables, as well as essential water and sanitation pipes. In 2002, several water pipes were damaged during the Israeli military siege on Jenin, leading to an outbreak of cholera.

Israeli authorities stated that the blockade had been imposed on the village after receiving several notifications of the intention of some Palestinian factions to carry out military operations in Israel.

Translated by Nisreen Qumsieh - IMEMC News.

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Israeli army kidnapps 85 Palestinians in the West Bank in one day
Wednesday February 13, 2008 18:32 by Jessica Frederick & Ghassan Bannoura - IMEMC News ghassanb at imemc dot org

The Israeli army on Wednesday invaded both the city of Nablus, in the northern West Bank, and the village of Beit Ummer, located near the city of Hebron in the southern West Bank. In total, at least 85 Palestinian civilians were abducted by the invading military.



Israeli troops stopping Palestinian ambulance from entering Beit Ummer today – Photo by IMEMC's Ghassan Bannoura


Israeli troops stormed the village of Beit Ummar at around 1:00 am on Wednesday. Troops searched and ransacked scores of homes, with local sources stating that the army placed the village under curfew, not allowing families to leave their homes.

As the military operation continued, residents reported that, so far, the army had kidnapped 40 men from the village, their ages ranging from 18 to 45.

Israeli troops are still in the village and are not allowing Palestinian ambulances or journalists to enter the village, eyewitnesses reported. When IMEMC photojournalist Ghassan Bannoura arrived at the entrance of the village, Israeli troops did not allow him to enter, and threatened to use live rounds if he do not comply with their order to leave the scene.

As a group of international human rights workers from the Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) tried to enter the village, Israeli troops prevented them and declared the entire village a "closed military zone".

Later in the day, six CPT workers managed to enter Beit Ummer, although troops prevented them from moving around. Troops later kidnapped the group and released them in a nearby Israeli settlement.

Tareq, a CPT worker in Beit Ummer told IMEMC that the soldiers are "rounding up men without any reason. Men are being spot interrogated and then moved away to unknown locations".

The Christian Peacemaker Teams are an ecumenical initiative to support violence reduction efforts around the world.

In a separate attack by the Israeli military, the northern West Bank city of Nablus was targeted. Troops kidnapped two civilians, detained without charge.

Palestinian sources in Nablus reported that Israeli military forces invaded the city on Wednesday at dawn and kidnapped Mou'ayad Hashash, 24. Meanwhile, Samier Mansour, 18, was also taken from his home in the village of Kufer Kalil, just south of Nablus city.

Israeli army radio announced that, during pre-dawn invasions across the West Bank, the Israeli army had kidnapped as many as 70 Palestinian civilians.

http://www.imemc.org/news_articles/e...sults_offset=0

DATE: 2/13/2008 TIME :18:41
Retired Israeli Generals Call for Removing W. Bank Roadblocks

TEL AVIV, February 13, 2008 (WAFA) - A group of retired Israeli generals launched a campaign urging the Israeli army to remove West Bank roadblocks.

The group warned that the travel restrictions sow Palestinian hatred of Israel and stymie the peace process.

The generals submitted a letter to Israeli Minister Ehud Barak in an effort to persuade him to gradually remove the checkpoints, which severely restrict movement of the some 2 million Palestinians who live in the West Bank and have crippled their economy.

The retired commanders hope to persuade Israeli officials to make a gesture to the Palestinians and thus give Prime Minister Ehud Olmert a free hand in peace talks, said Shlomo Brom, a signatory and a former chief of the Israeli army's planning division.

Brom noted that the current measures, which include impassable dirt barriers and permanent checkpoints where Palestinians can only pass after showing permits to soldiers, are not entirely effective.

The removal of checkpoints also would bolster Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Israel's partner in peace talks, in facing the Hamas and preventing its takeover of the West Bank, Brom said.

http://www.wafa.ps/english/default.asp
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13.02.2008 16:32
Palestinians hurled 4 Molotov cocktails at Israeli vehicles

13.02.2008 11:02
14 additional wanted Palestinians arrested last night

13.02.2008 07:35
56 wanted Palestinians arrested last night

http://dover.idf.il/IDF/English/

[IG]

14/02/2008

DATE: 2/14/2008 TIME :19:35
Israeli Settlers Continue to Build in Hebron Hills

TEL AVIV, February 14, 2008 (WAFA) - Three Israeli families have entered a new neighborhood being built in the southern Hebron Hills despite the fact that Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has issued a directive to halt construction in the West Bank, Israel Radio reported Thursday.

According to the report, ten new housing units have almost been completed and dozens more are planned in the new neighborhood, located outside the boundaries of Karmel.

Israeli Head of the so-called Hebron Hills Council, Tzviki Bar Chai, said that it was impossible to stop the expansion of Jewish neighborhoods and "strangle them."

In response, Israeli peace group :Peace Now" issued a statement lamenting the fact that despite orders from the Israeli prime minister to freeze construction, settlers were building hundreds of housing units in the West Bank.

"Olmert's orders are apparently not being implemented," read the statement, which called on the prime minister to enforce the construction freeze and start evacuating illegal outposts.


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DATE: 2/14/2008 TIME :12:17
Israeli Rampage in Hebron: Citizen Wounded, Dozens Arrested, Arable Lands Razed


HEBRON, Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) ended early Thursday its military campaign launched against Beit Ummar town of Hebron city of the West Bank, wounding a citizen and inflicting a grave damage around.

The town mayor said that the Israeli troops uplifted the tight curfew imposed on the town and withdrew from the area leaving a grave damage behind.

Medics said that a citizen; Fakhry Khalil 65, was wounded by gunshots. Dozens were arrested. Vast arable lands were razed.


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DATE: 2/14/2008 TIME :11:52
8, including 6 Brothers, Arrested by IOF in Hebron


HEBRON, February 14, 2008, (WAFA)- Israeli Occupation Forces IOF arrested early Thursday eight citizens, including sex brothers, during a wide rampage into Hebron city and its town of Yatta, security sources said.

They told WAFA that the Israeli troops conducted a wide-search campaign, arresting seven citizens, including four brothers. In Yatta, Israeli troops arrested a citizen; Badr Zain 60.


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DATE: 2/14/2008 TIME :10:32
Israeli Under-cover Unit Arrests 30 Citizens in Rafah


RAFAH, February 14, 2008, (WAFA)- Security sources said that the israeli Occupation Forces IOF arrested thirteen citizens in Rafah city, southern Gaza Strip.

They added that an Israeli under-cover unit sneaked into the area, at vicinity of Gaza international airport, and conducted a so-called security activity after which they arrested thirteen citizens. They were transferred into Israel for interrogation.


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DATE: 2/14/2008 TIME :09:50
IOF Arrests 9 Citizens in West Bank


WEST BANK, February 14, 2008, (WAFA)- Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) arrested early Thursday nine citizens in the West Bank cities of Nablus, Tulkarem and Jenin.

In Nablus, IOF arrested sex citizens in the city town of Sibastya, security sources said.

They added that the siareli troops broke into the town, northern the city, amid intensive fire shooting, stormed a number of houses, and arrested sex citizens leading them into an unknown place.

In Jenin, IOF arrested a citizen in the city town of qabatya, witnesses said.

They told WAFA that the Israeli soldiers rolled into the town, southern the city, and conducted a wide-scale search campaign arresting a citizen; Jaser Zakarna 19.

In Tulkarem, IOF arrested two citizens after storming the city and conducting a wide-scale search campaign, security sources said.


They added that Israeli under-cover unit rolled into the city eastern neighborhood and arrested the citizens.




http://www.wafa.ps/english/body.asp?id=11149
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Israeli army demolishes Palestinian owned buildings in northern Gaza
Thursday February 14, 2008 13:54 by Ghassan Bannoura - IMEMC News ghassanb at imemc dot org

The Israeli army invaded areas on the Palestinian side of the northern Gaza-Israel border, and demolished a number of Palestinian-owned buildings on Thursday at midday.



Israeli army bulldozers in Gaza – File 2007


Israeli tanks and bulldozers invaded the area near the Erez Crossing, and demolished buildings in the vicinity.

The buildings had been long abandoned, their residents having already fled due to the frequent Israeli shelling of the area.

The Israeli army announced that troops leveled the buildings because they were allegedly being used by members of the Palestinian resistance to fire homemade shells at the crossing's military position, and nearby Israeli towns.

In related news, the Popular Resistance Committees announced that they fired four homemade shells targeting the Israeli town of Sderot. Israeli sources reported that the four shells landed in open space, causing neither damage nor injuries.

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Palestinian teenager injured in Bethlehem by bomb left behind by Israeli army
Thursday February 14, 2008 15:51 by Ghassan Bannoura - IMEMC News ghassanb at imemc dot org

A Palestinian teenager was critically injured on Thursday afternoon when a bomb left behind by the Israeli army exploded near him in the city of Bethlehem in the southern part of the West Bank.



file photo- 2007


Sources in Bethlehem said that Ala Obayiat, 18, was trying to cut open the bomb to see what was inside it when it exploded. He was moved to the nearby public hospital for treatment. Doctors said that he sustained critical wounds to his head.

The Palestinian police bomb squad rushed to the scene and found another bomb that had not exploded. Officers defused the device before removing it.

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Troops bar farmers from reaching their lands east of Rafah
Thursday February 14, 2008 23:04 by IMEMC Staff saed at imemc dot org

Israeli soldiers stationed at the eastern borders of Rafah, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip, barred on Thursday hundreds of residents from reaching their agricultural lands as the army continued to carry invasions into the area.

File


The Palestinian Popular (Folk) Committees slammed the violations and stated that these lands are the only source of livelihood for hundreds of Palestinian families in the area.

The Committees added that during repeated Israeli military attacks, soldier bulldozers uprooted hundreds of Dunams of agricultural lands and uprooted hundreds of trees in addition to bulldozing agricultural roads and damaged infrastructure especially the water network providing these land with the needed water.

Azmi Shiokhy, secretary-general of the Committees, slammed these violations and said that the farmers are afraid even to go to their lands as military towers are all over the place while military sharpshooters are topping several towers.

Shiokhy added that the army wants to intimidate the residents and carried repeated attacks against them, including firing at the farmers, in an attempt to force them to leave their lands.

He also stated that the ongoing shelling carried by the army bared dozens of farmers from heading to their lands, especially the lands that are close to the Rafah International Airport which was destroyed by the army several years ago.

http://www.imemc.org/news_articles/e...sults_offset=0

[IG]

15/02/2008

One Palestinian journalist injured by army fire in Bil'in weekly protest
Friday February 15, 2008 16:25 by Ghassan Bannoura - IMEMC News ghassanb at imemc dot org

The villagers of Bil'in, located near the central West Bank city of Ramallah, along with international and Israeli supporters, conducted their weekly protest against the illegal Israeli wall being built on village land. Israeli troops attacked the protest and injured one journalist.



File - 2007


As the case each week for over two years now, the protest started after Friday prayers, with participants marching from the village center towards the construction site of the Wall, which, according to both the International Court of Justice and the Israeli supreme court, is being built illegally on village land.

This week the protesters managed to reach the gate of the wall separating the villagers from their lands. Troops closed the gate and fired tear gas and sound bombs at the peaceful demonstrators. Soldiers then fired rubber-coated steel bullets which injured a journalist, Imad Burnate and broke his Camera.

While the protest was happening a group of Israeli soldiers were using Palestinian homes located at the gate as shoot out posts, local and international peace activists intervened and managed to make soldiers leave the homes.

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Unknown armed men attack the Y.M.C.A in the Gaza Strip
Friday February 15, 2008 17:24 by Manar Jibrin - IMEMC & Agencies manarjibrin at gmail dot com

A group of unknown armed men attacked the Y.M.C.A. headquarters on the early hours of Friday .The armed men threw an explosive charge in the association's library setting it on fire.




One of the guards who was cuffed by the perpetrators said that they asked him for the keys of the association and for the office of the head of the association from which they took a computer and one of the buses of the association. The guard added that they took them to the Shuja'eyah neighborhood and left them there.

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PCHR Weekly Report: 10 Palestinians killed, 40 wounded by Israeli forces
Friday February 15, 2008 04:31 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC News saed at imemc dot org

According to the Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR)'s Weekly Report, during the week of 7 - 13 February 2008, 10 Palestinians were killed and 40 were injured by the Israeli military. The ten killed included a school teacher and 3 brothers. Of those injured, most were civilians -- 9 women and 8 children. In addition, Israeli forces abducted 82 Palestinian civilians.



Israeli attacks in the West Bank:



Israeli forces conducted 31 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. During those incursions, Israeli forces abducted 77 Palestinian civilians in the West Bank, including 9 children and a girl. In the West Bank, 2 Palestinian civilians were wounded by the Israeli forces gunfire.



Thus, the number of Palestinian civilians abducted by Israeli forces in the West Bank since the beginning of 2008 has mounted to 384.



During the reporting period, Israeli forces waged a harsh campaign against money exchange shops in the West Bank. They abducted a number of money changers and confiscated at least 3 million NIS (approximately US$ 830,000).



Israeli forces have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. Thousands of Palestinian civilians from the West Bank have been denied access to Jerusalem. Israeli forces have established many checkpoints around and inside the city. Restrictions of the movement of Palestinian civilians often escalate on Fridays to prevent them from praying at the al-Aqsa Mosque.



On Sunday morning, 10 February 2008, Israeli forces positioned at Qalandya crossing at the northern entrance of East Jerusalem held for at least 6 hours buses that were transporting dozens of Palestinian civilians who were on their way to visit their relatives in Israeli jails.



Israeli forces have also tightened the siege imposed on Palestinian communities in the West Bank. Israeli forces positioned at various checkpoints in the West Bank have continued to impose severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians. Israeli forces also erected more checkpoints on the main roads and intersections in the West Bank.





Israeli settlement activities:



Israeli Forces have continued settlement activities in the West Bank and Israeli settlers have continued to attack Palestinian civilians and property.



At approximately 07:00 on Monday, 11 February 2008, the Israeli “Border Guards” and police moved into Wad al-Jouz neighborhood near the old town in East Jerusalem. They demolished a 40-square-meter house belonging to Sa’di al-‘Arameen, without allowing its 7 residents to remove any of their belongings.



Israeli Annexation Wall:



Israeli Forces have continued to construct the Annexation Wall inside West Bank territory.



During the reporting period, Israeli forces used force against a peaceful demonstration organized by Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders in protest to the construction of the Wall in Bil'in village, west of Ramallah.



Following the Friday Prayer on 8 February 2008, scores of Palestinian civilians and international and Israeli human rights defenders demonstrated in Bil'in village, west of Ramallah, to protest the construction of the Wall. Israeli forces had placed barbwires in the area to prevent the demonstrators from reaching the Wall. The demonstrators attempted to move forward. Immediately, Israeli forces fired rubber-coated metal bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at the demonstrators, and violently beat them. As a result, a demonstrator, 25-year-old Sari Khalil, was wounded by a rubber-coated metal bullet. Dozens of demonstrators also suffered from tear gas inhalation.



Israeli attacks in the Gaza Strip:



Israeli forces killed 10 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip this week. Israeli forces also wounded 40 Palestinians, mostly civilians, in the Gaza Strip.



On 7 February 2008, Israeli forces killed 6 activists of the Palestinian resistance, including 2 brothers, and wounded 4 others in Jabalya town in the northern Gaza Strip. One of the wounded, who is a third brother to the two brother already killed, died from his wound later. On the same day, Israeli forces killed a school teacher and wounded 3 students in Beit Hanoun town in the northern Gaza Strip. A missile fired hit the school when Israeli forces were pursuing activists of the Palestinian resistance. Also on 7 February 2008, Palestinian medical sources declared that an activist of the Palestinian resistance died from a wound he had sustained on the preceding day, when an Israeli forces aircraft fired a missile at him.



On 9 February 2008, Israeli forces extra-judicially executed an activist of the ‘Izziddin al-Qassam Brigades (the armed wing of Hamas) in Rafah town in the southern Gaza Strip. An Israeli forces aircraft fired 2 missiles at him when he was walking in the street.



On 10 February 2008, Israeli forces killed an activist of the Palestinian resistance and wounded another one during an incursion into al-Shojaeya neighborhood in the east of Gaza City.



Additionally, 33 Palestinians, mostly civilians, including 5 children and 9 women, and were wounded by the Israeli forces gunfire in other attacks.



In the same context, Israeli forces continued to bombard civilian facilities in the Gaza Strip. On 10 February 2008, Israeli forces aircrafts fired 4 missiles at a refrigerator and a factory in Rafah. The refrigerator, the factory and a neighboring house were destroyed, and 10 other houses were damaged. On the same day, an Israeli forces fighter jet dropped a bomb on 2 workshops in al-Zaytoun neighborhood in the east of Gaza City. The two shops were destroyed and a number of houses were damaged.



In the Gaza Strip, Israeli forces conducted 5 incursions into Palestinian communities. On 7 February 2008, Israeli forces moved into the east of Jabalya town in the northern Gaza Strip. During this incursion, they killed 7 Palestinians and wounded 2 others (see above). On 10 February 2008, Israeli forces moved into al-Shaojaeya neighborhood in the east of Gaza City. On 11 February 2008, Israeli forces moved into al-Shouka village, southeast of Rafah, and abducted 4 Palestinian farmers. On 12 February 2008, Israeli forces moved into the east of Gaza City. On the same day, Israeli forces moved into Wadi al-Salqa village. They razed at least 20 donums of agricultural land and abducted a Palestinian civilian. On 13 February 2008, Israeli forces moved into Erez industrial zone in the northern Gaza Strip. They leveled debris of building they had already destroyed.



Israeli forces have continued to close all border crossings of the Gaza Strip for more than one year and a half. The total siege imposed by Israeli forces on the Gaza Strip has left disastrous impacts on the humanitarian situation and has violated the economic and social rights of the nearly 1.5 million Palestinian civilian population, particularly the rights to appropriate living conditions, health and education. It has also paralyzed most economic sectors.



Recommendations:



Based on the number and severity of Israeli violations of international law and signed accords this week, the PCHR made several recommendations. They include a recommendation that the international community pressure Israel to lift the severe restrictions imposed by the Israeli government and its occupation forces, both on Palestinians and on international organizations which have been completely shut out of the Gaza Strip.



In addition, the PCHR recommends international civil society organizations, including human rights organizations, bar associations and NGOs to participate in the process of exposing those accused of grave breaches of international law and to urge their governments to bring these people to justice.

http://www.imemc.org/news_articles/e...sults_offset=0

DATE: 2/15/2008 TIME :18:32
Activist Wounded ,Others Suffer Suffocation in Bil'in Peaceful Demo


RAMALLAH, February 15, 2008 (WAFA)-Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) wounded on Friday a cameraman when they attacked a peaceful demonstration in the West Bank city of west Ramallah, Anti-Wall Committee coordinator, Abdulla Abu Rahma said.

He told WAFA that Israeli soldiers opened fire and tear gas towards participants who protested the construction of the Wall in Bil'in village, west Ramallah and wounded the cameraman, Emad Birnat when the IOF troops targeted his camera,while others suffered suffocation.


http://www.wafa.ps/english/default.asp

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15.02.2008 16:53
Four Molotov cocktails were hurled at Israeli vehicles traveling near the Israeli community of ma'ale Shomeron

http://dover.idf.il/IDF/English/

[IG]

16/02/2008

DATE: 2/16/2008 TIME :23:12
Citizen Dies of his Serious Wounds in Khan Younis


KHAN YOUNIS, February 16, 2008 (WAFA)-Medical sources reported Saturday evening that a citizen died of his wounds due to Israeli fire in the Gaza Strip city of East Khan Younis two days ago.

Medica told WAFA that Hani Shaheen was hit with live bullets whe Israeli special unit attacked a group of people in al-Qarara town two days ago. Shaheen's condition was serious and died today at Nasser hospital.




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DATE: 2/16/2008 TIME :22:35
Babacan: Israeli Embargo and Blockade will Worsen Humanitarian Crisis in Gaza


ANKARA, February 16, 2008 (WAFA)- Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan said that the Israeli embargo and blockade on the Gaza Strip will worsen the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

In his speech, Babacan welcomed the Annapolis process that re-launched the stalled peace talks between the Israelis and the Palestinians and warned that radicals will win if the peace process failed.

“We knew that this process will not be easy and that many obstacles will come up. The success rests on the concerned parties' determination and will to continue negotiations,” Babacan said.

He mead it clear that If the Annapolis process fails, radicals will win and the price of failure could be serious. People in the region should live and work together, adding that there is no other alternative for an agreed solution.

Babacan also repeated the Turkish government's concerns about the Israeli blockade of Gaza, urging Israeli government to stop its current policies that harmed the Middle East peace process and to lift the embargo on Gaza.




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DATE: 2/16/2008 TIME :22:04
French FM Calls on Israel to Lift Blockade on Gaza


RAMALLAH, February 16, 2008 (WAFA)-French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner called on Israel ,on Saturday, to lift its blockade of the Gaza Strip and to freeze its policy of building settlements in the West Bank.

"The economic and humanitarian situation in Gaza is especially bad. The blockade directly affects the entire economy and living conditions as well," he said in an interview with Al-Quds newspaper.

"We call for the Gaza blockade to be lifted -- there must be free movement of both people and goods," Kouchner told the main Arabic daily in the Palestinian territories.

http://www.wafa.ps/english/yesterp.asp


London School of Economics students vote to divest from Israel
Saturday February 16, 2008 10:09 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC News saed at imemc dot org

Joining a growing list of high-profile institutions, unions and citizen's groups that have chosen to divest from Israel, the Student Union at the prestigious London School of Economics voted overwhelmingly on Thursday to demand that the University divest.

London School of Economics


Divestment is a non-violent strategy that was utilized worldwide during the anti-apartheid campaigns against the white South African apartheid regime during the 1980s. In recent years, peace activists and human rights advocates worldwide have used the same technique to challenge what has been called Israel's apartheid system against the Palestinians.

The Student Union called on a divestment from any companies that provide military and commercial
support for the Israeli occupation of Palestinian land, and condemned the decades of human rights abuses carried out against the Palestinian people by the Israeli occupying authorities, according to student leaders.

The motion was brought to the Union's weekly meeting of 400 students by the London School of Economics' Palestine Society. The Union resolved to lobby both their own University's Administration and the National Union of Students in the United Kingdom to commit to similar divestment measures.

The Union voted by a six to one measure to support the aim of targeted divestment until the companies in question pull out of Israel, or until Israel ends its systematic human rights abuses and illegal occupation of Palestinian land

http://www.imemc.org/article/52823

[IG]

17/02/2008

300 Palestinians, including 32 children, kidnapped by the army since the beginning of February
Sunday February 17, 2008 05:33 by IMEMC Staff saed at imemc dot org

The Media Department of the Nafha Society for Defending the Rights of the Detainees and Human Rights, reported that the Israeli army kidnapped 300 residents since the beginning of February, during invasion to several parts of the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. 32 children were among the kidnapped residents.

File Photo


The Society stated that 200 residents were kidnapped in the West Bank and 100 in the Gaza Strip.

It also said that the 32 kidnapped children were transferred to interrogation and detention centers in direct violation to the international law and the Fourth Geneva Convention. The ages of the kidnapped children are between 14 and 18.

Meanwhile, most of the abductions took place in Hebron, in the southern part of the West Bank, as the army kidnapped 75 residents from Hebron and its surrounding villages and towns.

37 residents were kidnapped in Nablus district, and the rest were kidnapped from Bethlehem, Ramallah, Qalqilia, Jerusalem, Salfit, Jericho and Al Biereh.

The army also kidnapped 100 residents during repeated attacks and invasion into the Gaza strip, especially in Rafah, Al Zeitoon and Beit Lahia.

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Four fighters killed, 15 others wounded by Israeli army in southern Gaza
Sunday February 17, 2008 10:42 by Rami Almeghari - IMEMC&Agencies rami at imemc dot org

The Israeli army killed early on Sunday dawn four Palestinian resistance fighters, wounded 15 and rounded up 25 residents in southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah.

A column of Israeli tanks/ archive photo


Palestinian medical sources announced that Ibrahim Sabbah,21, Abdelsalam Abu Sosin, Abdelkarim Alhalban and Naser Abu Shabab, and more than 15 others have been wounded when resistance fighters encountered an Israeli army incursion into eastern Rafah city in southern Gaza Strip.

The Salah Eldin brigades of the Popular Resistance Commiittees, calimed that three of the killed belonged to its ranks.

Witnesses said that an Israeli army undercover unit infiltrated into the vicinity of Gaza international airport, as tanks on the ground and drones overheads, backed the infiltration.

Israeli media sources said that the Israeli soldiers clashed with the resistance fighters after rounding up at least 25 Palestinians over the age of 45 in the targeted area, from which the Israeli army says Palestinians fire homemade shells into adjacent Israeli areas .

Also, the Israeli army bulldozers razed vast areas of Palestinian-owned lands in the area, under the pretext of preventing homemade shells fire, the sources added.

In the meantime, fighter, Ala'a Abu Haddaf, 21, of the Hamas's armed wing Ezzieldin aL-Qassam, has been announced dead after having been battling with sounds he sustained earlier during a clash with Israeli soldiers.

http://www.imemc.org/news_articles/e...sults_offset=0

DATE: 2/17/2008 TIME :12:23
Victim 96 of Israeli Closure Dies Today


GAZA, February 17, 2008, (WAFA)- Medics declared early Sunday that a citizen died as a result of being unable to leave Gaza due to the Israeli closure over Gaza Strip. Thus the number of the victims mounted to 96.

They added that the citizen; Reem al-Batsh died after suffering a severe clot on brain. A long wait of patients await death due to the Israeli closure.




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DATE: 2/17/2008 TIME :11:55
4 Citizens Killed by IOF in Rafah


RAFAH, February 17, 2008, (WAFA)- Four citizens were slain early Sunday in a new Israeli raid against Rafah city, southern Gaza Strip, medics said.

They added that Israeli warplanes targeted a group of citizens in the city area of al-Shoka.




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DATE: 2/17/2008 TIME :10:37
IOF Arrests 22 Citizens in West Bank


WEST BANK, February 17, 2008, (WAFA)- Israeli Occupation Forces IOF arrested early Sunday twenty tow citizens in the West Bank cities of Nablus, Hebron and Jericho.

In Nablus, IOF arrested twelve citizens as they broke into the city village of Aqraba under a cover of warplanes. They stormed a number of houses, arresting 12 citizens.

In Hebron, Israeli troops arrested five citizens in the city and its towns of Ezna and al-Zaherya, witnesses said.

They added that massive Israeli troops rolled into the said areas, arresting five citizens.

In Jericho, Israeli troops arrested five citizens in the city refugee camp of Ein al-Sultan during a wide rampage. .




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DATE: 2/17/2008 TIME :09:36
UN Official: Israeli Wall Devastating


OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, February 17, 2008, (WAFA)- Assistant of Secretary General for UN Humanitarian Affairs John Holmes voiced out Saturday his shock on seeing the Israeli Apartheid Wall and its effects on the Palestinian economical and social life.

"I did not expect it be that big", Homles said after visiting Abu Dees skirt of Jerusalem saying it is just devastating".

Wandering in the streets of Hebron and listening to some citizens' complains about the Israeli daily crimes and assaults, he said "I repeat it is devastating".

On its part, the popular committee against the siege called on Holmes to pressurize Israel uplifts the siege and reopens Gaza Strip crossings. It as well handed Holmes a hand-writing message explaining the consequences of the Israeli siege against Gaza .




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DATE: 2/17/2008 TIME :08:49
New Israeli Raid Kills Citizen, Wounds Dozens in Rafah


RAFAH, February 17, 2008, (WAFA)- A citizen was killed and dozen others wounded early Sunday when Israeli Occupation Forces IOF bombed different areas of Rafah city, southern Gaza Strip, witnesses said.

They added that the IOF troops, backed by a number of warplanes above, broke into a number of areas in the city, conducted a wide-scale rampage; the warplanes fired more than five missiles against the citizens' houses killing a citizen; Ibrahim Saleh 22 and wounding dozens.


http://www.wafa.ps/english/default.asp


17.02.2008 18:39
Palestinians hurled rocks at the security fence near Arake

17.02.2008 11:58
Aerial attack carried out against group of Palestinian gunmen

http://dover.idf.il/IDF/English/

IDF Soldier Severely Wounded During Operations
17 February 2008 , 17:27

An IDF soldier was severely wounded this morning (Sunday, Feb. 17) during an exchange of gunfire between armed operatives and IDF forces in the southern Gaza Strip. This soldier is in critical condition and was evacuated by helicopter to receive medical treatment at the Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba. The wounded soldier serves in an elite unit that participated in operations in the southern Gaza Strip throughout the day.

The soldier was wounded during IDF operations in the southern Gaza Strip against armed operative that have been conducted over the past few days. This morning, during one of these operations, IDF forces attacked a number of armed operatives who were identified in proximity to the forces. The forces identified a hitting the operatives. This incident preceded a number of separate instances, during the night, where IDF forces attacked armed operatives who were identified in proximity to the forces. The attack did not result in damage or injury to the forces.

http://dover.idf.il/IDF/English/News...08/02/1701.htm

[IG]

18/02/2008

DATE: 2/18/2008 TIME :21:01
Israeli Soldiers Attack and Wound 2 Citizens in Hebron


HEBRON, February 18, 2008 (WAFA)-Two citizens were wounded on Monday when Israeli soldiers attacked and beat them in the West Bank city of Hebron, hospital sources said.

They added that Israeli troops attacked and beaten Labeeb al-Fakhouri 17, and Rateb Msooda 19, near al-Haram al-Ibrahemi in Hebron city. They were taken to hospital for treatment.



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DATE: 2/18/2008 TIME :20:52
Citizen Dies of Wounds in Rafah


RAFAH, February 18, 2008 (WAFA)-European hospital sources reported on Monday that a citizen died of his wounds in the Gaza Strip city of Rafah.

The sources said that A'ouni Abu Taha 45, was shot and wounded seriously when Israeli troops swept into al-Shaouka area in Rafah yesterday.

Yesterday, Israeli troops killed four citizens and wounded others in Rafah city.

http://www.wafa.ps/english/default.asp


Two Palestinians kidnapped in Tulkarem by Israeli military
Monday February 18, 2008 10:22 by IMEMC Staff

Israeli military kidnapped two Palestinians from the village of Thennaba near the West Bank city of Tulkarem on Monday at dawn.



Palestinian sources reported that a number of Israeli military vehicles invaded several homes in the village and kidnapped two residents from their homes.

Palestine News Agency – WAFA- quoted eyewitnesses as saying that the military invaded the neighborhood Abed al Hameed Bani Odeh,18 and assaulted his mother Salha 57. The mother was then checked into the hospital for treatment. Her wounds were described as moderate.

Troops also kidnapped Omar al-Shahed, a university student, from Tulkarem city and moved him to an unknown location.

The number of kidnapped Palestinians has raised noticeably in the past couple of months. So far, there are around 11,000 Palestinians in Israeli jails, including children, women, elderly and Parliament Members.

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Israeli military kidnaps a Palestinian in Jenin
Monday February 18, 2008 10:44 by Nisreen Qumsieh - IMEMC News

Israeli army invaded the village of Kufur Ra'ii near Jenion in the northern West Bank area and kidnapped a Palestinian man, on Monday morning.



Palestinian sources reported that at least ten military vehicles entered the area in the early hours of the morning. Troops broke into several homes, searched them and forced residents out. Troops used sound bombs during the offensive to terrify the residents.

Also, the army besieged several civilian builfings, claiming they are looking for claimed wanted Palestinians.

Troops took prisoner Isam Milhem, 22 handcuffed him and took him to an undisclosed destination, witnesses said.

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Israeli forces kidnap a female university student in Nablus
Monday February 18, 2008 11:07 by Nisreen Qumsieh - IMEMC News

The media department of Nafha Society for Defending Human and Prisoner Rights indicated on Monday that Israeli military invaded the northern West Bank city of Nablus and kidnapped a female Palestinian from her home.



Local sources reported that Tasbeeh al-Khayaat, 22 a student of engineering at an- Najah University in Nablus was kidnapped by Israeli soldiers and was moved to unknown destination.

Nafha Society condemned the kidnapping, indicating there had been a visible raise of targeting Palestinian females.

The Society confirmed that in addition to al-Khayyat, six Palestinian females have been abducted since the beginning of this year identifying them as, Mahasen 'Amr, Asma' al Batran, Ahlam Jowhar, Afaf Jom'a, and Isra' al-'Amarna.

Nafha society called for all the international community and especially those active in women affairs to take action for saving the life of at least 110 female prisoners in the Israeli jails.

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Settlers escalate their attacks against Palestinian lands, property in Silwan
Monday February 18, 2008 23:35 by IMEMC Staff

Over the past few days, Israeli settlers intensified their attacks against lands and properties of the residents of Silwan neighborhood in occupied East Jerusalem. Since the beginning of this year, settlers illegally occupied several Palestinian homes, while Israel continued to dig tunnels in that area causing damage to the houses and streets.




On Sunday, dozens of extremist settlers uprooted 30 newly planted olive trees from the land of the resident Mohammad Shaban in Wadi Hilwa area.

The attack was carried out on Sunday at night, approximately at 11, when the settlers entered the land and started uprooted the newly planted trees. The settlers escaped when they noticed that several Palestinian youth saw them.

Attorney Alesa’ Sha’ban said that he went to the land and saw approximately 30 uprooted trees and graffiti written in Arabic and Hebrew by the settlers stating “This is private property”.

He added that he phoned the Israeli police and filed an official complaint and that the police came to the scene and observed the damages.

Sha’ban stated that this is not the first attack as a similar attack took place on January 17 when the settlers partially bulldozed a wall surrounding the land.

The driver of the bulldozer said that the Jerusalem Municipality asked him to bulldoze the wall, and Sha’ban managed to obtain an order barring the setters from entering the land.

The family of Mohammad Sha’ban said that they own official documents proving their ownership of the land.

Hatim Abdul-Qader, advisor to the Palestinian President for Jerusalem Affairs, said that the settlers stepped-up their attacks against the Palestinian lands in Silwan and are carrying attacks against the Arab houses in order to intimidate the residents to leave the area.

The attacks included illegally occupying Palestinian houses, digging tunnels under the houses, uprooting agricultural lands, in addition to several attacks against the residents themselves.

Abdul-Qader added that the digging of the tunnels carried by the Jerusalem municipality and the settlers is only dozens of meters away from the Al Aqsa Mosque.

http://www.imemc.org/news_articles/e...sults_offset=0

[IG]

19/02/2008

DATE: 2/19/2008 TIME :22:24
10-Year-Old Boy Killed in South Gaza Strip


KHAN YOUNIS, February 19, 2008 (WAFA)-A10-year-old boy was killed and two others were wounded on Tuesday in the Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis, hospital sources said.

Medics at al-Aqsa hospital said that Tamer Abu Sha'ar was shot and hit in the head by an Israeli sniper who took position in high building ,east Kahn Younis governorate. Earlier, a citizen was killed In east Khan Younis city by IOF troops.




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DATE: 2/19/2008 TIME :10:24
IOF Kills Citizen in east Khan Younis


KHAN YOUNIS, February 19, 2008 (WAFA)-Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) killed a citizen on Tuesday in the Gaza Strip city of east Khan Younis Governorate, medical sources said.

They told WAFA that Ismael Jadallah 26, was shot and killed in al-Qarara town, east Khan Younis city. He was shot with live bullets all over his body when IOF troops stormed al-Qarara town.

http://www.wafa.ps/english/yesterp.asp

A Palestinian fighter shot dead by the Israeli army in central Gaza
Tuesday February 19, 2008 10:54 by Rami Almeghari - IMEMC & Agencies

A Palestinian resistance fighter of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine's armed wing, was shot dead and another was wounded on central Gaza-Israel border line early on Tuesday.



Medical sources identified the killed as Ismail Jadallah as the democractic front confirmed he was killed during an armed clash with the Israeli soldiers, manning the border line.

In a statement, faxed to press, the democratic front and the Abu Errish brigades, an offshoot of Fatah party of President Abbas, exchanged gunfire and hand grenades with the Israeli forces, as the said fighter was shot dead while planting a roadside bomb.

In the meantime, the Salah Eldin brigades, the armed wing of the Popular Resistance Committees, claimed responsibility for firing four homemade shells onto the Nahal Auz Israeli military checkpoint, to the east of Gaza city.

A brigades' statement read that this attack is a part of what the brigades termed ' messages of hell', in retaliation to the Israeli army killing of Amer Qarmout, a senior leader of the Salah Eldin brigades, several days ago.

Israeli prime minister, Ehud Olmert, gave his army this week a free hand to strike heavily launchers of homemade shells, especially those of the ruling Hamas.

The Israeli army has been imposing a strict closure on the Gaza Strip since Hamas has taken over the coastal region in June of last year.

Media reports suggest that at least 200 Palestinians, including dozens of civilians, have been killed by the Israeli army over the past three months, while two Israelis have been killed due to homemade shells fire in the same period.

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A Palestinian home-made shell lands in an Israeli poultry
Tuesday February 19, 2008 13:15 by Rami Almeghari - IMEMC & Agencies

Israeli media sources reported Tuesday that a Palestinian homemade shell landed in an Israeli poultry in the southern Israeli settlement of Ashkelon beach, causing a great deal of damage.

Qassam shell landed in Sderot (Photo Phili Jewish Voice-2007)


The Mojahideen Brigades, a Gaza-based resistance group, claimed responsibility for firing a homemade shell onto the Ashkelon town, which Palestinians call Asqalan, on Tuesday morning.

In a statement, faxed to press, the Mojahideen brigades said that this homemade shell fire was a retaliation to the continued Israeli crimes against the Palestinian people in Gaza.

Israel has placed Gaza under a strict closure of border crossings since June of last year, causing Gaza's economy to sink in deep recession, with more than 90 percent of local industries closed, leaving 7000 local laborers jobless, according to the Palestinian economy ministry.

In addition, the Israeli army has killed over the past three months more than 250 Palestinians, including dozens of civilians. Israel says its actions on Gaza are aimed at stopping homemade shells fire from the Hamas-ruled coastal territory onto nearby Israeli towns.

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The Islamic Jihad slams human rights groups over reports on aL-Buraij blast
Tuesday February 19, 2008 14:12 by Rami Almeghari - IMEMC&Agencies

The Islamic Jihad group in Gaza slammed Tuesday two Gaza-based human rights groups over reports on the latest bombing of a residential building in the central Gaza Strip refugee camp of aL-Buraij.



A spot of blood in the battered house/ photo by Rami Almeghari


" what has been reported by the aL-Mizan center and the human rights center over the latest Israeli massacre in aL-Buraij camp, is totally untrue", Abu Ahmad, spokesman of the Saraya aL-Quds, the armed wing of the Islamic Jihad, said in a statement, faxed to press.

Abu Ahmad attacked the two human rights groups by saying that their recent reports aimed at pressuring the Palestinian resistance with every possible means, alleging that all indications stress that the bombing of aL-Buraij's house was done by the Israeli occupation.

In their reports, both human groups called for opening an investigation to the circumstances of the bombing, casting doubts over Palestinian claims that the house was shelled by the Israeli army warplanes.

" there has been no solid evidence that the bombing occured as a result of a missile attack by the Israeli warplanes, but it can be rather attributed to an internal explosion, according to other related evidences and eyewitnesses", the reports revealed.

Abu Ahmad went onto saying " the house of al-Fayed was shelled by a land-to-land Israeli missile, whose remnants are now kept with the Saray aL-Quds brigades.

"The high number of casualties out of such a shelling as well as the injuries outside the shelled house indicate that the hosue was shelled by an Israeli missile", he believed.

He also demanded the two groups to apologize for the families of the victims and retreat what he termed ' a story that only serves the occupation's fabrication'.

" The above-mentioned groups are not technically qualified enough to reach such a conclusion on the Zionist crimes', Abu Ahmad maintained.

Last Friday, a large blast occurred in a house in one of the neighborhoods of the aL-Buraij refugee camp in central Gaza, causing the death of the Saray leader, Ayman Fayed and seven others including Fayed's own children.

Israeli army spokesperson, denied any responsibility for the said bombing as many Palestinian groups held Israel responsibility and vowed to avenge the killings.

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Israeli peace activists bring in food assistance to the besieged Gaza
Tuesday February 19, 2008 14:49 by Rami Almeghari - IMEMC & Agencies

A convoy of food assistance, provided by a group of Israeli peace activists, entered Gaza on Tuesday, through the Israeli-controlled commercial crossing of Sufa in southern Gaza.

Food Convoy from Israeli groups to Gaza (Photo: Gush Shalom)


The convoy, which is made up of food assistance and water filters for hospitals, has been sent by Israeli peace activists and human rights groups in Israel, as Gaza faces a crippling Israeli closure since June of last year.

Israeli activists who escorted the convoy to the borders of Gaza, such as Uri Avneri, former Israeli lawmaker, said that the purpose of such a convoy ' is breaking the Israeli siege of Gaza', branding such a siege as ' immoral and inconsistent with the humanitarian international law.

In Gaza, Dr. Iyad aL-Saraj, chairman of Gaza's mental health program and in charge of the international-Palestinian campaign for breaking the siege, was quoted by media outlets as saying " we in Gaza are appreciating such a solidarity, which we consider as the beginning of joint work to achieve peace and freedom for both sides".

Alsaraj's efforts have so far helped ensure arrival of the convoy, as he has been in constant contacts with concerned bodies, mainly the director of United Nations' operations in Gaza , ,Mr. Jhon Ging, and other Israel peace groups.

This is the first time that Israeli peace activists send out assistance to the besieged Gaza Strip, since Israel has placed the costal region under a strict closure of crossings, preventing entry of many essential supplies.

According to United Nations' records, more than 80 percent of Gaza's 1.5 million residents depend entirely on the UN's food assistance and services, due to growing figures of poverty and unemployment since last June.

Israel has recently declared more restriction of entry of supplies will go into effect, until halt of what Israel says ' homemade shells fire' from the Hamas-run territory onto nearby Israeli towns.

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98 Palestinian patients, including 17 Children, die due to the Gaza siege
Tuesday February 19, 2008 23:00 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC

Palestinian medical sources announced on Tuesday evening that one child died at a Gaza hospital after the Israeli Authorities barred his transfer to a hospital abroad for further medical treatment as the siege on Gaza continued to cripple all hospitals in the coastal region.

Archive Photo


The child was identified as Sa’id Al Ayidy, 2, from Rafah in the southern part of the Gaza Strip. He suffered from a kidney infection. His death raised the number of Palestinian patient who died due to the siege to 98, including 17 children.

Following are the names of children who died due to the ongoing blockade;

1. Sa’id Al Ayidy, 2.

2. Fatin Majdi Al Hafnawi, 10.

3. Ibrahim Abu Nahil, 1year and four months old.

4. Sana Mohammad Al Hajj, six months.

5. Rawan Diab, 13 months.

6. Hala Zannoun, 3 months.

7. Yousef Eyad Abu Mariam, 5 years old.

8. Razan Mohammad Ata, 6 years.

9. Dua’ Hani Habeen, 5 months.

10. Ibrahim Abu Jazar, 2 years.

11. Shereen Abdullah Abu Shawarib, 10 years.

12. Hammad Maher Abu Hamda, 1.5 months.

13. Ameer Al Baziji, 9 years.

14. Nada Eyad Al Asgha, 13 years old.

15. Rawan Nassar, 15.

16. Dua’ Abed Amran, 18.

17. Mahmoud Nahedh Hussein, 14.

http://www.imemc.org/news_articles/e...sults_offset=0

[IG]

20/02/2008

DATE: 2/20/2008 TIME :12:37
IOF Arrests 13 Citizens in Tulkarem and Jerusalem


TULKAREM, February 20, 2008, (WAFA)- Israeli occupation Forces (IOF) arrested thirteen citizens in the West Bank city of Tulkarem and Jerusalem.

In Tulkarem, an Israeli under-cover unit sneaked into a café, down town the city. They besieged the area amid intensive fire shooting, arresting 12 citizens.

In Jerusalem, IOF arrested a youth in the city town of Anata, witnesses said.

They added that the Israeli troops broke into the town, stormed the house of Mahmoud Abu Halima.




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DATE: 2/20/2008 TIME :12:06
Victim 97 of Israeli Closure Dies


GAZA, February 20, 2008, (WAFA)- Medical sources declared late on Tuesday that a child, 2 years, died as a result of being unable to leave Gaza out for treatment due to the Israeli siege imposed.

They added that the child Said al-Aydy, 2, from Rafah city, died after fighting severely with hepatitis. Thus the number of the victims of the Israeli closure over Gaza Strip mounted to 97.

A long list of patients awaits death as a result of being unable to get proper medication out side Gaza Strip.

http://www.wafa.ps/english/body.asp?id=11190

Salah Eldin brigades claims its fighters wounded Israeli soldiers in southern Gaza
Wednesday February 20, 2008 10:32 by Rami Almeghari - IMEMC & Agencies

The Salah Eldin brigades, the armed wing of the popular resistance committees said Wednesday it clashed with an Israeli army undercover force near the Kussofim military post to the south of Gaza Strip.

A column of Israeli tanks/ archive photo


In a statement, faxed to press, the brigades claimed that the armed clash with the Israeli army caused a number of injuries among the soldiers.

The statement read that such a clash comes as a part of the group's responses to continued Israeli army attacks across the Gaza Strip.

No further details were reported.

The Israeli army has been engaged in a series of military incursions and small-scale attacks on Gaza areas, bordering Israel, in different parts of the coastal region.

The Israeli military claims its actions against Gaza are meant to prevent firing of homemade shells from the Hamas-ruled territory onto nearby Israeli towns.

In the past three months, Israel killed more than 200 Palestinians in Gaza, including dozens

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Palestinian man critically wounded as he was attacked by loose pigs from a nearby Israeli settlement
Wednesday February 20, 2008 11:43 by IMEMC Staff & Agencies

Pigs that belong to settlers from the Israeli settlement of Areil near Salfit in the West Bank attacked a Palestinian elderly man and critically injured him. The man is still receiving medical treatment in the hospital for the past 10 days.

A photo taken by Ma'an News


Palestinian sources reported that pigs Abed al M'oti ar-Rimawe,53, a resident of villageof Beit Reema, while he was on his way to his orchards. Ar-Rimawe got critical and deep cuts to different parts of his body that kept him hospitalized so far for ten days.

Sources added that settlers continuously drove their pigs in the Palestinian orchards, especially in Wadi Kana, most of which its orchards belong to Deir Istya town. The pigs frequently damage the crops.

Palestinian police in Salfit said this is not the first time Palestinians are physically attacked by settler pigs. They have registered earlier another pigs attack on a Palestinian woman and her child in Surta village, also near Salfit. Police officers confirmed that huge numbers of pigs had been deliberately distributed by the Israeli settlers in all the villages of Salfit district.

Residents of Salfit district petitioned to the Palestinian Ministry of agriculture and to Human Rights organizations to force the settlers to stop the pigs attacks, but apparently, their efforts seems to be fruitless.


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Bodies of Dimona attack's bombers, extradited to the Palestinian side
Wednesday February 20, 2008 17:57 by Rami Almeghari - IMEMC & Agencies

Bodies of two Palestinian fighters who carried out a bombing attack in Israel last month, were reportedly extradited to the Palestinian side on Wednesday.

illustration photo


Mohammad aL-Herbawi and Shadi al-Zaghir, of the West Bank city of Hebron, carried out last month a suicide bombing attack in a mall inside the southern Israeli town of Dimona, in which one woman was killed and 11others were wounded.

The Islamic Hamas movement, which holds a sway in Gaza, had claimed responsibility for the attack, saying the two fighters were sent out by the group to carry out the bombing.

One of the killed was shot dead by an Israeli police personnel on the spot, as the other managed to blow himself up in the Dimona mall.

Shadi, 20, used to work for a plastic factory in Hebron, while Mohammad, 20, used to work for a paper factory in the same city, according to their parents.

Hamas, which will hold a joint funeral procession for its men, had claimed the resumption of 'martyrdom operations', was a natural response to the Israeli 'occupation crimes' against the Palestinian people.

The last month's suicide resistance attack was the first in more than a year, after the Islamist group of Hamas carried a similar larger bombing in the Israeli city of Natanya on January 2007.

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Israeli soldiers severely beat a Palestinian boy in Tulkarem city
Wednesday February 20, 2008 18:37 by Rami Almeghari - IMEMC & Agencies

Israeli soldiers harshly attacked and beaten up a Palestinian boy from the West Bank city of Tulkarem, Palestinian medical sources said.

Israeli soldiers in the West Bank/ archive photo


Medics added that Mohammad Abu Zant,14, suffered bruises in all over his body after having been exposed to severe beating by the Israeli soldiers.

Witnesses said that Abu Zant was arrested earlier in the day during an Israeli military incursion into the city.

Local sources confirmed that the Israeli army force took prisoner 12 other residents, including teens.

Israeli army attacks on the occupied West Bank take place almost on daily basis, as many Palestinians happen to be taken prisoners by the Israeli soldiers.

Currently, Israel holds at least 11500 Palestinians including women and juveniles inside its jails, according to Palestinian sources.

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Several children recently injured by military fire in villages north west of Jerusalem
Wednesday February 20, 2008 22:08 by IMEMC Staff

Palestinian medical sources reported that in recent period Israeli soldiers shot and injured several Palestinian children, and harshly attacked and clubbed others, as they were playing near the Annexation Wall in villages around Jerusalem.

Wall - Bethlehem, Image by ARIJ


Sa’id Yaqeen, coordinator of the Popular Committee Against the Wall stated that undercover forces guarding the Wall chased Mohammad Salim Abu Eed, from Biddo village and severely punched and clubbed him.

The child was badly injured and lost consciousness before the soldiers transferred him to Hadassah Ein Karem Hospital in Jerusalem. After the child recovered, soldiers kidnapped him and transferred him to an unknown destination.

Yaqeen added that in Qotna village, five children were injured by Israeli military fire as they were playing near the Wall.

Four of the children were identified as Mohammad Nasser Al Faqeeh, 16, Moath Tabanja, Mohammad Ahmad Al Faqeeh, 13, Mohammad Mustafa Shamasna.

Yaqeen stated that the Annexation Wall which was constructed around Palestinian village north west of Jerusalem three years ago transformed these village into isolated cantons, separated from each other and isolated from Jerusalem and Ramallah.

He voiced an appeal to different human rights groups, especially groups defending the rights of children, to intervene and stop the Israeli violations, and the ongoing violations carried by soldiers guarding the Wall.

http://www.imemc.org/news_articles/e...sults_offset=0


20.02.2008 16:14
Tanzim terror operative, Umar Ahmad Ali Al Badawi, arrested

20.02.2008 14:18
Palestinians detonated an explosive device

20.02.2008 07:20
IDF forces arrested six wanted Palestinians

http://dover.idf.il/IDF/English/

[IG]

21/02/2008

DATE: 2/21/2008 TIME :18:36
Israeli Soldiers Seize Control on 2 Houses in Bethlehem


BETHLEHEM, February 21, 2008 (WAFA)-Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) seized control on two houses in the West Bank city of west Bethlehem on Thursday, security sources said.

They added that massive Israeli soldiers stormed Nahalin village , west Bethlehem and seized control on the two houses belonging to Shakarna nad al-Sersar families and turned them into military posts.

Witnesses said that the soldiers hurled tear gas canisters and opened fire towards citizens.


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DATE: 2/21/2008 TIME :18:29
IOF Arrests 23 Citizens in WB


NABLUS, February 21, 2008 (WAFA)- Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) conducted on Thursday a wide-scale arrest campaign in the West Bank and arrested 23 citizens, security sources said.

They told WAFA that the arrests were mainly in the Nablus area, where 18 citizens arrested in the town of Beita alone, southern Nablus City.

They added a large number of Israeli troops broke into the city, at dawn, and started searching homes under the pretext of finding Palestinians wanted.

One arrestee was Fatah official Ziyad Hilal.Other arrests were in Tolkarem, Hebron, and Qalqiliya.

http://www.wafa.ps/english/default.asp

School children in Rafah exposed to Israeli army gunfire
Thursday February 21, 2008 12:46 by Rami Almeghari - IMEMC&Agencies

Palestinian school children in the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah have been reportedly exposed to Israeli army gun fire on Thursday morning, as resistance fighters clashed with the army forces.

A column of Israeli tanks/ archive photo


The Israeli army forces in the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah opened heavy gun fire on Palestinian school children of the Shuka village, witnesses said.

Witnesses added that the children have been stranded at the school as the Israeli army has exchanged gun fire with resistance fighters in the area.

Local families have appealed to all concerned bodies to protect their children, who came across fire.

Earlier on Thursday, the Israeli army carried out a small-scale incursion into the aLshuka, as resistance fighters claimed firing mortar shells towards the invading force.

The Rafah city has been recently exposed to a series of Israeli army attacks, with the Gaza International Airport, having been further devastated and vast areas of arable Palestinian lands having been razed.

Israeli military has recently threatened of waging a large-scale offensive on the Gaza Strip, within what Israel says ' an attempt to stop Palestinian homemade shells fire' onto nearby Israeli towns.

In September2007, Israel declared the coastal region a ' hostile entity', and began in October imposing a series of punitive measures against the Gaza's population, including fuel supplies cut.

In June of last year, Israel placed Gaza under a strict closure, right after the Islamist Hamas movement took over the coastal territory amidst a power struggle with Fatah party of President Mahmoud Abbas, who embraces a peace strategy.

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Israel considers a U.S-like invasion of Gaza
Thursday February 21, 2008 13:41 by Rami Almeghari - IMEMC&Agencies

The Israeli government has been reportedly approved a military plan, similar to the U.S invasion of Iraq in 2003, within underway preparations to massively attack Gaza.



An Israeli jet fighter/ archive photo


According to the Jewish Press online website on Wednesday, Israeli sources said that a plan, drafted by the Israeli general staff, has been endorsed by the Israeli defense minister, Ehud Barak.

The website also reported that such a planned invasion has been discussed by several panels of the Israeli cabinet, involving many cabinet members.

A part of the plan, Israel is intending to diminish the Hamas regime in Gaza, with targeting the Hamas leaders and controlling most areas of the Gaza Strip, in a way that dejects momentum of likely international response.

At least 10,000 to 20,000 soldiers, backed by warplanes and warships and battle tanks, will be employed in the Gaza invasion, to be deployed at four main access, including the Mediterranean sea side.

In addition, the Israeli army will dismember the coastal region into three parts, starting with the Gaza international airport of Rafah city in the south, the Jewish online publication added.

Nevertheless, the plan requires approval of the Israeli prime minister, Ehud Olmert, who is supposed to await the United States' permission to the proposed invasion of Gaza.

Among the possible scenarios of such an offensive, an Israeli army presence on the Gaza-Egypt border line, with a possibility of installing a NATO force into the region, following the Israeli withdrawal.

Recently, a number of Israeli ministers have gestured possibility to eliminate the Hamas regime in Gaza, once and for all.

Israel has warned of massively attack the Gaza Strip as some ministers proposed leveling to the ground entire Gaza neighborhoods, after having evacuated the residents.

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The Israeli army attacks Beita village near Nablus and kidnaps 18 civilians
Thursday February 21, 2008 16:36 by Ghassan Bannoura - IMEMC News

On Thursday, Palestinian sources reported that the Israeli army attacked and searched homes in the village of Beita located near the northern West Bank city of Nablus and kidnapped 18 civilians there.



file - 2007


Witnesses said army jeeps and troops stormed the village at dawn, soldiers searched and ransacked a number of village homes, then kidnapped 18 people and took them to unknown locations.

Among those kidnapped were; Ziead Hilal, 40, Mussa Baraham, 20, Iyhab Mustafa, 24, and Taleb Hamaiel, 35.

Sources in the village said that troops kept the village under curfew until late morning.

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The Israeli army attacks several villages near Hebron and kidnaps two civilians
Thursday February 21, 2008 16:49 by Ghassan Bannoura - IMEMC News

Two Palestinian civilians were kidnapped when Israeli troops attacked several villages located near the southern West Bank city of Hebron on Thursday.



file - 2007


Troops attacked and searched homes in Sa'er and Sourif villages located near Hebron. Eyewitnesses said that the troops forced families out of their homes during the search.

The witnesses added that soldiers ransacked the homes they searched and beat up men.

Local sources identified the two kidnapped as; Sayif Abu Al Houwar, 21 and Hakeem Shaladah, 44.

Moreover on Thursday afternoon the Israeli army forces invaded Sourif village again, took control of two homes and made them into army posts.

http://www.imemc.org/news_articles/e...sults_offset=0

21.02.2008 15:35
IDF soldier lightly injured

21.02.2008 14:32
IDF officer was lightly injured by rocks that were hurled at his vehicle

21.02.2008 10:12
Palestinians opened fire at IDF forces

21.02.2008 08:13
Aerial attack carried out against armed rocket launcher

http://dover.idf.il/IDF/English/

[IG]

22/02/2008

DATE: 2/22/2008 TIME :20:07
Israeli Soldiers Attack Peace Activists in Bil'in

RAMALLAH, February 22, 2008 (WAFA) - Israeli troops on Friday attacked Palestinian and foreign activists protesting the Israeli Apartheid Wall being built in the West Bank village of Bil'in, near Ramallah.

Local witnesses said that the soldiers fired tear-gas shells and rubber-coated steel bullets to disperse the demonstrators, wounding a photographer.

The villagers of Bil'in said the wall is an attempt to grab their land and undermine the viability of their promised state.

Hundreds of foreign peace activists and Palestinians demonstrate at least once a week against the wall, which seizes large tracts of the West Bank lands.

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DATE: 2/22/2008 TIME :19:05
Israeli Planes Kill 2 Citizens in Gaza

GAZA, February 22, 2008 (WAFA) - An Israeli air attack killed on Friday two citizens and wounded a third in the central Gaza Strip, medical sources said.

The sources said Israel warplanes launched at least one missile during the attack near Bureij Refugee Camp. Local witnesses said the two men were instantly killed in the missile attack, affirming their bodies were torn to pieces.

http://www.wafa.ps/english/default.asp

Israeli Authorities demolish several Arab constructions in the Negev
Friday February 22, 2008 02:00 by IMEMC Staff

The Israeli Authorities in the Negev area demolished on Thursday morning four houses, one shop and a public facility in al Far’a, Wadi Al Ni’am and Um Amatan unrecognized Arab villages in the Negev.




One house was demolished in Al Far’a village, one shop in Um Amatan village, a public facility in Al Hawashla village, and one house in Wadi Al Ni’am village.

Hussein Rafay’a, head of the Regional Council of the Unrecognized Arab Villages in the Negev, stated that the demolishing of the construction is part of the of an ongoing campaign by the Israeli authorities against the Arab villages in the Negev as the government is expanding and construction Jewish-only settlements in the area.



Rafay’a added the dozens of houses and constructions were demolished in several villages although the lands are owned by the villagers but “Israel insists on emptying the area from its Arab residents in order to construct and expand the settlements”.



“We never left our lands, we never will, we will rebuild whatever they demolish”, he stated, “The Israeli government claims democracy but at the same time it is practicing ethnic-cleansing against us while the whole world is idle”.



He also said that the United Nations and several human rights groups know about what is happening in the Negev but did not attempt to aid the residents who are facing this daily injustice, annexation and misplacement.

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14 Aqsa Brigades fighters escape from Jneid Palestinian prison
Friday February 22, 2008 03:54 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

Palestinian sources reported on Thursday evening that 14 members of the Al Aqsa Brigades, the armed wing of Fateh movement, escaped from the Jneid Palestinian prison in the northern West Bank City of Nablus.

Archive Photo


Mahdi Abu Ghazala, one of the 14 Brigades members who escaped, stated that the fighters decided to leave prison after the administration failed to implement and commit itself to an agreement reached with them before they were detained.

Some of the fighters who escaped were identified as Omar Akoub, Ala’ Akoub, Mahdi Abu Ghazala, Steven Anabtawi, Amjad Anabtawi, Mohammad Al Shansheer, Saleh Abu Al Hayyat, Sufian Qandeel and Imad Al Sawalhy.

Israeli sources reported that the fleeing fighters are negotiating with Palestinian security officials in Nablus.

21 Aqsa Brigades fighters in Nablus previously handed their weapons to the Palestinian Authority after agreeing to be detained in Jneid prison following an agreement between the Palestinian Authority and Israel.

The agreement states that Israel will grant the fighters a full “pardon” in a later undefined stage, yet the fighters repeatedly complained to bad conditions in detention.

Israeli also conditioned that the fighters should remain imprisoned, denied access to weapons and denied any contact with resistance factions.

The agreement also states that several fighters, wanted by Israel, are to be detained at the Palestinian Security Services headquarters, others in Jericho Palestinian Prison and other in Jneid Prison in Nablus.

The fighters were pardoned by Israel under an agreement with the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank. Israel claims that the fighters began a three-month probation period and hat this period ended

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94% of applications for construction permits are rejected by Israel
Friday February 22, 2008 03:15 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC

The Israeli Peace Now Movement released data on the Israeli policies regarding denying construction permits for Palestinians living in area C, which is under full Israeli Control, and revealed that 94% of construction permit applications filed by the Palestinians are rejected by the so-called Civil Administration Office, which is under the control of the Israeli Army.



The report revealed that while Israel only accepted to grant licenses to nearly 91 Palestinians houses in the period between 2000 and 2004, at least 18472 houses were built for the settlers living in West Bank settlements.

Under the Oslo agreement, area “C” is “temporarily” under full Israeli control, security and civil control.

The Movement revealed that in the period between 2000 and 2007 94% of construction licensing applications were rejected by the “Civil Administration Office”.

Also, data collected by Peace Now indicated that the Civil Administration is demolishing one-third of the Palestinian houses built without permits while in the Jewish settlements less than 7% of the illegal constructions are demolished.

The data also showed that for every license issued for Palestinian houses in area C, 55 demolishing orders are issued and 18 houses are demolished.

The Israeli Committee Against Home Demolishing published data revealing than since Israel occupied the West Bank and 1967, 18.000 Palestinian homes were demolished while the illegal settlements continuously expanded.

The Committee added that over the last 10 years, no construction permits were granted to Palestinian residents in area C although the lands are owned by the residents which forced most of them to construct their homes without permits. “Those Palestinians that do build without any permission face a rate of demolition (on structures that demolition orders have been issued) of 33%, as opposed to the percentage of demolition orders that are carried out against Israeli settlements, which stands at 7% (The data regarding the demolitions in the settlements is based on Peace Now's report from December 2007)”, Peace Now reported.

Peace Now reported that as Israel only granted construction licenses to 91 Palestinians houses From 2000 until September 2007, settlers built 18.472 houses. In the same period Israel issued 4993 demolishing orders against Palestinian houses and demolished 1663 of them. Israel issued 2900 demolishing orders for settlers homes and only demolished 199.

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Israeli Court frees 8 Jewish youth who plan to attack Arabs and burn their homes in Tel Aviv
Friday February 22, 2008 04:10 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

An Israeli Court in Tel Aviv released on Wednesday eight Jewish youth who planned to attack Arab residents in Tel Aviv area, and burn their homes. The release was unconditional and only stated that they vow to obey orders to interrogate them is requested.



The Israeli Police asked the Tel Aviv Court to bar the youth, 14-18 years old, from being closed than 500 meters from Arab houses, but the judge rejected the request.

Israeli media sources reported that that eight were arrested on suspicions that the planned to attack Arab residents and suspicions to commit a crime, in Shkhonat Hatikva area in Tel Aviv , and that they also were involved in fistfight with Arab residents.

A police source in Tel Aviv stated that the police fears clashes between Jews and Arabs in the city following the release eight.

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Two fighters killed, one injured, in the central Gaza Strip
Friday February 22, 2008 10:23 by Saed Bannoura&Rami aL-Meghari - IMEMC & Agencies

Palestinian medical sources reported on Friday at dawn that two Palestinian fighters, members of the Al Quds Brigades the armed wing of the Islamic Jihad, were assassinated and one was injured in an Israeli military shelling to Al Maghazi refugee camp, in the central Gaza Strip.

The funeral procession of fighters killed in Maghazi Friday/ photo by IMEMC's Rami aL-Meghari


The shelling targeted a group of fighters who gathered east of the camp, local sources reported.

The two slain fighters and the injured fighters were moved to the Al Aqsa Hospital in Dir Al Balah. The assassinated fighters were identified as Ayman Abu Sa’id and Mohammad Al Hazeen. The bodies of the two fighters were severely mutilated.

Eyewitnesses reported that an Israeli military helicopter fired missiles at the fighters and the Al Quds Brigades confirmed that the two are members of the group.

The Brigades added that the fighters were monitoring undercover Israeli forces that infiltrated into the area and exchanged fire with them before the military helicopter was called to the scene and fired the missiles at them.

Israeli online daily, Haaretz, reported that an Israeli military spokeswoman confirmed that attack.

In related news, an Israeli military helicopter fired rounds of live ammunition at several houses and resistance fighters in Khuza’a town, east of Khan Younis in the southern part of the Gaza Strip; damage was reported, no injuries.

Also, the Israeli Air Force fired shelled several areas in the Gaza Strip on Thursday at night and Friday at dawn.

Furthermore, the Israeli Navy fired on Friday morning at least 15 shells at open areas near Al Sudaniyya area in the northern part of the Gaza Strip, no injuries were reported.

In its weekly report published on Thursday, the Palestinian Center for Human Rights (PCHR) reported that during the week of 14 - 20 February 2008, 6 Palestinians were killed, 2 died from earlier injuries, and 13 were injured by the Israeli military. One of those killed this week was an 11-year old child. Of the injured, one is a woman, and one is a journalist.

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Four Injured, including two children, when Israeli troops attacked peaceful protest near Bethlehem
Friday February 22, 2008 13:37 by Ghassan Bannoura - IMEMC News

Four unarmed Palestinian civilians were injured when Israeli troops attack a peaceful protest in Al Ma'ssara village located south of Bethlehem city, in the southern part of the West Bank.

File - 2007


Around 70 Palestinians from the village along with international and Israeli supporters organized a protest against the illegal wall Israeli is building on the village land.

Protesters marched to the village entrance where the army blocked it with raiser wire. The villagers wanted to reach their lands, as soon as villagers tired to cross over the military checkpoint Israeli troops attacked them with batons and injured four of them.

Witnesses told IMEMC soldiers also spit and yelled at the young men at the protest to provoke violence but without success.

The four injured were identified as Hareth Ibrejeyiah, 6, Baraa Zawahrah, 8, Hassam Ibrejeyiah 38, and Mohamed Zawahrah 36.

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Fifteen injured at the weekly protest of Bil'in.
Friday February 22, 2008 17:55 by Ghassan Bannoura - IMEMC News

The villagers of Bil'in, located near the central West Bank city of Ramallah, along with international and Israeli supporters, conducted their weekly protest against the illegal Israeli wall being built on village land. Israeli troops attacked the protesters.

File - 2007


As is the case each week for over two years now, the protest started after Friday prayers, with participants marching from the village center towards the construction site of the Wall.

This week the theme of the protest was to mark the third anniversary of the continuous nonviolent struggle of Bil'in village and the 39th anniversary of the Democratic Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP).

As soon as the protestors left the village and walked towards the village's confiscated land it was met with a military barricade set up by the Israeli soldiers. As soon as the protest reached the barricade soldiers showered them with tear gas and sound bombs.

As a result, sixteen civilians including one journalist were injured and had to be moved to a hospital in the nearby city of Ramallah for treatment, where the injuries were described as light to moderate.

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The army attacks peaceful protest west of Bethlehem and hurts 70 civilians
Friday February 22, 2008 21:50 by Ghassan Bannoura - IMEMC News

On Friday, the Israeli army attacked a nonviolent protest organized by the villagers of Al Khader near the southern West Bank city of Bethlehem. At least 70 civilians were hurt in the attack.

File - 2007


The Popular Committee Against the Wall and Settlements in Al Khader organized a protest to demonstrate against the illegal construction of the annexation wall on land owned by village farmers.

Officials and members from The Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine DFLP joint the villagers of Al Khader today.

Around 1500 villagers, along with a handful of foreigners, and Israeli peace activists marched toward the nearby Israeli settlers' road which is separating the village from it's farm lands. The protest started after Friday prayers were held at the side of the road.

Two speeches were delivered during the protest; one was by Taysser Khaled, a DFLP leader and Samier Jaber from the Al Khader Popular Committee against the Wall and the coordinator of the Popular Committees in Bethlehem.

Shortly after the speeches the army attacked the protesters and showered them with tear gas. Forty Three suffered badly after inhaling gas.

When protesters ended the march, the army chased the local youth to the village of Al Khader and opened fire at them injuring 18, and assaulted 3 among them 2 children.

Jaber told IMEMC that the protest was peaceful and no one had done any thing to provoke the soldiers, "they attacked use without any reason" Jaber commented.

Earlier on Friday morning the Israeli army attacked a similar protest near Bethlehem and left four civilians including two children injured.

The DFLP, which is also marking its 39th anniversary, reported that Khalid was wounded in his leg as the army fired dozens of concussion grenades and gad bombs.

Referring to the conflict between Hamas and Fateh, Khalid said in a speech during the protest that Hamas must “end its coup in Gaza” and that Hamas and Fateh must initiate dialogue as the occupation is the only beneficiary of this conflict and internal divisions among the Palestinians.

He called for unifying the national efforts in cooperation with Egypt, the Quartet and the United Nations in order to lift the siege imposed by Israel on the Gaza Strip and to ensure that the Rafah terminal is opened without any Israeli intervention but only run by the Egyptians and the Palestinians.

Khalid also slammed that negotiations policy conducted by the Palestinian negotiations team with Israel and stated that Israel must recognize the 1967 borders as the borders of the Palestinian state as Israel rejects to talk about borders and is ongoing with the construction and expansion of its settlements in the West Bank in addition to the ongoing construction of the Annexation Wall in order to force the Israeli version and maps of the final status solution.

http://www.imemc.org/news_articles/e...sults_offset=0


22.02.2008 16:27
An IDF soldier was lightly wounded by rocks hurled at him during a violent demonstration in the village of Bil'in

22.02.2008 07:16
During the night IDF Forces arrested 10 wanted palestinians

http://dover.idf.il/IDF/English/

[IG]

23/02/2008

DATE: 2/23/2008 TIME :18:01
Israeli Missile Attack Kills 3 Citizens in Gaza

GAZA, February 23, 2008 (WAFA) - An Israeli missile attack killed three citizens on Saturday in the northern Gaza Strip, medical sources reported.

The sources said two others were injured by the missile fired near the Gaza- Israel border near Beit Hanoun.

Local witnesses said the killed people were all civilians.


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DATE: 2/23/2008 TIME :13:18
Israeli Soldiers Arrest 2 Citizens in Hebron


HEBROPN, February 23, 2008 (WAFA)-Israeli soldiers arrested on Saturday two citizens in the West Bank city of west Hebron, security sources told WAFA.

They added that Israeli troops conducted a search campaign in Soureef town, north-west Hebron city and arrested Seif al-Hour 22, and Mesa'ab al-Hour 23, leading them into an unknown destination.


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DATE: 2/23/2008 TIME :11:38
IOF Troops Wound 4 Citizens, Destroy House in Nablus


NABLUS, February 23, 2008 (WAFA)-Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) wounded on Saturday four citizens and destroyed a house in the east Bank city of Nablus, security sources said.

They told WAFA that Israeli troops stormed Ein al-Ma refugee camp in Nablus city and destroyed the house of Majdi Mabrouka 30,wounding four citizens.

Local sources said that the IOF troops arrested Mabrouka and took him into an unknown location.

http://www.wafa.ps/english/default.asp

Mayor of the Israeli town of Sderot wants a truce with Hamas
Saturday February 23, 2008 15:54 by Rami Almeghari - 1 of International Middle East Media Center - IMEMC Editorial Group

Mayor of the border Israeli town of Sderot, Eli Moyal, expressed willingness to talk with Hamas over halt of Gaza-based homemade shells fire, offering a 10-year-long pause of hostilities.


A homemade shell/ archive photo


Moyal was quoted by the British Guardian newspaper as saying that he is ready to negotiate with the ruling Hamas in Gaza, despite the international ban on any dialogue with the Islamist party, if such a talk would save Israeli lives.

" I would say to Hamas, let's have a ceasefire, let's stop the rockets for the next 10 years and we will see what happens", Moyal said.
T
he right-wing Israeli official, added " For me as a person the most important thing is life and I 'm ready to do everything for that. I 'm ready to talk to the devil.".

Moyal's position has apparently changed after a homemade shell that landed in Sderot last week caused a boy's leg to be amputated. The Sderot's mayor was then quoted as calling for the assassination of Hamas leaders and leveling to the ground of an entire neighborhoods in Gaza.

He explained : "Imagine 20 kids [in Sderot] being killed in a kindergarten by a missile - then the Israel government would have to act and would lose its morality. If we don't talk we go deeper and deeper into war. If we don't talk we should fight."

He maintained that a major military escalation would be needed to stop the rockets and that would come at the price of "innocent people being killed on both sides".

In the past year, Israel killed more than 300 Palestinians in Gaza, including dozens of civilians, within what Israeli says measures to stop the homemade shells fire. The homemade shells have killed 12 Israelis, since they have been first launched by several Palestinian resistance groups in Gaza in 2001.

The Sderot mayor's call for dialogue comes as Israel has been recently facing a mounting international pressure to lift the closure of Gaza and halt its actions against the Gaza's 1.5-million residents, including limiting entry of essential supplies.

United Nations undersecretary general for humanitarian affairs, Jhon Holmes, during a visit to the region last week, called for ending hostilities as the best way out of such a cycle of violence.

The European Union parliament passed a resolution on Thursday, considering the Israeli actions on Gaza as ' collective punishment', while calling on Hamas to stop homemade shells fire from its territories.

Hamas's spokesperson in Gaza, Fawzi Barhoum, told IMEMC that his group welcomes such a resolution , but says that the homemade shells fire is a natural response to the Israeli occupation's crimes and actions.

Barhoum, however, voiced Hamas's readiness to consider any initiative that would put an end to the Palestinian people's suffering.

Since disengaged from the Gaza Strip in September2005, the Israeli army has carried out many incursions into the coastal region, particularly after the Hamas's militant offshoot captured an Israeli soldier in a cross-border raid in southern Gaza in June2006.

In June2007, the Hamas party took over the coastal Strip amidst a power struggle with Fatah party of President Abbas and ousted Abbas-loyal forces from the region. Right after the take over, Israel enforced a crippling economic blockade on the Strip.

Hamas took power after January2006's parliamentary elections, and since then, the party has been shunned by the international community and Israel, despite the fact it has offered a long-term truce with Israel and respected past-signed peace agreements with the Israeli state.

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Three injured as the army invades Nablus
Saturday February 23, 2008 12:36 by Ameen Abu Wardeh - IMEMC News

Three Palestinian civilians were injured when Israeli troops stormed al-Ein Refugee camp located in the northern West Bank city Nablus on Saturday morning.

File - 2007


The army surrounded the house of Majdi Mabruk, 30, and fired a number sounds bombs and detonated explosives near the house injuring Mabruk sister Nabeelah. One man identified as, Sabah Salam and one child were lightly wounded by shrapnel of the sound bombs.

Eyewitnesses reported that soldiers hand-cuffed and blind-folded Mabruk and took him to an undisclosed location.

Local sources said that Mabruk is a leader of the Abu Ali Mustafa brigade, the armed wing of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestinian (PFLP) and has been wanted by the Israeli army since three years.

Witnesses stated that the military operation lasted for several hours, during which at least 17 military vehicles roamed in the camp and troops searched scores of homes in the camp.

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An Israeli shell kills three Palestinians in Beit Hanoun
Saturday February 23, 2008 17:16 by Rami Almeghari - IMEMC&Agencies

Palestinian medical sources said that the three Palestinians have been reportedly killed after an Israeli shell hit them in the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Hanoun.



illustration photo


Witnesses said that a land-to-land Israeli missile targeted the three young men to the east of Beit Hanoun city, leading to their instant death.

The medics identified one of the killed as Talal Za'aneen, while the other two remained unidentified up to writing this report.

Local sources confirmed that those killed were civilians, who work for a Jordanian bank in Gaza.

Israeli media sources said the army spotted three persons, while prepared to launch a homemade shells onto nearby Israeli areas.

Israeli army killed more than 300 Palestinians, including dozens of civilians, over the past year, as Israel has been claiming it is targeting resistance fighters who fire homemade shells onto adjacent Israeli town.

The Israeli army actions against Gaza, have gone unabated since June of last year, with an economic blockade in place an several killings of civilians, when the Islamist Hamas movement took over the coastal region.

http://www.imemc.org/news_articles/e...sults_offset=0

23.02.2008 19:08
A pipe bomb was hurled at an IDF force this afternoon near Anabta, east of Tulkarm

http://dover.idf.il/IDF/English/

[Merchbanks]

What is this nonsense? What the hell is going on over here?

From those articles I understand that atlist 6 Palestinian citizens were KILLED today!, and about a dozen more got injured.
Today! killed! 6 citizens!

What the hell is wrong with you? Don't you understand already after 17 pages that those news are ABSOLUTLEY 100% LIE?. NONE of it is real in ANY kind of way. That those news are NOT connected to reallity in ANY WAY?

Are you having fun bringing false news just because it is out there? Because WAFA says so? Why don't you try and bring some articles about those 6 dead civilians that were killed today from an actual news site? Oh, didn't find any?

[@anti#boz@]

Originally Posted by Merchbanks

What is this nonsense? What the hell is going on over here?

From those articles I understand that atlist 6 Palestinian citizens were KILLED today!, and about a dozen more got injured.
Today! killed! 6 citizens!

What the hell is wrong with you? Don't you understand already after 17 pages that those news are ABSOLUTLEY 100% LIE?. NONE of it is real in ANY kind of way. That those news are NOT connected to reallity in ANY WAY?

Are you having fun bringing false news just because it is out there? Because WAFA says so? Why don't you try and bring some articles about those 6 dead civilians that were killed today from an actual news site? Oh, didn't find any?

You can't believe reality
If only zios kill 6 citizens per day for 60 years it can be 131400 citizens.
If Palestine has 131400 freedom fighters they can send all zios to hell immediately.