19 feb 2014
The Israeli occupation forces (IOF) on Tuesday evening arrested a Palestinian citizen in the city of al-Khalil, in the north of the West Bank, while clashes erupted near Bab al-Zawia in the city center. Local sources said that the IOF raided the Abu Sneineh neighborhood and searched the houses, while the soldiers attacked the citizen Mohammed Abu Sabih before arresting him and taking him to an unknown destination.
In Bab al-Zawia, violent clashes broke out between dozens of youths and Israeli soldiers, who fired stun and tear gas grenades towards the citizens and vehicles, forcing a number of shopkeepers to close their shops.
In Bab al-Zawia, violent clashes broke out between dozens of youths and Israeli soldiers, who fired stun and tear gas grenades towards the citizens and vehicles, forcing a number of shopkeepers to close their shops.
Palestinian medical sources reported, on Wednesday, February 19, 2014, that a Palestinian child was injured after being rammed by an Israeli settler’s vehicle, near the Ibrahimi Mosque, in Hebron city, in the southern part of the West Bank.
The sources said the child, Ahmad Naim Borqan, 7 years of age, was struck by the settler’s car in al-Masharfa neighborhood, south of the mosque.
He was moved to the Hebron Governmental Hospital suffering a mild-to-moderate injury. The settler fled the scene.
There have been numerous similar incidents, in Hebron as well as several parts of the occupied West Bank, causing dozens of injuries and several deaths, among the Palestinians, including children and elderly.
Also in Hebron, soldiers invaded the town of Yatta, kidnapped one resident identified as Baha’ Abu Sabha, 20, and took him to an unknown destination.
Also on Wednesday, settlers attacked a Palestinian man in Burin village, south of the northern West Bank city of Nablus, causing various cuts and bruises.
Local sources said the settlers assaulted Mohammad Raja al-Zeben, 50, while working in his land close to the Yitzhar illegal settlement.
The sources said the child, Ahmad Naim Borqan, 7 years of age, was struck by the settler’s car in al-Masharfa neighborhood, south of the mosque.
He was moved to the Hebron Governmental Hospital suffering a mild-to-moderate injury. The settler fled the scene.
There have been numerous similar incidents, in Hebron as well as several parts of the occupied West Bank, causing dozens of injuries and several deaths, among the Palestinians, including children and elderly.
Also in Hebron, soldiers invaded the town of Yatta, kidnapped one resident identified as Baha’ Abu Sabha, 20, and took him to an unknown destination.
Also on Wednesday, settlers attacked a Palestinian man in Burin village, south of the northern West Bank city of Nablus, causing various cuts and bruises.
Local sources said the settlers assaulted Mohammad Raja al-Zeben, 50, while working in his land close to the Yitzhar illegal settlement.
Israeli occupation gunboats at Wednesday dawn have opened fire towards Palestinian fishing boats off Gaza coast.
The gunboats fired the beach in Gaza city with a shell, no injuries or damage reported.
(Israel) has controlled Gaza waters since the 1967 occupation, and has kept several warships stationed off the coast since 2008.
The gunboats fired the beach in Gaza city with a shell, no injuries or damage reported.
(Israel) has controlled Gaza waters since the 1967 occupation, and has kept several warships stationed off the coast since 2008.
The Israeli occupation forces (IOF) on Tuesday evening carried out a small-scale incursion into an eastern area in Khan Younis district of the Gaza Strip following a similar one earlier morning. Local sources told the Palestinian information center (PIC) that the invading troops came from Kissufim military post to the east of Qarara area in Khan Younis district.
They added that several armored bulldozers under military land and aerial cover embarked on leveling the area.
This was the second Israeli incursion after the IOF invaded the eastern parts of the Khan Younis on the morning of the same day and carried similar bulldozing activities.
Meanwhile, the Palestinian resistance launched during the two incursions mortar attacks on the invading troops and forced them back.
They added that several armored bulldozers under military land and aerial cover embarked on leveling the area.
This was the second Israeli incursion after the IOF invaded the eastern parts of the Khan Younis on the morning of the same day and carried similar bulldozing activities.
Meanwhile, the Palestinian resistance launched during the two incursions mortar attacks on the invading troops and forced them back.
18 feb 2014
The Israeli home front command announced it would launch on Tuesday large-scale military drills to test soldiers' readiness during times of emergency, in the city of Ashkelon and its surroundings, in cooperation with the municipal authorities.
The Israeli Channel 7 reported on Tuesday that the drill is scheduled to take place between 5:00 p.m. and midnight Tuesday in the southern Mediterranean port of Ashkelon.
"During the exercises there will be accelerated movements of emergency and security vehicles. There will also be sounds of explosions and soldiers will be seen in full protective gear," Channel 7 stated.
It added that an additional exercise is scheduled for Wednesday evening between 7:00 p.m. and 2:00 a.m. in the city and its surroundings.
The Israeli Channel 7 reported on Tuesday that the drill is scheduled to take place between 5:00 p.m. and midnight Tuesday in the southern Mediterranean port of Ashkelon.
"During the exercises there will be accelerated movements of emergency and security vehicles. There will also be sounds of explosions and soldiers will be seen in full protective gear," Channel 7 stated.
It added that an additional exercise is scheduled for Wednesday evening between 7:00 p.m. and 2:00 a.m. in the city and its surroundings.
Palestinian farmers are seen in a farm in the Gaza Strip
The Israeli occupation airstrikes have caused countless problems for Palestinian farmers in the besieged Gaza Strip, Press TV reports.
The attacks have resulted in polluted farmland, creating different health risks for the farmers and their families.
Nizar al-Wahidi, an official with the Palestinian Agriculture Ministry, told Press TV on Monday that the Israelis targeted the farmland in the area in the past days. He said Israel claims that the land is empty, but it is not.
Wahidi said that “The rockets contain poisonous chemicals like uranium which causes a number of health issues to Gaza citizens.”
Officials at Gaza’s Shifa hospital have also warned about the increase of cancer patients in Gaza due to Israeli attacks.
“We have noticed an increase of cancer patients in Gaza in the past three years. International reports have proven that there is huge amount of uranium in the area as a result of the Israeli aggressions and attacks” said Khalid Thabet, head of the Oncology Department at Gaza’s Shifa hospital.
Health Ministry in Gaza said earlier in February that Israel’s use of internationally-banned weapons has sharply increased the number of cancer cases.
“Thousands of tons of unconventional weapons containing carcinogenic agents were fired on Gaza in the last 14 years. Many of the weapons used by the Israeli forces are internationally banned and contain illegal substances that not only affect people but they also have long-term effects on the environment,” said Health Ministry Spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra.
Gaza has been blockaded since June 2007, a situation that has caused a decline in the standards of living, unprecedented levels of unemployment, and unrelenting poverty.
The apartheid Israeli occupation denies about 1.7 million people in Gaza their basic rights, such as freedom of movement, jobs that pay proper wages, and adequate healthcare and education.
The Israeli occupation airstrikes have caused countless problems for Palestinian farmers in the besieged Gaza Strip, Press TV reports.
The attacks have resulted in polluted farmland, creating different health risks for the farmers and their families.
Nizar al-Wahidi, an official with the Palestinian Agriculture Ministry, told Press TV on Monday that the Israelis targeted the farmland in the area in the past days. He said Israel claims that the land is empty, but it is not.
Wahidi said that “The rockets contain poisonous chemicals like uranium which causes a number of health issues to Gaza citizens.”
Officials at Gaza’s Shifa hospital have also warned about the increase of cancer patients in Gaza due to Israeli attacks.
“We have noticed an increase of cancer patients in Gaza in the past three years. International reports have proven that there is huge amount of uranium in the area as a result of the Israeli aggressions and attacks” said Khalid Thabet, head of the Oncology Department at Gaza’s Shifa hospital.
Health Ministry in Gaza said earlier in February that Israel’s use of internationally-banned weapons has sharply increased the number of cancer cases.
“Thousands of tons of unconventional weapons containing carcinogenic agents were fired on Gaza in the last 14 years. Many of the weapons used by the Israeli forces are internationally banned and contain illegal substances that not only affect people but they also have long-term effects on the environment,” said Health Ministry Spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra.
Gaza has been blockaded since June 2007, a situation that has caused a decline in the standards of living, unprecedented levels of unemployment, and unrelenting poverty.
The apartheid Israeli occupation denies about 1.7 million people in Gaza their basic rights, such as freedom of movement, jobs that pay proper wages, and adequate healthcare and education.
Israeli military vehicles and bulldozers entered a border area in the southern Gaza Strip on Tuesday, witnesses said.
Locals told Ma'an that four bulldozers escorted by military tanks entered an area east of the village of Khuzaa in Khan Younis district for 100 meters and leveled private Palestinian land.
Israeli forces fired smoke bombs in the area forcing local farmers to leave their fields.
Israel's military did not immediately return calls seeking comment.
Locals told Ma'an that four bulldozers escorted by military tanks entered an area east of the village of Khuzaa in Khan Younis district for 100 meters and leveled private Palestinian land.
Israeli forces fired smoke bombs in the area forcing local farmers to leave their fields.
Israel's military did not immediately return calls seeking comment.
Hanan Khatib, one of the lawyers of the Palestinian Ministry of Detainees, visited two wounded Palestinian political prisoners, held by Israel, who testified to her how the soldiers assaulted them after arresting them.
Khatib met detainees Murad Abu Hamdiyya, 30 years of age, and Odai Abdul-Raouf Seif, 23, currently receiving treatment at the Ramla Israeli Hospital.
Abu Hamdiyya told Khatib that, on January 21 2014, soldiers surrounded his home, and opened fire at him without a warning, wounding him in his left thigh.
“On January 21 2014, soldiers surrounded my home, and invaded it; without a warning they started firing, they shot me in my left leg, and I fell to the ground”, he said, “I laid still, but the soldiers dragged me… I was bleeding, and they then released their dogs on me, the dogs bit me in the thigh…”
The soldiers also attacked Abu Hamdiyya, and started beating him all over his body, causing various cuts and bruises.
They then placed him in their jeep; a soldier sat on his wounded leg, while another soldier took pictures.
Abu Hamdiyya was then moved to a hospital where he underwent surgery that required installing a rod. He remained hospitalized at the Hadassah Israeli hospital in Jerusalem for six days. Soldiers were posted on his door, and he remained cuffed to his bed. He was later moved to the Ramla hospital.
The second wounded detainees, Saif, said that on February 7th, as he was heading back home from work, he was then attacked by a group of settlers near the central West Bank city of Ramallah.
The settlers beat him, kicked and punched him to various parts of his body; he suffered a dislocated shoulder, and was bleeding from his head as well as other parts of his body.
“Israel soldiers arrived at the scene, and took me away from the settlers”, he said, “But then, the soldiers started beating me and took me to their base”.
Saif was moved to the Ramla Hospital, and is currently receiving treatment; he still suffered with intense pain in his chest, shoulder and head.
Khatib met detainees Murad Abu Hamdiyya, 30 years of age, and Odai Abdul-Raouf Seif, 23, currently receiving treatment at the Ramla Israeli Hospital.
Abu Hamdiyya told Khatib that, on January 21 2014, soldiers surrounded his home, and opened fire at him without a warning, wounding him in his left thigh.
“On January 21 2014, soldiers surrounded my home, and invaded it; without a warning they started firing, they shot me in my left leg, and I fell to the ground”, he said, “I laid still, but the soldiers dragged me… I was bleeding, and they then released their dogs on me, the dogs bit me in the thigh…”
The soldiers also attacked Abu Hamdiyya, and started beating him all over his body, causing various cuts and bruises.
They then placed him in their jeep; a soldier sat on his wounded leg, while another soldier took pictures.
Abu Hamdiyya was then moved to a hospital where he underwent surgery that required installing a rod. He remained hospitalized at the Hadassah Israeli hospital in Jerusalem for six days. Soldiers were posted on his door, and he remained cuffed to his bed. He was later moved to the Ramla hospital.
The second wounded detainees, Saif, said that on February 7th, as he was heading back home from work, he was then attacked by a group of settlers near the central West Bank city of Ramallah.
The settlers beat him, kicked and punched him to various parts of his body; he suffered a dislocated shoulder, and was bleeding from his head as well as other parts of his body.
“Israel soldiers arrived at the scene, and took me away from the settlers”, he said, “But then, the soldiers started beating me and took me to their base”.
Saif was moved to the Ramla Hospital, and is currently receiving treatment; he still suffered with intense pain in his chest, shoulder and head.
17 feb 2014
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During the past few months Palestinian journalists have been increasingly targeted by the Israeli occupation forces while doing their job.
The numerous attacks on media freedom include assaulting, shooting and detaining journalists. 2013 witnessed many attacks on the press, and only in December of that year The Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA) reported eight separate assaults and arrests of Palestinian journalists by the Israeli Occupation Forces. The Palestinian Journalist's Syndicate condemned the attack on photojournalist Yousef Shakarneh who was brutally attacked Saturday evening while shooting a report on the Palestinian workers who work in inside the Green Line in an area located near the Beitar Illit settlement, inside the Green Line when the assault took place. |
The syndicate accused the Israeli occupation forces of targeting journalists to try to conceal the truth. In response to the aggression, the Syndicate decided to organize a march today in Bethlehem in solidarity with Yousef and to protest the policy of targeting Palestinian journalists by the IOF. Mousa Shaer, member of the PJS Board said during the march that, "we are here to protest against the attack of our colleague Yousef Shakarneh by the Israeli Army few days ago. They attacked him in a very savage and tough way; they tried to break his bones and to smash his face. We consider these attacks are a policy of Israel."
When asked what the international community could do in order to help stop these attacks, Shaer said, "We make a call to the international federation of journalists and other unions to take steps and to isolate the Israeli state due to their crimes against the Palestinian journalists, and for our freedom of movement and coverage in the occupied territories." He also asked for the Israeli journalists to raise their voices and to denounce their governments for these attacks against the freedom of the press.
The march started in Bab al-Zqaq, in the center of Bethlehem, but later continued next to the 300 checkpoint that is located on the way to Jerusalem. Israeli forces closed the main gate of the checkpoint when the participants of the march approached the gate. The dozens of journalists that took part in the demonstration stood next to the checkpoint for about 30 minutes, in order to show their anger to the Israeli Occupation Forces but also to the international tourists crossing the checkpoint.
Dr. Mahmoud Khalifeh, deputy general of the Palestinian Ministry of Information declared "We find that this incident is only part of a series of other incidents, which include the killing and detaining of Palestinian journalists. We have more than thirteen Palestinian journalists detained in Israeli jails."
Osama Awwad, a journalist from Bethlehem said that, "we are here to stand and say that we are against the killing of journalists around Palestine. We are here to say that we have the right to cover the incidents in Palestine and to say the truth. My colleague has almost been killed after being assaulted by Israeli forces because he was filming a documentary about the workers and how they get to their work through the checkpoint."
Abdul Nasser Najjar, Chairman of the Palestinian Journalists' Syndicate said, "Today we want to send a message to the Israeli occupation and to the world that the Palestinian journalists are in danger. We ask the international community to exert pressure on the Israeli government to stop their aggression of the Palestinian journalists and to cooperate with the Palestinian syndicate and the journalists.
Dr. Mahmoud Khalifeh from the Ministry of Information said that the Palestinian Authority has taken some steps to put an end to these assaults, and declared that "we have already started contacts to track the IOF to international courts; we are receiving responses regarding this case. We expect to achieve something soon in this regard."
When asked what the international community could do in order to help stop these attacks, Shaer said, "We make a call to the international federation of journalists and other unions to take steps and to isolate the Israeli state due to their crimes against the Palestinian journalists, and for our freedom of movement and coverage in the occupied territories." He also asked for the Israeli journalists to raise their voices and to denounce their governments for these attacks against the freedom of the press.
The march started in Bab al-Zqaq, in the center of Bethlehem, but later continued next to the 300 checkpoint that is located on the way to Jerusalem. Israeli forces closed the main gate of the checkpoint when the participants of the march approached the gate. The dozens of journalists that took part in the demonstration stood next to the checkpoint for about 30 minutes, in order to show their anger to the Israeli Occupation Forces but also to the international tourists crossing the checkpoint.
Dr. Mahmoud Khalifeh, deputy general of the Palestinian Ministry of Information declared "We find that this incident is only part of a series of other incidents, which include the killing and detaining of Palestinian journalists. We have more than thirteen Palestinian journalists detained in Israeli jails."
Osama Awwad, a journalist from Bethlehem said that, "we are here to stand and say that we are against the killing of journalists around Palestine. We are here to say that we have the right to cover the incidents in Palestine and to say the truth. My colleague has almost been killed after being assaulted by Israeli forces because he was filming a documentary about the workers and how they get to their work through the checkpoint."
Abdul Nasser Najjar, Chairman of the Palestinian Journalists' Syndicate said, "Today we want to send a message to the Israeli occupation and to the world that the Palestinian journalists are in danger. We ask the international community to exert pressure on the Israeli government to stop their aggression of the Palestinian journalists and to cooperate with the Palestinian syndicate and the journalists.
Dr. Mahmoud Khalifeh from the Ministry of Information said that the Palestinian Authority has taken some steps to put an end to these assaults, and declared that "we have already started contacts to track the IOF to international courts; we are receiving responses regarding this case. We expect to achieve something soon in this regard."
Israeli forces on Monday opened fire at farmers in an agricultural area in southern Gaza, locals said.
Witnesses said gunfire came from Israeli military watchtowers north of Khan Younis, causing farmers to flee the area.
An Israeli army spokesperson said she was not familiar with the incident.
Witnesses said gunfire came from Israeli military watchtowers north of Khan Younis, causing farmers to flee the area.
An Israeli army spokesperson said she was not familiar with the incident.
Dozens of Israeli vehicles have Monday carried out a limited incursion into the area of Erez crossing coincided with intensive drone flights over northern Gaza Strip. Local sources reported that four Israeli bulldozers and a tank moved 30 meters toward the area covered by drones before withdrawing.
The Israeli bulldozers carried out leveling operations. No firings were reported.
Similar incursions take place almost daily in the eastern and northern borders of the Gaza Strip in a clear violation of the cease-fire- agreement that Israel signed with the Palestinian resistance and brokered by Egypt in November 2013.
The Israeli bulldozers carried out leveling operations. No firings were reported.
Similar incursions take place almost daily in the eastern and northern borders of the Gaza Strip in a clear violation of the cease-fire- agreement that Israel signed with the Palestinian resistance and brokered by Egypt in November 2013.
16 feb 2014
Israeli warships have surrounded on Sunday a Palestinian fishing boat off Gaza sea in the northern Gaza Strip. The warships opened fire at fishing boats and chased and trapped one of them, no arrests reported.
(Israel) has controlled Gaza waters since its occupation of the area in 1967, and has kept several warships stationed off the coast since 2008
(Israel) has controlled Gaza waters since its occupation of the area in 1967, and has kept several warships stationed off the coast since 2008
The Israeli occupation forces (IOF) continued last night and on Sunday morning its daily arrests in different West Bank areas and kidnapped three Palestinian citizens. Palestinian security sources in Al-Khalil city told Quds Press that the IOF kidnapped a young man identified as Saeed Al-Aweiwi at a checkpoint near Bani Na'im town and another one named Saddam Abu Sunaina in Tel Armideh area.
Other local sources in Beit Ummar town of Al-Khalil told Quds Press that Israeli soldiers severely beaten last night a young man identified as Ahmed Abu Ayyash, and then took him to an interrogation center in the nearby settlement Kiryat Arba.
In another incident, the IOF detained for several hours a Palestinian authority policeman along with other young men at a checkpoint near Al-Fahes area in Al-Khali before releasing them.
In Bethlehem, Israeli soldiers physically assaulted a Palestinian photojournalist named Yousuf Shakarna as he was making a televised report near Beitar Illit settlement. He was transferred to hospital for medical treatment.
Other local sources in Beit Ummar town of Al-Khalil told Quds Press that Israeli soldiers severely beaten last night a young man identified as Ahmed Abu Ayyash, and then took him to an interrogation center in the nearby settlement Kiryat Arba.
In another incident, the IOF detained for several hours a Palestinian authority policeman along with other young men at a checkpoint near Al-Fahes area in Al-Khali before releasing them.
In Bethlehem, Israeli soldiers physically assaulted a Palestinian photojournalist named Yousuf Shakarna as he was making a televised report near Beitar Illit settlement. He was transferred to hospital for medical treatment.
15 feb 2014
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Israeli soldiers assaulted a Palestinian photojournalist while he was filming a documentary in the village of Wadi Fukin, southwest of Bethlehem on Saturday, family members told Ma'an.
Joseph Shakarna was filming a documentary about the plight of locals who work inside Israel when soldiers assaulted him, causing him bruises and injuries all over his body. Shakarna was subsequently transferred to al-Yamamah Hospital following the attack. |
The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate condemned the attack on Shakarna and accused Israeli occupation forces of "targeting journalists to try to conceal the truth."
The union said in a statement to Ma'an that it would file a formal complaint to international authorities about the incident.
An Israeli military spokesperson said they were looking into the incident.
The union said in a statement to Ma'an that it would file a formal complaint to international authorities about the incident.
An Israeli military spokesperson said they were looking into the incident.
An Israeli tank on Saturday fired shells at an open area in Gaza City, locals said.
Witnesses told Ma'an that Israeli tanks were stationed along the border facing the city's Shujaiyya neighborhood, and that one fired a shell into a Palestinian field.
No injuries were reported.
An Israeli army spokeswoman told Ma'an that no such event occurred.
On Friday, 13 people were injured by Israeli gunfire and four by tear gas while protesting, Gaza's emergency services chief Ashraf al-Qidra told AFP.
Israeli artillery attack reported in Gaza
The Israeli artillery on Saturday afternoon bombed an agricultural area owned by Palestinian farmers to the east of Gaza city. Local sources told Quds Press that an Israeli tank stationed near Gaza border fired one projectile at a cultivated piece of land east of Al-Shuja'eiya neighborhood in Gaza city.
The sources added that the tank projectile exploded on impact in the area, with no reported casualties.
Witnesses told Ma'an that Israeli tanks were stationed along the border facing the city's Shujaiyya neighborhood, and that one fired a shell into a Palestinian field.
No injuries were reported.
An Israeli army spokeswoman told Ma'an that no such event occurred.
On Friday, 13 people were injured by Israeli gunfire and four by tear gas while protesting, Gaza's emergency services chief Ashraf al-Qidra told AFP.
Israeli artillery attack reported in Gaza
The Israeli artillery on Saturday afternoon bombed an agricultural area owned by Palestinian farmers to the east of Gaza city. Local sources told Quds Press that an Israeli tank stationed near Gaza border fired one projectile at a cultivated piece of land east of Al-Shuja'eiya neighborhood in Gaza city.
The sources added that the tank projectile exploded on impact in the area, with no reported casualties.
A Palestinian defies the Israeli “buffer zone” in Gaza.
by Huda Julie Webb-Pullman
While the rest of the world sends expressions of love on Valentine’s Day, Israel sends the kiss of death to Gaza. A man now lies clinging to life in Kamal Adwan hospital after being shot in the stomach by Israeli soldiers east of Jabaliya on Friday, while another five also receive treatment for bullet wounds.
A seventh is nursing injuries from tear-gas canisters.
An Israeli army spokeswoman confirmed to Ma’an News that Israeli soldiers fired live bullets towards the legs of the young men. Tear-gas and ‘anti-riot’ methods were also used, she said.
Palestinian youth have been gathering on Palestinian land east of Jabaliya in northern Gaza every Friday for the last two months, to assert their rightful possession of it. Resentful of the crippling Israeli blockade that restricts their movement outside of the Gaza Strip, the young men manifest their legal right to assemble on their own land in their own territory, and to move freely within it.
Israeli soldiers on the border refuse to recognise this right, and frequently open fire on them, causing injury and death. On Thursday Ibrahim Suleiman Mansour, 26, was shot dead by Israeli occupation forces while he was collecting gravel to sell, his only means of livelihood.
In July 2013 the United Nations Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) estimated that prior to the November 2012 cease-fire agreement, 35% of Gaza’s agricultural land was within the Israeli-declared “security buffer zone,” resulting in losses of USD 50.2 million, per year.
The "security buffer zone" extends between 500 meters and 1500 meters into the Gaza Strip, effectively turning local farms into rifle-ranges for Israeli target practice.
For some unfathomable reason, there has been no international condemnation of the Israeli practice of enforcement a buffer zone on the OTHER side of its border.
The question that must be asked is, if Israel feels the need of a “security buffer zone of 500 – 1500 meters, why don’t they withdraw that distance within their OWN side of the border? Or better still, to that distance behind the internationally-recognised borders of 1967?
Until and unless they do, it will not be the red of the roses of love that brightens the Gazan landscape every February 14, but the red of Palestinian blood as the life of its young is lost to Israeli land-grabs and guns.
Huda Julie Webb-Pullman is a New Zealand activist and writer who lived in Gaza for over three years. She has written on social and political justice issues for New Zealand Independent News website SCOOP since 2003, as well as for websites in Australia, Canada, the US, and Latin America, and participated in several human rights observation missions. She contributed this article to ALRAY.
by Huda Julie Webb-Pullman
While the rest of the world sends expressions of love on Valentine’s Day, Israel sends the kiss of death to Gaza. A man now lies clinging to life in Kamal Adwan hospital after being shot in the stomach by Israeli soldiers east of Jabaliya on Friday, while another five also receive treatment for bullet wounds.
A seventh is nursing injuries from tear-gas canisters.
An Israeli army spokeswoman confirmed to Ma’an News that Israeli soldiers fired live bullets towards the legs of the young men. Tear-gas and ‘anti-riot’ methods were also used, she said.
Palestinian youth have been gathering on Palestinian land east of Jabaliya in northern Gaza every Friday for the last two months, to assert their rightful possession of it. Resentful of the crippling Israeli blockade that restricts their movement outside of the Gaza Strip, the young men manifest their legal right to assemble on their own land in their own territory, and to move freely within it.
Israeli soldiers on the border refuse to recognise this right, and frequently open fire on them, causing injury and death. On Thursday Ibrahim Suleiman Mansour, 26, was shot dead by Israeli occupation forces while he was collecting gravel to sell, his only means of livelihood.
In July 2013 the United Nations Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) estimated that prior to the November 2012 cease-fire agreement, 35% of Gaza’s agricultural land was within the Israeli-declared “security buffer zone,” resulting in losses of USD 50.2 million, per year.
The "security buffer zone" extends between 500 meters and 1500 meters into the Gaza Strip, effectively turning local farms into rifle-ranges for Israeli target practice.
For some unfathomable reason, there has been no international condemnation of the Israeli practice of enforcement a buffer zone on the OTHER side of its border.
The question that must be asked is, if Israel feels the need of a “security buffer zone of 500 – 1500 meters, why don’t they withdraw that distance within their OWN side of the border? Or better still, to that distance behind the internationally-recognised borders of 1967?
Until and unless they do, it will not be the red of the roses of love that brightens the Gazan landscape every February 14, but the red of Palestinian blood as the life of its young is lost to Israeli land-grabs and guns.
Huda Julie Webb-Pullman is a New Zealand activist and writer who lived in Gaza for over three years. She has written on social and political justice issues for New Zealand Independent News website SCOOP since 2003, as well as for websites in Australia, Canada, the US, and Latin America, and participated in several human rights observation missions. She contributed this article to ALRAY.
Israeli forces on Saturday opened fire at a vehicle traveling on a main road near an Israeli settlement south of Nablus, injuring a 17-year-old Palestinian girl, security sources said.
Palestinian security sources told Ma'an that Israeli troops operating a flying checkpoint near the illegal settlement of Yitzhar fired at a Palestinian car that allegedly refused to stop at the soldiers' request.
A bullet hit Nahad Kamal Aqil in the thigh, and she was taken to a nearby hospital, the sources said, adding that the teen is a resident of Kafr Qaddum in the northern West Bank.
Israeli troops detained the driver of the car, the sources said.
An army spokeswoman said that the Israeli border police was responsible for the area where the incident occurred.
A border police spokesman did not return calls seeking comment.
Israeli forces maintain severe restrictions on Palestinians' freedom of movement in the West Bank through a combination of fixed checkpoints, flying checkpoints, roads forbidden to Palestinians but open to Jewish settlers, and various other physical obstructions.
At any given time there are about 100 permanent Israeli checkpoints in the West Bank, while surprise flying checkpoints often number into the hundreds.
The internationally recognized Palestinian territories of which the West Bank and East Jerusalem form a part have been occupied by the Israeli military since 1967.
Young Woman Injured By Israeli Fire Near Nablus
A young Palestinian woman was shot and wounded after Israeli soldiers opened fire at a Palestinian car close to a military roadblock, south of the northern West Bank city of Nablus.
The sources said Nihad Kamal Aqel, 17 years of age, was shot by a live round to her thigh, and was moved to the Rafidia governmental hospital suffering a moderate injury.
The Israeli army alleged the soldiers opened fire at the car after the driver failed to stop at a temporary roadblock installed by the soldiers, close to the Yitzhar settlement, south of Nablus.
The army said that they arrested the driver, and then moved him to the Huwwara military base, south of Nablus, for interrogation. Dozens of soldiers arrived at the scene and blocked the road to Palestinian traffic.
Palestinian security sources told Ma'an that Israeli troops operating a flying checkpoint near the illegal settlement of Yitzhar fired at a Palestinian car that allegedly refused to stop at the soldiers' request.
A bullet hit Nahad Kamal Aqil in the thigh, and she was taken to a nearby hospital, the sources said, adding that the teen is a resident of Kafr Qaddum in the northern West Bank.
Israeli troops detained the driver of the car, the sources said.
An army spokeswoman said that the Israeli border police was responsible for the area where the incident occurred.
A border police spokesman did not return calls seeking comment.
Israeli forces maintain severe restrictions on Palestinians' freedom of movement in the West Bank through a combination of fixed checkpoints, flying checkpoints, roads forbidden to Palestinians but open to Jewish settlers, and various other physical obstructions.
At any given time there are about 100 permanent Israeli checkpoints in the West Bank, while surprise flying checkpoints often number into the hundreds.
The internationally recognized Palestinian territories of which the West Bank and East Jerusalem form a part have been occupied by the Israeli military since 1967.
Young Woman Injured By Israeli Fire Near Nablus
A young Palestinian woman was shot and wounded after Israeli soldiers opened fire at a Palestinian car close to a military roadblock, south of the northern West Bank city of Nablus.
The sources said Nihad Kamal Aqel, 17 years of age, was shot by a live round to her thigh, and was moved to the Rafidia governmental hospital suffering a moderate injury.
The Israeli army alleged the soldiers opened fire at the car after the driver failed to stop at a temporary roadblock installed by the soldiers, close to the Yitzhar settlement, south of Nablus.
The army said that they arrested the driver, and then moved him to the Huwwara military base, south of Nablus, for interrogation. Dozens of soldiers arrived at the scene and blocked the road to Palestinian traffic.
The number of casualties in the Israeli army shooting at a peaceful demonstration in northern Gaza afternoon Friday rose to 17. Dr. Ashraf Al-Qudra, the health ministry spokesman, said that the Israeli occupation forces (IOF) used live and rubber bullets to fire at the peaceful demonstration to the east of Jabaliya, northern Gaza.
He said that 11 were shot in their feet with live bullets and one in the abdomen while one was injured with a rubber bullet in his foot. He added two were treated for breathing problems due to the IOF extensive use of teargas while two were hit with teargas canisters one in the shoulder and the other in the foot.
The PIC reporter said that the demonstrators were protesting the IOF-imposed buffer zone to the east of Jabaliya when the IOF soldiers fired at them.
The number of casualties in Gaza Strip in IOF shooting since the start of the year thus reached 8 martyrs and 72 wounded.
He said that 11 were shot in their feet with live bullets and one in the abdomen while one was injured with a rubber bullet in his foot. He added two were treated for breathing problems due to the IOF extensive use of teargas while two were hit with teargas canisters one in the shoulder and the other in the foot.
The PIC reporter said that the demonstrators were protesting the IOF-imposed buffer zone to the east of Jabaliya when the IOF soldiers fired at them.
The number of casualties in Gaza Strip in IOF shooting since the start of the year thus reached 8 martyrs and 72 wounded.
