28 apr 2014
The central council of the Palestine liberation organization (PLO) called on Palestinian Authority (PA) president Mahmoud Abbas to accelerate the execution of the reconciliation agreement and the formation of a national unity government. The PLO's central council condemned the ferocious campaign being waged by the Israeli government against the Palestinian reconciliation agreement.
It said that Israel's opposition of the reconciliation agreement reflected its wager on the Palestinian division as a means to undermine the establishment of the Palestinian state.
This came in the closing statement that was issued by the PLO's central council in its 26th session that was held over two days at the PA headquarters in Ramallah city.
In another context, the PA security apparatuses continued to arrest and interrogate Hamas supporters and members in different West Bank areas despite the reconciliation agreement that was signed between Fatah and Hamas four days ago.
In Tulkarem, the PA intelligence agency on Saturday arrested ex-detainee Alaa Kharyoush after summoning him for interrogation. He is the brother of Mohamed Kharyoush, who has been in a PA jail for about one and a half month.
The PA intelligence forces also raided on the same day the house of ex-detainee Hamada Addik from Kafr Addik town in Salfit, but they failed to arrest him.
The PA preventive security apparatus, in turn, summoned 27-year-old Taha Shaladeh for interrogation next Tuesday.
In Jenin, the PA security forces attacked Palestinian citizens celebrating the departure of a wounded young man from a hospital.
The young man, Mahmoud Abu Kamel, had suffered bullet injuries during a PA security campaign a month ago in Jenin refugee camp.
It said that Israel's opposition of the reconciliation agreement reflected its wager on the Palestinian division as a means to undermine the establishment of the Palestinian state.
This came in the closing statement that was issued by the PLO's central council in its 26th session that was held over two days at the PA headquarters in Ramallah city.
In another context, the PA security apparatuses continued to arrest and interrogate Hamas supporters and members in different West Bank areas despite the reconciliation agreement that was signed between Fatah and Hamas four days ago.
In Tulkarem, the PA intelligence agency on Saturday arrested ex-detainee Alaa Kharyoush after summoning him for interrogation. He is the brother of Mohamed Kharyoush, who has been in a PA jail for about one and a half month.
The PA intelligence forces also raided on the same day the house of ex-detainee Hamada Addik from Kafr Addik town in Salfit, but they failed to arrest him.
The PA preventive security apparatus, in turn, summoned 27-year-old Taha Shaladeh for interrogation next Tuesday.
In Jenin, the PA security forces attacked Palestinian citizens celebrating the departure of a wounded young man from a hospital.
The young man, Mahmoud Abu Kamel, had suffered bullet injuries during a PA security campaign a month ago in Jenin refugee camp.
23 apr 2014
Palestinian security forces on Wednesday arrested a man suspected of sexually assaulting two women and murdering the youngest 10 days ago, officials said.
Adnan Kayid Ghayyath Salamin, 21, was arrested in a Nablus-area village early Wednesday after Palestinian security services released a photo of the suspect a day earlier.
Palestinian citizens helped security forces locate the fugitive.
Salamin is suspected of sexually assaulting Maysara Muhammad Salamin and murdering her 18-year-old sister Safaa in Hebron.
Adnan Kayid Ghayyath Salamin, 21, was arrested in a Nablus-area village early Wednesday after Palestinian security services released a photo of the suspect a day earlier.
Palestinian citizens helped security forces locate the fugitive.
Salamin is suspected of sexually assaulting Maysara Muhammad Salamin and murdering her 18-year-old sister Safaa in Hebron.
21 apr 2014
Police arrested two fugitives on Monday in the Gaza Strip, Gaza's police department said in a statement.
The statement said one fugitive was arrested after police raided a house where he was hiding in Gaza City.
Another was arrested in the al-Tuffah neighborhood of the city.
Separately, the statement said police arrested a man who had a grenade in his possession near the beach west of Gaza City.
No further details were provided.
The statement said one fugitive was arrested after police raided a house where he was hiding in Gaza City.
Another was arrested in the al-Tuffah neighborhood of the city.
Separately, the statement said police arrested a man who had a grenade in his possession near the beach west of Gaza City.
No further details were provided.
The Ministry of Interior in Gaza released on Monday afternoon 10 Fatah members detained on security-related grounds at the request of Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh and his Interior Minister Fathi Hammad. General Director of Rehabilitation and Reform Centers at the ministry Atiya Mansour told Al Ray that this move came ahead of the arrival of a Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO) delegation in Gaza to create an atmosphere of reconciliation.
Mansour added that there no inmates arrested on political grounds in the ministry detention facilities.
He that there are only five remaining Fatah-affiliated prisoners, who were sentenced for security reasons, stating that his ministry will with all possible means work on achieving national reconciliation.
Released prisoner Awad Abed said this release is a positive step towards ending the “heinous” political division while released prisoner Farouq al-Aqdgham said this move should be followed by release all prisoners from Gaza Strip and West Bank prisons.
Mansour added that there no inmates arrested on political grounds in the ministry detention facilities.
He that there are only five remaining Fatah-affiliated prisoners, who were sentenced for security reasons, stating that his ministry will with all possible means work on achieving national reconciliation.
Released prisoner Awad Abed said this release is a positive step towards ending the “heinous” political division while released prisoner Farouq al-Aqdgham said this move should be followed by release all prisoners from Gaza Strip and West Bank prisons.
By Khalid Amayreh
The Palestinian Authority (PA) has warned that it may pass responsibility for the Occupied Palestinian territories back to occupying power Israel if peace talks remain stalled.
An unnamed PA official said the Palestinians told American envoy Martin Indyk on Friday that unless Israel releases Palestinian prisoners as agreed in American –mediated talks and freezes settlement building, they could dismantle the Western-backed Palestinian Authority (PA) of Chairman Mahmud Abbas.
"The Palestinians informed Indyk that if this Israeli intransigence continues, they have several options to resort to," the Palestinian official told a western news agency on condition of anonymity.
"First, handing the keys of the PA to the UN so it will become in charge of the Palestinian people and the state of Palestine, which is under occupation, or that the (Israeli) occupation assumes again full responsibility for everything."
It is unclear though if the PA is awakening to the fact that the so-called peace process with Israel has been a constant fraud from the very inception.
The PA, which lives on western aid, is reluctant to withdraw from the widely-discredited peace process, apparently fearing financial and political collapse.
None the less, there is no doubt that PA frustration with Israeli recalcitrance and prevarication is reaching the highest point ever. Even people who until recently argued for giving the peace process "another chance" are now demanding the PA to end this "game of make believe."
Likewise, the PA is losing whatever faith it may still harbors for US ability to exert any meaningful pressure on Israel to abandon its lebensraum policy in the West Bank, especially in East Jerusalem, the town the Palestinians insist must be the capital of their contemplated state.
Indeed, the ostensibly phenomenal American flaccidity in dealing with Israel, which is by no means a novel aspect of American foreign policy in the Middle East, is convincing even the most ardent erstwhile supporters of the peace process of the utter futility of relying on Washington to force an increasingly Talmudic Israel to allow for the establishment of a viable and territorially contiguous Palestinian state along the 1967-borders.
A few days, this writer met a high ranking Palestinian official in Amman Jordan. The official, who didn't want his name published, intimated that most if not all PA officials in Ramallah were reaching the conclusion that it was no longer possible to "go on on this pointless track."
"I think that even Abu Mazen is realizing that the Americans are not serious enough about the creation of a true and sovereign Palestinian state."
The official described the often threatened PA move to join international organizations as "more or less our last weapon before entirely giving up the two state solution strategies and formally opting for the one-state solution."
But Israel vehemently rejects the one-state concept since it would effectively make Israel a bi-national state and put an end to the Jewish identity of the Zionist state.
More to the point, it is widely believed that the demographic scale is already tipping in favor of the Arabs in the area between the River Jordan and the Mediterranean Sea.
The right-wing Israeli political-security establishment is well aware of this "troubling fact" and is refusing to communicate the truth to Israeli Jewish citizens lest this produce "undesirable effects" especially on negotiations with the Palestinians.
Instead, Israel adopts a strategy whereby the Palestinians would be politically and economically squeezed so hard as to make them accept the best possible deal for Israel and Zionism. Such a deal would assume the form of an utterly deformed entity on parts of the West Bank, surrounded by Jewish settlements, and without any real sovereignty. In addition, the international borders of the would-be entity would be controlled by Israel for many decades to come. As to Jerusalem and the refugee cause, the Palestinians would have to exercise "pragmatism" and forget about both issues!
Israel, using America's political and diplomatic sword, would also bully Arab tyrants, including the blood-stained Sissi regime in Cairo, to "convince" the Ramallah leadership to be "pragmatic and not indulge in day-dreaming about the recovery of Jerusalem and the repatriation of Palestinian refugees."
Israel hopes that under a torrent of Arab pressure, especially if coupled with generous financial inducements, the Palestinian leadership, e.g. Abbas, would surrender to the "fait accompli" and tell his people that he can't be more Arab than the Arabs and more Muslim than the Muslims!
More to the point, Abbas and his supporters in the West Bank would probably launch a huge propaganda campaign, defending the capitulatory deal on the ground that the Palestinians face a fateful moment: Either to lose everything or to abide by the international will and accept the peace agreement despite its many blemishes!
(Just remember how Fatah leaders sought to defend the scandalous Oslo Agreement in the early 1990s when they argued that if Hamas had one objection about the accords, they had a hundred objections. However, unlike Hamas, they knew the agreement would lead to the creation of an independent state and a complete liberation from Israel."
I don't know for sure if the hard core Fatah movement would allow such an ignominious liquidation of the Palestinian cause to pass.
I know there are numerous people around Abbas who would follow the Palestinian saying about the Eid lamb, "feed me today and kill me tomorrow." These are the ultimate chorus around the man who said he wouldn't want to return to his native town, Safad.
However, I am confident and sure that the bulk of the Palestinian people, including numerous Fatah people, who would strongly and angrily reject the sell-out of Palestinian rights for a state unworthy of its name.
A few weeks ago, Abbas told Fatah's Revolutionary Council in Ramallah that he wouldn't end his life with a betrayal of the Palestinian cause.
We hope and pray that Abbas would stick to his words.
The Palestinian Authority (PA) has warned that it may pass responsibility for the Occupied Palestinian territories back to occupying power Israel if peace talks remain stalled.
An unnamed PA official said the Palestinians told American envoy Martin Indyk on Friday that unless Israel releases Palestinian prisoners as agreed in American –mediated talks and freezes settlement building, they could dismantle the Western-backed Palestinian Authority (PA) of Chairman Mahmud Abbas.
"The Palestinians informed Indyk that if this Israeli intransigence continues, they have several options to resort to," the Palestinian official told a western news agency on condition of anonymity.
"First, handing the keys of the PA to the UN so it will become in charge of the Palestinian people and the state of Palestine, which is under occupation, or that the (Israeli) occupation assumes again full responsibility for everything."
It is unclear though if the PA is awakening to the fact that the so-called peace process with Israel has been a constant fraud from the very inception.
The PA, which lives on western aid, is reluctant to withdraw from the widely-discredited peace process, apparently fearing financial and political collapse.
None the less, there is no doubt that PA frustration with Israeli recalcitrance and prevarication is reaching the highest point ever. Even people who until recently argued for giving the peace process "another chance" are now demanding the PA to end this "game of make believe."
Likewise, the PA is losing whatever faith it may still harbors for US ability to exert any meaningful pressure on Israel to abandon its lebensraum policy in the West Bank, especially in East Jerusalem, the town the Palestinians insist must be the capital of their contemplated state.
Indeed, the ostensibly phenomenal American flaccidity in dealing with Israel, which is by no means a novel aspect of American foreign policy in the Middle East, is convincing even the most ardent erstwhile supporters of the peace process of the utter futility of relying on Washington to force an increasingly Talmudic Israel to allow for the establishment of a viable and territorially contiguous Palestinian state along the 1967-borders.
A few days, this writer met a high ranking Palestinian official in Amman Jordan. The official, who didn't want his name published, intimated that most if not all PA officials in Ramallah were reaching the conclusion that it was no longer possible to "go on on this pointless track."
"I think that even Abu Mazen is realizing that the Americans are not serious enough about the creation of a true and sovereign Palestinian state."
The official described the often threatened PA move to join international organizations as "more or less our last weapon before entirely giving up the two state solution strategies and formally opting for the one-state solution."
But Israel vehemently rejects the one-state concept since it would effectively make Israel a bi-national state and put an end to the Jewish identity of the Zionist state.
More to the point, it is widely believed that the demographic scale is already tipping in favor of the Arabs in the area between the River Jordan and the Mediterranean Sea.
The right-wing Israeli political-security establishment is well aware of this "troubling fact" and is refusing to communicate the truth to Israeli Jewish citizens lest this produce "undesirable effects" especially on negotiations with the Palestinians.
Instead, Israel adopts a strategy whereby the Palestinians would be politically and economically squeezed so hard as to make them accept the best possible deal for Israel and Zionism. Such a deal would assume the form of an utterly deformed entity on parts of the West Bank, surrounded by Jewish settlements, and without any real sovereignty. In addition, the international borders of the would-be entity would be controlled by Israel for many decades to come. As to Jerusalem and the refugee cause, the Palestinians would have to exercise "pragmatism" and forget about both issues!
Israel, using America's political and diplomatic sword, would also bully Arab tyrants, including the blood-stained Sissi regime in Cairo, to "convince" the Ramallah leadership to be "pragmatic and not indulge in day-dreaming about the recovery of Jerusalem and the repatriation of Palestinian refugees."
Israel hopes that under a torrent of Arab pressure, especially if coupled with generous financial inducements, the Palestinian leadership, e.g. Abbas, would surrender to the "fait accompli" and tell his people that he can't be more Arab than the Arabs and more Muslim than the Muslims!
More to the point, Abbas and his supporters in the West Bank would probably launch a huge propaganda campaign, defending the capitulatory deal on the ground that the Palestinians face a fateful moment: Either to lose everything or to abide by the international will and accept the peace agreement despite its many blemishes!
(Just remember how Fatah leaders sought to defend the scandalous Oslo Agreement in the early 1990s when they argued that if Hamas had one objection about the accords, they had a hundred objections. However, unlike Hamas, they knew the agreement would lead to the creation of an independent state and a complete liberation from Israel."
I don't know for sure if the hard core Fatah movement would allow such an ignominious liquidation of the Palestinian cause to pass.
I know there are numerous people around Abbas who would follow the Palestinian saying about the Eid lamb, "feed me today and kill me tomorrow." These are the ultimate chorus around the man who said he wouldn't want to return to his native town, Safad.
However, I am confident and sure that the bulk of the Palestinian people, including numerous Fatah people, who would strongly and angrily reject the sell-out of Palestinian rights for a state unworthy of its name.
A few weeks ago, Abbas told Fatah's Revolutionary Council in Ramallah that he wouldn't end his life with a betrayal of the Palestinian cause.
We hope and pray that Abbas would stick to his words.
Palestinian lawmaker Riyadh Raddad called on the Palestinian authority (PA) to curb the arbitrary practices of its security apparatuses in the West Bank, especially the political arrest campaigns.
The call came following the arrest of Raddad’s son, Khalild, on Sunday by the PA intelligence agency.
MP Raddad demanded the Fatah-controlled PA to show good faith towards the reconciliation efforts taking place nowadays in the Gaza Strip and create the atmosphere for their success through putting an end to its political arrests in the West Bank.
In a related incident, the PA security apparatuses withdrew from Balata refugee camp north of the West Bank after raiding homes on Monday morning.
Local sources told the PIC that more than 200 members of the PA security apparatuses stormed the camp at dawn time and encircled the houses of Fatah leaders Ali Aaraj, Ahmad Hamada and Baha Marshoud.
Eyewitnesses reported armed confrontations between PA security forces and youths from the camp. Three national security officers suffered injuries during the events.
The PA security forces also stormed Hawara town at dawn Monday and reportedly arrested some young men.
The call came following the arrest of Raddad’s son, Khalild, on Sunday by the PA intelligence agency.
MP Raddad demanded the Fatah-controlled PA to show good faith towards the reconciliation efforts taking place nowadays in the Gaza Strip and create the atmosphere for their success through putting an end to its political arrests in the West Bank.
In a related incident, the PA security apparatuses withdrew from Balata refugee camp north of the West Bank after raiding homes on Monday morning.
Local sources told the PIC that more than 200 members of the PA security apparatuses stormed the camp at dawn time and encircled the houses of Fatah leaders Ali Aaraj, Ahmad Hamada and Baha Marshoud.
Eyewitnesses reported armed confrontations between PA security forces and youths from the camp. Three national security officers suffered injuries during the events.
The PA security forces also stormed Hawara town at dawn Monday and reportedly arrested some young men.
Hamas authorities in the Gaza Strip will release 10 Fatah-affiliated prisoners on Monday in a goodwill gesture to promote political reconciliation, the Ministry of Interior said.
The move comes as a PLO delegation is expected to arrived in Gaza to discuss reconciliation with senior Hamas officials.
The Gaza ministry highlighted that the men were detained for "disturbing public order," and not for political reasons.
The move comes as a PLO delegation is expected to arrived in Gaza to discuss reconciliation with senior Hamas officials.
The Gaza ministry highlighted that the men were detained for "disturbing public order," and not for political reasons.
20 apr 2014
Palestinian lawmaker Ibrahim Dahbour said that "the political arrests in the West Bank do not happen as a result of the national division, but they are considered a type of tax paid by the Palestinian Authority (PA) as part of its agreements with Israel."
"The arrests on political grounds have been happening since the emergence of the national authority in 1994 after it had signed the Oslo agreement, which can be summarized in a single sentence, 'security for the Zionists in return for money for the Palestinians,' which means that the Oslo agreement on the superficial level is political but on the content level it is a security treaty," MP Dahbour stated in a statement to the Palestinian information center (PIC).
He stressed that the content of this agreement demands the PA to fight all Palestinian groups and factions that are hostile to Israel and use the armed resistance against it.
"The arrests on political grounds have been happening since the emergence of the national authority in 1994 after it had signed the Oslo agreement, which can be summarized in a single sentence, 'security for the Zionists in return for money for the Palestinians,' which means that the Oslo agreement on the superficial level is political but on the content level it is a security treaty," MP Dahbour stated in a statement to the Palestinian information center (PIC).
He stressed that the content of this agreement demands the PA to fight all Palestinian groups and factions that are hostile to Israel and use the armed resistance against it.
19 apr 2014
Islamic Jihad official Mahmoud Al-Saadi deplored the Palestinian Authority security forces for raiding his house in Jenin refugee camp last night and described their act as "reprehensible and intolerable." "Yesterday, you broke into the house of martyr Hamza Abul-Haija and today my home and my mother's home, and before you physically assaulted Wasfi Qabha, so do you want to bring us to the end of the line in dealing with you?" Saadi stated on his facebook page.
"We had told you that we were keen on the national unity and we, the Islamic Jihad Movement, tried to achieve that, but you seem to understand nothing but the language you are using, so we are telling you that your authority will come to demise, God willing, and the people will reject you because you are an authority that only serves the occupation and its plots," the Islamic Jihad official added.
Before raiding Saadi's house, according to eyewitnesses, electricity was cut off from Jenin refugee camp and a unit of Israeli troops were deployed on the outskirts of the camp to provide protection for the PA security forces during their campaign.
The eyewitnesses added that the PA security forces stormed the camp amid intensive gunfire and acted proactively towards the residents.
In separate incidents, the PA preventive security agency arrested a university student named Mohamed Abu Saada after summoning him for interrogation.
The PA security apparatuses also summoned yesterday four others from the Hamas Movement for interrogation in different West Bank areas, but no detentions were reported among them.
"We had told you that we were keen on the national unity and we, the Islamic Jihad Movement, tried to achieve that, but you seem to understand nothing but the language you are using, so we are telling you that your authority will come to demise, God willing, and the people will reject you because you are an authority that only serves the occupation and its plots," the Islamic Jihad official added.
Before raiding Saadi's house, according to eyewitnesses, electricity was cut off from Jenin refugee camp and a unit of Israeli troops were deployed on the outskirts of the camp to provide protection for the PA security forces during their campaign.
The eyewitnesses added that the PA security forces stormed the camp amid intensive gunfire and acted proactively towards the residents.
In separate incidents, the PA preventive security agency arrested a university student named Mohamed Abu Saada after summoning him for interrogation.
The PA security apparatuses also summoned yesterday four others from the Hamas Movement for interrogation in different West Bank areas, but no detentions were reported among them.
17 apr 2014
A joint Israeli and Palestinian police forces surrounded an area in the southern Israeli city of Hurah on Thursday in pursuit of a suspected murderer who had escaped from the southern West Bank after a weekend killing but failed to find the suspect, Israeli police said.
Members of the Palestinian and Israeli police forces surrounded an area in pursuit of a suspect in the Bedouin town of Hurah in the Negev, after Palestinian police officers were allowed for what is reportedly the first time ever in joining Israeli police to hunt for a suspect.
A police helicopter was used in a wide-scale hunting operation in the northern Negev and south Hebron hills, although officers had still not found the suspect late Thursday.
Sources told Ma'an that despite a 48-hour closure of the West Bank due to Passover holidays, Palestinian police officers were allowed into Israel and worked side by side with Israeli officers in complete liaison.
The suspect was reportedly involved in the murder of a 16-year-old girl and attempted murder of her 20-year-old sister in the southern West Bank town of As-Samu south of Hebron over the weekend.
16-year-old girl Safaa Salamin was found dead in a field near As-Samu and her sister Maysara, 20, was in critical condition as of Sunday evening.
Members of the Palestinian and Israeli police forces surrounded an area in pursuit of a suspect in the Bedouin town of Hurah in the Negev, after Palestinian police officers were allowed for what is reportedly the first time ever in joining Israeli police to hunt for a suspect.
A police helicopter was used in a wide-scale hunting operation in the northern Negev and south Hebron hills, although officers had still not found the suspect late Thursday.
Sources told Ma'an that despite a 48-hour closure of the West Bank due to Passover holidays, Palestinian police officers were allowed into Israel and worked side by side with Israeli officers in complete liaison.
The suspect was reportedly involved in the murder of a 16-year-old girl and attempted murder of her 20-year-old sister in the southern West Bank town of As-Samu south of Hebron over the weekend.
16-year-old girl Safaa Salamin was found dead in a field near As-Samu and her sister Maysara, 20, was in critical condition as of Sunday evening.
16 apr 2014
A new report released Wednesday by the Gaza Strip ministry of planning says that Palestinian Authority security forces arrested 357 members of Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and other Palestinian political parties across the West Bank in the first quarter of 2014.
Released by the Hamas-ruled government in the Gaza Strip, the report accused the Fatah-led Palestinian Authority in control of the West Bank of a wide-reaching crackdown on dissenting political parties in the last few months.
The information center of the ministry of planning said in the report that 91 Hamas and Islamic Jihad members, 194 members of others political factions, 30 freed prisoners, and 42 university students had been arrested by security forces since the beginning of 2014.
Of those arrests, the report claimed that 231 were made in March alone.
The report added that 110 people affiliated with various political factions were also called in for questioning, while security forces raided 60 homes, including 42 in March.
The report alleged that many of those detained were tortured during their detentions.
The claims come after a long hoped for rapprochement in relations between the two main Palestinian factions turned sour in recent months, as a string of moves in December and January designed to end the long-standing division failed to achieve any noticeable results.
The report's allegations of a widespread political crackdown in the West Bank suggest that the US-trained and -funded PA security forces have stepped up efforts to stifle dissent in the occupied territory.
Amnesty International's 2013 report on the region, however, said that both PA and Hamas security forces had engaged in such practices.
"Arbitrary arrests and detentions by both the Palestinian Authority (PA) in the West Bank and the Hamas de facto administration in the Gaza Strip continued, particularly of their respective political opponents," the international human rights group said.
"In both areas, security forces tortured and otherwise ill-treated detainees with impunity," it added.
Released by the Hamas-ruled government in the Gaza Strip, the report accused the Fatah-led Palestinian Authority in control of the West Bank of a wide-reaching crackdown on dissenting political parties in the last few months.
The information center of the ministry of planning said in the report that 91 Hamas and Islamic Jihad members, 194 members of others political factions, 30 freed prisoners, and 42 university students had been arrested by security forces since the beginning of 2014.
Of those arrests, the report claimed that 231 were made in March alone.
The report added that 110 people affiliated with various political factions were also called in for questioning, while security forces raided 60 homes, including 42 in March.
The report alleged that many of those detained were tortured during their detentions.
The claims come after a long hoped for rapprochement in relations between the two main Palestinian factions turned sour in recent months, as a string of moves in December and January designed to end the long-standing division failed to achieve any noticeable results.
The report's allegations of a widespread political crackdown in the West Bank suggest that the US-trained and -funded PA security forces have stepped up efforts to stifle dissent in the occupied territory.
Amnesty International's 2013 report on the region, however, said that both PA and Hamas security forces had engaged in such practices.
"Arbitrary arrests and detentions by both the Palestinian Authority (PA) in the West Bank and the Hamas de facto administration in the Gaza Strip continued, particularly of their respective political opponents," the international human rights group said.
"In both areas, security forces tortured and otherwise ill-treated detainees with impunity," it added.
15 apr 2014
Israeli Haartz newspaper said Monday night that coordination is going on between the Palestinian Authority (PA) in the West Bank and Shin Bet security forces to arrest the shooter in al-Khalil’s operation. According to the newspaper, Israeli security forces will be handing data about the operation to PA so as to carry on investigation procedures.
Adnan Damiri, a PA security spokesman, kept Israeli Occupation Authority (IOA) updated about the lack of necessary data about al-Kahlil’s operation that took place west of al-Khalil, according to Haartz.
An Israeli settler was killed while four others were injured following an operation executed by the Palestinian resistance on Monday evening, targeting a vehicle carrying a group of Israeli settlers west of al-Khalil.
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu expressed earlier his deep concern over the escalation of operations carried out by the Palestinian resistance in the West Bank.
Israeli radio declared Monday morning that the attacker opened fire at two vehicles carrying settlers.
A large number of Israeli Occupation Forces are still imposing a security cordon on Edhna village, west of al-Khalil, under the pretext of searching for the wanted shooter, as further maintained by the radio.
Adnan Damiri, a PA security spokesman, kept Israeli Occupation Authority (IOA) updated about the lack of necessary data about al-Kahlil’s operation that took place west of al-Khalil, according to Haartz.
An Israeli settler was killed while four others were injured following an operation executed by the Palestinian resistance on Monday evening, targeting a vehicle carrying a group of Israeli settlers west of al-Khalil.
Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu expressed earlier his deep concern over the escalation of operations carried out by the Palestinian resistance in the West Bank.
Israeli radio declared Monday morning that the attacker opened fire at two vehicles carrying settlers.
A large number of Israeli Occupation Forces are still imposing a security cordon on Edhna village, west of al-Khalil, under the pretext of searching for the wanted shooter, as further maintained by the radio.
14 apr 2014
Murad Tawaleba
Violent clashes broke out late on Sunday evening between angry young men from Jenin refugee camp and Palestinian security forces in Jenin city. The clashes occurred after Palestinian policemen attacked a group of young men marching to Khalil Suleiman hospital where political prisoner Murad Tawaleba was taken in serious health condition after his exposure to severe torture at the hands of Palestinian Authority (PA) intelligence interrogators.
Eyewitnesses told the Palestinian information center (PIC) that hundreds of young men marched overnight yesterday from Jenin camp to the hospital in Jenin city chanting slogans against the PA after they heard that Tawaleba was there.
They added that the PA security forces fired tear gas grenades at the young protestors who responded by throwing stones at them. An exchange of fire also happened during the events.
The family of Tawaleba also told the PIC that its son arrived at the hospital in very critical health condition, having bruises in his neck, back and chest.
His family added that Tawaleba lost his ability to speak and his body became very weak.
The family held de facto president Mahmoud Abbas in person fully responsible for what had happened to its son.
The family complained that it failed to follow up the health status of its son after the PA intelligence agency transferred him to another place.
Violent clashes broke out late on Sunday evening between angry young men from Jenin refugee camp and Palestinian security forces in Jenin city. The clashes occurred after Palestinian policemen attacked a group of young men marching to Khalil Suleiman hospital where political prisoner Murad Tawaleba was taken in serious health condition after his exposure to severe torture at the hands of Palestinian Authority (PA) intelligence interrogators.
Eyewitnesses told the Palestinian information center (PIC) that hundreds of young men marched overnight yesterday from Jenin camp to the hospital in Jenin city chanting slogans against the PA after they heard that Tawaleba was there.
They added that the PA security forces fired tear gas grenades at the young protestors who responded by throwing stones at them. An exchange of fire also happened during the events.
The family of Tawaleba also told the PIC that its son arrived at the hospital in very critical health condition, having bruises in his neck, back and chest.
His family added that Tawaleba lost his ability to speak and his body became very weak.
The family held de facto president Mahmoud Abbas in person fully responsible for what had happened to its son.
The family complained that it failed to follow up the health status of its son after the PA intelligence agency transferred him to another place.
13 apr 2014
Palestinian Authority security forces late Saturday assaulted journalists and arrested four youths in Ramallah during a protest against normalization with the Israeli occupation, witnesses said.
Palestinians were protesting against an Indian band scheduled to perform at the Cinematic Ramallah al-Kasaba, the witnesses said. The band had performed in Tel Aviv days earlier. During the demonstration, Palestinians accused the band of normalization with the Israeli occupation.
PA security forces broke up the protest, assaulting journalists and cameramen and confiscating their cameras, witnesses said.
The forces also arrested Zayd Shuaybi, Fajr Amoud, Amoud Hamayil, and Fadi Quraan.
The ministry of culture initially said it had cancelled two shows the band was schedule to play in Bethlehem and Ramallah. However, at the request of high-profile PA officials, the ministry said it would allow the band to perform.
Palestinians were protesting against an Indian band scheduled to perform at the Cinematic Ramallah al-Kasaba, the witnesses said. The band had performed in Tel Aviv days earlier. During the demonstration, Palestinians accused the band of normalization with the Israeli occupation.
PA security forces broke up the protest, assaulting journalists and cameramen and confiscating their cameras, witnesses said.
The forces also arrested Zayd Shuaybi, Fajr Amoud, Amoud Hamayil, and Fadi Quraan.
The ministry of culture initially said it had cancelled two shows the band was schedule to play in Bethlehem and Ramallah. However, at the request of high-profile PA officials, the ministry said it would allow the band to perform.
