29 mar 2016
Israeli Occupation Forces Tuesday morning prohibited importing and exporting of gold in and out of the Gaza Strip for unreleased reasons.
Nathmi Mihanna, head of the general committee of borders and crossings in Gaza, said in a press statement that the Israeli sudden decision came after one month of the return of the import and export of gold.
For his part, Abu Bilal Atwah, head of the syndicate of gold traders in Gaza, told the PIC reporter that this decision will negatively affect both traders and manufacturers of gold.
The economic analyst Omar Shaban told the PIC reporter that the Israeli decision will affect many of the economic and social events in the besieged enclave, and warned of the increase in gold prices due to the Israeli step.
Nathmi Mihanna, head of the general committee of borders and crossings in Gaza, said in a press statement that the Israeli sudden decision came after one month of the return of the import and export of gold.
For his part, Abu Bilal Atwah, head of the syndicate of gold traders in Gaza, told the PIC reporter that this decision will negatively affect both traders and manufacturers of gold.
The economic analyst Omar Shaban told the PIC reporter that the Israeli decision will affect many of the economic and social events in the besieged enclave, and warned of the increase in gold prices due to the Israeli step.
Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) confiscated equipment of a blacksmith workshop and broke into and searched homes of both martyrs Amer Abu Aisheh and Abdulla al-Qawasmi at dawn hours on Monday in al-Khalil.
Israeli forces claimed finding weapons in Ramallah and al-Khalil during search operations they conducted at night on Monday. Israeli Maariv newspaper alleged that the Israeli army found two sniper rifles, Carl Gustav rifle and a hunting gun in al-Khalil city.
Israeli forces claimed finding weapons in Ramallah and al-Khalil during search operations they conducted at night on Monday. Israeli Maariv newspaper alleged that the Israeli army found two sniper rifles, Carl Gustav rifle and a hunting gun in al-Khalil city.
28 mar 2016
Israeli forces issued a notification on Monday calling for a Palestinian company to stop building a structure in the village of Idhna near Hebron in the southern occupied West Bank.
The structure belongs to Khalid Muhammad al-Batran, who began building the structure a year ago and said he has not received any demolition notices until now.
Al-Batran told Ma’an that he was surprised on Monday when he received the demolition notice.
The Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), the Israeli authority in the Palestinian Territory, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The majority home demolitions in the occupied West Bank occur in Area C, which is under full Israeli military control. In order for Palestinians to build in Area C, land owners must obtain building permits from the Israeli authorities. Such permits are nearly impossible to obtain for Palestinian, forcing communities to build illegally.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) found that between 2010 and 2014, only 1.5 percent of 2,020 Palestinian building permit requests submitted were approved.
As of mid-February, the number of Palestinians displaced due to Israeli demolitions in 2016 was already equivalent to over half of the total number displaced in all of 2015, a senior UN official said last month.
The structure belongs to Khalid Muhammad al-Batran, who began building the structure a year ago and said he has not received any demolition notices until now.
Al-Batran told Ma’an that he was surprised on Monday when he received the demolition notice.
The Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), the Israeli authority in the Palestinian Territory, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The majority home demolitions in the occupied West Bank occur in Area C, which is under full Israeli military control. In order for Palestinians to build in Area C, land owners must obtain building permits from the Israeli authorities. Such permits are nearly impossible to obtain for Palestinian, forcing communities to build illegally.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) found that between 2010 and 2014, only 1.5 percent of 2,020 Palestinian building permit requests submitted were approved.
As of mid-February, the number of Palestinians displaced due to Israeli demolitions in 2016 was already equivalent to over half of the total number displaced in all of 2015, a senior UN official said last month.
Israeli soldiers invaded, on Monday at dawn, an area north of the West Bank city of Bethlehem, demolished a home, a playground, electricity and water networks, in addition to uprooting farmlands, belonging to a Palestinian family.
The demolished properties belong to a Palestinian, identified as Khader Nimir al-Jarashi, after the Israeli army claimed they were built without permits.
Khader said more than 50 Israeli military vehicles, and four armored bulldozers invaded the area, and demolished his home, in addition to its surrounding walls, located close to military roadblock #300.
He added that the soldiers also demolished his bird farm, and a playground used for tennis and basketball, in addition to bulldozing his farmland, and uprooted many trees.
The soldiers also destroyed electricity and water networks, providing his properties, and nearby areas, with the needed power and water.
The invaded area and demolished properties, are close to a main road used by Israeli colonizers in the occupied West Bank, and the army.
The demolished properties belong to a Palestinian, identified as Khader Nimir al-Jarashi, after the Israeli army claimed they were built without permits.
Khader said more than 50 Israeli military vehicles, and four armored bulldozers invaded the area, and demolished his home, in addition to its surrounding walls, located close to military roadblock #300.
He added that the soldiers also demolished his bird farm, and a playground used for tennis and basketball, in addition to bulldozing his farmland, and uprooted many trees.
The soldiers also destroyed electricity and water networks, providing his properties, and nearby areas, with the needed power and water.
The invaded area and demolished properties, are close to a main road used by Israeli colonizers in the occupied West Bank, and the army.
27 mar 2016
The Energy and Natural Resources Authority in Gaza charged the Palestinian Ministry of Financial Affairs with responsibility for the breakdown of one of Gaza’s power plant generators in the morning on Saturday.
The breakdown was a result of the continuation of imposing the blue tax on the fuel of the station despite the resolution of the council of ministers stipulating for exempting the energy authority from the tax.
The authority said, in a statement on Saturday, that the blue tax caused too expensive costs reaching to 9 million shekels additional to the usual monthly rate. The authority also pointed out that the pause of the generator will affect the distribution programs, and called for halting collecting of the blue tax.
For its part, the national committee for following up the power crisis in Gaza called on the Palestinian Prime Minister Rami al-Hamdallah to implement the tax exemption decision. In a press statement Saturday evening, the committee warned that not exempting the authority from paying the tax will return the crisis again especially that the electricity distribution company is unable to pay for diesel without being exempted from the blue tax.
It pointed out that the government is still imposing 50% of the blue tax on the fuels of Gaza power plant which makes the company unable to abide by paying the total value without the exemption. Palestinians living in the Gaza Strip have been suffering for several years from the power crisis as power cut off lasts for 12-16 hours daily.
The breakdown was a result of the continuation of imposing the blue tax on the fuel of the station despite the resolution of the council of ministers stipulating for exempting the energy authority from the tax.
The authority said, in a statement on Saturday, that the blue tax caused too expensive costs reaching to 9 million shekels additional to the usual monthly rate. The authority also pointed out that the pause of the generator will affect the distribution programs, and called for halting collecting of the blue tax.
For its part, the national committee for following up the power crisis in Gaza called on the Palestinian Prime Minister Rami al-Hamdallah to implement the tax exemption decision. In a press statement Saturday evening, the committee warned that not exempting the authority from paying the tax will return the crisis again especially that the electricity distribution company is unable to pay for diesel without being exempted from the blue tax.
It pointed out that the government is still imposing 50% of the blue tax on the fuels of Gaza power plant which makes the company unable to abide by paying the total value without the exemption. Palestinians living in the Gaza Strip have been suffering for several years from the power crisis as power cut off lasts for 12-16 hours daily.
25 mar 2016
Majed Ismail, director general of planning and policies department at the Palestinian Minister of Labor, said that 75,000 out of 120,000 registered graduates at the ministry, of bachelor and diploma degree holders in Gaza, are not employed.
Ismail revealed on Thursday, in an exclusive statement to the PIC, that the unemployment rate in Gaza has recently reached 41%.
A part of the Ministry of Finance’s budget for Gaza has lately been deducted for launching an employment program. Ismail also called for enhancing cooperation between the private and general sectors as well as the civil sectors in offering job opportunities for the new graduates.
Ismail revealed on Thursday, in an exclusive statement to the PIC, that the unemployment rate in Gaza has recently reached 41%.
A part of the Ministry of Finance’s budget for Gaza has lately been deducted for launching an employment program. Ismail also called for enhancing cooperation between the private and general sectors as well as the civil sectors in offering job opportunities for the new graduates.
22 mar 2016
The Israeli occupation authorities (IOA) on Tuesday morning ordered a Palestinian citizen to knock down his own family home in al-Khalil and another to demolish his shop in Occupied Jerusalem.
Coordinator of the popular anti-settlement committee in Yatta town, Rateb al-Jabour, said the IOF rolled into the area and ordered the Palestinian citizen Nasser Abu Eid to self-demolish his family home under the pretext of unlicensed construction.
In another development, IOF soldiers aggressively attacked Palestinian pupils enrolled at the Yatta basic school after they stopped the school bus.
The IOF further stormed Jabal al-Mukbir, in Occupied Jerusalem, and forced a Palestinian citizen to demolish his own shop alleging that it was illegally constructed. The shopkeeper Khader Ubeidat said he was shocked when he caught sight of Israeli police troops and special units cordoning off his shop for selling mobile phones.
Ubeidat said his 25-square-meter shop has been there for 25 years and has been providing a living for three families. He added that the IOF ordered him to evacuate the shop within 30 minutes and to immediately start the demolition.
A couple of years ago, the Israeli municipality notified the demolition of the shop but Khader paid over 3,000 U.S. dollars and carried out all legal procedures to cancel the order.
Earlier on Monday, the IOF knocked down the foundations of a building owned by the brother of the Palestinian female detainee Israa Jaabis and forced other civilian families in Silwan to self-demolish their homes under the pretext of unlicensed building.
Coordinator of the popular anti-settlement committee in Yatta town, Rateb al-Jabour, said the IOF rolled into the area and ordered the Palestinian citizen Nasser Abu Eid to self-demolish his family home under the pretext of unlicensed construction.
In another development, IOF soldiers aggressively attacked Palestinian pupils enrolled at the Yatta basic school after they stopped the school bus.
The IOF further stormed Jabal al-Mukbir, in Occupied Jerusalem, and forced a Palestinian citizen to demolish his own shop alleging that it was illegally constructed. The shopkeeper Khader Ubeidat said he was shocked when he caught sight of Israeli police troops and special units cordoning off his shop for selling mobile phones.
Ubeidat said his 25-square-meter shop has been there for 25 years and has been providing a living for three families. He added that the IOF ordered him to evacuate the shop within 30 minutes and to immediately start the demolition.
A couple of years ago, the Israeli municipality notified the demolition of the shop but Khader paid over 3,000 U.S. dollars and carried out all legal procedures to cancel the order.
Earlier on Monday, the IOF knocked down the foundations of a building owned by the brother of the Palestinian female detainee Israa Jaabis and forced other civilian families in Silwan to self-demolish their homes under the pretext of unlicensed building.
21 mar 2016
The Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) confiscated on Monday a one million dollar worth of industrial equipment after breaking into the industrial zone in Beit Fujar town south of Bethlehem.
The Quds Press quoted the town’s mayor Ali Taqatqa as saying that Israeli forces stormed the industrial zone in large numbers since the early morning hours and erected military checkpoints throughout the area, preventing the people’s movement.
The Israeli forces dismantled the industrial equipment and machines for nearly seven hours before moving them to unknown place. Palestinian workers were brutally assaulted during the raid, the sources added.
The Quds Press quoted the town’s mayor Ali Taqatqa as saying that Israeli forces stormed the industrial zone in large numbers since the early morning hours and erected military checkpoints throughout the area, preventing the people’s movement.
The Israeli forces dismantled the industrial equipment and machines for nearly seven hours before moving them to unknown place. Palestinian workers were brutally assaulted during the raid, the sources added.
The Israeli occupation authorities (IOA) on Sunday forced a Palestinian civilian to remove two mobile homes of his own near the Fasayel village, in the central Jordan Valley, to the east of Occupied Jerusalem.
Local sources said the IOA municipal teams, escorted by army troops, rolled into the area and removed two mobile homes used by a Palestinian citizen as a garage for repairing tires.
The IOA forced the Palestinian owner to approve the displacement of the two caravans and sign documents to that end. “The IOA turned deaf ears to the man’s appeals to bring his equipment from inside the caravans,” an eyewitness said.
The Israeli occupation has often cracked down on the Palestinian natives of the Jordan Valley in an attempt to dislocate them from their own lands in favor of military drilling and illegal settlement.
Local sources said the IOA municipal teams, escorted by army troops, rolled into the area and removed two mobile homes used by a Palestinian citizen as a garage for repairing tires.
The IOA forced the Palestinian owner to approve the displacement of the two caravans and sign documents to that end. “The IOA turned deaf ears to the man’s appeals to bring his equipment from inside the caravans,” an eyewitness said.
The Israeli occupation has often cracked down on the Palestinian natives of the Jordan Valley in an attempt to dislocate them from their own lands in favor of military drilling and illegal settlement.
20 mar 2016
The water authority in Gaza has warned that the besieged enclave suffers from a severe water shortage in its coastal aquifer, which is the primary source for getting water.
This came during "an interview with an official," which was organized on Sunday by the government's information office in Gaza City in the presence of a reporter from the Palestinian Information Center (PIC).
Head of the water authority Yaser al-Shanti described the water situation in Gaza as very dangerous and said that international and local reports confirmed the gravity of the situation in recent years.
"The Strip is suffering from an acute shortage of water in quantity and quality, and recent UN reports on its water situation have confirmed that," Shanti said.
Replying to a question raised by the PIC reporter about the reason that caused the water crisis to escalate, the official said that Israel's blockade on Gaza and its persistence in stealing water from the aquifers of Gaza and the West Bank contributed to increasing water shortages.
He also accused the Israeli government of refusing to engage in any talks with the Palestinian side to end the water crisis. Shanti also stressed the importance of ending the blockade on Gaza and working on carrying out strategic water projects in order to address the problem.
This came during "an interview with an official," which was organized on Sunday by the government's information office in Gaza City in the presence of a reporter from the Palestinian Information Center (PIC).
Head of the water authority Yaser al-Shanti described the water situation in Gaza as very dangerous and said that international and local reports confirmed the gravity of the situation in recent years.
"The Strip is suffering from an acute shortage of water in quantity and quality, and recent UN reports on its water situation have confirmed that," Shanti said.
Replying to a question raised by the PIC reporter about the reason that caused the water crisis to escalate, the official said that Israel's blockade on Gaza and its persistence in stealing water from the aquifers of Gaza and the West Bank contributed to increasing water shortages.
He also accused the Israeli government of refusing to engage in any talks with the Palestinian side to end the water crisis. Shanti also stressed the importance of ending the blockade on Gaza and working on carrying out strategic water projects in order to address the problem.
Since 2002, Gazan farmer Salamah Mehanna, 60, was like many other Gazan farmers deprived from reaching his land along the border east of Qarara in the southern Gaza Strip.
He confirmed to the PIC reporter that for the past 15 years he was not able to sow his land with wheat not until a few months ago, expressing his great pleasure with this achievement.
Architect Nizar al-Wahidi, director general of guidance department at the Ministry of Agriculture, told the PIC reporter that the Ministry of Agriculture is making great efforts to develop the agricultural lands there, and strengthen the farmers' steadfastness.
Suhair Zaqout, media spokeswoman of the Red Cross, emphasized in her talk to the PIC reporter, that "the Red Cross had had an important role in the coordination with the Israeli occupation authority in order to allow those farmers to cultivate their lands after long forcible years of absence."
Undeclared bilateral dialogues organized by the Red Cross with all parties, including the resistance factions, yielded access permissions to the areas that were only allowed for the Red Cross to enter.
Big losses
Farmer Nimr Jaradat is eagerly waiting for the cultivation of his land on the border at Shoukeh village at the southern tip of the Gaza Strip. He told the PIC reporter that he was prevented since 2006 from cultivating his six-dunum land with wheat, but he could finally do so now.
Engineer Nizar al-Wahidi, director general of guidance department at the Ministry of Agriculture, estimated the agricultural lands along the eastern border of the Gaza Strip to be 25 thousand dunums, pointing out that these lands have always been targeted by the Israeli occupation forces (IOF).
Palestinian farmers suffer significant losses because of the IOF practices and harassments against them on one hand, and because of the scarcity of water and natural resources, weak demands in markets and low prices of vegetables on the other hand.
Zaqout revealed that the Red Cross is trying to provide farmers in the border areas with the minimum needs so that they can reclaim their lands, but she noted at the same time that the Red Cross does not provide complete solutions for these farmers as what it provides them are only "guarantees to enable them to return to the profession of agriculture”.
Zaqout pointed out that 10,700 dunums of land have been rehabilitated since the end of the last Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip. She added that the Red Cross has recently distributed 4000 of almonds Saplings, for 110 farmers in the border areas in southern Gaza.
The saplings have been ordered from a plantation outside Gaza so as to improve the quality of almonds tress to live for three times the age of those in Gaza. The director general of guidance of the Palestinian Ministry of Agriculture revealed that the IOF does not allow the cultivation of high crops, and requires the cultivation of saplings, which rise no more than 25-30 cm.
Fear and anxiety
Ibrahim Amour of a village east of Khan Younis said with apparent pain that many years have passed in vain because he and his family were prevented from entering or investing their lands.
But Ibrahim's smile soon returned to his face and he expressed his gratitude to Allah praising Him, that He brought life to their land after years of prevention. Amour fears that the IOF attacks might continue on their land, 20 dunums, which he recently had planted for the first time in many years with wheat and almonds. He added: "We live in difficult conditions; we get to our lands with fears of Israeli attacks at any moment."
Dozens of farmers have been exposed to direct shootings by the IOF soldiers, resulting in the martyrdom of some and the injury of others who still are suffering their pain and wounds.
Spokeswoman for the Red Cross explained that these lands were the source of conflict; where three consecutive wars in less than 7 years have broken out for these lands. She indicated that these lands were the most vulnerable to destruction and damage. She concluded saying: "Gaza needs political decisions in order to obtain radical solutions for many of the worsening crises that trouble it".
He confirmed to the PIC reporter that for the past 15 years he was not able to sow his land with wheat not until a few months ago, expressing his great pleasure with this achievement.
Architect Nizar al-Wahidi, director general of guidance department at the Ministry of Agriculture, told the PIC reporter that the Ministry of Agriculture is making great efforts to develop the agricultural lands there, and strengthen the farmers' steadfastness.
Suhair Zaqout, media spokeswoman of the Red Cross, emphasized in her talk to the PIC reporter, that "the Red Cross had had an important role in the coordination with the Israeli occupation authority in order to allow those farmers to cultivate their lands after long forcible years of absence."
Undeclared bilateral dialogues organized by the Red Cross with all parties, including the resistance factions, yielded access permissions to the areas that were only allowed for the Red Cross to enter.
Big losses
Farmer Nimr Jaradat is eagerly waiting for the cultivation of his land on the border at Shoukeh village at the southern tip of the Gaza Strip. He told the PIC reporter that he was prevented since 2006 from cultivating his six-dunum land with wheat, but he could finally do so now.
Engineer Nizar al-Wahidi, director general of guidance department at the Ministry of Agriculture, estimated the agricultural lands along the eastern border of the Gaza Strip to be 25 thousand dunums, pointing out that these lands have always been targeted by the Israeli occupation forces (IOF).
Palestinian farmers suffer significant losses because of the IOF practices and harassments against them on one hand, and because of the scarcity of water and natural resources, weak demands in markets and low prices of vegetables on the other hand.
Zaqout revealed that the Red Cross is trying to provide farmers in the border areas with the minimum needs so that they can reclaim their lands, but she noted at the same time that the Red Cross does not provide complete solutions for these farmers as what it provides them are only "guarantees to enable them to return to the profession of agriculture”.
Zaqout pointed out that 10,700 dunums of land have been rehabilitated since the end of the last Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip. She added that the Red Cross has recently distributed 4000 of almonds Saplings, for 110 farmers in the border areas in southern Gaza.
The saplings have been ordered from a plantation outside Gaza so as to improve the quality of almonds tress to live for three times the age of those in Gaza. The director general of guidance of the Palestinian Ministry of Agriculture revealed that the IOF does not allow the cultivation of high crops, and requires the cultivation of saplings, which rise no more than 25-30 cm.
Fear and anxiety
Ibrahim Amour of a village east of Khan Younis said with apparent pain that many years have passed in vain because he and his family were prevented from entering or investing their lands.
But Ibrahim's smile soon returned to his face and he expressed his gratitude to Allah praising Him, that He brought life to their land after years of prevention. Amour fears that the IOF attacks might continue on their land, 20 dunums, which he recently had planted for the first time in many years with wheat and almonds. He added: "We live in difficult conditions; we get to our lands with fears of Israeli attacks at any moment."
Dozens of farmers have been exposed to direct shootings by the IOF soldiers, resulting in the martyrdom of some and the injury of others who still are suffering their pain and wounds.
Spokeswoman for the Red Cross explained that these lands were the source of conflict; where three consecutive wars in less than 7 years have broken out for these lands. She indicated that these lands were the most vulnerable to destruction and damage. She concluded saying: "Gaza needs political decisions in order to obtain radical solutions for many of the worsening crises that trouble it".
Gaza’s Energy and Natural Resources Authority warned of an imminent breakdown to rock Gaza’s sole power plant due to the continued imposition of the blue tax by the Finance Ministry in Ramallah.
The Energy Authority said in a statement the Finance Ministry’s decision to reimpose the blue tax on electricity fuel might force Gaza’s only power plant to shut down.
According to the statement, such a decision stands in sharp contrast to the cabinet decisions to exempt besieged Gaza from the blue tax. The blue tax will inflict an additional loss of nine million shekels beside the regular monthly cost, it added.
The authority condemned the decision, saying it will deeply affect power services in the besieged coastal enclave and curtail Gaza’s fuel resources. Gaza’s Energy Authority called for a swift action to address the situation and avoid further power crises.
The Energy Authority said in a statement the Finance Ministry’s decision to reimpose the blue tax on electricity fuel might force Gaza’s only power plant to shut down.
According to the statement, such a decision stands in sharp contrast to the cabinet decisions to exempt besieged Gaza from the blue tax. The blue tax will inflict an additional loss of nine million shekels beside the regular monthly cost, it added.
The authority condemned the decision, saying it will deeply affect power services in the besieged coastal enclave and curtail Gaza’s fuel resources. Gaza’s Energy Authority called for a swift action to address the situation and avoid further power crises.
17 mar 2016
The Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) broke into a number of towns in Nablus overnight and at dawn Thursday, arresting several youths.
A number of local houses were brutally stormed and searched in Beit Furik town east of the city, while a young man was arrested at Beit Furik checkpoint.
Two youths were arrested in Assira town north of the city including an ex-detainee.
Two others were rounded up in Iraq Burin town including a minor who was summoned for investigation before his detention. Along the same line, IOF soldiers demolished at dawn today the vegetables market in Beita town.
A month ago, Israeli forces notified eight store owners to stop construction of their shops. However, Israeli forces stormed the area at dawn and demolished the whole market.
A number of local houses were brutally stormed and searched in Beit Furik town east of the city, while a young man was arrested at Beit Furik checkpoint.
Two youths were arrested in Assira town north of the city including an ex-detainee.
Two others were rounded up in Iraq Burin town including a minor who was summoned for investigation before his detention. Along the same line, IOF soldiers demolished at dawn today the vegetables market in Beita town.
A month ago, Israeli forces notified eight store owners to stop construction of their shops. However, Israeli forces stormed the area at dawn and demolished the whole market.
15 mar 2016
Israeli authorities, on Tuesday, demolished four Palestinian-owned stores and the foundations of a building in Beit Hanina, an outskirt of Jerusalem, according to local sources.
WAFA correspondence said that Israeli police, accompanied by bulldozers, cordoned off the town and denied the entry and exit of local Palestinians, before they proceeding to demolish the structures, under the pretext of construction without an Israeli permit.
The police also razed a land which was used as a playground for children, the sources added.
The demolished structures belong to local al-Haroub family.
Habiba al-Hroub, owner of one of the stores, said that his family and he had repeatedly applied for a permit, but that they were denied so, as the four stores were close to an Israeli military base.
During the offensive in Beit Hanina, Israeli police also detained a local Fateh official, identified as Shadi Metawir.
Over the course of 2015, Israel demolished 521 structures in Area C as well as in East Jerusalem, displacing 636 people, according to the UN monitoring group OCHA.
The vast majority of these demolitions were carried out on the grounds of construction without a permit. Between 2010 and 2014, only 1.5 percent of applications for building permits in Area C were approved by Israeli occupation authorities, OCHA adds.
WAFA correspondence said that Israeli police, accompanied by bulldozers, cordoned off the town and denied the entry and exit of local Palestinians, before they proceeding to demolish the structures, under the pretext of construction without an Israeli permit.
The police also razed a land which was used as a playground for children, the sources added.
The demolished structures belong to local al-Haroub family.
Habiba al-Hroub, owner of one of the stores, said that his family and he had repeatedly applied for a permit, but that they were denied so, as the four stores were close to an Israeli military base.
During the offensive in Beit Hanina, Israeli police also detained a local Fateh official, identified as Shadi Metawir.
Over the course of 2015, Israel demolished 521 structures in Area C as well as in East Jerusalem, displacing 636 people, according to the UN monitoring group OCHA.
The vast majority of these demolitions were carried out on the grounds of construction without a permit. Between 2010 and 2014, only 1.5 percent of applications for building permits in Area C were approved by Israeli occupation authorities, OCHA adds.
14 mar 2016
The Israeli occupation forces (IOF) on Monday morning raided several commercial stores and the branch of Bank of Jerusalem in Qabalan town south of Nablus.
Local sources told the Palestinian Information Center (PIC) that Israeli soldiers entered the Bank of Jerusalem in the town and reviewed the records of its security camera system.
Meanwhile, the Israeli army is still imposing a blockade on Qabalan and blocking all the roads linking it with nearby villages.
The IOF only allows students, workmen and residents over 25 years of age to use the road leading to the military checkpoint of Za'atara, according to the sources. In a separate incident, the IOF closed, in the morning of the same day, the western entrance to Bani Na'im town, east of al-Khalil city, and barred Palestinians from entering or leaving it.
The entrance, which is locally known as the entrance of Wadi al-Joz, is located on a bypass road near al-Khalil city, where three young men were killed earlier in the morning by Israeli soldiers in two separate incidents.
Local sources told the Palestinian Information Center (PIC) that Israeli soldiers entered the Bank of Jerusalem in the town and reviewed the records of its security camera system.
Meanwhile, the Israeli army is still imposing a blockade on Qabalan and blocking all the roads linking it with nearby villages.
The IOF only allows students, workmen and residents over 25 years of age to use the road leading to the military checkpoint of Za'atara, according to the sources. In a separate incident, the IOF closed, in the morning of the same day, the western entrance to Bani Na'im town, east of al-Khalil city, and barred Palestinians from entering or leaving it.
The entrance, which is locally known as the entrance of Wadi al-Joz, is located on a bypass road near al-Khalil city, where three young men were killed earlier in the morning by Israeli soldiers in two separate incidents.
Head of the Palestinian fishermen syndicate in Gaza, Nizar Ayyash, warned of Israeli prohibition of fishing in Gaza sea in light of the increasing incitement against Gazan fishermen.
The military correspondent of the Israeli newspaper Maariv said that Hamas’s frogmen are developing their potentials and are capable of accessing, in large numbers, farther zones such as Ashkelon gas fields.
Ayyash told Quds Press that the Israeli statements reflect a dangerous development especially that the gas fields are 35 sea miles far from Gaza border, while Palestinian fishermen are allowed to sail within six nautical miles only.
On August 26, 2014, Israel and the Palestinian resistance signed the Cairo-brokered truce accord stipulating for allowing Gazan fishermen to sail as far as 6 nautical miles in Gaza sea and to be later on gradually increased to 12 nautical miles.
The military correspondent of the Israeli newspaper Maariv said that Hamas’s frogmen are developing their potentials and are capable of accessing, in large numbers, farther zones such as Ashkelon gas fields.
Ayyash told Quds Press that the Israeli statements reflect a dangerous development especially that the gas fields are 35 sea miles far from Gaza border, while Palestinian fishermen are allowed to sail within six nautical miles only.
On August 26, 2014, Israel and the Palestinian resistance signed the Cairo-brokered truce accord stipulating for allowing Gazan fishermen to sail as far as 6 nautical miles in Gaza sea and to be later on gradually increased to 12 nautical miles.