3 july 2018
Several Israeli military vehicles raided into eastern Gaza City in the besieged Gaza Strip on Tuesday.
A Ma’an reporter said that four Israeli bulldozers escorted by troops raided Gaza City, razed and leveled lands and repaired the border fence in the southeastern area.
Meanwhile, Israeli naval forces opened fire on Palestinian fishing boats as they were working off the coast of the central and northern Gaza Strip.
No injuries were reported.
The Israeli army regularly detains and opens fire at unarmed Palestinian fishermen, shepherds, and farmers along the border areas if they approach the unilaterally declared buffer zone.
Israeli human rights group B’Tselem recently concluded that Israel’s Gaza closure and “harassment of fishermen” have been “destroying Gaza’s fishing sector,” with 95 percent of fishermen living below the poverty line.
The Palestinian Union of Agricultural Work Committees (UAWC) issued an annual report for 2017 detailing Israeli attacks against Palestinian fishermen in the besieged Gaza Strip, highlighting that “these attacks deny fishermen from practicing their fishing work and accessing their livelihood resources.”
A Ma’an reporter said that four Israeli bulldozers escorted by troops raided Gaza City, razed and leveled lands and repaired the border fence in the southeastern area.
Meanwhile, Israeli naval forces opened fire on Palestinian fishing boats as they were working off the coast of the central and northern Gaza Strip.
No injuries were reported.
The Israeli army regularly detains and opens fire at unarmed Palestinian fishermen, shepherds, and farmers along the border areas if they approach the unilaterally declared buffer zone.
Israeli human rights group B’Tselem recently concluded that Israel’s Gaza closure and “harassment of fishermen” have been “destroying Gaza’s fishing sector,” with 95 percent of fishermen living below the poverty line.
The Palestinian Union of Agricultural Work Committees (UAWC) issued an annual report for 2017 detailing Israeli attacks against Palestinian fishermen in the besieged Gaza Strip, highlighting that “these attacks deny fishermen from practicing their fishing work and accessing their livelihood resources.”
As the olive harvest season is approaching in Palestine, some Palestinian farmers like Mohamed Saqer Asida from Tell town in Nablus cannot collect their olive crops this year after extremist Jewish settlers set fire to vast tracts of land and destroyed their trees.
Farmer Asida and his family were anxiously waiting for the olive crop to ripen soon to harvest it before he paid a visit to his plot of land in the agricultural area of the town and was shocked to see all his trees damaged in a widespread fire deliberately caused by settlers, according to eyewitnesses.
The scene of torched olive trees and widespread land covered with soot and burnt grass in Tell town, especially in the area of Karam Shukir near the illegal settlement outpost of Havat Gilad, shows the enormity of the fire that spread over 70 dunums of land.
Local farmers say that about 300 olives trees have been destroyed in the fire.
Asida told the Palestinian Information Center (PIC) that almost a year ago, the olive harvest from his land alone produced 40 tin containers of oil (each container in Palestine holds from 8 to 15 liters according to its size), but following the fire, his land this year would yield only two or three containers of olive oil.
“The life has become black in front of my eyes after that crime, and the black color has become overwhelming. How can I make up for what happened?” he said as he was watching the area blackened and scorched by fire.
He affirmed that fellow farmers had seen settlers from the nearby outpost starting the fire before fleeing the scene quickly.
Similar arson attacks by settlers had taken place recently in agricultural areas in the West Bank towns of Madama and Asira al-Qibliya, which led to the burning of dozens of olive and almond trees.
Farmer Asida and his family were anxiously waiting for the olive crop to ripen soon to harvest it before he paid a visit to his plot of land in the agricultural area of the town and was shocked to see all his trees damaged in a widespread fire deliberately caused by settlers, according to eyewitnesses.
The scene of torched olive trees and widespread land covered with soot and burnt grass in Tell town, especially in the area of Karam Shukir near the illegal settlement outpost of Havat Gilad, shows the enormity of the fire that spread over 70 dunums of land.
Local farmers say that about 300 olives trees have been destroyed in the fire.
Asida told the Palestinian Information Center (PIC) that almost a year ago, the olive harvest from his land alone produced 40 tin containers of oil (each container in Palestine holds from 8 to 15 liters according to its size), but following the fire, his land this year would yield only two or three containers of olive oil.
“The life has become black in front of my eyes after that crime, and the black color has become overwhelming. How can I make up for what happened?” he said as he was watching the area blackened and scorched by fire.
He affirmed that fellow farmers had seen settlers from the nearby outpost starting the fire before fleeing the scene quickly.
Similar arson attacks by settlers had taken place recently in agricultural areas in the West Bank towns of Madama and Asira al-Qibliya, which led to the burning of dozens of olive and almond trees.
Israeli occupation forces prevented Palestinian farmers in Jaloud village south of Nablus from picking wheat harvest for the second year running.
Speaking with PIC, Palestinian farmer Ibrahim Haj Mohamed said Israeli forces on Monday evening banned him from reaping his wheat crops and summoned him to questioning at the Beit El camp.
He said the Israeli authorities ordered that harvest picking be halted until otherwise decided.
Israeli forces banned farmers from reaping wheat harvests across a 250-dunum area in Jaloud and forced them out of their lands.
Activist Ghassan Dughlas, who monitors settlement activity in the northern occupied West Bank, said Israeli police detained the farmers for over two hours and forced them out of their lands.
Speaking with PIC, Palestinian farmer Ibrahim Haj Mohamed said Israeli forces on Monday evening banned him from reaping his wheat crops and summoned him to questioning at the Beit El camp.
He said the Israeli authorities ordered that harvest picking be halted until otherwise decided.
Israeli forces banned farmers from reaping wheat harvests across a 250-dunum area in Jaloud and forced them out of their lands.
Activist Ghassan Dughlas, who monitors settlement activity in the northern occupied West Bank, said Israeli police detained the farmers for over two hours and forced them out of their lands.
The Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) on Tuesday prevented a Palestinian farmer from accessing his agricultural land south of al-Khalil, the PIC reporter said.
IOF stormed early today Yatta town, to the south of the city, and sealed the Land’s main gate.
I was prevented more than once by Israeli settlers and soldiers from having access to my land, the land’s owner told our reporter.
I filled a case at the Israeli Supreme Court in occupied Jerusalem against their practices, he further said.
“Israeli soldiers tried to violently storm my house and they threatened to arrest me in a failed attempt to give up the case. But I refused.”
IOF stormed early today Yatta town, to the south of the city, and sealed the Land’s main gate.
I was prevented more than once by Israeli settlers and soldiers from having access to my land, the land’s owner told our reporter.
I filled a case at the Israeli Supreme Court in occupied Jerusalem against their practices, he further said.
“Israeli soldiers tried to violently storm my house and they threatened to arrest me in a failed attempt to give up the case. But I refused.”
2 july 2018
The Israeli Knesset voted on Monday into a bill to slash funds to the Palestinian Authority (PA) by the amount the PA pays out to Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails and the families of the martyrs who were killed by Israeli occupation forces.
Israeli Channel Two stated that the law passed by 87 to 15 voters.
The bill stipulated that welfare payments paid out by the PA to Palestinian prisoners and their relatives as well as the families of the martyrs must be deducted from tax revenues Israel transfers annually to the PA.
Last week, the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee gave its approval for a final plenary vote on the bill in both second and third readings.
Two weeks ago, the committee approved the law, which was introduced under the law of deduction of financial funds transferred by the Palestinian Authority to the families of detainees and martyrs from the tax allocations that Israel transfers to the PA in accordance with Oslo accords.
Israeli Channel Two stated that the law passed by 87 to 15 voters.
The bill stipulated that welfare payments paid out by the PA to Palestinian prisoners and their relatives as well as the families of the martyrs must be deducted from tax revenues Israel transfers annually to the PA.
Last week, the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee gave its approval for a final plenary vote on the bill in both second and third readings.
Two weeks ago, the committee approved the law, which was introduced under the law of deduction of financial funds transferred by the Palestinian Authority to the families of detainees and martyrs from the tax allocations that Israel transfers to the PA in accordance with Oslo accords.
At the behest of the Israeli government, Australia has announced its decision to end direct financial aid to the Palestinian Authority (PA) on allegations of preventing it from using this money to help families of Palestinians convicted of politically motivated violence.
In a press release on Monday, Australian foreign minister Julie Bishop said Australia had cut funding to the World Bank's Multi-Donor Trust Fund for the Palestinian Recovery and Development Program after writing to the PA in late May seeking assurance that Australian funding was not going to Palestinians who were involved in violence.
Bishop ignored that the Palestinians live under occupation and suffer on a daily basis from Israel’s tyranny and state terrorism, and thus they have the right under international law to struggle for their freedom and defend themselves.
"Any assistance provided by the Palestine Liberation Organization to those convicted of politically motivated violence is an affront to Australian values and undermines the prospect of meaningful peace between Israel and the Palestinians," she claimed.
Last March, the US government enacted a law that suspended some financial aid to the Palestinians over the stipends paid to families of Palestinians killed or jailed because of their resistance activities against the Israeli occupation.
In a press release on Monday, Australian foreign minister Julie Bishop said Australia had cut funding to the World Bank's Multi-Donor Trust Fund for the Palestinian Recovery and Development Program after writing to the PA in late May seeking assurance that Australian funding was not going to Palestinians who were involved in violence.
Bishop ignored that the Palestinians live under occupation and suffer on a daily basis from Israel’s tyranny and state terrorism, and thus they have the right under international law to struggle for their freedom and defend themselves.
"Any assistance provided by the Palestine Liberation Organization to those convicted of politically motivated violence is an affront to Australian values and undermines the prospect of meaningful peace between Israel and the Palestinians," she claimed.
Last March, the US government enacted a law that suspended some financial aid to the Palestinians over the stipends paid to families of Palestinians killed or jailed because of their resistance activities against the Israeli occupation.
The new settlement of “Amichai” has reportedly discharged sewage water, on Monday morning, that drenched Palestinian lands in a town called TurmusAyya, north-west of Ramallah.
Even though the residents tried to dig holes to collect the polluted water, it continued to flow toward adjacent lands. Locals fear that it would pose threat to their agricultural economy, especially for the owners of the land, since the situation has been ongoing for two months, intermittently.
The newly established settlement, under supervision of the “Maaleh Binyamin Regional Council” was built after the evacuation from “Amona” settlement, which currently has 40 families as dwellers, according to the PNN.
Despite objections from officials and local Palestinians, the new settlers confiscated the private Palestinian properties with protection from Israeli occupation forces.
Even though the residents tried to dig holes to collect the polluted water, it continued to flow toward adjacent lands. Locals fear that it would pose threat to their agricultural economy, especially for the owners of the land, since the situation has been ongoing for two months, intermittently.
The newly established settlement, under supervision of the “Maaleh Binyamin Regional Council” was built after the evacuation from “Amona” settlement, which currently has 40 families as dwellers, according to the PNN.
Despite objections from officials and local Palestinians, the new settlers confiscated the private Palestinian properties with protection from Israeli occupation forces.
Palestinian farmers from the West Bank city of Salfit on Monday said that the Israeli occupation forces prevented them from entering their farmlands located behind the Apartheid Wall.
Palestinian official Ibrahim al-Hamad told the PIC reporter that the Apartheid Wall gates are closed most of the time, which adversely affects the Palestinian farmers' main source of income.
For his part, the Palestinian researcher Khaled Ma'ali said that the Israeli forces sometimes refuse to open the gates for farmers despite earlier coordination. The gates are often opened a few days a year and sometimes during the olive harvest season.
Ma'ali described the Israeli practices as a "blatant violation of international humanitarian law".
He added that these practices fall in line with an Israeli plan aimed at forcing Palestinian farmers in Salfit to give up their lands which will be later annexed to Ariel settlement, the second largest Israeli settlement in the West Bank.
Palestinian official Ibrahim al-Hamad told the PIC reporter that the Apartheid Wall gates are closed most of the time, which adversely affects the Palestinian farmers' main source of income.
For his part, the Palestinian researcher Khaled Ma'ali said that the Israeli forces sometimes refuse to open the gates for farmers despite earlier coordination. The gates are often opened a few days a year and sometimes during the olive harvest season.
Ma'ali described the Israeli practices as a "blatant violation of international humanitarian law".
He added that these practices fall in line with an Israeli plan aimed at forcing Palestinian farmers in Salfit to give up their lands which will be later annexed to Ariel settlement, the second largest Israeli settlement in the West Bank.
Israeli soldiers demolished, Monday a carwash facility, and a barn, owned by Palestinians from occupied East Jerusalem.
The soldiers, accompanied by personnel from the Jerusalem City Council, invaded Wadi Qaddoum area, in Silwan town, south of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, and demolished a carwash facility.
The army also invaded Umm Tuba village, south of Jerusalem, and demolished a barn owned by a Palestinian shepherd.
The demolitions took place after dozens of soldiers, accompanied by bulldozers, invaded Silwan and Umm Tuba, and encircled the two areas, before surrounding the targeted structures.
The Israeli army claimed the structures were built “without permits” from the City Council, in the occupied city. video video
The soldiers, accompanied by personnel from the Jerusalem City Council, invaded Wadi Qaddoum area, in Silwan town, south of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, and demolished a carwash facility.
The army also invaded Umm Tuba village, south of Jerusalem, and demolished a barn owned by a Palestinian shepherd.
The demolitions took place after dozens of soldiers, accompanied by bulldozers, invaded Silwan and Umm Tuba, and encircled the two areas, before surrounding the targeted structures.
The Israeli army claimed the structures were built “without permits” from the City Council, in the occupied city. video video
The Israeli occupation forces on Monday sealed off the northern entrance to Salfit with a makeshift checkpoint, blocking Palestinians’ access out of and into the area.
Eye-witnesses said Israeli police stopped Palestinian drivers at the checkpoint and subjected them to steep fines.
Several Palestinians could not reach their homes and workplaces as a result of the measure.
Eye-witnesses said Israeli police stopped Palestinian drivers at the checkpoint and subjected them to steep fines.
Several Palestinians could not reach their homes and workplaces as a result of the measure.
Israeli soldiers invaded, on Monday morning, Palestinian agricultural lands east of Abasan al-Kabeera town, east of Khan Younis, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip.
The invasion was carried out by a few armored vehicles, and bulldozers, before the soldiers advanced approximately 50 meters into Palestinian lands in the Sanati area, east of Khan Younis.
The soldiers then bulldozed Palestinian lands, and installed sand hills in the area, before withdrawing.
In related news, Israeli navy ships fired several live rounds at Palestinian fishing boats, in northern Gaza, causing no damage or injuries, but forced the fishermen back to shore.
The invasion was carried out by a few armored vehicles, and bulldozers, before the soldiers advanced approximately 50 meters into Palestinian lands in the Sanati area, east of Khan Younis.
The soldiers then bulldozed Palestinian lands, and installed sand hills in the area, before withdrawing.
In related news, Israeli navy ships fired several live rounds at Palestinian fishing boats, in northern Gaza, causing no damage or injuries, but forced the fishermen back to shore.
1 july 2018
The Israeli occupation forces (IOF) on Sunday confiscated two vehicles owned by Palestinian citizens in Tammun town in the northern Jordan Valley.
Local sources told the PIC reporter that the IOF soldiers stormed the town and seized a truck owned by the Palestinian citizen Kamal Abu Medraj and a bus owned by Mousa Minrama.
According to the local sources, the IOF claimed that the two vehicles transferred workers to al-Baqi'a and al-Ras al-Ahmar areas which were declared military zones in an attempt to end the Palestinian presence in these areas.
The IOF soldiers reportedly transferred the confiscated vehicles to a nearby military camp.
Local sources told the PIC reporter that the IOF soldiers stormed the town and seized a truck owned by the Palestinian citizen Kamal Abu Medraj and a bus owned by Mousa Minrama.
According to the local sources, the IOF claimed that the two vehicles transferred workers to al-Baqi'a and al-Ras al-Ahmar areas which were declared military zones in an attempt to end the Palestinian presence in these areas.
The IOF soldiers reportedly transferred the confiscated vehicles to a nearby military camp.
30 june 2018
Israeli soldiers injured, Saturday, dozens of Palestinians during processions in Beit Ummar town, north of Hebron, in the southern part of the occupied West Bank.
Hundreds of Palestinian protesters marched in the center of Beit Ummar, in addition to the junctions of at-Tarbeeqa and al-Ein, before the soldiers invaded the town, and forced store owners to close, in addition to stopping and searching dozens of cars.
The soldiers fired rubber-coated steel bullets, gas bombs and concussion grenades at the protesters, causing dozens to suffer the effects of teargas inhalation.
In addition, a young man suffered a fracture in one of his arms after falling while several soldiers were chasing him; he received the needed treatment by Red Crescent Medics, who rushed him to a local hospital.
The soldiers also confiscated two Palestinian cars from the town and fired gas bombs and concussion grenades into a farmland, owned by a local farmer, causing fire and destroying his crops.
Hundreds of Palestinian protesters marched in the center of Beit Ummar, in addition to the junctions of at-Tarbeeqa and al-Ein, before the soldiers invaded the town, and forced store owners to close, in addition to stopping and searching dozens of cars.
The soldiers fired rubber-coated steel bullets, gas bombs and concussion grenades at the protesters, causing dozens to suffer the effects of teargas inhalation.
In addition, a young man suffered a fracture in one of his arms after falling while several soldiers were chasing him; he received the needed treatment by Red Crescent Medics, who rushed him to a local hospital.
The soldiers also confiscated two Palestinian cars from the town and fired gas bombs and concussion grenades into a farmland, owned by a local farmer, causing fire and destroying his crops.
Several illegal Israeli colonizers invaded, Friday, Palestinian agricultural lands in Ein al-Qassis area in the al-Khader town, south of Bethlehem, and cut more than 20 trees and grapevines, in addition to destroying walls.
Ahmad Salah, the coordinator of the Popular Committee against the Annexation Wall and Colonies in al-Khader, said the attackers came from Sidi Boaz illegal colony, which was built on privately-owned Palestinian lands.
He added that the colonizers cut the trees and grapevines, in addition to stealing three rolls of barbed-wire fences.
The invaded lands, owned by Ahmad Rezeq Issa, as well as other lands owned by many Palestinians in the area, are subject to constant violations, carried out by illegal colonizers, and the army.
The farmers remain determined to remain on their lands, their only source of livelihood, despite the constant attacks, and the ongoing attempts to illegally annex them for the expansion of illegal colonies, built in direct violation of International Law.
Ahmad Salah, the coordinator of the Popular Committee against the Annexation Wall and Colonies in al-Khader, said the attackers came from Sidi Boaz illegal colony, which was built on privately-owned Palestinian lands.
He added that the colonizers cut the trees and grapevines, in addition to stealing three rolls of barbed-wire fences.
The invaded lands, owned by Ahmad Rezeq Issa, as well as other lands owned by many Palestinians in the area, are subject to constant violations, carried out by illegal colonizers, and the army.
The farmers remain determined to remain on their lands, their only source of livelihood, despite the constant attacks, and the ongoing attempts to illegally annex them for the expansion of illegal colonies, built in direct violation of International Law.
29 june 2018
A group of Israeli settlers on Friday afternoon set fire to vast areas of olive trees in the village of Beit Furik, to the east of the norther West Bank city of Nablus.
Local sources affirmed that the settlers were escorted by Israeli soldiers when carrying out their attack.
Dozens of olive trees were completely burned before locals succeeded to extinguish the flames, the sources added.
Settler violence against Palestinians and their property is routine in the West Bank and is rarely prosecuted by Israeli authorities.
Local sources affirmed that the settlers were escorted by Israeli soldiers when carrying out their attack.
Dozens of olive trees were completely burned before locals succeeded to extinguish the flames, the sources added.
Settler violence against Palestinians and their property is routine in the West Bank and is rarely prosecuted by Israeli authorities.
Al-Rantisi Pediatric Hospital in Gaza has warned that a life-saving cancer medication known as “Mercaptopurine” has almost run out.
This medication is used with other drugs to treat children who suffer from a certain type of cancer, especially acute lymphocytic leukemia. It is a chemotherapy drug that is taken by mouth.
Head of the hospital’s blood and tumor pharmacy Talha Ba’lusha explained that each child with leukemia usually needs a course of Mercaptopurine for about two years and the absence of this important drug would threaten the lives of sick children.
Ba’lusha added that dozens of sick children receive this medication throughout the stages of their treatment.
He appealed to the competent health authorities to address this issue and save the lives of dozens of children who suffer from this disease, pointing out that this medication costs in Gaza up to four times the actual price.
This medication is used with other drugs to treat children who suffer from a certain type of cancer, especially acute lymphocytic leukemia. It is a chemotherapy drug that is taken by mouth.
Head of the hospital’s blood and tumor pharmacy Talha Ba’lusha explained that each child with leukemia usually needs a course of Mercaptopurine for about two years and the absence of this important drug would threaten the lives of sick children.
Ba’lusha added that dozens of sick children receive this medication throughout the stages of their treatment.
He appealed to the competent health authorities to address this issue and save the lives of dozens of children who suffer from this disease, pointing out that this medication costs in Gaza up to four times the actual price.
28 june 2018
Israeli settlers attacked on Thursday evening Palestinian farmers in the Old City of al-Khalil in the occupied West Bank, according to the PIC reporter.
A group of settlers from the illegal settlement of Kiryat Arba attacked a number of farmers in Wadi al-Husyn area to the east of the city and prevented them from cultivating their land.
During the attack, the settlers used guns and threatened to open fire at the farmers if they did’t leave the area.
One of the farmers suffered a serious hand injury after being hit by the butts of the settlers' rifles.
There are 700,000 Israeli settlers living in West Bank settlements. According to international law all Israeli settlements in the West Bank, including those in East Jerusalem, are illegal.
A group of settlers from the illegal settlement of Kiryat Arba attacked a number of farmers in Wadi al-Husyn area to the east of the city and prevented them from cultivating their land.
During the attack, the settlers used guns and threatened to open fire at the farmers if they did’t leave the area.
One of the farmers suffered a serious hand injury after being hit by the butts of the settlers' rifles.
There are 700,000 Israeli settlers living in West Bank settlements. According to international law all Israeli settlements in the West Bank, including those in East Jerusalem, are illegal.
