24 june 2018

Incendiary kites and balloons launched from Gaza Strip sparked 26 fires on Saturday in Israeli settlements located in the vicinity of Gaza Strip including outposts of Kissufim, Givat Yehuda, Kibbutz Erez, Nahal Oz and Netiv Ha'asara, according to Yedioth Ahronoth Hebrew newspaper.
The Israeli newspaper said that Israeli extinguishing crews put out the fires and pointed out that large areas of lands were caught on fire due to weather conditions.
24 june 2018: Ministry of Health: 131 Palestinians Killed, Over 14 Thousand Injured in Great March of Return
The Israeli newspaper said that Israeli extinguishing crews put out the fires and pointed out that large areas of lands were caught on fire due to weather conditions.
24 june 2018: Ministry of Health: 131 Palestinians Killed, Over 14 Thousand Injured in Great March of Return
22 june 2018

A group of fanatic settlers Friday afternoon set fire to Palestinian olive farms in Salman al-Farsi Mount in Bourin town south of Nablus city in the northern West Bank. As a result, tens of dunums caught on fire.
Local sources said that the attacking settlers came from Yitzhar illegal settlement which was forcibly constructed over the lands of Nablus city.
The sources added that Israeli fire extinguishing planes put out fire after it had approached Yitzhar settlement. video
Local sources said that the attacking settlers came from Yitzhar illegal settlement which was forcibly constructed over the lands of Nablus city.
The sources added that Israeli fire extinguishing planes put out fire after it had approached Yitzhar settlement. video

A group of extremist illegal Israeli colonizers invaded, on Thursday at noon, Palestinian orchards near the junction between Burqa and Sielet ath-Thaher town, south of the northern West Bank city of Jenin, injured one woman and burnt at least 30 olive trees.
The colonizers invaded the Palestinians orchards, and attacked many villagers, injuring a woman, identified as Darin Mustafa Abu al-Haija, causing mild-to-moderate wounds.
They also burnt at least thirty olive trees during their invasion into the Palestinian orchards.
Two days ago, the colonizers fired many live rounds at the Palestinian in the same area, reportedly after a Molotov cocktail was hurled at a one of their cars.
Also Thursday, a Palestinian woman was injured after extremist colonizers attacked her with stones at the entrance to the village of Burqa, to the north of Nablus.
The colonizers invaded the Palestinians orchards, and attacked many villagers, injuring a woman, identified as Darin Mustafa Abu al-Haija, causing mild-to-moderate wounds.
They also burnt at least thirty olive trees during their invasion into the Palestinian orchards.
Two days ago, the colonizers fired many live rounds at the Palestinian in the same area, reportedly after a Molotov cocktail was hurled at a one of their cars.
Also Thursday, a Palestinian woman was injured after extremist colonizers attacked her with stones at the entrance to the village of Burqa, to the north of Nablus.
8 june 2018

Massive fires erupted on Friday in farmlands located in Israeli settlements neighboring the Gaza Strip.
According to Hebrew media sources, fires broke out in farmlands in the settlements of Nir Am, Be'eri, Kissufim and Kerem Shalom by flaming kites sent from the Gaza Strip.
Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper said that an Israeli settler suffered a breathing difficulty after inhaling smoke from a fire in Kerem Shalom settlement in the morning.
Since the start of the Great March of Return in the Gaza Strip, dozens of kites made by Palestinian youths with flaming rags attached to their tails have been launched toward settler farmlands near the border fence causing heavy losses.
The burning kites are one of the tools used by Palestinian youths to confuse the Israeli snipers stationed at the border fence and respond to the Israeli crimes committed against the peaceful protesters.
According to Hebrew media sources, fires broke out in farmlands in the settlements of Nir Am, Be'eri, Kissufim and Kerem Shalom by flaming kites sent from the Gaza Strip.
Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper said that an Israeli settler suffered a breathing difficulty after inhaling smoke from a fire in Kerem Shalom settlement in the morning.
Since the start of the Great March of Return in the Gaza Strip, dozens of kites made by Palestinian youths with flaming rags attached to their tails have been launched toward settler farmlands near the border fence causing heavy losses.
The burning kites are one of the tools used by Palestinian youths to confuse the Israeli snipers stationed at the border fence and respond to the Israeli crimes committed against the peaceful protesters.

Israeli settlers at daybreak Friday set fire to a Palestinian livestock facility in Nablus’s southern town of Burin, in the northern occupied West Bank.
A PIC reporter said Israeli settler gangs spray painted racist graffiti on the floor before they set fire to the area.
Loads of straw to feed sheep are stored in the targeted facility, owned by the Palestinian farmer Basheer Qadous and located near the illegal Israeli Yitzhar settlement, built on Palestinian lands in the area.
A PIC reporter said Israeli settler gangs spray painted racist graffiti on the floor before they set fire to the area.
Loads of straw to feed sheep are stored in the targeted facility, owned by the Palestinian farmer Basheer Qadous and located near the illegal Israeli Yitzhar settlement, built on Palestinian lands in the area.
5 june 2018

Public security minister says IDF snipers should shoot Palestinians in Gaza as they fly incendiary kites across the border into Israel; 'The IDF's targeted assassinations must also apply to these kite-flyers.'
Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan said Tuesday that Israeli snipers should shoot Palestinians in Gaza who are spotted flying incendiary kites over the border into Israel.
Palestinians are sending kites dangling coal embers or burning rags across the Gaza border to set fire to farmland and forests, in a new tactic that an Israeli minister said should be countered with "targeted assassinations".
"I expect the IDF to handle these kite-flyers exactly as they would any terrorist, and the IDF's targeted assassinations must also apply to these kite-flyers," Erdan said.
Israel has drafted in civilian drone enthusiasts as army reservists, instructing them to fly their remote-controlled aircraft into the kites, an Israeli general said.
"If their drone ends up getting lost in the process, we compensate them," the general told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The army has also fitted larger surveillance drones with weighted fishing lines or blades that can snag or slash kite strings in mid-air, the general said.
But he acknowledged the limitations of such measures, saying: "We'll probably end up having to shoot kite-flyers too."
According to Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman, 600 such kites have been sent from the strip so far, while 400 have been intercepted by Israeli security forces using technological means.
“Two-hundred succeeded in reaching our territory and they burned 9,000 dunams of crops and forests,” Lieberman said on Monday, adding that Israel would not accept the kites as a daily norm.
"It began spontaneously. We never thought we would achieve such good results," said Shadi, one of five Palestinian teenagers preparing kites with fabric dipped in diesel and lubricant oil in a Gaza field.
"The idea is simple: use the simplest tools to cause damage and losses on the Occupation (Israel)," said Shadi, 19, wearing a "V for Vendetta" mask favored by protesters in many parts of the world and who, like the others, declined to give his last name.
No one has been hurt by the fires, but some 2,250 acres (910 hectares) of fields and nature reserves, already parched after a dry winter, have been burned by flames stoked by Mediterranean winds, causing $2.5 million in damage, Israel's government said.
Daniel Ben-David, a forestry official for Israel's quasi-governmental Jewish National Fund, said some kites had been decorated with swastikas or the Palestinian national colours, but more recently were made of transparent nylon sheeting.
Some had leaflets attached. "Prepare for a scorching summer," read one, in Hebrew.
In Gaza, kite-maker Shadi said his group had never used swastikas on their kites. He confirmed that transparent plastic was the best material as it made the kites almost invisible against the sky.
Even if the protests wind down, he and others will continue to send the kites—some of which carry the photos of Palestinians killed in the demonstrations—he said.
"Each kite costs us 10 shekels ($2.80). We pay it for it out of our own pockets," Shadi said.
A senior White House envoy, Jason Greenblatt, described the kites as "not harmless playthings or metaphors for freedom (but) propaganda and indiscriminate weapons".
Public Security Minister Gilad Erdan said Tuesday that Israeli snipers should shoot Palestinians in Gaza who are spotted flying incendiary kites over the border into Israel.
Palestinians are sending kites dangling coal embers or burning rags across the Gaza border to set fire to farmland and forests, in a new tactic that an Israeli minister said should be countered with "targeted assassinations".
"I expect the IDF to handle these kite-flyers exactly as they would any terrorist, and the IDF's targeted assassinations must also apply to these kite-flyers," Erdan said.
Israel has drafted in civilian drone enthusiasts as army reservists, instructing them to fly their remote-controlled aircraft into the kites, an Israeli general said.
"If their drone ends up getting lost in the process, we compensate them," the general told Reuters, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The army has also fitted larger surveillance drones with weighted fishing lines or blades that can snag or slash kite strings in mid-air, the general said.
But he acknowledged the limitations of such measures, saying: "We'll probably end up having to shoot kite-flyers too."
According to Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman, 600 such kites have been sent from the strip so far, while 400 have been intercepted by Israeli security forces using technological means.
“Two-hundred succeeded in reaching our territory and they burned 9,000 dunams of crops and forests,” Lieberman said on Monday, adding that Israel would not accept the kites as a daily norm.
"It began spontaneously. We never thought we would achieve such good results," said Shadi, one of five Palestinian teenagers preparing kites with fabric dipped in diesel and lubricant oil in a Gaza field.
"The idea is simple: use the simplest tools to cause damage and losses on the Occupation (Israel)," said Shadi, 19, wearing a "V for Vendetta" mask favored by protesters in many parts of the world and who, like the others, declined to give his last name.
No one has been hurt by the fires, but some 2,250 acres (910 hectares) of fields and nature reserves, already parched after a dry winter, have been burned by flames stoked by Mediterranean winds, causing $2.5 million in damage, Israel's government said.
Daniel Ben-David, a forestry official for Israel's quasi-governmental Jewish National Fund, said some kites had been decorated with swastikas or the Palestinian national colours, but more recently were made of transparent nylon sheeting.
Some had leaflets attached. "Prepare for a scorching summer," read one, in Hebrew.
In Gaza, kite-maker Shadi said his group had never used swastikas on their kites. He confirmed that transparent plastic was the best material as it made the kites almost invisible against the sky.
Even if the protests wind down, he and others will continue to send the kites—some of which carry the photos of Palestinians killed in the demonstrations—he said.
"Each kite costs us 10 shekels ($2.80). We pay it for it out of our own pockets," Shadi said.
A senior White House envoy, Jason Greenblatt, described the kites as "not harmless playthings or metaphors for freedom (but) propaganda and indiscriminate weapons".
4 june 2018

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday instructed the head of the National Security Council Meir Ben-Shabbat to move forward plans to deduct funds from the monthly tax revenues transferred to the Palestinian Authority (PA), Yedioth Ahronoth reported.
The Hebrew newspaper said that the funds withheld will be used to compensate the farmers of the Israeli settlements neighboring the Gaza Strip for the damages caused in their lands by fires sparked by burning kites sent from the costal enclave.
According to the paper, this move came after several large fires broke out on Sunday in Israeli settlements bordering the Gaza Strip. Fire-fighting teams used special aircraft to prevent the blaze from spreading to other areas.
The Israeli government claimed that damages so far are estimated at millions of shekels after over 250,000 dunums of land were burned. The government said that numbers are expected to increase since kite attacks are witnessed on a daily basis.
The Hebrew newspaper said that the funds withheld will be used to compensate the farmers of the Israeli settlements neighboring the Gaza Strip for the damages caused in their lands by fires sparked by burning kites sent from the costal enclave.
According to the paper, this move came after several large fires broke out on Sunday in Israeli settlements bordering the Gaza Strip. Fire-fighting teams used special aircraft to prevent the blaze from spreading to other areas.
The Israeli government claimed that damages so far are estimated at millions of shekels after over 250,000 dunums of land were burned. The government said that numbers are expected to increase since kite attacks are witnessed on a daily basis.
3 june 2018

Train travel was suspended on Sunday between Ashkelon and Netivot in the 1948 occupied Palestine after a massive fire flared up near Sderot by a flaming kite launched from the Gaza Strip, Walla website reported.
Hebrew TV channel 14 said that other fires were witnessed on Sunday morning in Yad Mordechai and Nir Am settlements sparked by flaming kites from Gaza.
Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper said that Gaza's fire kites destroyed about 3,000 dunums of farmlands on Saturday, while nearly 28,000 dunums have been burned since the start of the Great Return March protests.
The Hebrew TV channel Two said, quoting mayor of western Negev Danny Ben-David, that Gaza's fire kites have caused losses equivalent to hundreds of thousands of shekels.
Burning kites are one of the tools used by Palestinian youths in the Gaza Strip to confuse the Israeli snipers shooting at peaceful protesters taking part in the Great Return March near the border.
Hebrew TV channel 14 said that other fires were witnessed on Sunday morning in Yad Mordechai and Nir Am settlements sparked by flaming kites from Gaza.
Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper said that Gaza's fire kites destroyed about 3,000 dunums of farmlands on Saturday, while nearly 28,000 dunums have been burned since the start of the Great Return March protests.
The Hebrew TV channel Two said, quoting mayor of western Negev Danny Ben-David, that Gaza's fire kites have caused losses equivalent to hundreds of thousands of shekels.
Burning kites are one of the tools used by Palestinian youths in the Gaza Strip to confuse the Israeli snipers shooting at peaceful protesters taking part in the Great Return March near the border.
1 june 2018

An Israeli army spokesperson, on Thursday, published aerial photographs of some of the sites targeted by the Israeli air force on Wednesday, including alleged “Hamas weapon manufacturing sites” and “kite storage units”.
According to the spokesperson, Israeli warplanes destroyed sites affiliated with the Hamas movement, in order to weaken the its investment needed to develop weapons.
One of the targets was a “kites storage unit for Hamas,” which the army said “is used to carry out terrorist operations.”
The army spokesperson also said that they targeted a Hamas naval forces site, destroying a large portion of its accessories and manufacturing machines.
“In addition, most of the Islamic Jihad’s naval force sites were destroyed. These sites are used for training on advanced weapons to carry out terrorist acts against Israel.”
Israel claims that Gazans are using kite planes to burn farms and fields in the Gaza enclave since the start of the Great March of Return on 30 March, 2018. Since then, over 115 peaceful protesters in Gaza have been killed by Israeli fire.
According to the spokesperson, Israeli warplanes destroyed sites affiliated with the Hamas movement, in order to weaken the its investment needed to develop weapons.
One of the targets was a “kites storage unit for Hamas,” which the army said “is used to carry out terrorist operations.”
The army spokesperson also said that they targeted a Hamas naval forces site, destroying a large portion of its accessories and manufacturing machines.
“In addition, most of the Islamic Jihad’s naval force sites were destroyed. These sites are used for training on advanced weapons to carry out terrorist acts against Israel.”
Israel claims that Gazans are using kite planes to burn farms and fields in the Gaza enclave since the start of the Great March of Return on 30 March, 2018. Since then, over 115 peaceful protesters in Gaza have been killed by Israeli fire.
25 may 2018

Massive fires erupted on Friday in five sites in the 1948 occupied Palestinian territories by flaming kites and balloons launched from the Gaza Strip.
Local sources reported that two fires flared up in the afternoon in settler farmlands east of Beit Hanoun town and al-Bureij refugee camp in the northern and central Gaza Strip respectively.
Other fires were caused later by kites sent from Khan Younis and al-Maghazi refugee camp burning dozens of dunums of land.
Thousands of Palestinians marched along Gaza's eastern border fence to participate in the protests of the ninth Friday of the Great Return March.
Since the start of the Great Return March in the Gaza Strip, dozens of flaming kites have been launched toward settler farmlands near the border fence causing heavy losses.
Flaming kites are one of the tools used by Palestinian youths to confuse the Israeli snipers stationed at the border fence to shoot peaceful protesters.
At least 120 Palestinians have been killed and over 13,000 injured by Israeli gunfire since the launch of the Great Return March protests on 30th March.
Local sources reported that two fires flared up in the afternoon in settler farmlands east of Beit Hanoun town and al-Bureij refugee camp in the northern and central Gaza Strip respectively.
Other fires were caused later by kites sent from Khan Younis and al-Maghazi refugee camp burning dozens of dunums of land.
Thousands of Palestinians marched along Gaza's eastern border fence to participate in the protests of the ninth Friday of the Great Return March.
Since the start of the Great Return March in the Gaza Strip, dozens of flaming kites have been launched toward settler farmlands near the border fence causing heavy losses.
Flaming kites are one of the tools used by Palestinian youths to confuse the Israeli snipers stationed at the border fence to shoot peaceful protesters.
At least 120 Palestinians have been killed and over 13,000 injured by Israeli gunfire since the launch of the Great Return March protests on 30th March.
24 may 2018

Palestinian burning kites, flown from Gaza, on Wednesday landed in Israeli border fields and caused fire in five locations including Kibbutz Be'eri crops.
According to Israeli channel 12, Israeli firefighters battled the blazes in the area of Kibbutz Kissufim, Kibbutz Nahal Oz and the Assaf Simhoni Forest.
Hebrew media sources also disclosed another blaze near the railways in Sderot city due to a flammable balloon flown from Gaza.
Palestinian youths have managed over the past few days to set fire to tens of thousands of dunums in Israeli different settlements along the borderline by burning kites in response to Israeli repeated crimes against the people in Gaza.
According to Israeli channel 12, Israeli firefighters battled the blazes in the area of Kibbutz Kissufim, Kibbutz Nahal Oz and the Assaf Simhoni Forest.
Hebrew media sources also disclosed another blaze near the railways in Sderot city due to a flammable balloon flown from Gaza.
Palestinian youths have managed over the past few days to set fire to tens of thousands of dunums in Israeli different settlements along the borderline by burning kites in response to Israeli repeated crimes against the people in Gaza.