Israeli settler violence report: May-August 2012
Settler attacks continued over the summer with great frequency. The attacks were directed, often premeditated, and more violent than even the Palestinians expected. A substantial amount of land was destroyed and/or taken for use by Israeli settlements.
http://www.alternativenews.org/english/index.php/news/west-bank-and-settlers-violence/5457-israeli-settler-violence-report-may-august-2012.html
IOF deprives entire village of olive harvesting
Israeli occupation forces (IOF) have denied access permission to the inhabitants of Teyba village, west of Jenin, to enter their land behind the segregation wall and harvest their olive fruit.
Soldiers Demolish Home, Shed, In Jerusalem
Israeli soldiers demolished, Tuesday, a Palestinian home and a shed in Beit Hanina, in occupied East Jerusalem, the Quds Media Center reported.
http://www.imemc.org/article/64408
Palestinian Authority executive member Hanan Ashrawi has written to all diplomatic representatives to call for international intervention.
http://www.smh.com.au/world/israeli-settlers-launch-assault-on-palestinian-agriculture-20121016-27p2x.html#ixzz29WfXaXi0
Today, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs released a fact sheet on the Palestinian Olive Harvest, which typically takes place in October and November. The olive harvest is also a period of increased settler violence and intimidation against Palestinians trying to access their land.
Settlers Uproot Olive And Grape Trees In Al-Khader
Ahmad Salah, coordinator of the Popular Committee Against the Wall in Al-Khader town, south of Bethlehem, reported that a number of armed extremist settlers uprooted 20 olive trees and 15 grape trees that belong to the residents of the village.
Israeli occupation forces stormed on Monday Al-Fakhit school to the east of Yatta town in Al-Khalil and detained students and teachers along with foreign solidarity activists inside it.
The Aqsa foundation for Endowment and Heritage (AFEH) has warned that the repeated Israeli storming of the Aqsa mosque was a prelude for dividing it between Muslims and Jews.
Although the 1993 interim Oslo Accords define the West Bank and Gaza as “one single territorial unit,” Israel’s lingering Second Intifada security policies have created a clear policy of intentional separation.
A new Nakba looms as Israel plans ethnic cleansing of Palestinian village in the Negev
Anger and worry prevails amongst the people of Umm Al-Hayran, a Palestinian village in the Negev Desert following a decision by the Israeli Building Council to expel villagers in order to build a settlement for extremist Jews. An appeal by the humanitarian groups on behalf of the villagers was refused last week by the Israeli National Council for Planning and Construction.
Dozens of Israeli army veterans have admitted their involvement in massacres against Palestinian civilians in 1948, and acknowledged that Zionism misled them and is a catastrophe for both Jews and Arabs. The details have been revealed by the Yazkern organisation, which was founded in 2001 and seeks to unveil the truth and spread the Palestinian narrative of the country’s history among Israelis and convince them of Zionism’s false account. The organisation believes in a one-state solution and in Palestinians’ right to return to their land and homes.
BEIRUT, Lebanon, 16 October 2012 – Ten-year-old Ahmed* and his family have come to Lebanon from a Palestinian refugee camp in the Syrian Arab Republic. They fled their camp near Damascus when fighting intensified. One day, Ahmed’s 12-year-old sister Mona had stumbled across a bloody corpse close to their home. “It was terrible,” says Ahmed, “but I’d rather be there. In Syria, it was much nicer. I hardly know anyone here, and there is no place to play.”
Qatar to inject $254 million into Gaza
Qatar on Tuesday launched a $254 million plan to rebuild and modernize Gaza, the biggest injection of reconstruction aid for the Palestinian enclave since it was devastated in an Israeli military offensive nearly four years ago.
The Israeli Air Force bombarded, on Wednesday at dawn, a training center that belongs to the Al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of the Hamas movement in northern Gaza. The Qassam Brigades said that the army attempted to assassinate some of its fighters.
On Friday 12th of October at 4 a.m. the village of Beit Ommar in Hebron District was raided by Israeli occupation forces for the second time this week. The force went to the area of Saffa, north in Beit Ommar, which is close to the colony of Bat Ayin. The Israeli occupation forces raided the home of Nemer Aedy and his family and searched their house. Bilal Hani Nemer Aedy (19) was arrested and taken to the military base in the colony of Gush Eztion without any explanation for the arrest. Bilal is currently a student at the Hebron University and this is his first time in prison.
Committee: Israeli soldiers assault teenager
HEBRON (Ma’an) — Israeli forces assaulted a Palestinian teen in Beit Ummar on Tuesday, a local committee said. Committee spokesman Muhammad Ayad Awad told Ma’an that Ashraf Khalil Sabarneh, 19, threw a glass bottle at an Israeli military watchtower. Soldiers then physically assaulted Sabarneh, who was taken to a Hebron hospital for treatment.
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=529308
Clashes Reported in Jenin, Hebron
Palestinian sources reported, Tuesday, that clashes were reported between Palestinian residents and Israeli soldiers in Az-Zababda village, near the northern West Bank city of Jenin, and in Beit Ummar town north of the southern West Bank Hebron.
Israeli MK storms al-Aqsa mosque accompanied with military leaders
Al-Aqsa Foundation for the Endowment and heritage said in a statement issued on Monday that the MK Uri Ariel, chairman of the Knesset’s State Control Committee, has stormed al-Aqsa mosque.
The agricultural sector in the network of Palestinian NGOs strongly condemned the Israeli occupation forces attack, on Tuesday morning, on a group of farmers while they were reaping olive fruits.
On Saturday, October 13th, 2012 Palestinian, Israeli and International activists marched to protest in front of the colony Karmei Tzur in a weekly demonstration. This week the main message was directed against the recent increase in colonist’s harassment of Palestinian farmers cultivating their land. In addition the activists protested against the terrorizing of the village of Beit Ommar conducted by the Israeli occupation forces in night raids, often to arrest children. The Israeli occupation forces lined up and tried to stop the residents of Beit Ommar, accompanied by Israeli and International activist, from marching into their own land. The demonstrators refused to accept this and kept on walking around the soldiers blocking the road. The soldiers chased after the demonstrators to stop them, and caused an injury to the leg of one of the activists.
Israeli soldiers kidnapped, on Monday at dawn, 13 Palestinians in different parts of the West Bank, including two children, 12 and 11 years old, who were taken from their homes in occupied East Jerusalem, and a 15-year-old child in Hebron.
Israeli occupation forces arrested on Sunday a Palestinian citizen from the town of Beit Ummar in al-Khalil south of the occupied West Bank, while he was reaping olives in the his land.
Police arrest boys on school trip
Two children were detained by Israeli police on Friday, 12 October, before being released 5 hours later. Muhammad Abed al-Hafez Abu Rumoz, 16, and Fadi al-Kilani were arrested while on a school trip at Gu’s Beach then held at the police station in Tabariya. The boys were accused of “making trouble”, an accusation they denied which was confirmed by eyewitnesses.
Sweep of arrests through East Jerusalem
A sweep of arrests were made throughout Jerusalem by Israeli forces on Thursday, 11 October. The operation began in Shuafat Camp, Ras al-Khamis camp and Ras Shehade, then moved through Sawane and the Old City. Ten men and youth were arrested in Ras al-Khamis Camp and Ras Shehade between midnight and early morning. Several houses were raided and searched. Amongst those arrested were 19-year old Izhak G’atet and 16-year old Muhammad Abu Rumuz. Forces raided a home in the Bab al-Hadid neighborhood of the Old City near Al-Aqsa Mosque and arrested Luai Hadib, 27, when an argument broke out. Amir al-Qadmani, 17, was arrested in Sawane. From Silwan, Sarhan Sarhan (27), his brother Khaldoun Sarhan (26), and Samer Adkikak were arrested when their houses were raided. Israeli forces were aggressive towards the men’s families during the arrests.The Awad family home was raided in Bir Ayyub and the Ata Rayan home in Al-Bustan. Forces used sniffer dogs during the raid, and kept their sirens ringing into the night, provoking extreme anxiety in family members, many of whom were searched by armed forces. Fifteen-year old Salah Aweda was also arrested the following day.
It was on Friday afternoon that they caught Munir Nayim Hamed who is fifteen and a half years old. ‘Munir is the leader’ people said. Every evening, Munir would lead his friends from the refugee camp holding stones in their hands, to battle the checkpoint and the soldiers that came out towards them. He stood at the front line of these teenagers when gas grenades were shot at them in retaliation. ”Six soldiers came, three stood back and three sneaked up and pulled a “red riding hood on him” (set a trap for him) said an eye witness who after spending seven years in an Israeli prison not only masters Hebrew but is also familiar with the slang.
Court extends remand of Jerusalemite child
The Magistrate court in occupied Jerusalem decided to extend the detention of a 12-year-old Jerusalemite child till Wednesday.
The international Tadamun (solidarity) society for human rights demanded the Israeli government to release an aged man named Sami Shaeblo, 67, due to his poor health status.
Sparrows successfully break through Gilboa prison “bird checkpoints,” writes Ameer Makhoul
The Israeli Prison Authority fails to block sparrows from entering Gilboa Prison square, reports Ameer Makhoul.
Austria’s Salam.Orient festival reacts to Arab artists’ pull out over Israel sponsorship, Ali Abunimah
Palestinian oud player Marwan Abado, and Tunis Air pull out, bringing to 5 number of artists who have boycotted festival.
Jordan: “Obeidat” responds to the appointment of its son as ambassador to Israel
The Jordanian tribe of al-Obeidat organizes this weekend a mass festival to support Palestinian people and al-Aqsa Mosque, with the participation of hundreds of figures, in the largest village.
The Jordanian youth campaign to support the prisoners in Israeli occupation jails staged, on Monday, a sit-in in the form of a human chain in the capital city of Amman.
A number of political parties and civil society organizations in Tunisia organized, on Monday morning, a sit-in outside the National Constituent Assembly, demanding to criminalize normalization.
“As long as Israel imprisons Palestinian athletes for years without charge or trial using torture, destroys sporting infrastructure and prevents Palestinian athletes from traveling abroad, it has no place in European competitions”
Less than a year after the murder of Mustafa Tamimi from Nabi Saleh, his father passed away without seeing justice for his son.
Hundreds of extremist Jewish settlers stormed Tuesday morning Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood in occupied Jerusalem and attacked Palestinian natives.
Israeli Member of Knesset (MK) David Rotem, member of the fundamentalist Yisrael Beiteinu (Israel Our Home) party, headed by Israeli Foreign Minister, Avigdor Lieberman, intends to file an appeal to the Central Elections Committee demanding it to prevent the National Democratic Assembly (Balad) Arab party from participating in the upcoming Israeli elections.
“As I promised in the Knesset, I will work hard to disqualify Hanin Zoabi from running,” Akunis said, adding, “Israel must act with full force and determination against those who take advantage of its democracy to destroy it from within. Hanin Zoabi participated in the Mavi Marmara terror attack aimed at Israeli soldiers, and we must not allow her to return to the house of representatives of the State of Israel.”
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/160999#.UH4wNs6-x5Q
“We miss Gandhi today more than ever,” Knesset Speaker MK Reuven Rivlin said during the session. “We miss his honesty, a rare quality in politics today. We miss his clear, ideological voice, his leadership, his larger than life presence. Unlike many dreamers, and a long line of leaders who thought they could change the reality of this region, Gandhi was a different breed. He was the type of leader who acknowledged reality, and did not become confused between what they wanted, wished and hoped for, and between what was possible.”
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/160988#.UH47j86-x5S
Segregation in the ‘democratic state’ of Israel
Ruth Edmonds is the daughter of a Jewish mother and English father. She came from a political household; both parents were environmental activists. Now 29, she is the high energy, fast talking staff person with ICAHD, (the 26 year old Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions), who is going to take us on a tour of East Jerusalem and the surrounding Jewish settlements. Her body language and ebullient speech has the urgency of someone with too much to do and not enough time. She is active in Anarchists Against the Wall, Active Stills, Boycott from Within, and ICAHD. Her youth and her commitment jolt me with a ray of optimism. Her tee shirt reads: “Replace fear of the unknown with curiosity.”
PA chairman and Fatah leader Mahmoud Abbas met with Israeli war minister Ehud Barak in the Jordanian capital Amman last Thursday, a senior PA official said.
The political prisoner in PA prisons and liberated captive from Israeli jails, Adnan Samara, has gone on an open hunger strike on Saturday protesting against his continued political detention.
Amid a dry economic report published yesterday in TheMarker lies an official announcement/acknowledgment of unparalleled importance: The government of Israel confirms that between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River there is no longer a Jewish majority. In other words, in the territory under Israel’s jurisdiction a situation of apartheid exists. A Jewish minority rules over an Arab majority.
http://www.haaretz.com/news/features/the-jewish-majority-is-history.premium-1.470233
Both U.S. and Israeli ambassadors to the UN addressed Hezbollah at the UN Security Council meeting yesterday after Hezbollah Secretary General Hasan Nasrallah confirmed on Saturday it was Hezbollah who sent the drone shot down by Israel. U.S. Ambassador Susan Rice’s remarks centered on Lebanon’s relationship with Syria. She accused Hezbollah of being part of Assad’s “killing machine” and Nasrallah of carrying out a “deadly form of deception” regarding Lebanese national interests. She also urged other security council members to “expose Hezbollah’s deepening involvement in Assad’s war.”
Iran claims ‘dozens’ of its drones have spied on Israel
A senior Iranian military official claimed Tuesday that Iranian-made surveillance drones have made dozens of apparently undetected flights into Israeli airspace from Lebanon in recent years to probe air defenses and collect reconnaissance data.
http://www.timesofisrael.com/iran-claims-dozens-of-its-drones-have-spied-on-israel/
Iran’s message to Israel regarding the drone it sent deep into Israeli airspace last week: two can play at this game. Just as Israel has assassinated Iranian nuclear scientists and sabotaged its nuclear facilities with computer worms and sabotaging electricity lines, Iran can target Israel’s most sensitive sites almost at will.
Military deploys sophisticated sensor system along new fence, volatile Dune sector. Deployment moved up following increase in Sinai-based terror threats.
Israeli defense officials said that Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip have for the first time fired an antiaircraft missile at Israeli aircraft.
The Obama administration is working to derail the Palestinian effort within the United Nations to upgrade their diplomatic presence to a “non-member state.”
Activists on Facebook said that they have not been able, on Monday, to access to the Facebook page of Mohammad Nazzal, a Hamas leading figure.
Forum of journalists slams PA, Israel for press freedom violations
The forum of Palestinian journalists strongly denounced the Palestinian authority and the Israeli regime for their restrictions on the freedom of the press in the West Bank.
Israeli defense officials say that Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip have for the first time fired an anti-aircraft missile at Israeli aircraft.
The Palestinian Authority has welcomed the news that that Israel has failed in its bid for re-election to the Council of Administration of the Universal Postal Union (UPU); Israel was a member for the past four years. “This,” said the PA’s Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, “is a victory for Palestine in general and for the Gaza Strip in particular.” The PA pointed out that Israel has imposed a suffocating siege on Gaza for seven years and prevented the flow of mail from the Occupied Palestinian Territories to the outside world.
Katsav asks for presidential pardon over rape conviction
Ten months into seven-year prison sentence, former president still hasn’t expressed remorse for crimes.
http://www.haaretz.com/print-edition/news/katsav-asks-for-presidential-pardon-over-rape-conviction.premium-1.469995?localLinksEnabled=false
Report: Israeli students’ performance in math, science slipping
Education Ministry’s performance index published shows average scores of Israeli students steadily slipping.
Olive harvest begins
The Palestinian Ministry of Agriculture opened the annual olive harvest season in the Gaza Strip on Monday. Ministry officials also watched the olive pressing process as part of a recently sanctioned and implemented monitoring programme. The start of the harvest was marked by a national celebration attended by the Minister of Agriculture, Ali Abdul Aziz al-Tarshawi, deputies from the Palestinian Legislative Council, and representatives of local municipalities, civil society organisations and agricultural groups, as well as farmers.
Revealed: BBC correspondent portrayed Palestinian collaborator as peace activist, Asa Winstanley
How can we trust the media when it deliberately misrepresents Palestinian voices?
Two stories regarding Israel and drones appeared last week, illustrating both the dangerous new world of drone proliferation and Israel’s major role in making that possible.
The Russell Tribunal is meant to expose and provide accountability for human rights abuses committed by Israel against Palestinians. But in privileging ‘expert’ voices over those of the victims, does it actually reinforce dominant power structures?
What does it take to break a ‘crime of silence’? That was the stated purpose for Bertrand Russell’s original 1966 International War Crimes Tribunal on the Vietnam War, just as it was for last weekend’s New York session of the Russell Tribunal on Palestine. Though some activists see such public reviews as overly mired in legalese, this kind of tribunal — like similar past efforts relating to seemingly intractable scenarios such as apartheid in South Africa and colonialism in Puerto Rico — provides a unique opportunity to bolster broad, grassroots coalitions. Understanding the potential of these efforts is vital in order to break the very real silence around Palestine, both among activists and in society as a whole.
More evidence corroborates that Israeli Ofer Engel faked Palestinian activists online, Benjamin Doherty
We reaffirm that Ofer Engel deceptively operated accounts impersonating Palestinians and insinuated himself into activist networks.
Beyond the Last Sky showcases the work of ten Palestinian artists in a provocative show which highlights the discrimination and hardship of the Palestinian experience. This exhibition is now on display at the Australian Centre of Photography in Sydney. Strikingly, almost all of the exhibited work is in some way an appropriation of existing images and scenarios, from the Mona Lisa to YouTube suicide bomber videos to real estate advertising. The artists have decided that the best way to communicate the Palestinian struggle to a comfortable Western audience is to provide images which are immediately recognizable to the Western eye, and then dislocate the viewer into an understanding of the Palestinians’ own surreal oppression.
Ayoub, Asad AbuKhalil
Ayoub is a new name in the Arab political lexicon. It is the name of Hezbollah’s spy plane, which was named after one of its own “martyrs.” The speech by Nasrallah intended to take responsibility for the plane that was downed by Israeli fighter jets. Israel, typical of its propaganda, did not tell the truth. It was embarrassed to admit its failure to detect the plane, and Israeli media are very cautious in probing the failures and shortcomings of the Israeli military-intelligence apparatus.
http://english.al-akhbar.com/blogs/angry-corner/ayoub?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+AlAkhbarEnglish+%28Al+Akhbar+English%29