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THE DAILY NEWS A SERVICE OF THE INTERNATIONAL MIDDLE EAST MEDIA CENTER WWW.IMEMC.ORG FOR THURSDAY MAY 04, 2006

HEBRON CHILD INJURED IN SETTLER HIT AND RUN, SOLDIERS OPEN FIRE AT RESIDENTS TRYING TO PASS A MILITARY CHECKPOINT NEAR NABLUS, ARMY OCCUPIES SEVERAL SHOPS IN HEBRON

THESE STORIES AND MORE COMING UP STAY TUNED

HEBRON CHILD INJURED IN SETTLER HIT AND RUN

Abd Allah Al Ja’bari, 3 years old, from the West Bank city of Hebron was seriously injured on Tuesday evening, in a hit and run incident with an Israeli settler.

The child suffered fractured legs and arms and severe bruising, medical sources reported.

According to the child’s mother, Randa Al Ja’bari, the settler intentionally ran her son over then fled the scene. Israeli soldiers and police arrived and allowed a Palestinian ambulance to take the child to the hospital.

No investigation was initiated by the Israeli army or police who are responsible for maintaining law and order in Hebron.

SOLDIERS OPEN FIRE AT RESIDENTS TRYING TO PASS A MILITARY CHECKPOINT NEAR NABLUS

Israeli soldiers stationed on Al Bathan checkpoint, at the southern entrance of the West Bank city of Nablus, fired on at residents trying to pass Thursday morning.

The checkpoint, which is used by hundreds of locals from surrounding towns and villages to enter the city on a daily basis seeking work, health services and education, has been closed for several days and was declared a closed military zone.

Residents were forced to use a nearby farm road; soldiers chased them and fired rounds of live ammunition, eyewitnesses reported.

ARMY OCCUPIES SEVERAL SHOPS IN HEBRON

Israeli soldiers took over several Palestinian shops in the West Bank city of Hebron on Thursday morning.

Troops stormed shops that sell construction materials, and setup an ambush inside forcing the owner and employees out, eyewitnesses reported.

In Hebron there has been an increase in ‘ sudden’ checkpoints and an arrest campaign over the past few days, especially in the Old City.

ARMY INVADES HOWWARA AND ARREST SEVEN YOUTHS

The Israeli army invaded the town of Howwara south of the West Bank city of Nablus and arrested seven youths, on Thursday morning.

Soldiers continue to impose a curfew on Howwara for the second day running ,and have initiated an arrest campaign which has led to the arrests of: Amier Wafiq, 20, Saleh Awad, 19, Sohil Awad, 17, and Ahmad; Awad, 17, and the other three arrestees who are not named, local sources reported.

Troops have forced all shops to close and have installed military checkpoints all over the city along with army snipers positioned on top of some residents’ homes, the sources added.

ARMY ARREST RESIDENT FROM OBADYIA VILLAGE
   
Israeli troops invaded the village of Obadyia east of the West Bank city of Bethlehem and arrested one resident, Thursday morning.

Ayoub Al Assa, 21, was arrested after soldiers stormed his house, damaging his family’s belongings, then Al Assa was taken to an unknown location, eyewitnesses reported.

THE VILLAGE OF ARABA NEAR JENIN UNDER SIEGE
   
The village of Araba south west of the city of Jenin, is under seige from the Israeli army, Thursday morning.

Army vehicles and soldiers have blocked all access roads to the village installing checkpoints and road blocks.

Residents under the age of 35 are not allowed into the village and the army are stopping and searching all vehicles and detaining them for hours.

Residents, who attempted to enter the village using a farm road, were chased by soldiers firing live rounds and sound bombs, eyewitnesses reported.

CONCLUSION

And that’s just some of the news today in Palestine.  For constant updates, check out the International Middle East Media Center website, www.IMEMC.org.  As always, thanks for joining us.  From Occupied Bethlehem, this is the Daily News from Palestine brought to you by Pennie Quinton and Ghassan Bannoura.