Month: May 2005

Israeli TV, channel 10 reported on Monday night, that Israeli soldiers used a Palestinian child as a human shield in the village of Doura, near the West Bank city of…

Monday afternoon, an Israeli military source reported that that a Palestinian youth was arrested near the Gush Atzion settlement bloc, west of Bethlehem. According to the army report, the youth…

With no body noticing, the problem of Palestinian refugees’ rights was solved around ten years ago. Israeli Prime minister Ariel Sharon is busy right now to save Israel the damage…

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas may decide to delay the upcoming legislative elections scheduled for July 17 for few months due to lack of preparations, Israeli sources reported. The Central Election…

Palestinian Interior Minister Nasser Yousef presented Israeli Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz with a plan for deploying PA security forces in the Gaza Strip during and after the implementation of the…

Sunday afternoon, Israeli soldiers forced dozens of families out of their homes and residency barracks in Msafer Yatta area, south of Hebron. Saber al-Hreiny, head of al-Litwani village council, which…

United States’ first lady, Laura Bush visited the Haram Al-Sharif area in Jerusalem despite discomfort by Palestinian officials, for such a move. Bush who is the U.S.’s new goodwill ambassador…

Speaking at a meeting with American Jewish leaders in New York early Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said he refused to compromise on Jerusalem even if this will lead…

Israel will turn the Philadelphi Route along the Gaza-Egypt border over to the Egyptians if they stop Palestinian arms smuggling, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said Monday during a trip…

Nine detainees held by Palestinian security forces over suspicions of involvement in a suicide bombing in Israel have begun a hunger strike to demand their release, Palestinian security officials said…

Against recent media report on a likely several months’ delay upon the request of senior army officers, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said Sunday at the start of a three-day…

Sunday morning, Israeli army radio reported  that the army is ‘ready to conduct military operations in the Gaza Strip”, if the firing of homemade shells at Israeli settlements continues. Israeli…

Mossa Abu Marzouq, deputy of Hamas’s political bureau head, called on Saturday the Palestinian Authority to form a cabinet of technocrats after the Palestinian legislative elections, moving political decisions to…

According to United Arab Emirates’ newspapers, Senior Hamas and Hizbullah leaders received official letters from the U.S administration and British government. According to the Al-Bayan Saturday edition, the U.S. sent…

The Israeli army has postponed the collection of weapons from Gaza Strip settlers, and will reexamine at the last minute whether there is a need to do so at all,…

Israeli Justice Minister Tzipi Livni’s bureau issued Saturday a statement explaining that the minister’s press conference of last week was misunderstood as an ultimatum. "The week-long period given the settlers…

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas issued a statement on the weekend, saying the situation in the Gaza Strip was "under control". The statement came after four days of violence triggered by…

The U.S. administration is divided on what sort of gesture to offer to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who is scheduled to meet with President George W. Bush on Thursday at…

Saturday afternoon, Israeli soldiers arrested some 30 left-wing Israeli peace activists in the southern West Bank city of Hebron. An Israeli military source reported that the activists were protesting in…

The Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas demanded the US president George Bush to take a clear stance on the Road Map plan after Israel completes its Gaza Withdrawal. Abbas said that…

Palestinian resistance fighters have agreed to halt a wave of mortar and home-made shells attacks on Israeli settlements in the Gaza Strip, a Palestinian Authority official said on Saturday.Palestinian Interior…

Saturday afternoon, an Israeli military source reported that Hezbollah fighters fired machine guns at Israeli military positions in the Sheba Farms area, on the Israeli-Lebanese borders. According to the army…

Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei met in Amman with the Israeli Vice-Premier Shimon Peres to discuss promoting peace efforts in the region, Israeli sources reported on Saturday. The meeting, which…

Saturday afternoon, freed Palestinian detainees protested in Khan Younis, south of the Gaza Strip, demanding that the Palestinian Authority employ them. Hamdi al-Najjar, spokesperson of the National Coalition of Liberated…

  Download MP3 (9.40 MB) | Listen to Real Audio  (9:53 min) This Week in Palestine – a service of the International Middle East Media Center, IMEMC.org, for the week of Friday…

The family of detainee Samer Nidal Issa, 20, appealed to humanitarian organizations to aid them in locating their son who was shot, mauled by military dogs, and arrested by the…

Resistance fighters in Nablus and Balata refugee camp reported that Israeli soldiers have not stopped their attempts to arrest or assassinate Palestinian fighters, despite having promised to do so as…

A local source in the camp reported that soldiers, broke into dozens of homes, conducted military searches, and arrested one resident. Also, soldiers used the home of Ammar Musallam as…

Greek Orthodox Patriarchate in Jerusalem continue to attract the attention of Palestinians, Jordanians and Greeks alike. The decision by more than two thirds of the Holy Synod of the Church…

To the uncritical eye, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas looks like an ordinary statesman residing over an equally ordinary political reality. Nothing could be further from the truth. As I disinterestedly…

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’ political honeymoon is almost over. And the results are worrisome. Palestinians gave Arafat’s heir a huge boost in the January presidential elections in which he ran…

Jordan and Israel announced Friday that they will jointly participate in a European-Mediterranean trade system that will allow the both countries to boost duty-free exports to Europe. Israeli Deputy Prime…

The U.S. government intends to replace traditional diplomacy conducted through U.S. embassies with an interventionist foreign policy that focuses on political and economic reform, Robert Zoellick, the U.S. Deputy Secretary…

Friday afternoon, armed settlers attacked three residents in Al-Sihla square, in the old city of Hebron, and hurled stones at dozens of homes near Abraham Abino settlement outpost. The WAFA…

A medical source in Sheikh Zayed hospital, in Ramallah reported that one resident was injured in the village of Bilin, west of Ramallah, dozens suffocated after inhaling gas fired by…

A Fatah leader in Gaza harshly criticized Hamas for objecting the court ruling to throw out the results of some Gaza local councils due to voting irregularities. Ahmad Heles, a…

The newly elected city council elected Friday Dr. Victor Battarseh as the mayor of the West Bank city of Bethlehem. Eight council members voted for Battareseh, 6 voted for his…

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said Friday he had no plans to postpone parliamentary elections set for July 17. "I have no intention to postpone the elections. The parliamentary elections will…

The Ministry of Local Government in Bethlehem reported that Israeli soldiers and settler groups intensified their attacks against farmlands which belong to residents of al-Khader, near Bethlehem, in order to…

Friday morning, Israeli soldiers invaded Balata refugee camp, east of the northern West Bank city of Nablus, wounded three residents, and arrested four including one of the wounded residents. A…

A Palestinian medical source in Dir al-Balah said that the fighter who was killed earlier on Friday, was identified as Mohammad Ribhi Baraka, 22, from Dir al-Balah, in the central…

Israeli sources reported that an agreement to start a Palestinian-Israeli academic cooperation is signed in London between the Hebrew University and Al-Quds University. The agreement is signed by heads of…

A militant group named Jundallah ‘God’s Brigades’ became first known earlier this week as it declared responsibility for an attack on an army post near the Gaza Strip city of…

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon approved Thursday Finance Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s tax reduction plan, which the later described as ‘imperative for market growth.’ The plan is expected to be submitted…

An attack by extreme-right Jews on Haram Al-Sharif (Temple Mount) would trigger a large-scale war between Israel and the Muslim world, former Shin Bet chief Carmi Gillon told Haaretz on…

Ammunition and night-vision equipment disappeared from the army post at the West Bank settlement of Yitzhar on several occasions, senior army official told Israeli newspaper Haaretz this week. Army suspects…

Hamas announced Thursday that it objects the court ruling annulling some municipal election results in the Gaza Strip which favored Hamas. Dr. Mahmoud al-Zahar, believed to be the leader of…

Senior Israeli army officers warned Thursday that if Israel did not act to strengthen Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, ‘he’ll fall, and then we’ll have to give more abatement to Hamas,…

The Israeli security, Shabak, prevented parents of Khamees abu Aser, from Gaza, from moving him to an Egypt hospital, after sustaining a critical injury to his head. Khamees was injured as a result…

The Jerusalem Central Court sentenced two Israeli soldiers after convicting them of abusing and degrading two Palestinian residents studying at Abu Dis University, near Jerusalem. The students, Firas al-Bakri, 22,…

In a step that could cause Hamas to suffer an election blow, a Palestinian court, on Thursday, canceled some municipal results in the northern Gaza strip city of Beit Lahia.…

Israeli Defense Minister, Shaul Mofaz, issued direct orders to the army to kill any Palestinian who attempts to fire at Israeli settlements or military camps in the Gaza Strip. The…

U.S. government investigators are focusing on conversations that two top American Israel Public Affairs Committee staffers allegedly had with a Washington Post reporter and an Israeli diplomat Apparently, the investigation…

Thursday morning, three women and one child were injured, after a group of settlers attacked them in Tal Rmeida neighborhood in southern West Bank city of Hebron. A medical source…

A freed detainee from Tubas area in the West Bank described the situation in al-Ramleh detention, Ayalon branch, as a “living hell”, as a result of the repeated attacks against…

Kieran Prendergast, undersecretary-general for political affairs at the UN, warned of the increasing violence in the Palestinian territories, urging the Palestinian Authority to ‘end all violence acts”, and called on…

Thursday morning, an Israeli military source reported that Palestinian resistance fired seven shells at Netzarim settlement in the Gaza Strip, no injuries were reported. The source stated that Palestinian resistance…

Prisoners Supporters Society in the Galilee reported that Detainee Yassin Mohammad Abdul-Khaliq Qasem has been in detention since three years after he was arrested in his parents’ home in Beit…

On Wednesday afternoon, the Palestinian Legislative Council rejected a proposal submitted by 25 percent of its members to conduct parliamentary elections totally by proportional representation, a senior Palestinian official told IMEMC. Former Minister of…

The Israeli government gave Wednesday Gaza Strip settlers a seven days ultimatum to sign up for a plan to relocate to the Nitzanim area after they are evacuated from the…

Arab Israeli Member of Knesset Jamal Zahalka complained at the office of the Israeli Minister of Finance Benjamin Netanyahu against the ongoing utilization of the Absentees Law in east Jerusalem.…

A medical source at Nasser hospital in Khan Younis reported that resident Ahmad Shahwan, 25, died on Wednesday at night of wounds sustained after the military gunship fired a missile…

A source at the Palestinian Authority reported on Wednesday that a Palestinian-Egyptian summit will be held in Sharm al-Sheikh resort in Egypt next Saturday. The summit will discuss preparations for…

The Political Bureau of the Palestinian Liberation Organization, PLO, called on Tuesday for a conference for Palestinian living in Diaspora to be held during the last quarter of this year.…

Palestinian Sources close to the leftist factions said that talks among these factions to form a unified bloc to run in the upcoming Parliament election slated for July 17 are…

On Tuesday morning, Israeli soldiers arrested a resident of Bethlehem in the West Bank. A local source in Bethlehem reported that under covered military units of the Israel army abducted Mahmoud…

Former minister of Justice at the Palestinian Authority, Abdul-Karim Abu Salah said that the legislative elections date on July 17th is not binding and could be altered. The legislative council…

{mosimage}The Israeli news website in English YnetNews published an interview they held with the Palestinian Minister of Civil affairs, and in charge of the disengagement file in the Palestinian Authority…

Following the Monday anti-pullout protests organized by an unknown settlers group that calls itself, ‘Habayit Haleumi’ (The National Homeland), settlers say they are ready to block the roads on daily…

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, who visited the Nitzanim area with Housing Minister Isaac Herzog Tuesday, instructed various government officials to accelerate the work. ‘You must work immediately and quickly,’…

Israeli soldiers shot and killed a Palestinian on the Gaza-Egypt border early Wednesday, local eyewitnesses said. Ahmed Barhoum, 22, was hit in the head by a bullet and died immediately.…

A Palestinian court on Tuesday cancelled the voting results in 51 of the 141 polling stations in the southern Gaza Strip city of Rafah, a move that could increase tension…

The General Workers Union in Palestine condemned the arrest of 600 Palestinian workers in Israel, after the army claimed that the illegally entered the country. The Union reported that these…

The Jailed legislator and Fatah leader, Marwan Barghouthi, said in a letter written behind bars in Hadarim Israeli prison that Fateh movement needs to organize its work and be actively…

As part of the preparations for the intended Israeli pullout from the Gaza strip and four northern West Bank settlements, the Palestinian Minister of Interior Nasser Yousef met with the…

Medical sources in Hebron report that four schoolchildren suffocated after inhaling gas fired by the Israeli army during clashes that erupted after an incursion into the Hebron-area village of Doura. A local source…

While Israel is pressing on the PA to curb on Hamas, Israeli security officials say they are welling to cooperate with elected Hamas-affiliated council leaders. Already, the discussion in Israel…

Speaking at a press conference in Tokyo, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said that the PA was cooperating with Israel to facilitate the upcoming pullout, and that Hamas may join the…

Yuval Diskin, the new director of the Israeli Shin Bet internal security service, said Tuesday that ‘Israeli society would not be able to tolerate the murder of another prime minister.’…

Several dozen Jewish and Arab students protested Tuesday morning at Haifa University against an academic conference titled ‘The Demographic Problem and Israel’s Demographic Policies’, describing the conference as a gathering…

Brazilian soccer star Ronaldo was warmly received in the West Bank on Monday during his good will visit to the Palestinian territories and Israel. Ronaldo, the Real Madrid striker, the…

The newly appointed Shin Bet Chief Yuval Diskin expressed his fears Tuesday over terror attacks conducted by Jews especially in light of the escalating threats against Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.…

Monday evening, members of the Palestinian police exchanged fire after a police unit arrested a policeman from another division; two policemen were slightly injured. Police officials declined to comment on…

Israeli army soldiers delayed for five hours former Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad at a border crossing before allowing him to enter the Palestinian areas, sources at the former leader’s…

An Israeli security source reported that the army will resume its assassination policy against Palestinian resistance fighters. The source stated that Israeli security heads, Israeli PM Ariel Sharon, and defense…

Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said following his meeting with the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Tokyo that Japan will give USD 100 millions, additional funds to the Palestinian Authority.…

Monday evening, a resident of Rafah, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip, died of wounds sustained after the army shelled the area, last year. The WAFA news agency…

Israeli police decided on Tuesday to release most of the 378 pullout foes arrested Monday for blocking major highways and intersections in Israel. Protestors who were arrested only for blocking…

Palestinian media sources reported that Israeli settlers tried to burry a Palestinian young man from a village near Nablus alive. Israeli soldiers operating in the area were watching them doing…

The Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) dismissed Monday Israeli media reports on ongoing coordination between Hamas-affiliates who won in the recent local elections and Israeli security and army officials. Dr. Mahmoud…

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has begun questioning reporters who had contact with Pentagon official Lawrence Franklin, who has been charged with disclosing classified information to officials of the…

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, who arrived Sunday in Tokyo for a three-day visit, said Monday, ahead of meeting Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi in Tokyo, that the Palestinian parliament election…

Israeli Police said Monday that 9 Israeli Jews were arrested, questioned and conditionally released in recent weeks on suspicion of planning an attack on Haram Al-Sharif mosque in Jerusalem. The…

The Israeli High Court cancelled Monday the temporary injunctions imposed on the construction of the separation wall fence near West Bank settlements of Ariel and Immanuel. The Ariel wall section…

Lawyer of the Palestinian Prisoners Society, Mohammad Abu Rayya, visited several detainees in Gilboa detention who informed him of repeated attacks against them. Abu Rayya said that a special forces…

Thousands of anti-pullout protesters blocked Monday evening the entrance to Jerusalem and key highways in the Tel Aviv and Haifa areas. Around 140 of them were arrested. Hundreds of Protesters…

A platoon commander of the Golani infantry brigade of the Israeli army, requested to be discharged from his position, saying that he cannot take part of evacuating Gaza Strip settlements…

Israeli military officials conditioned the handover of security in Qalqilia to the Palestinian Authority to collecting the weapons of wanted Palestinian fighters in Tulkarem and Jericho, Israeli sources reported on…

Shimon Peres, the acting Labor party leader said on Sunday that his party reported recently 120.000 new members. The statements of Peres came during his speech at the party headquarters…

The Ministry of Interior and National Security said that only the Palestinian Authority has the right to discuss internal Palestinian issues with other factions in accordance to the Cairo talks.…