Palestine Today, a service of the International Middle East Media Centre, www.imemc.org. For Wednesday, November 29th, 2006 .|| Click here to Download MP3 file 4.4MB|| time:4m51s
Army shells areas in northern Gaza strip, while in the West Bank several school girls are injured, and the army takes over one house in a village near Hebron, these stories and more coming up stay tuned.
The Gaza Update
Israeli army tanks stationed in the northern Gaza Strip fired several shells hitting open areas in Beit Lahia town on Wednesday morning. No injures or damage were reported but the shelling created panic among the residents, this shelling violates the ceasefire declared three days ago.
There have also been some Palestinian violations of the ceasefire deal, when resistance fighters fired home-made Qassam rockets at Israeli targets yesterday. No injuries or damage were reported. The rockets were in response to the assassination of Palestinian resistance fighter Mahmoud Nasser and an elderly woman, Fatma Shreim, in the town of Qabatiya near Jenin in the northern West Bank on Monday.
Israeli officials said the ceasefire deal excludes the West Bank and that the Israeli army will continue its military activities in the West Bank areas.
On Tuesday, Yassin Saba'na, leader of the Islamic Jihad in Qabatiya escaped an assassination attempt by undercover Israeli troops. Special forces, who entered the town wearing civilian outfit and driving a Palestinian-plated car, kidnapped Amjad hanaysha 25, one of the leaders of Al-Aqsa brigade, the armed wing of Fatah.
Palestinian resistance groups warned that the ceasefire deal will not last if it does not include the West Bank.
On Wednesday morning The Israeli army again closed Rafah border crossing, to the south of the Gaza strip after having opened it on Tuesday afternoon. On Tuesday Palestinian sources reported that an agreement had been reached stating that European observers would go back to their positions at the terminal, and the Israeli army would open it until Wednesday afternoon, allowing Palestinians with medical needs to pass in and out of the Gaza strip.
The Rafah border crossing, which is the only link for Palestinians in the Gaza Strip to the outside world, has been closed for five months since the Israeli offensive 'operation Summer Rain' started in June. Palestinian medical sources said they have sent out calls to many Human Rights organizations to demand Israel open the terminal, as it is a vital route through which the Gaza Strip can get humanitarian supplies.
The West Bank Update
Several school girls were injured when the army fired tear gas bombs at their school in Al Samu'a village, south of the West Bank city of Hebron on Wednesday morning.
Eyewitnesses said that Israeli troops stopped and assaulted several villagers at the checkpoint by the village entrance. Soldiers also attacked school boys and fired rubber-coated metal bullets and tear gas at the students, who retaliated by throwing stones at the soldiers. Later soldiers attacked the girl's school in the village, and fired tear gas bombs at the classrooms and playground, causing several cases of choking as a result of gas inhalation, medical sources reported.
Eyewitnesses reported that troops attacked the house of Hatem Abu Al Kabash, near the northern entrance of Al Samu'a village and forced him and his family into one room taking over the house and turning it to a makeshift military post,
In the City of Hebron, the Israeli army demolished two houses on Wednesday; one in the morning and one in the afternoon, the army clamed that they were built without permits.
In southern West Bank city of Bethlehem the army took two prisoners today, one from the village of Dar Salah east of Bethlehem. Yousif Al Aref, 38, was taken prisoner as he was crossing one of the military checkpoints setup on the main route between the north and the south of the West Bank, known as "Al Container" checkpoint.
While the other, Munther Al A'raj, 44, was taken prisoner when Israeli forces invaded the town of Beit Jala west of Bethlehem and attacked his house.
On Wednesday, Israeli forces stormed the villages of Dier Ghassanah and Beit Liqia, near the West Bank city of Rammallah, searched scores of residents' houses and took four residents prisoner
Finally, on Wednesday, in the north of the West Bank, Jihad Zied, 25, was taken prisoner by the Israeli army during an invasion of the city of Qalqilia. Eyewitnesses said that undercover army units entered the city, forced Zeid into their car and then left the city, taking him with them to an unknown location.
Conclusion
Thank you for joining us from Occupied Bethlehem. You have been listening to Palestine Today for the International Middle East Media Center, www.imemc.org brought to you by Oliver Eacott and Ghassan Bannoura.
