Click Here to Download MP3|| 4.57 MB || Time 5m 0sPalestine Today, a service of the International Middle East Media Centre, www.imemc.org, for Wednesday February 28th, 2007.
Three Palestinians were assassinated by an undercover Israeli army unit in Jenin refugee camp. The Israeli military offensive in Nablus continues, while 17 Palestinians and 7 internationals were abducted by Israeli forces in the West Bank, these stories and more coming up stay tuned.
The News Cast
Three Palestinians were assassinated by an undercover Israeli army unit in Jenin refugee camp in the northern West Bank on Wednesday morning. At around 7:30 am, undercover Israeli troops entered the refugee camp in a civilian car with Palestinian license plates and chased Ashraf Al-Saadi aged 25, who was a leader of Al-Quds Brigades, the armed wing of the Islamic Jihad movement in Palestine.
Al-Sa’adi attempted to escape, and Palestinian resistance fighters clashed with the Israeli army unit which was backed by a helicopter and later by twenty military vehicles. Al-Sadi, who has been wanted by the Israeli army for 2 years, was killed along with Mohammad Abu Na’feh and Ala’ Breikeh who were also operatives of the Islamic Jihad movement.
On Wednesday morning the Israeli army embarked on the fourth day of its military offensive nicknamed as ‘Hot Winters’, targeting the northern West Bank city of Nablus. Israeli tanks and heavily armored vehicles stormed the city again today, after having left it temporarily on Tuesday. Hundreds of homes were attacked and families were forced outside while soldiers vandalized their belongings. Israeli soldiers started to abduct relatives of people they call ‘Wanted Palestinians’. Later one Israeli soldier was injured when a home made bomb exploded near his jeep.
Invading forces have turned a school in the city into a detention center where soldiers are detaining the abducted family members. Local sources in the city stated that among those abducted so far is Manal Al Fakih, who is five months pregnant, and an elderly man named Abu Amin Lubadah who suffers from a heart condition.
The city of Nablus is currently under curfew, which is confining thousands of Palestinian families to their homes. The Israeli military also broke into several homes and turned them into military posts, as is their practice during such operations, eyewitnesses reported.
Since Sunday morning this Israeli offensive has left one civilian dead, at least 30 injured, and saw some150 abducted. Palestinian sources in the city stated that none of the abductees are resistance fighters, all are civilians.
On Wednesday morning several Israeli army bulldozers embarked on a second day of destroying farm lands that are privately owned by Palestinian farmers from the village of Um Salamunah, near the southern West Bank city of Bethlehem. Farmers from Um Salamunah village and nearby villages of Wadi Al Niss and Al Ma’sara were joined by Israeli and international supporters.
The group succeeded in stopping the bulldozers uprooting trees and destroying and, which is also the farmers’ only source of income. Israeli soldiers who were providing protection for the bulldozers clashed with the unarmed protesters, using rifle butts and batons. No injures were reported. However, Palestinian media sources state that seven International protestors were abducted by Israeli forces.
The Israeli army invaded several parts of the West Bank on Wednesday morning and abducted at least 17 civilians, among them a Palestinian legislator.
In the southern West Bank, Israeli troops attacked Palestinian homes in the city of Hebron and the neighboring villages of Halhol and Surif. Eight people were abducted, including a Palestinian legislative council member. All were taken to unknown detention camps. The Palestinian legislative council member, Hatem Qafisha, was abducted from his home in Hebron city when troops attacked and ransacked it. Qafisha was released from an Israeli detention center only two months ago after spending two years in administrative detention.
Seven Palestinian civilians were abducted by Israeli forces from the village of Beit Fajar, south of Bethlehem city. Tulkarem city in the northern part of the West Bank was also attacked by Israeli troops on Wednesday morning, and three teens were abducted during the invasion.
Conclusion
Thank you for joining us from Occupied Bethlehem. You have been listening to Palestine Today from the International Middle East Media Center, www.imemc.org, brought to you by Jake Talahami and Ghassan Bannoura.
