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Welcome to This Week in Palestine, a service of the International Middle East Media Center, www.imemc.org, for November 21st to the 27th, 2009
Israel announced this week it would halt construction works in illegal settlements for a period of 10 months, while military attacks on Gaza and the West Bank left four dead and six injured. These stories and more coming up, stay tuned.
Nonviolent Activities
Let’s begin our weekly report with the nonviolent activities in the West Bank.
The villagers of Bil’in, central West Bank, along with their international and Israeli supporters conducted their weekly protest on Friday.
Under the slogan, “Towards a Palestine free from settlements, the Wall, Apartheid roads, checkpoints and roadblocks, and for one united Palestine with no islands and cantons”, the protesters marched from Bil’in towards the Israeli wall being built on villagers’ lands.
When the demonstration reached the razor wire put in place by Israeli soldiers to block the protesters, the Israeli army announced a closed military zone, but the protest kept moving towards the gate. The Israeli soldiers then fired teargas canisters and stun grenades; and dozens suffered teargas inhalation
Also on Friday in the central West Bank, the villagers of Nil’in, along with their international supporters staged their weekly protest against the Israeli wall.
Villagers along with their international supporters conducted midday prayers at the villagers lands were Israel is building the wall.
After the prayers people marched closer to wall. Israeli troops stationed there fired tear gas at the protesters. Dozens suffered from the effects of tear gas inhalation and were treated locally.
The Political Report
Israel announced this week it would halt construction works in illegal settlements for a period of 10 months to give a chance for peace talks. Meanwhile, the ruling Hamas party in Gaza rejected the notion of a provisional Palestinian statehood. IMEMC’s Ghassan Bannoura has the story:
The Gaza Strip Report
On Thursday this week in the Gaza Strip, Palestinian resistance fighters fired five home made shells at the Negev region, southern Israel. Israeli sources reported that the shells landed in an open area causing no damage or injuries.
On Saturday, the ruling Hamas party in Gaza announced that they have reached an agreement with other groups to stop the firing of home made shells. In response Israel bombarded Gaza city and areas close to the southern borders with Egypt. The bombing left six Palestinians injured. Meanwhile two fighters were killed in an explosion in Gaza city. Hamas said that the two fighters were killed during a mission and gave no further details.
Many Islamic nations around the world celebrated this week the “Festival of Sacrifice” or Eid Al-Adha. As part of this religious holiday, families sacrifice their best cow or sheep. But in the Gaza Strip, thousands cannot celebrate the holiday due to the Israeli blockade. From Gaza IMEMC’s Rami Al Meghari has the story:
The West Bank Report
This week the Israeli military conducted at least 20 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. Israeli forces kidnapped 19 civilians, including 3 children. IMEMC’s George Rishmawi has the story:
Conclusion
And that’s just some of the news from This Week in Palestine. For regular updates, please visit our website at www.IMEMC.org. Thank you for joining us from Occupied Bethlehem. This week’s report has been brought to you by Aphen flwores.
