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Welcome to Palestine Today, a service of the International Middle East Media Centre, www.imemc.org, for Monday, March 29th 2010.
Clashes erupted between local youth and Israeli troops in deferent locations in the West Bank, as Israeli tanks shell the Gaza Strip. These stories and more coming up, stay tuned.
The News Cast
Israeli tanks bombarded on Monday midday residential areas close to the southern Gaza Strip borders. The shelling targeted homes east of Rafah city; causing damage to the houses however, no injuries were reported. The situation remains tense in the Gaza Strip after the Israeli government announced on Sunday that the its military will respond heavily to the killing of two Israeli soldiers at the borders over the weekend.
Last Friday night clashes erupted at the southern Gaza Strip borders killing two Israeli soldiers and one Palestinian and injuring thirteen others. On Sunday Israeli Minister of Finance called for reoccupying Gaza and eliminating Hamas who controls the coastal enclave since June of 2007. Israel enforces a crippling siege on the Gaza Strip since June of 2006.
In other news, Palestinian youth clashed with Israeli soldiers at deferent locations in the West Bank on Monday. In Jerusalem’s old city scuffles erupted when Israeli settlers stormed Al Aqsa Mosque; the third holiest site for Muslims worldwide.
In Bethlehem clashes started when Israeli troops fired tear gas at a protest near the Israeli wall that separates the city from Jerusalem. Today people were demanding the release of the 15 protestors the Israeli military detained on Sunday during a nonviolent protest at the same location demanding freedom of worship in Jerusalem.
Israel closes Jerusalem in front of Palestinians since 1991 and allows only a limited number of Palestinians to enter Jerusalem with special permites that are rarely granted.
Earlier on Monday four Palestinian civilians were detained by Israeli troops during invasions targeting a number of West Bank communities.
Local sources reported invasions in Hebron and Bethlehem, southern West Bank, in addition to Nablus in the north. During a military invasion into Al Aroub refugee camp near Hebron, local youth hurled two home-made bombs at invading troops.
The Israeli military said that the two bombs exploded near soldiers causing no injuries or damage. Troops later stormed the camp and opened fire at residents’ homes causing damage but no injuries, witnesses reported.
A fifth Palestinian man was detained on Monday by Israeli troops at the boarders between the West Bank and Jordan, local sources reported. Mo’ath Al Ghoul, aged 22, was coming to the West Bank from a pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca in Saudi Arabia, his family told reporters. Reason behind the detention remains unknown.
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. This report has been brought to you, by Ghassan Bannoura.
