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Welcome to Palestine Today, a service of the International Middle East Media Center, www.imemc.org, for Wednesday, December 29th 2010.
On Tuesday, the Israeli press published a letter in which two dozen wives of prominent Israeli rabbis called on fellow Jewish women not to date Arabs. The letter’s appeal comes after a religious edict, issued by their husbands, forbidding Jews the sale or rental of property to non-Jews.
With regard to the proposal of a group of rabbis not to sell or rent property to non-Jews, Press TV said today a recent survey reveals that 44% of Israelis support the letter endorsed by the rabbis whilst 48% reject the call.
In a separate report, on Tuesday, dozens of residents of Jaffa protested in front of a school after its principal decided to prohibit Arabic inside the classrooms. Protestors accused the Jewish principal of racism. An Israeli media source claimed the school principal still has made no comments on the issue.
A survey by the Public Committee Against Torture in Israel showed that up to 90% of Palestinian prisoners interrogated by the Israeli Shin Bet security agents are not allowed to consult with their lawyers. The study indicated illegal interrogation methods are largely used including sleep deprivation, threats of violence, solitary confinement in unsanitary conditions, and uncomfortable positions.
Today, settler attacks were reported in the village of Asira Al-Qibliya and nearby Sinjil, both locations south of Nablus. The clashes resulted into destruction of several vehicles and fire damage to agricultural fields. In related news, a group of settlers uprooted, today afternoon, 30 olive trees belonging to Palestinian farmers from Madaba village.
Also today, local sources claimed that Israeli bulldozers razed an agricultural storehouse, a gas station, and several other industrial buildings in the village of Hazma, north of Jerusalem. According to Israeli forces, the demolition was ordered due to proximity to a military crossing and lack of appropriate license.
In addition, Israeli bulldozers demolished several homes, this morning, in Al Sadeer “unrecognized” Arab village, in the Negev desert. The homes were said to belong to Al Freihat family. The bulldozing is the latest of a round of home demolitions in the Negev, in a move to force the Arab residents out of the area.
In separate reports, local witnesses told Ma’an News that shelling was heard, this morning, east of Gaza city. No injuries were reported. Residents expressed concern over a new Israeli attack on the Gaza Strip. The army did not confirm any military activity in the area. Israeli police in the region did not report any strikes in the past 24 hours.
Also in Gaza, medics previously claimed that, on Tuesday evening, Israeli forces bombarded an area in Khuza’a town, east of Khan Younis, leaving one Palestinian fighter killed and five others wounded. One of the five injured was in a serious condition while the rest of them suffered from fire smoke caused by the blast.
In other news, a construction holding headed by Palestinian businessman, Bashar Al Masry, plans to buy an Israeli construction firm building settlements in East Jerusalem. The plan upset residents of Nuf Zion settlement neighborhood, in East Jerusalem. An Israeli paper said that, if the deal is approved, the firm would have the power to stop settlement activity in the “neighborhood”.
That sums up our news for today, thank you for joining us from occupied Bethlehem, you have been listening to Palestine Today, from International Middle East Media Center. For more updates, please visit our website at www.imemc.org. This report has been brought to you by Husam Qassis and Alessandra Bajec.
