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Welcome to Palestine Today, a service of the International Middle East Media Center www.imemc.org, for Wednsday May 4, 2011
Palestinian Sources announced on Tuesday afternoon that Palestinian factions have signed the national reconciliation deal in Cairo.
The Higher Committee for Emergency and Medical Services in Gaza, issued a report on Israeli attacks and violations against the Gaza Strip in April, revealing that Israeli soldiers killed 23 Palestinians, including two children, and wounded 81.
Egypt’s Foreign Minister, Nabil Al Arabi, met on Tuesday evening with the visiting Hamas delegation headed by Hamas’ Political Bureau Chief, Khalid Mashal, and held talks on the latest developments in the Arab World and the Palestinian Unity Agreement.
The Ministry of Interior in the Gaza Strip announced on Wednesday morning that a resident convicted of collaborating with the Israeli occupation has been executed.
A senior Palestinian source reported that the Hamas and Fateh movements agreed that the current Prime Minister in the West Bank, Dr. Salaam Fayyad, will not be heading the new interim unity government that would be formed after the unity deal is officially signed.
On Wednesday at dawn, Israeli troops abducted four Palestinian residents, including a former minister, in the southern West Bank city of Hebron, and the nearby village of Doura. Local sources reported that soldiers broke into the home of former minister, Engineer Issa Al Ja’bary, cuffed and blindfolded him before he taking him to an unknown destination. In related news, soldiers opened fire at a Palestinian vehicle near the entrance of Al Sammoa’ village, near Hebron.
Palestinian Prime Minister, Dr. Salaam Fayyad, demanded that Israel release all tax and revenue money it decided to withhold following the signing of the Palestinian unity deal in Cairo. He said that Israel must release the money it decided to withhold, and added that the P.A. needs this money in order to be able to function and perform its duties.
The measure was taken by Israel in an attempt to sabotage the unity agreement between Fateh and Hamas, and the efforts to declare a unity government that includes all factions. The Palestinian Prime Minister stated that he hopes international pressure will be practiced on Israel so that the P.A can function properly and meet its obligation.
Palestinian news sources report that Israeli settlers assaulted a Palestinian shepherd in the village of Qusra located in Nablus on Wednesday and killed one of his sheep.
Palestinian Human Rights group Addameer has claimed that an Israeli military court order sentencing Palestinian writer Ahmad Qatamish to six months of administrative detention appears to have been tampered with. Israeli judicial authorities had indicated that Qatamish was to be released Tuesday, following 13 days of detention in Israel’s Ofer jail, but a last minute order was issued containing inaccurate information, the group said in a statement. Addameer said it had a copy of the order, which ‘disgracefully appears to be a copy of someone else’s detention order that has been tampered with to include Mr. Qatamish’s name.’
Jimmy Carter, former President of the United States; Hanan Ashrawi, a Palestinian negotiator and Palestinian prime minister Salaam Fayyed have all welcomed the Palestinian unity deal.
3 children have been injured in an explosion in the Tel as-Sultan area of Rafah in the Gaza Strip. Investigators believe that an unexploded shell detonated, injuring the three who were subsequently transferred to Abu Youssef An-Najjar Hospital. One of the children is expected to lose part of his hand.
That rounds up the main news for today. Please join us again tomorrow for a summary of important events in the Palestinian Territories.You have been listening to Palestine Today from the 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 me David steele
