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Welcome to Palestine Today a service of the International Middle East Media Centre www.imemc.org, for Monday May 30, 2011
Wide spread measures to secure Israel’s grip on Jerusalem and insure it remains undivided have been announced ahead of Jerusalem Day this Wednesday 1st of June, according to a report by Hareetz. Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has announced a range of measures to maintain Israel’s undivided hold of Jerusalem. The measures were announced at a meeting of the Israeli cabinet inside Jerusalem’s “Old City” walls. The measures include a $145 million increase in investments into hotels in Jerusalem, increased aid for Israeli military students studying in the city and further investment for biotechnology research in the city.
The two major Palestinian political parties, Fateh and Hamas, have announced that they are in the final stages of negotiation on a national unity agreement, and will formally institute the unity government on June 6th. After a two hour meeting in Gaza City, at the house of Hamas leader and elected Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh, representatives from the two parties said the new government will be made up of representatives from both parties, serving a term of one year.
200-300 Israeli settlers infiltrated Nablus on Sunday night and called for the Israeli military to re-establish control in the area after they broke free from the Israeli security forces accompanying them. The group were part of some 1,500 Israeli who were visiting nearby Joseph’s Tomb. 50 of the party blocked themselves into Josephs Tomb and clashed with Israeli military. The PA is to bring legal proceedings due to damaged property. The Israeli military condemned the actions of the settlers and said the full force of the law would be brought to bear on them.
After four years of closure the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and the Gaza strip was opened on Saturday allowing hundreds of Gazans to travel into Egypt. Talking to al-Jazeera, many undertaking the crossing spoke of how it was the first time they have been able to see family in Egypt or travel abroad since the siege was tightened four years ago. Hamas has said it will not be inviting EU observers to return to the crossing to monitor the situation. Israel has expressed concern about the opening saying that it will allow for militants amassed in the Egyptian Sinai to infiltrate the border and attack Israel.
According to Maan News Agency the Israeli military destroyed eight wells near Jenin on Sunday before they were forced to withdraw by residents. The military destroyed the wells on the basis that had not got planning permission. Israeli bulldozers arrived at the village of Kafr Dan with intention of destroying twelve of the towns wells but were forced to withdraw by locals before destroying all 12. The Governor of Jenin, Qadura Mousa, called the demolitions a “terrorist act”.
Thats all for today from the IMEMC. This was the Monday 30 of May’s daily roundup of news from the Occupied Palestinian Territories. We hope you will join us again tomorrow. This was brought to you by Husam Qassis and me Kevin Murphy.
