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Welcome to Palestine Today a service of the International Middle East Media Centre, www.imemc.org for Monday July 18th, 2011.
The Palestinian Prisoners Society (PPS) reported Friday that detainee Yousef Skafi, who has been on hunger strike since 34 days, was moved to Al Ramla prison hospital; he is currently in a serious condition. He went on strike after the death of his daughter who suffered nervous breakdown after being prevented from visiting him.
Israeli daily, Haaretz New Paper, reported Friday that nearly 2000 Israelis and Arabs marched on Friday in occupied East Jerusalem calling for the recognition of an independent Palestinian State. Fundamentalist Israeli right-wingers tried to disrupt the procession.
The British Authorities decided to release Sheikh Raed Salah, head of the Northern Branch of the Islamic Movement in Israel, on bail after being detained for two weeks. His lawyer demanded his release pending the deportation case against him, the Press TV reported.
Israeli soldiers bombarded, after midnight Friday night, an area in Beit Hanoun, in the northern part of the Gaza Strip; damage was reported, one resident was injured.
Palestinian medical sources reported, on Sunday at dawn, that Israeli soldiers bombarded a home Beit Hanoun, in the northern part of the Gaza Strip, injuring seven family members, including four children.
The Od Yosef Chai yeshiva religious school in the settlement of Yitzhar, near Nablus, faces a possible closure, after the Israeli military commander found it to harbor a number of ‘Jewish terrorists’ and promote ideas that are not ‘consistent with democracy’.
Palestinian medical sources reported that two fighters were wounded when the Israeli Air Force fired, on Monday at dawn, a number of missiles into an area, east of Khan Younis, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip.
Israeli online daily, Yediot Aharonot, reported that Germany agreed to a request made by Israel to provide it with a “Dolphin” submarine that has the capabilities of carrying nuclear heads.
Israeli human rights group B’Tselem released a report Monday on the findings of a investigation into the arrest, detention and interrogation of 50 Palestinian minors detained by Israeli military forces for throwing stones. The investigation shows a pattern of consistent abuse of the rights of minors both under Israeli and international law.
on Tuesday Israeli settlers uprooted Palestinian farmlands in Sair town, north of the southern West Bank city of Hebron; Israeli soldiers were present but did not attempt to stop the settlers.
The Palestinian news agency Wafa reported Monday that an Israeli court fined a Palestinian family $10,000 for building its Silwan home without a permit. The family face home demolition. Palestinians complain that is impossible to obtain permission to build housing from the Israeli authorities. Many face no choice but to build without official permission opening themselves up to the risk of a large fine, as will demolition and bill for the demolition.
Silwan is a highly contested neighbourhood in East Jerusalem whose Palestinian inhabitants have faced incursion by Israeli settlers and state parks such as the planned Talmudic gardens which will require the displacement of over 1,600 Palestinian inhabitants to complete.
The French ship Dignité al-Karama is expected to arrive in Gaza on Monday evening. The French yacht is the only ship in the flotilla, dubbed ‘Stay Human’ to have successfully evaded attempts by the Greek authorities to prevent their departure. There are only 10 activists on-board, out of a total of nearly 300 who were originally on the flotilla of 10 ships.
According to the Palestine News Network, three Palestinian men have been injured by settlers in the village of Mikhmas in the central West Bank. The three men were apparently near their homes when settlers attacked them with rifle butts and batons. Their injuries are said to be ‘light’.
Knesset member Hanin Zuabi has been stripped of her right to speak in the Knesset by the Knesset ethics committee. She has also been stripped of her right to vote in committees. 12 months ago, Zuabi lost a series of other diplomatic privileges granted to MKs. She had her diplomatic passport withdrawn, financial aid for legal assistance and the right to travel to countries that Israel doesn’t have relations with. She has had these parliamentary privileges rescinded due to the fact that she sailed on the Mavi Marmara as part of the so-called ‘freedom flotilla’ last year. Zuabi has been one of the most vocal critics of the Israeli government in the Knesset. She is a Palestinian citizen of Israel from Nazareth.
That’s 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 Centre. 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
