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Welcome to Palestine Today, a service of the International Middle East Media Center, www.imemc.org, for Monday February 18th, 2013.
Israeli troops attack West Bank solidarity protests with political detainees and naval forces attack fishermen off Gaza city shore. These stories, and more, coming up, stay tuned.
Scores of Palestinian residents were injured on Monday when Israeli soldiers attacked a number of protests in southern West Bank, organized in solidarity with political prisoners on hunger strike.
In Hebron city, 20 civilians were injured and many more were treated for the effects of tear gas inhalation when Israeli soldiers attacked the protest at the city center with tear gas and rubber-coated-steel bullets.
Residents said that Israeli troops attacked the protest from different directions, local youth responded with hurling stones at invading troops. Israeli army units also attacked journalists covering the event and fired tear gas into nearby homes.
Outside Hebron city, at al Aroub refugee camps, clashes erupted between local youth and the army when troops attacked a solidarity protests with political prisoners. Rami Jawabra, 15, was hit by a live round in his foot fired by Israeli soldiers while many others were treated for the effect of tear gas inhalation, medical sources reported.
Also in southern West Bank, residents tried to block the settlers’ road, kwon as road 60 near Bethlehem city in solidarity with political prisoners. Army forces attacked the peaceful protesters with tear gas then forced them back by attacking them with rifle buts and batons. Many were treated for the effects of tear gas inhalation, local sources reported.
There are four Palestinian political prisoners held on hunger strike. The longest is Samier al Essawi, from Jerusalem, who is on hunger strike since over six months. The prisoners are demanding Israel to stop its ill-treatment to Palestinian political prisoners and freeze the policy of administrative detention. Israel uses this policy to hold Palestinians for unspecified time without any charges.
In other news today, two Palestinian fishermen were injured and their boat damaged when they were attacked by Israeli naval forces off the coast of Gaza city.
The Palestinian center for human rights based in Gaza reported that the army gunboats attacked the Palestinian fishing boat while its sailing 3 miles off shore, which is the area allowed for Palestinian fishing boats.
Medical sources said that the two fishermen were moved to Gaza city hospital for treatment after sustaining moderate wounds.
And that’s all for today from the IMEMC News; this was the Monday February 18th, news round-up from the Occupied Palestinian Territories. For more news and updates please visit our website at www.imemc.org. Today’s report has been brought to you by Hussam Qassis and me, Ghassan Bannoura.
