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This Week in Palestine – Week 9 2013
Welcome to this Week in Palestine, a service of the International Middle East Media Center, www.imemc.org, for February 23rd through March 1st 2013
A Palestinian delegation discusses in the US, the upcoming visit of the American President Barack Obama to the Middle East, meanwhile Palestinians take to the streets in protest of the death of a Palestinian prisoner in Israeli jails, these stories and more, coming up, stay tuned.
The Nonviolence Report
Let’s begin our weekly report as usual with the nonviolent activities organized in the West Bank. This week twelve civilians were injured when Israeli troops attacked the weekly anti wall and settlements protests organized at a number of West Bank communities. IMEMC’s Salam Qumsiyeh with the story:
One Palestinian youth was injured, and four arrested among them an international supporter, as Israeli troops attacked the weekly protest at the village of Kufer Qadum, in northern West Bank.
Israeli troops attacked the protest as soon as reached the village entrance that was blocked by the army 10 years ago. Soldiers used tear gas and rubber coated steel bullets. Sharaf Ishtawi, 23, was injured in the head when troops hit him with rifle buts, he was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment.
In central West Bank, anti wall protests were organized at the village of Bil’in, Nil ‘in and al Nabi Saleh. The residents and their international supporters managed to reach the Israeli wall at the village of Bil’in and Nil ‘in before soldiers attacked them with tear gas and rubber coated steel bullets. al Nabi Saleh protesters were attacked by Israeli troops before they even left their village.
Six residents were injured in al Nabi Saleh, among them two children, while another four civilians among them one international supporter were injured at the village of Bil’in. many others were treated for the effects of tear gas inhalation at all three locations, local sources reported.
Also in Friday anti wall protests were organized at Al Ma’ssara village near Bethlehem and in Hebron old city, southern West Bank. Israeli soldiers attacked Al Ma’ssara villagers and their supporters using rifle butts and batons and forced them back into the village.
While at al Shuhada Street in Hebron old city troops used tear gas and rubber coated steel bullets to attack unarmed protesters. One Palestinian youth was injured in the head and many others suffered effects of tear gas inhalation. al Shuhada Street was closed for Palestinians by the Israeli army 13 years ago to provide so called security for the illegal Israeli settlements inside the old city of Hebron.
For IMEMC News this is Salam Qumsiyeh
The Political Report
In Washington , a high-ranking Palestinian delegation discussed with US officials an upcoming visit for US president Barak Obama to the Middle East, including a visit to Palestine. This comes as Israel has slowed down the illegal construction of settlements in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem. IMEMC’s Rami Al-Meghari with the details
Top Palestinian negotiator Saeb Eriqat along with other PA officials paid a visit to Washington in preparation for the expected visit of US president Barak Obama to the region, including the occupied Palestinian territories.
Eriqat maintained that the discussions tackled a number of Palestinian concerns, mainly the need to push stalled peace process forward, based on the two-state solution and that the PA is committed to a previous position that Israel should halt illegal settlement activities before any peace talks are resumed.
Some political commentators believe that the visit will not bring much momentum to the peace process until the US is heavily involved and practice some more pressure on Israel.
A number of local media outlets reported this week that the PA could consider returning back to negotiations table, should Israel release thousands of Palestinian prisoners inside the jails.
This week, Israel urged the Palestinian Authority to prevent likelihood of a third Palestinian uprising in light of a mysterious death of one of those prisoners from the West Bank city of Hebron. Israel released tax funds , due to the Palestinian Authority.
At the internal Palestinian level, both Fatah party of Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas and the Islamist Hamas party are yet to agree on national unity as talks between the two sides have been deadlocked recently.
For IMEMC. New. Iam Rami Almeghari in Gaza
The West Bank and Gaza Report
This week witnessed clashed everyday between Israeli troops and Palestinian youth protesting in solidarity with Palestinian political detainees held by Israel on hunger strike. The clashes escalated when a political detainee died in army detention due to torture. Around 150 Palestinians were reported injured by Israeli troop’s gun fire.
IMEMC’s Ghassan Bannoura has more:
And that’s all for today from This Week in Palestine this was the Weekly report for February 23rd through March 1st , 2013 from the Occupied Palestinian Territories. For more news and updates please keep visiting our website at www.imemc.org. Today’s report has been brought to you by Husam Qassis and me, George Rishmawi
