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Welcome to this Week in Palestine, a service of the International Middle East Media Center, www.imemc.org, for August 17 to the 23, 2013
While Palestinian-Israeli negotiations get slower than expected, Israeli attacks on West Bank and Gaza communities leave one man killed and a dozen more injured. 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. On Friday, many civilians were treated for the effects of tear gas inhalation as Israeli soldiers attacked the weekly protests organized at a number of West Bank communities. IMEMC’s Salam Qumsiyeh has the story:
Anti wall and settlements protests were organized this week at the villages of al Nabi Saleh, Bil’in, Nil’in, central West Bank and Al Ma’ssara village in southern West Bank.
At the villages of Bil’in and Ni’lin, residents and their international and Israeli supporters managed to reach the wall.
Israeli soldiers stationed there fired tear gas and rubber-coated steel at the unarmed protesters. As a result many civilians were treated for the effects of tear gas inhalation.
Meanwhile in the nearby village of al Nabi Saleh, Israeli soldiers used tear gas to suppress the villagers and their supporters before leaving the village.
Shortly after Israeli soldiers stormed the village and fired tear gas at residents’ homes. Many were treated for the effects of tear gas inhalation.
Elsewhere Israeli soldiers attacked the residents of al Ma’ssara and their supporters at the village entrance. Troops used rifle butts and batons to force people back into the village. No injuries were reported.
For IMEMC News this is Salam Qumsiyeh.
The Political Report
As Palestinian-Israeli negotiations get slower than expected by the parties concerned, Israeli government endorsed a new wave of settlements building in the occupied East Jerusalem. In the Gaza Strip, the Hamas-led government objected to re-implementing a 2005 agreement for operation of border crossings. IMEMC’s Rami Al Meghari with the details:
In a meeting with Meretz Israeli party members in Ramallah, Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas believed that the Palestinian-Israeli talks, resumed recently, are going very slowly.
The president maintained that peace that is based on a two-state solution would lead to a stable peace between Israel and Palestinians. He also said that he would not claim some towns inside Israel that used to be parts of historical Palestine, prior to the Israeli occupation of Palestine in 1948.
Abbas had always adhered and defended a two-state solution on Palestinian lands, occupied by Israel in 1967. These lands include the Gaza Strip, West Bank and East Jerusalem.
A three-year-stalled peace process resumed this month after Palestinians renounced a long-standing demand that Israel should stop settlements construction, Israeli government endorsed this week a new wave of settlements construction on the occupied East Jerusalem, considered by Palestinians as capital of future Palestinian state.
Washington, patron of the peace process, expressed concern over resumed settlements building, regarding it an obstacle to the two-state solution.
In the Gaza Strip, the Hamas-led government objected to re-installment of 2005’s operation agreement of border crossings, brokered by United States. Hamas says the agreement did not help Gaza’s trade and many Palestinian travelers were barred crossing due to Israeli monitoring of movement.
For IMEMC. Org, I am Rami Almeghari, in Gaza.
The West Bank and Gaza Report
This week Israeli forces conducted at least 56 military invasions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank and Gaza. During these attacks troops killed one civilian, injured at least 12 others and kidnapped at least 31 Palestinians, including 3 children. IMEMC’s Graison Hensley has more:
Majd Lahlouh, 22, has been killed after being shot by a live round to the heart by Israeli soldiers invading the northern West Bank city of Jenin, on Tuesday at dawn.
Local youths clashed with the invading troops who fired rounds of live ammunition, killing Lahlouh and wounding five others. While dozens have been treated for the effects of teargas inhalation.
On Monday Shalash Hamamrah (22) was wounded by a bullet in the left leg during an Israeli incursion into Jaba’ village, south of Jenin.
Later in the week a 21-year-old civilian was wounded on Thursday by a bullet to the left leg fired by Israeli soldiers who invaded Dhaisha refugee camp in Bethlehem city, southern West Bank, and clashed with local youth.
In Jerusalem this week on Tuesday dozens of Israeli soldiers invaded Silwan town, south of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, and partially demolished homes of Palestinians under the pretext that they were built without a construction permit from the army.
On Monday Israeli army bulldozers destroyed the Bedouin village of Al Ka’abneh east of occupied east Jerusalem.
According to residents, soldiers and bulldozers arrived on Monday morning to force people out of their tents and then leveled them all. The army claims that the homes are built without the required permission from the military.
Elsewhere in Gaza this week, Israeli forces stationed along the border fence east of Jabalia, in the northern Gaza Strip, opened fire on Tuesday at a group of boys who were about 300 meters away from the fence in between al-Shuhada’ cemetery and Abu Safiya area, east of Jabalia. As a result, two children from Jabalia refugee camp were wounded.
For IMEMC News this is Graison Hensley.
Conclusion
And that’s all for today from This Week in Palestine. This was the Weekly report for August 17 to the 23 2013 from the Occupied Palestinian Territories. For more news and updates please keep visiting our website at www.imemc.org. This week’s report has been brought to you by Shamus Slaunwhite and me, Ghassan Bannoura.
