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Welcome to this Week in Palestine, a service of the International Middle East Media Center, www.imemc.org, for September 21st to the 27th, 2013.
As Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbes tells world leaders at the UN that peace with Israel is near; Israeli troops and settlers escalate attacks against Palestinians leaving at least 10 injured civilians this week. 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 Israeli troops used rubber-coated steel bullets, tear gas and sound bombs to suppress nonviolent protests against the wall and settlements in a number of West Bank villages. IMEMC’s Salam Qumsyia reports:
On Friday protests were organized in the central west Bank villages of Bil’in Ni’lin and Al Nabi Saleh, as well as Al Ma’sara village, southern West Bank.
In the villages of Bil’in, and Nil’in residents and their international and Israeli supporters managed to reach the Israeli wall built on lands taken from local farmers.
Meanwhile Israeli troops used tear gas and chemical water that generate bad smell to attack residents and their supporters before leaving the village of Al Nabi Saleh.
Moreover Israeli soldiers invaded the village of al Nabi Saleh and fired tear gas inside residents’ homes casing many women and children to suffer effects of tear gas inhalation as well.
Elsewhere at al Ma’ssara village, southern West Bank, Israeli soldiers stopped the weekly anti wall protest there at the village entrance.
Soldiers forced people back into the village using rifle buts and batons to bush people back, no injuries were reported.
For IMEMC News this is Salam Qumsyia.
The Political Report
Palestinian Authority President, Mahmoud Abbas, addressed a United Nations General Assembly meeting this weekend, saying that peace between Israel and Palestinians has become nearer than ever. The President’s remarks came as donor countries have further pledged support to the internationally-backed Palestinian Authority. IMEMC’s Rami Al Megari has more:
President Abbas adhered to peace negotiations with Israel, saying that he and the PA would remain committed to those peace talks until peace is achieved. Abbas’s statement came while Palestine is a non-member state for the first time in six decades.
‘ I am pleased to address you today while Palestine is being a non-member state’, Abbas was quoted as saying.
In the meantime, demonstrations and some violent protests took place this week across the West Bank, as Israeli occupation authorities continue colonial settlements building on the occupied East Jerusalem and other West Bank areas.
The protests resulted in the injury of more than 20 Palestinians, mainly in the West Bank city of Hebron and outskirts of the occupied East Jerusalem, after Israeli army dispersed protesters with rubber-coated steel bullets and tear gas grenades.
Occupied East Jerusalem is a part of 1967 border lines including the West Bank and Gaza Strip, which were all recognized by United Nations last November as being boundaries of future Palestinian state.
In the West Bank city of Ramallah, PA’s Prime Minister, Rami Alabdallah, welcomed representatives of European countries, which have been backing the PA financially. The representatives reiterated rejection of ongoing Israeli illegal settlements activities and pledged further support to the PA.
In the Gaza Strip, a number of political factions including the ruling Hamas and the Islamic Jihad group, organized mass protests in different parts of the coastal region, in protest of what they called an unprecedented Israeli onslaught on the occupied Arab east Jerusalem.
For IMEMC News, Iam Rami Almeghari in Gaza.
The West Bank and Gaza Report
This week Israeli forces conducted at least 62 military invasions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank and Gaza. During these attacks, Israeli forces injured at least 10 civilians and kidnapped 45 others, including one child. IMEMC’s Eman Abedrabbo-Bannoura with the details:
This week Israeli army invasions were focused in the city of Hebron, southern West Bank and the northern West Bank city of Qalqilia.
Invasions targeting Qalqilia and Hebron cities escalated after a Palestinian man killed a soldier on Saturday after trying to kidnapping him near Qalqilia, while in Hebron a Palestinian sniper killed an Israeli soldier in Hebron old city. The man in Qalqilia was trying to kidnap the soldier to exchange him with his political detainee brother held by the Israeli army for years.
Meanwhile Palestinian armed groups Al-Aqsa Brigade, and Ahrar Al-Jaleel Brigade said in a joint statement that they have killed the soldier in Hebron, to send a message to Israel that they will defend Jerusalem forever.
The statement was published on several social media websites.
Later in the week dozens of residents suffered the effects of teargas inhalation, following clashes between local youth and the Israeli army and police in occupied East Jerusalem on Tuesday evening.
On Tuesday night at least 25 Palestinians have been injured during renewed clashes that took place in Bab Az-Zawiya and Shallala Street, in the center of the southern West Bank city of Hebron.
Eyewitnesses said that the soldiers fired rounds of live ammunition, rubber-coated metal bullets, gas bombs and concussion grenades leading to more than 25 injuries.
Tension was high this week in occupied east Jerusalem as Israeli right wing groups tried to enter Al aqsa mosque in Jerusalem old city to celebrate Jewish holidays.
On Thursday of this week Two Palestinians have been injured by rounds of live ammunition fired by the Israeli troops invading Al-Jalazonerefugee camp, north of the central West Bank city of Ramallah Medical sources said that dozens of residents have also been treated for the effects of teargas inhalation.
In the Gaza Strip this week two Palestinian boys were wounded when Israeli forces stationed along the border fence in central Gaza opened fire at a group of young men, who were about 100 meters away from the fence. Moreover on Sunday and Monday of this week Israeli tanks and bulldozers invaded farm lands near the central borders of Gaza with Israel and uprooted trees owned by local farmers.
For IMEMC News this is Eman Abedrabbo-Bannoura.
Conclusion
And that’s all for today from This Week in Palestine. This was the Weekly report for September 21 to 27, 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 George Rishmawi and me, Ghassan Bannoura.
