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Welcome to Palestine Today, a service of the International Middle East Media Center, www.imemc.org, for Thursday, March 17, 2016.
Israeli soldiers kill two Palestinian youth and extremists threaten to kill a Palestinian journalist has he is recovering from a hundred day hunger strike. These stories, and more, coming up, stay tuned.
Israeli soldiers shot and killed, Thursday, two Palestinians near the Ariel Israeli colony, illegally built on Palestinian lands, near Salfit in the central West Bank. The army claimed that the two stabbed an Israeli soldier, causing moderate wounds.
The head of Beit Fajjar Municipality, south of Bethlehem, said the two Palestinians have been identified as Ali Taqatqa, 19, and Ali Thawabta, 20, from the town.
He said the army surrounded the town, after identifying the two Palestinians, and installed roadblocks, preventing the residents from entering or leaving it.
Eyewitnesses said the soldiers fired dozens of live rounds on the two Palestinians, injuring them in various parts of their bodies. Moreover the soldiers prevented Palestinian Red Crescent medics from even approaching the two Palestinians and forced them away while cocking their guns, and threatening to shoot them.
Elsewhere, Israeli soldiers invaded, late at night and on Thursday at dawn, several areas in the northern West Bank district of Nablus, kidnapped six Palestinians, including two children.
Furthermore, many army vehicles invaded Beita town, south of Nablus, and demolished six stores, used for selling fruits and vegetables, in addition to a public toilet room, for what the army claims, “being built without construction permits.”
The army issued the demolition orders more than a month ago and destroyed the properties before discussing appeals filed by the owners.
In other news, Israeli extremists have reportedly made death threats against Palestinian journalist Mohammad al-Qeeq, who had been on a hunger strike for nearly a hundred days and is now recovering in hospital.
An Israeli soldier and a settler forced their way into al-Qeeq’s room in al-Afula Hospital, while his security guard was away from his post, Israeli news sources reported.
According to his wife, Fayhaa Shalash, the Israelis had arranged the incident with the conveniently absent security guard. She added that the extremists fled the hospital after al-Qeeq called for help.
And that’s all for today from the IMEMC News; this was the Thursday, March 17, 2016, news round-up from the Occupied Palestinian Territories. From more news and updates, please visit our website at www.imemc.org Today’s report has been brought to you by George Rishmawi and me Ghassan Bannoura.
