Author: IMEMC & Agencies

PLO head and the leading Presidential Candidate Mahmoud Abbas said Sunday as he left the PA headquarters in Ramallah that all Palestinian factions, including Hamas, asked their supporters to vote,…

Israeli soldier killed in the explosion at Shaba’ farm; French officer in the UNIFIl killed in the Israeli shelling of areas inside Lebanon. Israeli sources said that the soldier killed…

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon submitted Sunday the coalition agreement joining the Likud, Labor and United Torah Judaism parties to the Knesset, Israel Radio reported. However, Likud rebels said that…

Reports arriving to IMEMC election center indicate that elections are running smoothly, with insignificant disruptions only. Based on a sample from selected centers across the Palestinian territories, a high turnout…

Israeli security insisted that East Jerusalem ballots boxes should be laid on their side and that boxes should be transported to the central election committee centers in Abu Dis and…

Presidential candidate Dr. Mustafa Barghouthi filed Sunday an official complain at the headquarters of the Palestinian Election Committee in Ramallah, saying that the ink used to prevent fraud in today’s…

Israeli sources reported on Saturday that Israel is already preparing for the renewal of negotiations with the new Palestinian leadership and a meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and…

Israeli army continued Saturday with imposing a curfew on the residents of Beta village south of the West Bank city of Nablus for the second day. Local sources reported on…

Senior rabbinical figures are expected Sunday to come out in support of the refusal to obey orders to evacuate West Bank and Gaza Strip settlements. Key Rabbis, including former Sephardi…

The Qatar based Al-Watan newspaper said Saturday that a recent warm up in Israeli-Jordanian relations might lead to a soon Israeli Prime minister Ariel Sharon visit to Jordan soon. According…

Several hundreds of Taayush activists, both Jewish and Arab, and residents of the Wadi Ara region protested Saturday near the village of Arara on Saturday against the planned demolition of…

Saturday morning, Israeli soldiers killed a 61-year-old residents east of Al-Matahin checkpoint, north of Kahn Younis, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip. Dr. Moawiya Hassanen, head of the…

Israel is considering renewing military operations inside Palestinian populated areas after an Israeli soldier was killed in a military attack in the West Bank. The Palestinian Authority was made aware…

Some international observers were touring army roadblocks in the West Bank and Gaza Strip on Saturday to check whether Israel kept a promise to ease travel for Palestinians during elections.…

PLO leader Mahmoud Abbas said Friday that if he wins Sunday’s election, he will ask Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei to form a new cabinet. Abbas comments followed recent reports about…

The latest public opinion poll carried out by PCPO between January 5-7 indicated that PLO head Mahmoud Abbas is still leading the presidential race with 51.8% followed by Dr. Mustafa…

The Palestinian central election committee said Thursday that preparations for voting have been completed. According to the committee, 1,757,756 eligible voters will be able to vote in 1,072 centers, where…

Palestinian Presidential candidate Mustafa Barghouti was detained by police Friday as he tried to enter the Old City of Jerusalem to pray at the Al-Aqsa Mosque; second time during the…

Israeli is considering renewing it military operations in the Palestinian territories, in spite of its statements to halt operations ahead of the Palestinian presidential elections on Sunday. The Israeli government…

The 34 reserve officers who signed a letter stating they would refuse orders to evacuate settlements expressed reservations regarding their declared refusal, according to Israeli army sources. The officers’ letter,…

Friday Evening, Israeli soldiers killed one resident in Khan Younis, in the southern Gaza Strip. In a separate incident, a resident of Al-Zaytoun neighborhood in Gaza City was also killed…

Friday afternoon, Palestinian resistance fighters fired at settlers’ cars driving on the Tafoah Junction near the northern West Bank city of Nablus, killing two settlers and seriously wounding three others.…

Any officer who fails to retract his signature from the refusal petition within 24 hours will be stripped of his rank and ousted from the army, Israeli Chief of Staff…

Israel has begun to pull troops out of West Bank cities to avoid interfering with a January 9 chairman election, Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom said Thursday. Shalom spoke at…

A coalition agreement between Likud, Labor and United Torah Judaism (UTJ) parties was signed Thursday evening. The new government is expected to be presented to the Knesset on Sunday. Members…

Thursday morning, Israeli soldiers killed a resistance fighter after he infiltrated into the Gani Tal settlement, near Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip. Mohannad Mahmoud Al-Lahham, 19, members of…

PLO head Mahmoud Abbas said Thursday that he considers Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon a partner for peace talks, calling immediate resumption of negotiations after the Palestinian election. ‘After the…

Israel army central command Moshe Kaplinsky met Thursday with 34 Israel reserve officers who signed a letter in which they informed their brigade commander that they would refuse to carry…

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon will meet with legal experts to discuss incitement and the refusal of Israel soldiers to carry out orders, Israel Radio reported Thursday. Israeli Attorney General…

Qalqilia carries a story of siege, continues military invasions, strict siege and the annexation wall encircling it and its surrounding villages, in addition to continuous closure which lasted for 67…

The Israeli army conducted continuous invasions against the city of Hebron and the surrounding villages, arrested at least 65 residents and broke into dozens of charitable organizations and institutions. Among…

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon plans to present his new government on Monday, with a coalition that could command 66 seats in the 120-seat Knesset. This was possible after a…

Members of the French Senate considered that Palestinian will be the only Arab democratic country in the region after the presidential elections adding that the French government I willing to…

Israeli Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz said in an interview to the New York Times on Thursday that Israel was ready to hand over to a new Palestinian leadership responsibilities in…

The jailed Palestinian legislator Marwan Barghouthi was removed from his solitary confinement, for the first time since he was arrested at least two-and-a-half years ago. The Israeli Public Security Minister…

Wednesday, the Fatah Central Committee called on Hamas movement to halt the firing of Qassam shells at Israeli settlement, and seize incitement against Abbas, the Fatah candidate in the upcoming…

The two factions within the ultra-Orthodox United Torah Judaism party could split over joining the newly proposed governmental coalition. Israel Radio reported Wednesday. UTJ spiritual mentor rabbi Yosef Shalom Elyashiv…

The Israeli Justice Ministry is finalizing revisions on Israel’s state’s legal position regarding the International Court of Justice’s opinion on the separation wall and is expected to submit the document…

Introduction: On 29 November 1947, the United Nations (UN) General Assembly passed Resolution 181, endorsing a partition plan to divide the land of historic Palestine between the Jews and Arabs.…

Introduction Since 1967, when Israel occupied the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip, over 650,000 Palestinians have been detained by Israel for various security-political reasons and periods.…

Wednesday morning, the Al-Quds brigades, the military wing of the Islamic Jihad, and the Al-Aqsa brigades, the military wing of Fatah claimed responsibility of attacking a military checkpoint at the…

Leaders of the Yesha Council of Settlements on Wednesday accused Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon of demonizing and de-legitimizing the settlers. Senior Yesha officials accused that the confrontation between soldiers…

UN said 51 countries had sent observer delegations with 320 delegates so far for the elections on Sunday and more than 700 international observers would be deployed on the election…

The government will use all its power to act against anyone who harms security forces or urges soldiers to refuse orders, Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said Wednesday. ‘Whoever raises…

The Israeli army reported that twelve soldiers were wounded, two seriously, in a military camp, in the south of the country. The source stated that the two soldiers, who sustained…

National Union leading member Arieh Eldad proposed dropping the Arabic Language as one of two official languages besides Hebrew. Eldada submitted his proposal for to the Knesset on the occasion…

The Israeli Justice Ministry is finalizing revisions on Israel’s state’s legal position regarding the International Court of Justice’s opinion on the separation wall and is expected to submit the document…

The Israeli Justice Ministry is finalizing revisions on Israel’s state’s legal position regarding the International Court of Justice’s opinion on the separation wall and is expected to submit the document…

United Torah Judaism spiritual leader Rabbi Shalom Elyashiv decided Wednesday that the ultra-Orthodox party would join Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s new coalition. According to the rabbi decision, UTJ will…

Wednesday at dawn, Israeli soldiers invaded the city of Hebron and the neighboring village of Doura , conducted military searches of homes and arrested twelve residents, raising the total number…

The Israeli High Court of Justice on Wednesday will discuss a petition requesting that the 8,000 Palestinians incarcerated in Israeli jails be allowed to vote in next Sunday’s Palestinian Authority…

The US Administration is considering a proposal to boost U.S. aid to the Palestinian Authority this year by up to $200 million, an official US source said. The source also…

Far-right activists are planning to create a pretext to open fire on soldiers during the planned evacuation of settlements, Israeli Shin Bet chief Avi Dichter said on Tuesday. Dichter was…

Tuesday at night, Palestinian and Israeli sources reported that according to initial information provided by an anonymous phone call , one Israeli officer and one soldier were abducted near Ma`aleh…

Let’s imagine for a moment that the huge tidal waves had hit the western shores of Europe, that more than a hundred thousand English, Irish, Dutch, Belgian, French, Spanish and…

The Israel Army chief of staff decided on Tuesday to censure a commanding officer following the killing of a wounded, unarmed Palestinian. Soldiers under the censured officer shot dead a…

The US Administration is considering a proposal to boost U.S. aid to the Palestinian Authority this year by up to $200 million, an official US source said.  The source also…

Committed and proud Zionists are angered by being called Zionists? Or were there surprised that he called the occupation soldiers “enemies”? New PLO leader Mahmoud Abbas, a moderate Palestinian leader…

Tuesday morning, a Palestinian medical source in the Gaza Strip reported that Israeli soldiers killed seven children in Beit Lahia, in the northern part of the Gaza Strip after firing…

Dr. Moawiya Hassanen, head of the emergency unit at the ministry of health reported that Israeli soldiers fired a tank shell at a group of residents in Al-Zaytoun neighborhood in…

{mosimage}New PLO leader Mahmoud Abbas, a moderate Palestinian leader who holds the best chances to become the second Palestinian Authority chairman, triggered uproar in Israel when he called Israeli occupation…

To prevent fraud in or claims of frauds in the upcoming Palestinian Presidential elections, the Central Elections Committee (CEC) has taken a number of steps including importing partially transparent ballot…

Chief of the Israeli Public Security (Shin Bet) Avi Dichter claimed on Tuesday that the Palestinian resistance groups posses five shoulder-launched anti-aircraft missiles. Dichter also told the Knesset Foreign Affairs…

A Hamas spokesperson criticized a recent statement by interim Palestinian Authority (PA) Chairman Mahmoud Abbas that resistance groups cease firing homemade Qassam shells at Israeli settlements. Mosheer al-Masri, the Hamas…

Tuesday morning, Israeli soldiers arrested at least 19 residents from several villages around Hebron, in the south of the West Bank, after invading them and breaking into dozens of homes.…

Tuesday morning, undercover military units from the Israeli army arrested the Jenin head of Al-Quds brigades, the military wing of the Islamic Jihad. A local source in Jenin reported that…

Knesset Committee called Tuesday on Israeli Attorney General Menachem Mazuz to indict right-wing leaders urging refusal of military orders. The Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee called Mazuz to indict…

Mohamed Dahlan, former head of Palestinian Security, warned Israel that if they continue to throw accusations at Mahmoud Abbas, it could turn into a kind of ‘character assassination’, like what…

Turkey believes that Syria is serious about making peace with Israel , Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul told Israeli newspaper Haaretz in an interview on Monday. Gul is currently on…

Israeli army officers urged the political establishment to take a stronger stand against settlers’ violence and against calls for soldiers to refuse orders. Army officers became particularly concerned after Monday…

According to the latest poll, run by Al-Najah University, Abbas is still leading with around 60%, yet the distance between him and Barghouthi is shrinking with the latter leaping from…

Israel will allow PLO chairman Mahmoud Abbas to visit East Jerusalem as part of his campaign for next Sunday’s elections for Palestinian Authority chairman, an Israeli source said Sunday. Abbas…

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon slammed MK Uzi Landau, the leader of Likud rebels against the disengagement plan, saying that he is harming democratic rule in Israel. Sharon comments were…

A Palestinian medical source reported that Israeli soldiers operating near the outskirts of Beit Hanoun, north of the Gaza Strip, killed a member of the resistance. The source stated that…

Mahmoud Abbas, the leading candidate in next week’s presidential election, on Monday promised Palestinian refugees they’ll be able to return home one day. Abbas was campaigning for a third straight…

An Israel soldier, resident of a settlement, was arrested Monday when he joined settlers’ violent efforts to prevent the removal of two caravans from an unauthorized outpost. The soldier was…

Israeli media sources reported that a Palestinian cameraman who works with the Israeli TV channel 10 was wounded by Israeli fire in northern Gaza Strip on Sunday afternoon. Majdi Al-Arbeed…

So far, Palestinian presidential candidate Mahmoud Abbas is leading in the polls, with about 65% of voters supporting him, while Barghouti, the closest runner-up to Abbas, is polling at 22%.…

Israeli Deputy Defense Minister Ze’ev Boim said Monday that massive refusal of soldiers to obey orders to evacuate settlers could foil the disengagement plan. Boim spoke after settler leaders warned…

Egypt called on Monday for a full Israeli withdrawal from occupied Palestinian areas to the positions they held before the outbreak of the Palestinian Intifada in 2000, in order to…

Palestinian Minister for Prisoner Affairs, Hisham Abdul Razek, will petition Israel’s High Court on Monday against Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s decision not to allow 8,000 residents of the territories jailed…

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon told the New York Times on Monday that his own Likud party rebels together with ‘radical rabbis’ have applied pressure on an ultra-Orthodox party that…

Settlers threw stones at police officers trying to evacuate two caravans from an unauthorized outpost near the West Bank settlement of Yitzhar on Monday, lightly wounding an officer. Hundreds of…

After years of gloom, Palestine woke up this week to a celebration never before witnessed. Huge signs of leading candidates to presidency have replaced posters of martyrs and Intifada graffiti.…

Translated and edited by Saed Bannoura, IMEMC Residents of Tulkarem refugee camp live a life filled with daily fears, while the non-stop military invasions by the Israeli soldiers and their…

Hamas Gaza Leader Said Siam confirmed Saturday that his group does not intend to take part in the January 9 presidential elections, calling Hamas members and supporters to not arrive…

The Israeli army has reported that young West Bank settlers are arriving in numbers into Gaza settlements to join attempts to disrupt the implementation of the disengagement plan. Army officers…

A few hours after evacuating from Khan Younis refugee camp, in Gaza, the Israeli army reinvaded it, fired at dozens of homes and bulldozed family farmlands. The Israeli army claimed…

A leading member of Hamas in the Gaza Strip, Said Siam, confirmed Saturday that his group does not intend to take part in the January 9 presidential elections. He called…

The head of the international section of the Israeli state prosecutor’s office, Lawyer Iriet Kahan, told the Israeli newspaper Youdot Ahranot that Israel knew from the beginning that the route…

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is waiting for the Council of Torah Sages to approve of his coalition agreement with the United Torah Judaism (UTJ) party, then will present his…

Sunday morning, Israeli soldiers arrested fourteen residents of Hebron after invading the city and several surrounding villages, and conducting military searches of homes. A local source in Hebron reported that…

In a statement on Saturday, the Egyptian foreign ministry called on Israel to fulfill its commitment to help Palestinians run smooth and democratic elections, saying that Israeli escalations, especially in…

The head of the international section in the Israeli state prosecutor office Lawyer Iriet Kahan told Israeli newspaper Youdot Ahranot, in a special interview, that Israel new from the beginning…

According to the Saudi newspaper Alwatan, a European diplomat said that Israel is exerting pressure on the United Nations to allocate hundreds of millions of US dollars to rehabilitate Palestinian…

Egyptian foreign ministry called Israel on Saturday to fulfill its commitments to help Palestinians run smooth and democratic elections, saying that Israeli escalations, especially in the Gaza strip, would hinder…

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is waiting for the Council of Torah Sages approval of the coalition agreement with United Torah Judaism (UTJ) party in order to present his cabinet…

The Israeli army has said lately that young West Bank settlers are arriving in numbers into Gaza settlements to join attempts to disrupt the implementation of the disengagement plan.  Army…

Trasnlate by Saed Bannoura, IMEMC Despite the loneliness of detention, detainees in several Israeli prisons and detention camp have overcome the high walls and barbed wires with a smile, a…

In the west Bank settlement of Adam, from a far distance, one can see lit houses equipped with spot lights on the sides of well paved roads. For Palestinian “A…