Welcome to this Week in Palestine, a service of the International Middle East Media Center, www.imemc.org, for June 25, to the July 1, 2016.
Four Palestinians including a pregnant woman were killed this week by Israeli gunfire, in the meantime the Quartet committee calls for halt of Israeli settlements. 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. Two residents were injured, scores others were treated for the effects of tear gas inhalation fired by Israeli troops who attacked on Friday anti wall and settlements protests organized in West Bank villages.
This week anti wall and settlements protests were organized in the central west Bank villages of Bil’in, Ni’lin, and al Nabi Saleh. In addition, protests took place in the village of Kufer Qadum in northern West Bank. Israeli soldiers used live rounds, tear gas and rubber-coated steel bullets against the unarmed protesters.
Two residents were injured by live gunfire, meanwhile scores others were treated for the effects of tear gas inhalation as Israeli soldiers attacked the weekly protest organized in Kufer Kadum village. Troops also fired tear gas into residents’ homes after invading the village.
In Bil’in and Ni’lin ,protesters managed to reach the Israeli wall. Meanwhile in al Nabi Saleh village, Israeli troops fired several rounds of rubber-coated steel bullets at the villagers as soon as they reached the village entrance.
In Ni’lin village, tear gas bombs fired by Israeli soldiers caused a fire at a nearby olive groves owned by local farmers. A number of trees were damaged before residents and their supporters managed to but off the fire.
The Political Report
This week the Palestinian Authority opposed statements made by key international players. IMEMC’s Rami Al Meghari has more:
Top Palestinian negotiator, Saeb Eriqat, says that latest statement by the Quartet committee for Middle East peace, is not balanced and that the Palestinian National Authority, would come out with an official response, soon.
Meanwhile, spokesperson for the Palestinian presidency, Nabil Abu Rudaina, echoed the same reaction, saying that the Arab peace initiative for peace, should be the reference for any thoughts regarding peace.
The Quartet committee had earlier called for halt of illegal Israeli settlements on occupied Palestinian territories and that Palestinians should refrain from violence, against Israel.
Earlier in the week, Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, had reaffirmed position regarding peace, by agreeing to the French initiative for peace , as well as the Arab States initiative. The Quartet committee, including European Union, United States, Russia and the United Nations, are invited to an international peace conference, being called for by France.
In other news, Turkey and Israel reached an agreement over resumption of normal relations, in return for partial ease of the Israeli siege of Gaza.
Turkey had severed ties with Israel, after Israeli navy had killed 9 Turks, who were on board along with dozens of internationals, on their way by sea , to the Gaza Strip, back in 2010.
For IMEMC News , I am Rami Almeghari in Gaza.
The West Bank and Gaza Report
Israeli soldiers this week shot and killed four Palestinians in different incident, meanwhile in Gaza Israel’s Navy continue to target Palestinian fishermen. IMEMC’s George Rishmawi reports.
Two Palestinian civilians were killed on Friday by Israeli army gunfire and tear gas during two different incidents in the West Bank.
At the Qalandia checkpoint, separating the central West Bank city of Ramallah and Jerusalem, 65 year old Taiseer Habash was killed when Isralei soldiers attacked Palestinians trying to cross into Jerusalem to attend the last-Friday of Ramadan prayers. 10 more civilian were injured.
Earlier on Friday morning, Israel soldiers killed a pregnant Palestinian woman near the Ibrahimi Mosque, in the southern West Bank city of Hebron, while a number of eyewitnesses refuted the military claims of an attempted stabbing attack.
Sara Ata Tarayra, 27, from Bani Neim town near Hebron, was a pregnant married woman, living in Hebron. Eyewitnesses said a female soldier ordered the woman to accompany her to a room in order to search her, and that the soldier sprayed the woman with pepper spray, an issue that pushed her to run away from the soldier before other soldiers shot and killed her.
On Thursday evening, that two Israelis were injured when a Palestinian reportedly stabbed them before he was shot dead by an armed Israeli man, in the coastal city of Netanya.
The attack is the second on Thursday, as in the morning an Israeli girl, 13, was stabbed and killed by a Palestinian in Kiryat Arba’ illegal colony, in the southern West Bank city of Hebron. The Palestinian Health identified the youth as 17 year old Mohamed Tarayra, meanwhile Israeli sources identified the slain Israeli child as Hallel Ariel, 13.
On Sunday of this week scores of Palestinians were injured when Israeli soldiers stormed Al Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem old city and clashed with worshipers inside.
Moreover, Israeli forces conducted at least 45 military invasions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank and in occupied East Jerusalem. During these invasions , Israeli troops kidnapped at least 55 Palestinian civilians, including 18 children.
In the Gaza strip this week, Israeli navy ships attacked Palestinian fishing boats near Gaza City shoreline. Such attacks were reported on Monday and Friday of this week. Moreover Israeli troops stationed at the southern borders with Gaza targeted farmers and shepherds on Tuesday and Thursday of this week forcing them to leave their lands.
For IMEMC News this is George Rishmawi
Conclusion
And that’s all for today from This Week in Palestine. This was the Weekly report for June 25, to the July 1, 2016. From the Occupied Palestinian Territories. For more news and updates please visit our website at www-dot-imemc-dot-org, This week’s report has been brought to you by Maher Qassiss and me Ghassan Bannoura.
