Welcome to this Week in Palestine, a service of the International Middle East Media Center, www.imemc.org, for August 20, to the 26, 2016.
As Palestinian leadership increase diplomatic efforts, Israeli attacks this week leave two killed civilians in the West Bank and five others injured in Gaza during aerial and land bombardment. 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 Israeli soldiers attacked nonviolent protests organized in West Bank villages using tear gas, rubber-coated steel bullets.
In central West Bank, nonviolent protests were organized in the villages of Bil’in, Ni’lin and Al Nabi Saleh. Troops used tear gas and rubber coated bullets against the unarmed protesters. Both Bil’in and Ni’lin villagers and their international and Israeli supporters managed to reach the Israeli wall built on local farmers lands.
In Al Nabi Saleh, the soldiers attacked the protest at the village entrance. Later troops stormed the village and fired tear gas into residents homes.
At the village of Kufer Kadum, in northern West Bank, Israeli troops used live rounds and tear gas to attack villagers and their international and Israeli supporters. Many residents were treated for the effects of tear gas inhalation. Troops also fired tear gas at residents homes causing damage.
The Political Report
Palestinian leadership says that the Al-Aqsa mosque is a red line that should not be crossed. Meanwhile, the same leadership briefs foreign diplomats on latest developments in the region. IMEMC’s Rami al Meghari has more:
During a meeting with senior members of his Fatah party in the West Bank city of Ramallah, Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, said that the Al-aqsa mosque compound of the occupied East Jerusalem, should not be violated.
The president’s remarks came on the heels of current Israeli plans for more settlement constructions in the holy city, as well as some attempts by Orthodox Jews to enter the Islamic holy shrine, under the pretext that the mosque’s area belongs to the Jewish faith.
In the meantime, latest Israeli plans for illegal settlement constructions in the occupied east Jerusalem, are seen as preempt actions, amidst peaceful efforts by regional and international players.
Top Palestinian negotiator, Saeb Eriqat met with representatives European countries in the Palestinian territories, briefing them on latest efforts for peace. Eriqat asserted on the Palestinian Authority’s approval of latest peace initiatives by France and Egypt.
In other news, Palestinian elections committee said it is now set to prepare for municipal elections by October 8, this year.
The committee added that all nominees for the elections have been already registered. The elections comes in the back drop of political division between the Islamist Hamas and the Fatah party of Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas.
For IMEM News , I am Rami al Meghari in Gaza,
The West Bank and Gaza Report
This week, two Palestinians were killed at least 16 others wounded by Israeli gunfire in the West Bank, meanwhile 60 bombs dropped by Israeli forces on Gaza this week. IMEMC’s Ghassan Bannoura reports:
On Friday, Israeli troops shot and killed Eayd Haamed, 36, a father of two children at the entrance of Silwad town near the central West Bank city of Ramallah. Then man was in his way home when troops shot him from a watch tour at the town entrance.
Earlier in the week, 26 year old Sary Abu Ghurab was killed on Wednesday when Israeli soldiers opened fire at his car while driving near the illegal Israeli settlement of Yitzhar south of Nablus city in northern West Bank.
Abu Ghurab is from the village of Qabatia near Jenin city. Israeli forces claimed that the Palestinian civilian stepped out of the car and stabbed an Israeli soldier in his neck.
219 Palestinian have been killed by Israeli gunfire since October of last year while allegedly carrying out stabbing attacks or during clashes in the West Bank between Palestinian protesters and invading Israeli troops. Meanwhile 32 Israelis were killed by Palestinians since October 2015.
Later on Wednesday morning, Israeli army bulldozers demolished three Palestinian homes at the village of Umm al Khier near the southern West Bank city of Hebron.
The Israeli army claimed that the homes are built without the army needed permission.
On Thursday., Israeli forces, cut down dozens of olive trees in the village of Huwwara, near the northern West Bank city of Nablus. Local sources reported, that the soldiers destroyed olive trees planted on both sides of the main street, under the pretext of “use as a cover” for Palestinians who throw stones at settlers’ vehicles passing on the street.
Earlier in the week, Israeli military vehicles invaded, on Tuesday at dawn, the West Bank city of Bethlehem, and Doha town, before breaking into a number of workshops, and confiscated lathing and blacksmith machines. The Bethlehem office of the Red Crescent has reported that one Palestinian was shot with a live round fired by the soldiers, five others were shot with rubber-coated steel bullets, and at least six suffered the effects of teargas inhalation during clashes that took place following the invasion.
During the week, Israeli forces conducted at least 75 military invasions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank in occupied East Jerusalem. During these invasions, Israeli troops kidnapped 40 Palestinian civilians, including 6 children.
In Gaza, The Israeli Air Force carried out, late Sunday night and Monday at dawn , at least fifty military strikes wounding five Palestinians in different parts of the Gaza Strip. The army also fired several artillery shells into open areas, and agricultural lands in different parts of the besieged and impoverished coastal region. The Israeli army claimed that it struck Hamas sites in retaliation to a shell was fired earlier from Gaza into an open area in Sderot in the Negev.
Also this week Israeli navy attacked Palestinian fishing boats on Tuesday and Thursday of this week. One fisherman was injured and one was kidnapped by the navy during these attacks. Local sources said that the Palestinian boats were targeted while sailing within 2 nautical miles distance from shore.
Moreover, Palestinian man was shoot and injured on Wednesday by Israeli troops near the northern borders with Gaza. Palestinian sources said that the Palestinian man in his 30 was shoot near the Erez crossing and that he was moved to a nearby hospital after getting hit with a live round in his foot.
For IMEMC News this is Ghassan Bannoura.
Conclusion
And that’s all for today from This Week in Palestine. This was the Weekly report for August 20, to the 26, 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 George Rishmawi and me Eman Abedraboo-Bannoura.
