Detainee dies in Gilboa detention
Thursday at dawn, detainee Aref Bani Odeh, 26, from Jenin, was found dead in Gilboa detention, Circumstances of his death are still unknown. The Palestinian Prisoners Society reported that the…
P.A denies a deal was reached to disarm fighters
Abdul-Fattah Hamayel, head of the Deportees and Wanted Fighters Committee, denied a report that a deal was struck to disarm the fighters and absorb them in the Palestinian security devices.…
After 18-month-boycott, U.S. Diplomats visit Gaza Strip
U.S. diplomats visit the Gaza Strip breaking 18-month-boycott following the killing of three U.S. gecurity Guards in October 2003 by a roadside bomb near the Erez military crossing. USAID donated…
Egypt, Israel close to agreement on troops’ deployment along Rafah border
Israel and Egypt are close to agreeing on the deployment of 800 Egyptian policemen along the western side of the Philadelphi route on the Gaza-Egypt border. Such deployment is meant…
Railway, Trenched highway and elevated road, Gaza-WB link options
The Quartet’s envoy on the disengagement James Wolfensohn noted Wednesday a significant progress in Israeli-Palestinian talks on economic and civil aspects of the disengagement, especially in relation to establishing an…
Seven homes leveled in the central plains
Wednesday afternoon, Israeli soldiers leveled seven homes near al-Jiftlik area, in the central plain, north of the West Bank. A local source in Tubas reported that soldiers, supported by armored…
Israel threatens to bomb Palestinian areas if attacks resume
Israel threatened to severely bomb Palestinian areas in the Gaza Strip should the Palestinian Authority fail to act against the resistance attacks during the disengagement, Israeli sources reported on Wednesday.…
Homes searched, streets blocked in Tulkarem
For the third day, Israeli soldiers resumed the attacks and military searches in al-sha’rawiyya area, and several surrounding villages, north of the West Bank city of Tulkarem. A local source…
Army leaflet: `“Don’t let the Jihad harm you`
The Israeli army distributed leaflets at roadblocks stating that the Palestinian residents are paying the price as a result of the military attacks carried out by the Islamic Jihad against…
3 Israelis , 3 int’ls, Palestinian detained in Bel’in
Israeli soldiers detained 6 Israeli and international peace activists, and one Palestinian, in the village of Bel’in, west of the West Bank city of Ramallah, during a procession against the…
Detainee blinded during interrogation
Lawyer of the Palestinian Prisoners Society, Fahmi Shqeirat, reported that detainee Salama Mohammad Rashaida, 30, from Bethlehem, lost his sight as a result of torture in Asqalan detention. Shqeirat stated…
More land grab near Jenin
The Israeli army decided to grab more farmlands lands near the village of Ya’bod, west of Jenin in order to use them for ‘military purposes’, and to install a military…
`“Pullout bonus` to be granted to soldiers
Israeli ‘Home Front’ soldiers and officers who take part in the evacuation of settlers from the Gaza Strip and the northern West Bank will be granted extra pay. The bonuses…
Gunfire and explosions during Palestinian PM’s visit to Nablus
Palestinian sources said on Wednesday that shooting and an explosion were heard in Balata refugee camp during a visit by the Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei. The Associated Press reported…
Today I went to Abu Tor
Today I went to Abu Tor and I’m going to tell you about it for two selfish reasons; one because I find writing therapeutic, and two, because my writing is…
Seven killed, 195 injured in a train-truck accident in Israel
Seven people were killed and 195 were injured Tuesday afternoon when a passenger train collided with a truck near Kibbutz Revadim in the northern Negev. 15 of the wounded are…
Sharon: `“Israel to transfer Bethlehem, Qalqilia to P.A within 2 weeks`
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said Israel will transfer security control over Bethlehem and Qalqilia to the Palestinian Authority within two weeks, according to Israeli radio. Sharon made the comment…
Army attacks a peaceful procession in Marda
Tuesday afternoon, Israeli soldiers attacked a peaceful procession against the Wall in the village of Marda, near the West Bank city of Salfit. A local source in the village reported…
Judge slams Israel for inaction over probe into Israeli Arabs deaths
Retired Israeli Supreme Court Justice Theodore Or accused the state of Israel of ignoring the findings of the probe into the killing of 13 Arab citizens of Israel by the…
Israel admits political motives behind the construction of the Separation Wall
For the first time, the Israeli state prosecution argued on Tuesday that the Israeli decision to construct the Separation Wall in Jerusalem area stems from political considerations, in addition to…
25 residents arrested in Hebron
Tuesday morning, Israeli soldiers arrested 25 residents in the West Bank city of Hebron and several surrounding villages and al-Fawwar refugee camp. A local source in Hebron reported that soldiers,…
Abbas reported ‘furious’ as Sharon rejects demands
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is ‘furious and disappointed’ after a summit meeting in which Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon rejected Palestinian demands for an easing of restrictions in the occupied territories,…
Three arrested in Bethlehem, homes searched
Tuesday at dawn, Israeli soldiers, supported by 35 military vehicles and jeeps, invaded Bethlehem and several surrounding areas, and arrested three residents. A local source in Bethlehem reported that soldiers…
Hundreds of settler families agree to move to Nitzanim
Hundreds of settler families slated for evacuation from the Gaza Strip expressed willingness to join the 430 families who have agreed to relocate to Nitzanim. The Gaza Coast Regional Council of…
Army: `“Qassam manufacturer arrested in Jenin`
The Israeli Security Services (Shabak) and the army announced the arrest of a resistance fighter in Jenin suspected of developing Qassam homemade shells and testing their range against Israeli settlements in…
50 members of Islamic Jihad arrested in West Bank
In what could be the beginning of an expanded crackdown on the Islamic Jihad, Israeli soldiers on Tuesday arrested 50 members of the resistance organization in early-morning raids in several…
Army arrests female would-be bomber
Israeli soldiers on Monday arrested a 21-year-old Palestinian woman at the Erez crossing in the northern Gaza Strip, claiming she was planning to set off a suicide bomb inside Israel. According to…
Rabbi tells soldiers: Say you are unable to carry out orders
The former chief rabbi of Israel, Mordechai Eliyahu, has advised Israeli soldiers not to carry out orders to take part in the evacuation of settlements in the occupied Palestinian territories,…
Palestinian killed, another injured in the Gaza Strip
Monday morning, Israeli soldiers shot and killed one child, seriously injured another, near al-Wista district, in the central Gaza Strip. A Palestinian security source said that the two children were…
Settler killed, another injured in northern West Bank
One Israeli settler was killed and another injured Monday morning, after a Palestinian resistance group fired at their vehicle in the northern West Bank. A 30-year-old settler who apparently was driving…
Abul Gheit warns that Gaza could ‘explode’
In his meeting with the Israeli vice Premier, Shimon Peres on Sunday, Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Abul Gheit said if the disengagement plan is not back up by progress toward …
Rice left, leaving behind unsettled disputes
Was the visit of U.S. secretary of state Condoleezza Rice a total failure? Or would the reported agreement on coordinating the pullout and cooperating in destroying settlers’ homes between Israel…
Palestinian teen arrested at Huwwara checkpoint
Sunday afternoon, an Israeli military source reported that soldiers arrested a Palestinian teen on Huwwara checkpoint, near the northern West Bank city of Nablus. The army claims that Khalil Mohammed…
Soldier, Palestinian killed in an exchange of fire in Gaza
Israeli soldiers and Palestinian resistance fighters exchanged fire on Sunday at the Philadelphi route in the southern Gaza Strip, one soldiers and one Palestinia fighter were killed, two soldiers were…
U.S. preparing $3 billion for post-pullout Gaza
The United States is putting together a $3 billion international aid package for the Gaza Strip after Israeli withdrawal, according to a Friday’ New York Times report. The U.S. hopes…
Rice: Abbas is a man of peace
During a joint press conference held in Ramallah on Saturday after U.S. secretary of state Condoleezza Rice met Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Rice described the disengagement plan as the best…
Settlers attack, wound Three Palestinians in Southern Gaza
Israeli Right-wing foes living in the hotel at Neveh Dekalim settlement in Gush Katif on Saturday attacked Palestinians from the adjacent Moassi area, wounding three. Following the attack, mortar shells…
Rice urges Israel to release more prisoners
U.S. secretary of state Condoleezza Rice told Israeli Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz that the U.S. expects Israel to make more goodwill gestures toward the Palestinians in the coming days. During…
Israel to pay the PA to knock down settlers’ homes
Israel supports demolition of settlers’ homes following the evacuation of Gaza Strip settlements, urging the Palestinian Authority to convert the land into housing quarters for refugees. Israeli Prime Minister Ariel…
Suicide, number 1 killer in the Israeli army
An Israeli source reported that 16 Israeli soldiers committed suicide since the beginning 2005, similar to 2004 suicide remains the number one killer in the Israeli army. One soldier commits…
Legislative Council passes new election law
Saturday afternoon, Palestinian legislators passed a new election law setting a later date for the legislative election originally slated for July 17, 2005. The law was proposed by the Palestinian…
Palestinian fighter killed, another injured in Gaza Strip
Israeli troops shot dead an Islamic Jihad member Saturday afternoon and wounded another after the two tried to infiltrate Kfar Darom settlement in the southern Gaza Strip. The two clashed…
Army invades Hebron, Yatta, detains residents
Saturday morning, Israeli soldiers invaded the West Bank city of Hebron and the neighboring village of Yatta, conducted military searches, detained and interrogated dozens of residents. A local source in…
Fighting the wall with gravestones in Bil’in
Name: Palestinian victim of the Wall Birthplace: Bil’in DOB: Eternity Date of Death: The day the Apartheid Wall is completed Killer: The Occupation Cause of Death: Construction of the Apartheid Wall…
Nisanit settlers set to approve relocation Monday
An Israeli source reported that representatives of Nisanit settlement, in the northern part of the Gaza Strip, arrived to an agreement of relocation with the Sela Disengagement Authority. The agreement…
Resident killed, two injured in Gaza
Friday evening, a Palestinian security source in Gaza reported that one resident was killed, two injured, after a shell exploded in a car they were driving in Gaza. The explosion,…
Detainees to go on hunger strike June 21
Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons decided to conduct an open ended hunger strike on Tuesday June 21 which is the date of the scheduled Sharon-Abbas meeting. The detainees demand considering…
Rice: Palestinians are not doing enough to fight terror
Israeli sources reported U.S. security of State Condoleezza Rice has arrived in the country early Saturday. The source said that Rice is en-route to Ramallah as she is scheduled to…
This Week in Palestine – June Week 3
 Download MP3 (5.00 MB) | Listen to Real Audio  (05:29 min) This week in Palestine – a service of the International Middle East Media Center for the week of Friday, June 10th…
Republican Gingrich: U.S. should abandon roadmap
The U.S. should replace the roadmap with a “carrot and stick approachâ€Â, former House speaker Newt Gingrich argued in the recently published summer edition of the Middle East Quarterly. In…
Elderly woman dies at a military roadblock near Bethlehem
A Palestinian medical source in Bethlehem reported that a 70-year-old died on Gilo checkpoint, near the West Bank city of Bethlehem. The source stated that Zahra Issa Zboun, 70, from…
Israel to allow transfer of light arms to PA
Finally Israel has accepted to allow supplies of light armsthe Palestinian Authority  to help its security forces restore law and order in the Palestinian territories. Israeli officials, including Vice Premier Shimon…
If Labor Leaves Gov’t it won’t be empty
Shinui leader Yousef Lapid expressed readiness to return to government if the Labor party withdraws from the government. Lapid said that in response to comments made by some politicians that…
Army to bulldoze hundreds of Dunams near Hebron
Friday morning,  Israeli military bulldozers started uprooting hundreds of trees which belong to residents of Yatta, south of the West Bank city of Hebron. The bulldozing, which was initiated three days…
Bad conditions in Asqalan detention
Lawyer of the Palestinian Prisoners Society, Sana’ al-Harbawi, said that the detainees in Asqalan detention are facing harsh living conditions and deprived of their fundamental rights. Lawyer al-Harbawi added that…
Israel, P.A agree on certain measures said to ease live of Palestinians
Israeli and Palestinian officials met on Thursday and agreed on a series of measures said to ease the daily live of Palestinians residents in the occupied territories. Israel pledged to…
Orthodox Patriarch demoted to monk
The Orthodox Church has decided to demote Irineos, its former Patriarch of Jerusalem, to the rank of simple monk. Irineos, who has been accused of selling Church land in the…
Israeli Army may be positioned in Khan Younis during evacuation
Israeli troops might enter the Gaza Strip city of Khan Younis during the evacuation, said the Israeli newspaper Haaretz in its online edition on Friday. The army claims that an…
Israel pressing to ban Hamas’s participation in PA poll
Concerned about the ongoing dialogue between American and European Union diplomats and Hamas, Israel is pressing to ban the participation of the Islamic movement in legislative Palestinian Authority elections. According…
Oppressive nonviolence
{mosimage}Settlers and right wing foes’ nonviolent direct actions are right now the best show in town. Blocking roads, placing “suspicious†packages to halt trains, gluing closed governmental offices, demonstrating and…
Security committee convenes, NATO officials to meet PA
The Israeli-Palestinian security committee continues its meetings in bid to coordinate the intended Israeli pullout from the Gaza Strip, Wednesday night, while the Palestinian Authority is preparing to welcome the…
Israel accuses Hezbollah of financing Fateh cells
An Israeli military source claimed that the Lebanon based Hezbollah party is financing cells of al-Aqsa brigades, the military wing of Fateh, in the Palestinian territories. Israel charged t that…
Six settler women arrested in Hebron
Wednesday at night, the Israeli police arrested six settler women after writing graffiti against the Palestinians on walls adjacent to Keryat Arba’ settlement, east of the Hebron. The police reported…
Dozens detained, homes searched in Hebron
The Palestinian district coordination office, DCO, in Hebron, reported that Israeli soldiers broke into homes in the city, and Yatta village, and conducted military searches. The DCO stated that soldiers…
Sharon nixes U.S. request for conference with Rice
Israeli Prime Minister, Ariel Sharon, rejected a request by the US administration to hold a joint press conference between him and U.S. secretary of state, Condoleezza Rice, when she visits…
EU renews low-level talks with Hamas
In a move described as a political-strategic turnaround with respect to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the European Union decided to renew low-level talks with Hamas, Israeli sources reported. The EU has…
Fighters take over empty home of Qorei
Wednesday morning, dozens of fighters broke into a vacation home of Palestinian Prime Minister, Ahmad Qorei, in Jericho and fired rounds of live ammunition in the air. The fighters demanded…
Caravans for Gaza evacuees arrive at Nitzanim Dunes site
Israeli media sources said a shipment of 12 mobile homes arrived in the Nitzanim Dunes site north of the Gaza Strip on pre-dawn hours Thursday, said to serve as temporary…
PA official pessimistic about pullout deal
The Palestinian Foreign Minister Nasser Al-Kidwa on Tuesday was pessimistic about the chances for the upcoming Sharon-Abbas summit meeting saying it he does not expect a diplomatic breakthrough. However, Al-Kidwa…
Abu Zayed: `“Israel will withdraw from Jenin before disengagement`
General Jamal abu Zayed, assistant of the minister of interior and national security at the Palestinian authority said that Israel informed the P.A of intentions to withdraw from Jenin prior…
ISR Police: 8000 volunteered to assist in pullout
Gabi Gal, human resources chief at the Israeli police said that 8000 Israelis requested to assists in settlement pullout during disengagement from the Gaza Strip, August 2005. Gal said that…
Settlers to ‘shut down’ Israel with parked cars
Anti-pullout protesters are planning to simultaneously park hundreds of cars, blocking most of the roads across Israel, and stand holding anti-disengagement signs. The entire countries will be shut down for…
Qurei threatens to shelve his government if violence continues
Palestinian Prime Minister Ahmad Qurei threatened suspend his government if insecurity and chaos resumes in the Palestinian territories.  Qurei told P.A ministers during the weekly session in Ramallah that…
Police chief orders probe into death of Palestinian detainee
The Israeli radio reported that an Israeli police chief in the north has ordered an internal investigation department to probe into the death of a Palestinian detainee at Rosh Pina…
Three defeats for Sharon’s Government in Knesset
Israeli sources reported that the Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon’s government survived three no-confidence votes in the Knesset proposed by Shinui, Shass and the National Union (Mafdal). The three motions…
Halutz: Will not let our soldiers be like ‘sitting ducks’
Addressing a question, the Israeli defense establishment senior officials have until now preferred to avoid on how will police officers and troops behave if extreme anti-pullout Jews open fire at…
P.A source: `“Army rearrested dozens of freed detainees`
A senior Palestinian source reported on Tuesday that the Israeli army rearrested dozens of freed detainees, and placed them an Al-Maskobiyya, and Betah Tikva detentions.  The source stated that…
Settlers poison a horse in Hebron
Tuesday afternoon, settlers of Keryat Arba’ settlement in Hebron, poisoned an “Arabic Horse” which belongs to Da’na family, near the settlement. Nasser Sa’id Da’na said that settlers poisoned the horse…
Creative Writing Classes in the Bush Adm.
‘The American public has been told many differing things about the war in Iraq, about the costs and casualty projections and even about scientific reports. As time passes the facts,…
Israel demands that PFLP leader remains jailed
Israeli media sources reportedly said that Israeli intelligence recommended that the Secretary General of the Palestinian Front for the Liberation of Palestine, (PFLP), Ahmad Sa’adat who has been jailed in…
The fish stinks from the head
Ahead of a special address by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon on governmental corruption to the Knesset plenum, MK Zahava Gal-On (Yahad) said Tuesday ‘the fish stinks from the head’…
Barak: Peres is a loser
Former Prime Minister Ehud Barak kicked off Tuesday a campaign for Labor Throne by launching a fierce attack against Party leader Shimon Peres and other candidates. Barak referred to Peres…
Army invades village near Hebron, arrests one resident
Tuesday morning, Israel soldiers invaded the village of Yatta, south of the West Bank city of Hebron, conducted military searches, and arrested one resident.  A local source in the…
Rabbi Bar-Illan: `“If the State disengages, we will disengage from it`
Naveh Dikalim Rabbi, Shaul Bar-Illan, the head of the Tal Orot yeshiva at Kfar Darom settlement in the Gaza Strip, said that of the State of Israel disengages ‘he will…
Police detain peace activist for waving Palestinian flag in Jerusalem
The Israeli Supreme Court rejected an appeal submitted by the residents of Bil’in and Kharbata, west of Ramallah, in the West Bank demanding cease to the construction of the separation…
20 settler families move to Sa-Nur settlement
As the Israeli government talks about preparations for evacuating, twenty new settler families moved to Su-Nur settlement in the northern West Bank. Settlers in Sa-Nur are preparing to celebrate the…
Israeli Ambassador to UN, to be next vice president of UN GA
Israel ambassador to the United Nations, Dan Gillerman will be the next vice president of the United Nations General Assembly, Israeli sources reported on Tuesday. The source also said that…
Separation to the fore
Palestine took an important step towards building a democratic system when it held presidential, local and legislative elections. Combined, they set a democratic precedent in the region. The preparations for…
Two explosions in Gaza Strip, 3 wounded
Palestinian sources said an explosion rocked Al-Shati refugee camp near Gaza city on Monday afternoon, three Palestinians were moderately wounded. The sources said, it is likely that the explosion, which…
Qaddoumi rejects to be vice president
Farouq Qaddoumi, head of the political bureau of the Palestinian Liberation Organization, PLO, head of the Fatah Central Committee, said that that the position of the Palestinian vice president should…
Busy diplomatic schedule ahead of Abbas-Sharon summit
Ahead of the summit that will join the Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and the Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, scheduled for June 21, several diplomats are planning meet with both…
Imprison me, but don’t send me to the army
Wisam Sahel Qabalan, from Beit Dajan, in the north of the country, was sentenced to 29 consecutive days after rejecting military service for conscious reasons.  “I prefer to be…
Sharon expresses satisfaction over pullout preparations
Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said on Sunday, he is satisfied with the preparations for the intended pullout from the Gaza Strip. Sharon said that during a visit he had…
Detainee tells a horrific story of torture
Detainee Riyadh Dakh-Allah al-Omour, from Bethlehem, told lawyer of the Palestinian Prisoners Society, Fawwaz al-Shalloudy, details of extreme torture he was subjected to in Bir Shiva prison, in spite of…
Palestinian Factions threaten to end truce
Palestinian factions, on Monday, stepped up a threat to withdraw from the months-long cease-fire with Israel however, did not declare pulling out of the deal. In a leaflet signed by…
When Pal’ mortars kill Palestinian workers
{mosimage}Two Palestinian and a Chinese worker were killed last week, when a group of resistance operatives fired a mortar shell at the Gaza Strip settlement of Gani Tal. The assailants…
Take No Prisoners
The Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories, B’Tselem, reported that the Israeli government formally adopted since the beginning of al-Aqsa Intifada in 2000, a policy of…
Settlers attack homes east of Hebron
Sunday at dawn, a group of settlers of Keryat Arba’ settlement in Hebron attacked dozens of homes in Wad al-Nassarah, and Wad al-Hssein neighborhoods, near the settlement.  Jamal abu…
PA executes 4 murderers, first time since 2001
The Palestinian Authority executed Sunday four convicted murderers as part of its campaign to rein in lawlessness and chaos. The four men executed were sentenced to death by a Palestinian…
Olmer to PA: Fight ‘Terror’ or we will
Israeli vice Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said Sunday PA refusal to confiscate weapons, indicates the PA’s inability to cope with ‘terrorism’. ‘The refusal of Palestinian Authority officials to disarm the…