PA forms a team to prepare for Gaza pullout
The Palestinian Authority set up a security planning team on Saturday to prepare for Israel’s withdrawal from the Gaza Strip starting in August. ‘The security planning team will set the…
Rachel, Full of Life
At the age of 23, Rachel Corrie was full of life. At the age of 23, she was a senior in college ignited by a passion for justice. At the…
Handover Rafah crossing, allow a Gaza-West Bank free passage
Israel must transfer control over the Rafah crossing to the Palestinian Authority, and allow regular passage of people and goods between the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, a position…
Pullout Coordination; meetings, no progress
Stressing unilateralism of the Disengagement plan, Israeli political source said coordination with the Palestinians is not a must for the pullout to take place, Israel Radio reported on Saturday.  …
This Week in Palestine – June Week 2
 Download MP3 (8.10 MB) | Listen to Real Audio  (08:50 min) This week in Palestine – a service of the International Middle East Media center IMEMC.Org for the week Friday June…
Report: `“Settlements kill the Palestinian State`
The National Office for Land Defense reported that settlements spread all over the Palestinian territories are decimating any horizon of a future Palestinian State. Since the 1967 war, and the…
Soldiers invade Hebron, two villages
Saturday at dawn, Israeli soldiers invaded the West Bank city of Hebron and two surrounding villages after surrounding them, and conducted military searches of homes. A local source in Hebron…
Father, daughter arrested in Tulkarem
Saturday morning, Israeli soldiers arrested a resident and his daughter in the village of Atteel, north of the West Bank city of Tulkarem. A local source in the village reported…
U.S. demands U.N. to carry out reforms
The US Congressional House International Relations Committee, on June 8, approved a bill that calls for specific reforms at the United Nations. Congress demanded the United Nations General Assembly to…
A wish of a dying mother
{mosimage}Farha Barghouhi, 74-year-old, known as “the mother of prisoners” was admitted to the Intensive care unit at Sheikh Zayed Hospital in Ramallah on April, 10, 2005 suffering from pneumonia, her…
Anti-wall protesters’ new weapon
Protesters against the separation wall in the village of Belein, near Ramallah, responded Friday to army tear gas by throwing balloons filed with chicken urine “poo missiles” at soldiers. “It…
Soldier wounded in clash with settlers
A soldier was lightly wounded in clashes with a settlers at the Tapuach junction, east of the West Bank settlement of Ariel Friday afternoon. According to army spokesperson, soldiers spotted…
No breakthrough in Mofaz, Dahlan meeting
Israeli Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz met Friday afternoon with Palestinian Civil Affairs Minister Mohammed Dahlan in Tel Aviv to discuss coordinating the civil aspects of the disengagement plan, especially control…
P.A frees two Islamic Jihad members
The Palestinian Authority freed two Islamic members who were detained following the Tel Aviv “Stage” night club bombing; two other members of the Jihad are expected to be freed on…
Dozens hurt, activist arrested near Salfit
Friday afternoon, Israeli soldiers fired gas bombs and rubber-coated bullets at a peaceful procession against the Separation Wall in the village of Marda, near the West Bank city of Salfit.…
Resident dies of wounds sustained June 2
Friday afternoon, resident Fayez Hilmy Ayyad, 30, from Gaza, died of wounds sustained on June 2, 2005. Dr. Moawiya Hassanen, head of the emergency unit at the Palestinian Ministry of…
Poverty rates rising in the Palestinian areas
The Palestinian Census Bureau reported that poverty levels are significantly rising in the Palestinian areas, and arrived to a serious level in comparison with the years prior to the Intifada.…
Israeli Politicians recommend release of Barghouthi
Senior Israeli politicians recommended the cabinet to release the Palestinian lawmaker Marwan Barghouthi, jailed in Israel since April 2002, Israeli sources reported. Israeli newspaper, Yedioth Ahronot said, “A classified document…
Settlement sewage kills off 200 Olive trees
Palestinian residents of Jensaffut village, east of the West Bank city of Qalqilia, lost approximately 200 olive trees over the past three years, due to contamination of industrial sewage collected…
Settlers uproot trees south of Bethlehem
Settlers of the Alon Shafot settlement outpost, adjacent to Kfar Atzion settlement, south of Bethlehem uprooted hundreds of Olive trees in Khirbit Zakariyya area, in the village of Artas ,…
Pullout opponents stop train traffic in Tel Aviv
The Israeli police reported that pullout opponents blocked train traffic, for several minutes, near Hadera, north of Tel Aviv, after placing rocks and anti pullout sign on the train tracks.…
Human Rights Groups slam military checkpoints
A report prepared and published by the Human Rights group in Israel slammed the military checkpoints in the Palestinian areas, saying that it paralyzes the lives of million people on…
Dahlan: Israel’s Policies in W.B. is leading to new Intifada
Palestinian Minister of Civil Affairs, and in charge of Disengagement file, Mohammad Dahlan warned on Thursday of a third Intifada if current Israeli policies including settlements, wall construction and the…
Tension mounts in the Negev detention
Prison administration in the Negev detention camp rejected to allow representatives of the detainees to visit the new sections of the detention in order to meet with the detainees who…
Prisoner suffering serious health problems
Ahmad Bajes Hajjaj, 27, from Beit Reema, near the West Bank city of Ramallah is suffering from serious physical conditions, especially after he was shot injured during his arrest, and…
Prison service: Koran abuse was unintentional
Following report about Israeli military police abusing the Holy Koran in Magiddo prison, Israeli Prison Service officials commented on Thursday that it was unintentional, rejecting accusation that guards had torn…
A law breaking government
{mosimage}An investigation carried out by Israeli newspaper Haaretz revealed that the majority of the 140 unauthorized settlers’ outposts were subsidized by governmental money, up to NIS 74 million, were built…
PA, Factions to coordinate preparations for pullout
The Palestinian Authority and Palestinian factions agreed to form a ‘high national commission’ to monitor and supervise the Israeli pullout from the Gaza Strip, which is expected to start on…
Is Israel unique?
In the early 1960s, Martin Luther King, Jr was being tugged in two different directions. One segment of the movement wanted him to take a stand on the Vietnam War…
Israeli Army Vs. Anti-Wall Protestors
There has been an increase in the reports of Israeli soldiers’ assaults against protestors in nonviolent anti-wall actions. Apparently there has been an increase in the anti-wall demonstration especially around…
Soldiers attack a procession against the Wall in Salfit
Thursday afternoon, the Popular Committee Against the Wall, and Salfit municipality, organized a procession against the Separation Wall in Salfit and the surrounding areas. Israeli soldiers attacked the peacefully protesting…
Coordination versus collaboration
How would it be possible for a reasonable leader to be ready to assist in implementing a unilateral decision made by his opponent? The answer to this question could lead…
Palestinian refugees suffering in Arab countries
An Arab newspaper published a report said to be conducted by Dr. Abdullah al-Saheemi, which revealed that Palestinian refugees are facing inhuman conditions and treatment in several Arabic countries. The…
Poll: `“Half of the Israelis support pullout`
The Israeli prime minister Ariel Sharon blamed the Palestinians for the decline of support to his disengagement plan, after it dropped to 48% according to latest statistics. Sharon was responding…
Supreme Court: Pullout legal, W. Bank, Gaza not part of Israel
Removing a major legal obstacle to the pullout, Israel Supreme Court rejected on Thursday 12 petitions submitted by settlers and some Knesset members calling halt of disengagement. The 11-judge panel…
Settlement construction sharply increases in W. Bank
The Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics revealed that construction in settlements was significantly boosted this year arriving to 83%, ahead of the disengagement plan, while construction inside the Israeli borders…
Youth stabs a policeman in Jerusalem
Wednesday evening, the Israeli police claimed that a 15 year-old Palestinian youth from Shu’fat, near Jerusalem, stabbed an Israel policeman near al-Maskobiyya police station in Jerusalem. The policeman was moderately…
Physically challenged residents protest in Bil’in
Wednesday evening, Israeli soldiers attacked a peaceful protest against the Wall in Bil’in organized by physically challenged residents from several West Bank areas.  The WAFA news agency reported that…
Anti-Pullout Solidarity Movement
In a move the signals an increasing support for the pullout foes, over 100 Americans led by a New York lawmaker finished on Tuesday their second day of the three-day…
Yousef, Mofaz agree to create 3 coordination channels
Palestinian Interior Minister, Nasser Yousef, and Israeli Minister of Defense, Shaul Mofaz agreed to from three channels for security coordination ahead the upcoming Israeli withdrawal. An Israeli source reported that…
Israeli Air strike targets a car in Gaza Strip
In what seems to be a failed assassination attempt, Israeli gun ships fired air-to-land missiles at a car driving on the main road in the southern Gaza Strip, Palestinian sources…
P. A security foils firing of Shells at Gaza settlements
Wednesday afternoon, a Palestinian security source reported that P.A security men foiled, on Tuesday night, several attempts by resistance fighters to fire homemade shells at settlements in the Gaza strip.…
MOI warns of Israeli escalation in the Gaza Strip
The Palestinian Ministry of Interior and National Security, expressed concerns that Israeli might launch a wide scaled military operation in the Gaza Strip. The ministry said that Israeli military planes…
Hebron settlers damage, burn a store in old city
Settlers of the Abraham Abino settlement outpost in Hebron damaged a wall of a store in Hakoret al-Kayyal area in the old city and set it on fire. Imad Hamdan,…
Sharon storms Gaza settlers, blame for `“disinformation`
As part of attempts to face the settlers’ anti-disengagement campaign, the Israeli government invited the media to its weekly meeting to, as Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon puts it, “refute…
Army invades Marda, imposes curfew
Wednesday morning, the WAFA news agency reported that Israeli soldiers invaded the village of Marda, near the West Bank city of Salfit, and imposed curfew, barring the resident from leaving…
Dahlan: `“Israeli is obstructing its withdrawal`
Palestinian Minister of Civil Affairs, Mohammad Dahlan, said that the Israeli government is obstructing its own withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, and obstructing cooperation with the Palestinian Authority. Dahlan added…
Deprived even from Sunlight
{mosimage}Palestinian detainees are facing deteriorating conditions and harsh treatment by Israeli soldiers in detention camps and prisons, which became a policy prison administration is using to humiliate them.  Lawyer…
Crushing Blow prior to Pullout
Some Israeli army and security officials are lobbying for a ‘crushing blow’ on Hamas prior to the pullout to the Gaza Strip borders.  Louder calls for a major blow…
Train contiguity
{mosimage}By the time U.S. President presented a vision of “viable†and “contiguous†future Palestinian state, Palestinian territories were, and still are, extremely fragmented with a completely ruined economy. With the…
Acknowledging Jenin: Perspectives from an American Artist
Jenin. The sky sets with shadow somewhere around seven or eight in the summertime. I’m about to head down Mostashfa Street and leave the wall I’ve been working on all…
From Guantanamo to Majeddo
Palestinian detainees in Majeddo detention announced hunger strike starting Wednesday morning in protest to desecrating the Holy Koran by Israeli soldiers who raided the rooms of the detainees, on Tuesday…
30 PFLP members arrested last month
The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, PFLP, said that Israeli soldiers arrested thirty of its members in Jerusalem, Bethlehem and Hebron, over the last month  A senior PFLP…
Three injured, two arrested south of Hebron
 Tuesday afternoon, three residents, including one reporter, were injured, and two others were arrested after Israeli soldiers attacked a peaceful procession against the Separation Wall in al-Ramadeen village, south of…
Resident killed in Rafah
Monday at night, Israeli soldiers shot and killed a resident near the Philadilphi Route in Rafah, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip. The Israeli army claims that apparently…
Fighter, policeman killed in Qabatia, seven injured
Tuesday morning, Israeli soldiers shot and killed an Islamic Jihad fighter and an unarmed Palestinian policeman after invading Qabatia south of the northern West Bank city of Jenin. Israeli soldiers,…
The Bogyman
While the new Chief-of-Staff, Air Force general Dan Halutz, was assuming his new job, I stood with a group of demonstrators at the gate of the General Staff building, to…
Problems of unilateralism
To some shortsighted politicians, unilateralism seems very convenient. It doesn’t require the mess of actual negotiations. It is usually politically correct, because you can decide how much and how far…
Two workers killed in a mortar attack on Gush Katif settlement
Israeli military source said Tuesday that two workers, a Chinese and a Palestinian were killed and six other Palestinian workers were lightly wounded in a mortar attack at hothouses in…
Report: 250 Palestinians arrested in May
Prisoners Media Center reported that Israeli soldiers arrested 250 residents during the month of May, and carried out several invasions in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip; no arrests…
MK calls army prosecutor to probe ‘revenge raid’
The Chairman of the leftist Israeli Yahad Knesset faction Zahava Gal-On called Tuesday on the chief military prosecutor to investigate reports on an army revenge raid in which seven Palestinian…
Jerusalem Occupied not united
Arab MKs boycotted Monday a special meeting of the Knesset plenum held to mark “Jerusalem day” on the 38th anniversary of announcing the unification of the city following the 1967…
Egypt: Israel dragging feet on WB handovers
Egyptian presidential spokesman Suleiman Awad said on Monday that Israel was dragging its feet in handing over three West Bank cities to Palestinian security control, as agreed in a Palestinian-Israeli…
Twenty injured in Salfit
A medical source in the West Bank city of Salfit reported that twenty residents suffocated after inhaling gas fired by the army, during clashes which erupted in Marda village after…
Some PA legislators weigh resigning over election delay
Nine Palestinian legislators said Sunday they were considering resigning from the Palestinian Legislative Council in protest to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas’s decision to postpone parliamentary elections. Hamas strongly condemned Abbas’s…
Even by force
Israeli Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz said Monday that the army will collect the settlers’ weapons shortly before the scheduled date for the disengagement plan, “even by force.” Mofaz, who spoke…
Hezbollah, Amal expected to win most S. Lebanon seats
Primary results for the Parliament elections in Lebanon show that the coalition of Hezbollah and The Shiite Amal movement, swept most of the seats in the southern Lebanon area.  …
Fatah Hawks reopen road leading to Rafah crossing
Palestinian gunmen of the Fateh Hawks group reopened on Sunday the road which leads to the Rafah Border Crossing, after closing it for two days in protest to not assigning…
Museum for Arafat’s personal belongings
The Palestinian National Authority intends to collect the personal belongings and possessions of the late Palestinian president, Yasser Arafat, for a museum for his memory, Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas said…
Israel pressure P.A to halt execution of collaborators
Israel has been exercising strong diplomatic pressures on the Palestinian Authority in order to prevent it from executing 50 Palestinians, convicted of collaborating with the Israeli security. Also, the American…
Ease in U.S. Hard-line approach towards Hamas
American officials expressed concerns over Hamas’ electoral rise in the Palestinian areas saying this poses a dilemma in defining ‘terrorists.’ Hinting that U.S. funding will be affected if Hamas wins…
Army fires at a protest against the Wall near Ramallah
Sunday afternoon, Israeli soldiers fired at dozens of residents, Israeli and international peace activists, while protesting against the Separation Wall, and land grab in Beit Sroik, north west of Jerusalem.…
Likud rebels launch anti-pullout campaign
Likud rebels said that they will launch their anti pull-out campaign on Monday in an attempt to reverse the public opinion in Israel and reduce support to the disengagement plan.…
Following clashes in al-Aqsa mosque; residents under 45 barred entry
Israeli soldiers withdrew from al-Aqsa mosque area on Monday afternoon following clashes with dozens of Palestinian protestors who gathered in the mosque in an attempt to bar extremist settlers groups…
Rice to Middle East Again
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is expected to visit Israel as well as the Palestinian areas around June 18, almost two months ahead of the intended pullout from Gaza Strip…
State violating its own laws; unauthorized outposts growing
Not a thing has changed in the government’s handling of unauthorized settlers’ outposts in the three months since a comprehensive report on the issue was completed, the report’s author, attorney…
Abdul-Rahman: `“Fatah will face its challenges with free democracy`
Translated by Saed Bannoura, IMEMC  Ahmad Abdul-Rahman, head of the political committee of the Fatah revolutionary council, the political advisor of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, said that the movement…
Anti-pullout foes vandalize army equipment
Anti-Pullout right wing foes vandalized Monday military equipment worth, according to police estimations, tens of thousands of shekels. The act took place in the parking lot of an army base…
Arab Homes are also razed in Haifa, 12 hurt
Twelve people were lightly injured Sunday as a strong police force used force to expel an Arab Israeli family and demolish the family home in Haifa. Policemen used force to…
Source: Qadoumi to become Abbas’s Deputy
Palestinian sources said on Sunday that Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is likely to appoint the head of the PLO political bureau Faroq Qadoumi as his deputy. The sources reported that…
Soldiers ambush, kidnap anti-wall organizer
A Palestinian source reported Saturday that soldiers ambushed and detained a leading member in the Belien’s village anti-wall committee. Eyewitnesses said that soldiers blocked on Friday the way of a…
Mentally disabled detainee attempts suicide
Lawyer of the Palestinian Prisoners Society, Mohannad al-Kharraz, said that detainee Mohammad Yasser al-Ja’bary, from Nablus, attempted suicide by trying to burn himself and the room he is held in.…
Four injured near Hebron
Friday evening, Israeli soldiers invaded the village of Yatta, near Hebron, and conducted military searches of homes; four residents, including three children were injured of military fire during clashes which…
Abbas delays Parliamentary poll, Hamas condemns decision
The Islamic resistance movement, Hamas, slammed a decision by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in which he cancelled the date set for the parliamentary elections. Hamas said the decision is a…
A Fatah group prevents Palestinian Diplomat from traveling
Unknown masked armed men stopped and prevented on Saturday a Palestinian Diplomat from leaving the Gaza Strip through Rafah crossing point, in the southern Gaza Strip, Palestinian sources reported on…
Makhoul: `“No comparison between those who reject occupation, and who reject to end it`
Arab member of Knesset, Issam Makhoul, from the Hadash-Ta’al party, said that there is no possible comparison between those who reject the occupation, and those who reject to end it.…
This Week in Palestine – June Week 1
 Download MP3 (9.80 MB) | Listen to Real Audio  (09:42 min)  This week in Palestine-a service of the International Middle East Media Center IMEMC.ORG for the week of Friday, May…
Parents of detainees complain of humiliation during visitation
Parents of detainees imprisoned in Nafha detention complained that soldiers are humiliating them while they are trying to visit their detained family members, in addition to forcing them to wait…
Tribal revenge
A Fatah source said Friday that four of the sons of a killed collaborator, where involved in the killing of Sheikh Ali Faraj, a Fatah leader and the head of…
Israel to use mammoth trencher in Gaza
Israel has bought a 100-ton behemoth, made by U.S. company Trencor Inc, to use in uncovering weapons’ smuggling tunnels in the Gaza-Egypt border area, according to an Israeli army publication.…
Israel seeks UN Security council seat
Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom discussed with the United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan in a Friday meeting the possibility of an Israeli seat on the UN Security Council. ‘The…
Abbas to announce election delay
‘Today (Saturday) President Abbas will issue a decision to postpone the parliamentary vote to give more time for Palestinian factions to hold further discussions and enable parliament to approve a…
Detainee facing deteriorating health condition
The Tulkarem office of the Palestinian Prisoners Society reported that detainee Mousa Hasan al-Khawaly, 22, from Tulkarem refugee camp, is facing critical health conditions and deprived from his medication rights.…
20 injured, 2 arrested, one Israeli soldier wounded in Anti-Wall protest
At least one thousand Palestinians joined by International and Israeli peace activists demonstrated against the construction of the wall in Bil’in village west of Ramallah in the West Bank. The…
Administrative or open-ended detention
Not even for a moment did Engineer Wasfi Izzat Qabha, forget the pain of his fellow detainees who remained in Israeli detentions and prisons, after he was released. Wasfi spent…
US knew of Israeli nuclear intentions since 1961
The Israeli Ynet news website published documents which showed that the US government estimated that Israel was misleading it and acting to acquire nuclear armaments. The documents show that the…
NY Times: Syria test-fires Scud missiles, Israelis claim
Israeli military sources were quoted as saying that Syria has test-fired Scud missiles last Friday, the New York Times reported. The military source also claimed one of the missiles broke…
The Process of Transfer Continues
The Jerusalem Municipality Plans to Demolish 88 Houses in Silwan, East Jerusalem The Municipality of Jerusalem intends to demolish an entire East Jerusalem neighborhood — 88 homes housing 1000 residents…
Settlers may shut down country
A senior Israeli army officer has warned against underestimating the force of resistance expected to be offered by settlers during the upcoming Gaza Strip and West Bank pullout, according to…
A Zionist Party for Arabs
Arab constituency forms approximately 22 percent of Labor party members, the party’s largest constituency, according to the party membership poll. The data gained on Thursday night after the party’s membership…