12 dec 2018
Dozens of Israeli soldiers invaded, Wednesday, the campus of Al-Quds University in Abu Dis town, southeast of occupied East Jerusalem, and searched it causing excessive property damage, in addition to confiscating surveillance equipment and recordings.
The WAFA Palestinian News Agency has reported that the soldiers damaged many doors, desks and offices, especially while searching rooms of various student blocks.
WAFA added that the soldiers also confiscated surveillance recordings and equipment from the university.
The invasion came just a few hours after the army stormed the area near campus, and fired dozens of gas bombs, concussion grenades, live rounds and rubber-coated steel bullets, at protesters, who hurled stones and empty bottles at them.
The Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) has reported that its medics provided treatment to seventeen Palestinians who suffered the effects of teargas inhalation.
The WAFA Palestinian News Agency has reported that the soldiers damaged many doors, desks and offices, especially while searching rooms of various student blocks.
WAFA added that the soldiers also confiscated surveillance recordings and equipment from the university.
The invasion came just a few hours after the army stormed the area near campus, and fired dozens of gas bombs, concussion grenades, live rounds and rubber-coated steel bullets, at protesters, who hurled stones and empty bottles at them.
The Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) has reported that its medics provided treatment to seventeen Palestinians who suffered the effects of teargas inhalation.
The US House of Representatives on Tuesday approved a bill that would target for sanctions Hamas resistance movement and Hezbollah over allegations of using civilians as human shields, guaranteeing that it will become law, JTA reported.
The bill describes Hamas and Hezbollah groups as “repeated” practitioners of an action that violates international law, claiming that Hamas routinely launches missiles at Israel from densely populated areas.
The US Senate unanimously passed the bipartisan bill in October.
The bill was authored by Senators Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Joe Donnelly (D-IN) and was co-sponsored by 50 other senators. It was first introduced this past summer.
“This critical and timely legislation mandates new sanctions against Hamas, Hezbollah and foreign state agencies that use civilians as human shields or provide support to those doing so,” the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) said in a statement Tuesday after the House passed the bill, which now goes to President Donald Trump for his signature.
Last February, the House of Representatives unanimously passed the Hamas Human Shields Prevention Act which condemns Hamas for the alleged use of civilians, including children, as human shields, sanctioning those who use them.
The act, however, emphasizes the efforts made by the Israeli occupation military to avoid civilian casualties, a claim that analysts said amounts to an attempt to whitewash Israeli crimes and terrorism against Palestinian civilians and unarmed protesters, including on the Gaza border.
The bill describes Hamas and Hezbollah groups as “repeated” practitioners of an action that violates international law, claiming that Hamas routinely launches missiles at Israel from densely populated areas.
The US Senate unanimously passed the bipartisan bill in October.
The bill was authored by Senators Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Joe Donnelly (D-IN) and was co-sponsored by 50 other senators. It was first introduced this past summer.
“This critical and timely legislation mandates new sanctions against Hamas, Hezbollah and foreign state agencies that use civilians as human shields or provide support to those doing so,” the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) said in a statement Tuesday after the House passed the bill, which now goes to President Donald Trump for his signature.
Last February, the House of Representatives unanimously passed the Hamas Human Shields Prevention Act which condemns Hamas for the alleged use of civilians, including children, as human shields, sanctioning those who use them.
The act, however, emphasizes the efforts made by the Israeli occupation military to avoid civilian casualties, a claim that analysts said amounts to an attempt to whitewash Israeli crimes and terrorism against Palestinian civilians and unarmed protesters, including on the Gaza border.
Palestinian young men on Tuesday night hurled stones at Israeli cars boarded by settlers on a road near Azzun town in Qalqilya, north of the occupied West Bank, in response to recent attacks by hordes of settlers.
Local sources told a reporter for the Palestinian Information Center (PIC) that several Israeli cars traveling on the main road near Azzun town sustained material damage after youths stoned them.
Consequently, settlers backed by soldiers engaged in clashes with the young men in the area.
The local sources said that soldiers chased young men and opened fire at others at the main entrance to Azzun town.
Local sources told a reporter for the Palestinian Information Center (PIC) that several Israeli cars traveling on the main road near Azzun town sustained material damage after youths stoned them.
Consequently, settlers backed by soldiers engaged in clashes with the young men in the area.
The local sources said that soldiers chased young men and opened fire at others at the main entrance to Azzun town.
Israeli soldiers injured, on Tuesday evening, at least twenty Palestinians in al-Biereh city, in the central West Bank governorate of Ramallah and al-Biereh, during ongoing and escalating offensives allegedly aimed at locating the Palestinians, who shot and injured seven Israeli colonialist settlers, on Sunday evening.
The Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) in Ramallah said the soldiers shot twenty Palestinians, at least two of them with live fire, six with rubber-coated steel bullets, and twelve who suffered the severe effects of teargas inhalation, in the al-Irsal Street, in al-Biereh city.
The soldiers stormed and ransacked many homes and shops in the area, and confiscated surveillance equipment and recordings from several stores.
In invasions also targeted the al-Masayef area in al-Biereh, where the soldiers stopped and searched dozens of Palestinian cars, and interrogated the residents while checking their ID cards, in addition to inspecting surveillance recordings, and invaded many shops.
Protests also took place after dozens of soldiers invaded the area near the Palestinian Finance Ministry, and stormed a shop, before detaining its workers and confiscated surveillance recordings.
The soldiers fired dozens of concussion grenades and gas bombs, in addition to many live rounds and rubber-coated steel bullets at the protesters in the area, in addition to attacking local journalists, preventing them from performing their duties and threatening to abduct them if they do not leave.
Media sources in Ramallah said the soldiers are invading many shops, to examine the surveillance recordings and confiscate them, hoping to find any footage that could lead to the identification of the shooters, who opened fire at soldiers and settlers, near Ofra colony, wounding seven.
The Israeli army believes that the shooting attack near Ofra was carried out by cell, and not an individual shooting, adding that its operations are ongoing until locating the shooters.
The Israeli TV said the army has been carrying out massive invasions into the area, where hundreds of soldiers have been deployed to participate in the operations, and conduct thorough and extensive searches.
It added that the soldiers also detained four Palestinians from a store, north of Ramallah, but the army and the intelligence services have, so far, been unable to identify the shooters.
The Palestinian Red Crescent Society (PRCS) in Ramallah said the soldiers shot twenty Palestinians, at least two of them with live fire, six with rubber-coated steel bullets, and twelve who suffered the severe effects of teargas inhalation, in the al-Irsal Street, in al-Biereh city.
The soldiers stormed and ransacked many homes and shops in the area, and confiscated surveillance equipment and recordings from several stores.
In invasions also targeted the al-Masayef area in al-Biereh, where the soldiers stopped and searched dozens of Palestinian cars, and interrogated the residents while checking their ID cards, in addition to inspecting surveillance recordings, and invaded many shops.
Protests also took place after dozens of soldiers invaded the area near the Palestinian Finance Ministry, and stormed a shop, before detaining its workers and confiscated surveillance recordings.
The soldiers fired dozens of concussion grenades and gas bombs, in addition to many live rounds and rubber-coated steel bullets at the protesters in the area, in addition to attacking local journalists, preventing them from performing their duties and threatening to abduct them if they do not leave.
Media sources in Ramallah said the soldiers are invading many shops, to examine the surveillance recordings and confiscate them, hoping to find any footage that could lead to the identification of the shooters, who opened fire at soldiers and settlers, near Ofra colony, wounding seven.
The Israeli army believes that the shooting attack near Ofra was carried out by cell, and not an individual shooting, adding that its operations are ongoing until locating the shooters.
The Israeli TV said the army has been carrying out massive invasions into the area, where hundreds of soldiers have been deployed to participate in the operations, and conduct thorough and extensive searches.
It added that the soldiers also detained four Palestinians from a store, north of Ramallah, but the army and the intelligence services have, so far, been unable to identify the shooters.
11 dec 2018
Scores of Palestinian protesters sustained wounds Tuesday afternoon in clashes with the Israeli occupation forces Jerusalem’s eastern town of Abu Dis.
Red Crescent paramedics treated 17 Palestinians for injuries inflicted by the Israeli occupation forces.
Several protesters choked on teargas fired by the Israeli patrols.
An eye-witness told the PIC that heavily-armed Israeli forces attacked Palestinian anti-occupation youth with randomly-unleashed spates of bullet fire and teargas grenades.
The Palestinian protesters responded to the attack by hurling stones at the occupation patrols.
Red Crescent paramedics treated 17 Palestinians for injuries inflicted by the Israeli occupation forces.
Several protesters choked on teargas fired by the Israeli patrols.
An eye-witness told the PIC that heavily-armed Israeli forces attacked Palestinian anti-occupation youth with randomly-unleashed spates of bullet fire and teargas grenades.
The Palestinian protesters responded to the attack by hurling stones at the occupation patrols.
The Israeli occupation forces stormed on Tuesday the Dome of the Rock at Jerusalem’s al-Aqsa Mosque and prevented staff from carrying out maintenance works.
Media chief at the Islamic Awqaf Department, Firas al-Dabes, said cleansing and maintenance works have been carried out at the Dome of the Rock at the same time as Israeli police broke into the site and cracked down on maintenance personnel on claims that chemical products were sprayed on archeological monuments.
An altercation burst out between the director of the Awqaf Department Azzam al-Khatib and members of al-Aqsa supervision staff.
Media chief at the Islamic Awqaf Department, Firas al-Dabes, said cleansing and maintenance works have been carried out at the Dome of the Rock at the same time as Israeli police broke into the site and cracked down on maintenance personnel on claims that chemical products were sprayed on archeological monuments.
An altercation burst out between the director of the Awqaf Department Azzam al-Khatib and members of al-Aqsa supervision staff.
On the 70th anniversary of UN resolution 194, the Palestinian Return Centre (PRC) issued a new report entitled "Voices of Return: Documenting Israel's Repression of the Great March of Return."
The new report is based on a PRC submission to the United Nations Commission of Inquiry on the 2018 protests that began on March 30th in the Israeli-blockaded Gaza Strip. The series of demonstrations named the “Great March of Return” called on Israel to end the ongoing siege and implement the refugees’ collective right of return to the lands from which they were displaced in 1948.
The demonstrations have been widely covered in the mainstream media, in particular around May 14th, when the Israeli military killed 52 Palestinians and injured over 2,400 in one single day. Yet, beneath the headlines and numbers of casualties, detailed witness accounts of the events remain underreported. PRC’s investigation seeks to fill this gap by bringing to light the voices of Palestinian protesters and victims injured during the demonstrations.
The testimonies and other information gathered in the report show in detail how Israeli soldiers shot unarmed protesters, bystanders, journalists and medical staff approximately 100-400m from the fence, constituting extrajudicial executions and deliberate maiming of civilians. Prima facie evidence and testimonies show that none of the Palestinians victim included in this report were endangering Israeli forces, who remained located on the other side of the fence.
PRC interviewed two journalists who were both shot in their legs while wearing a "press" vest. Khalil was shot in the upper left thigh while standing approximately 200 meters away from the fence and was wounded while taking a "selfie" with friends. Khalil said that the Israeli military shot him from the back as he was not facing the barrier separating the Gaza Strip from Israel.
The other journalist interviewed, Duaa, was hit by a sniper shot as she was filming another protester being treated by paramedics after being injured. Both journalists were hit with a particular type of bullet, which expands and mushrooms inside the body, that indicates the military's intention to cause maximum harm and greater possibility to inflict life-changing injuries.
Amnesty International has reported Israel's use of US-manufactured M24 Remington sniper rifles shooting 7.62mm hunting ammunition, which have the "mushrooming" effects described by the victims we interviewed.
Jihad, a young Palestinian woman in her twenties was standing on Jakar street, a road roughly parallel to the fence separating the Gaza Strip from Israel, at approximately 100 meters from the barrier when she was first hit with hunting ammunition in her left leg below the knee. Jihad was further hit two times, in her right hand and shoulder, with regular bullets by gunshots seemingly targeting the medical staff that was attending to her.
PRC interviewed a child that lost a leg after being targeted for merely raising the Palestinian flag during one of the demonstrations. Muhannad was also tending to a fellow protester injured at the time he was shot. He was hit with hunting ammunition above the knee in the thigh which caused him to undergo arterial amputation.
"The bullet came in from my ear and out from my head." said Adelmalek, an 18-year old who was shot while standing 300 meters from the fence near the Awda refugee camp, east of Jabalia.
Another young Palestinian, Ouni, was hopeful that the peaceful demonstration will be effective as he explained "We wanted to push for lifting the siege, unblock border crossings . . . we simply wanted to live a normal life!" He was also shot with hunting ammunition that caused bone fragmentation in his leg.
Contrary to claims of Israeli authorities, a grassroots network of activists led the creation and organization of this series of mass demonstrations. The report argues that driving the open-fire policy of the Israeli government against protesters is a longstanding criminalization of Palestinian refugees attempting to cross the armistice lines. Palestinian refugees are criminalized by the Israeli state and media as "infiltrators" and prevented to return to the lands from which they were displaced through a series of state laws and policies.
PRC concluded that the Israeli army's response to Palestinians protesting against a colonial siege along the 1949 armistice line clearly violates a number of core principles of international humanitarian law. The killing and maiming of protesters, journalists, paramedics and children not engaged in any military activity amounts to a violation of the international legal principles of distinction, proportionality and of precautions in attack.
The new report is based on a PRC submission to the United Nations Commission of Inquiry on the 2018 protests that began on March 30th in the Israeli-blockaded Gaza Strip. The series of demonstrations named the “Great March of Return” called on Israel to end the ongoing siege and implement the refugees’ collective right of return to the lands from which they were displaced in 1948.
The demonstrations have been widely covered in the mainstream media, in particular around May 14th, when the Israeli military killed 52 Palestinians and injured over 2,400 in one single day. Yet, beneath the headlines and numbers of casualties, detailed witness accounts of the events remain underreported. PRC’s investigation seeks to fill this gap by bringing to light the voices of Palestinian protesters and victims injured during the demonstrations.
The testimonies and other information gathered in the report show in detail how Israeli soldiers shot unarmed protesters, bystanders, journalists and medical staff approximately 100-400m from the fence, constituting extrajudicial executions and deliberate maiming of civilians. Prima facie evidence and testimonies show that none of the Palestinians victim included in this report were endangering Israeli forces, who remained located on the other side of the fence.
PRC interviewed two journalists who were both shot in their legs while wearing a "press" vest. Khalil was shot in the upper left thigh while standing approximately 200 meters away from the fence and was wounded while taking a "selfie" with friends. Khalil said that the Israeli military shot him from the back as he was not facing the barrier separating the Gaza Strip from Israel.
The other journalist interviewed, Duaa, was hit by a sniper shot as she was filming another protester being treated by paramedics after being injured. Both journalists were hit with a particular type of bullet, which expands and mushrooms inside the body, that indicates the military's intention to cause maximum harm and greater possibility to inflict life-changing injuries.
Amnesty International has reported Israel's use of US-manufactured M24 Remington sniper rifles shooting 7.62mm hunting ammunition, which have the "mushrooming" effects described by the victims we interviewed.
Jihad, a young Palestinian woman in her twenties was standing on Jakar street, a road roughly parallel to the fence separating the Gaza Strip from Israel, at approximately 100 meters from the barrier when she was first hit with hunting ammunition in her left leg below the knee. Jihad was further hit two times, in her right hand and shoulder, with regular bullets by gunshots seemingly targeting the medical staff that was attending to her.
PRC interviewed a child that lost a leg after being targeted for merely raising the Palestinian flag during one of the demonstrations. Muhannad was also tending to a fellow protester injured at the time he was shot. He was hit with hunting ammunition above the knee in the thigh which caused him to undergo arterial amputation.
"The bullet came in from my ear and out from my head." said Adelmalek, an 18-year old who was shot while standing 300 meters from the fence near the Awda refugee camp, east of Jabalia.
Another young Palestinian, Ouni, was hopeful that the peaceful demonstration will be effective as he explained "We wanted to push for lifting the siege, unblock border crossings . . . we simply wanted to live a normal life!" He was also shot with hunting ammunition that caused bone fragmentation in his leg.
Contrary to claims of Israeli authorities, a grassroots network of activists led the creation and organization of this series of mass demonstrations. The report argues that driving the open-fire policy of the Israeli government against protesters is a longstanding criminalization of Palestinian refugees attempting to cross the armistice lines. Palestinian refugees are criminalized by the Israeli state and media as "infiltrators" and prevented to return to the lands from which they were displaced through a series of state laws and policies.
PRC concluded that the Israeli army's response to Palestinians protesting against a colonial siege along the 1949 armistice line clearly violates a number of core principles of international humanitarian law. The killing and maiming of protesters, journalists, paramedics and children not engaged in any military activity amounts to a violation of the international legal principles of distinction, proportionality and of precautions in attack.
At least four Palestinians were shot and injured as clashes broke out on Tuesday in the village of Nabi Saleh, northwest of Ramallah, in the occupied West Bank.
Head of the village council Naji Tmimi said the clashes erupted when Israeli forces stormed the village and proceeded to fire tear gas canisters toward homes, provoking residents.
The soldiers attacked residents with tear gas and rubber-coated steel bullets, shooting and injuring at least four of them, he added.
The injured people were immediately taken to hospital, while others were treated from tear gas inhalation.
Meanwhile, Israeli forces closed the military checkpoint erected at the entrance to the town, preventing people’s movement in both directions.
Head of the village council Naji Tmimi said the clashes erupted when Israeli forces stormed the village and proceeded to fire tear gas canisters toward homes, provoking residents.
The soldiers attacked residents with tear gas and rubber-coated steel bullets, shooting and injuring at least four of them, he added.
The injured people were immediately taken to hospital, while others were treated from tear gas inhalation.
Meanwhile, Israeli forces closed the military checkpoint erected at the entrance to the town, preventing people’s movement in both directions.
Violent clashes erupted Tuesday evening between the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) and Palestinian youths in Arroub refugee camp north of al-Khalil.
Eyewitnesses reported that the confrontations broke out when Israeli soldiers stationed at the entrance to the camp heavily fired teargas bombs at local homes.
As a response, Palestinians threw stones and empty bottles at the soldiers.
Earlier Tuesday, a Palestinian young man identified as Omar Hasan Awawda, 27, was shot and killed by the Israeli military in Idna, west of the city.
Eyewitnesses reported that the confrontations broke out when Israeli soldiers stationed at the entrance to the camp heavily fired teargas bombs at local homes.
As a response, Palestinians threw stones and empty bottles at the soldiers.
Earlier Tuesday, a Palestinian young man identified as Omar Hasan Awawda, 27, was shot and killed by the Israeli military in Idna, west of the city.
Scores of Palestinians were kidnapped and civilian homes ravaged by the Israeli occupation forces at daybreak Tuesday in abduction sweeps rocking the West Bank.
Full-armed Israeli patrols rolled into Tulkarem, in the northern occupied West Bank, in the hunt for anti-occupation attacker Ashraf Na’luwa. A Palestinian was kidnapped during the assault.
The IOF ravaged civilian homes and subjected civilians in Nour Shams refugee camp and southern neighborhoods to intensive questioning about the whereabouts of Na’luwa.
At the same time, three Palestinian young men were injured with live ammunition and four brothers from the Daraghmeh family kidnapped by the Israeli army in fierce clashes that burst out in Tubas city shortly after dozens of Israeli soldiers rolled into the area and came down heavily on anti-occupation protesters.
The three young men were rushed to the Turkish Hospital in Tubas for urgent treatment over thigh injuries.
Clashes also rocked the West Bank towns of Azzoun, Anbata, al-Jalazoun, and al-Dhahriya.
Meanwhile, nine Palestinians, mostly ex-prisoners and anti-occupation activists affiliated with Hamas, were kidnapped by the IOF from Nablus.
Overnight, dozens of extremist Israeli settlers stormed Nablus and vandalized Palestinian cars. Heavily-armed Israeli patrols escorted the settler hordes and closed off the Hawara checkpoint and other vital thoroughfares in the area.
Full-armed Israeli patrols rolled into Tulkarem, in the northern occupied West Bank, in the hunt for anti-occupation attacker Ashraf Na’luwa. A Palestinian was kidnapped during the assault.
The IOF ravaged civilian homes and subjected civilians in Nour Shams refugee camp and southern neighborhoods to intensive questioning about the whereabouts of Na’luwa.
At the same time, three Palestinian young men were injured with live ammunition and four brothers from the Daraghmeh family kidnapped by the Israeli army in fierce clashes that burst out in Tubas city shortly after dozens of Israeli soldiers rolled into the area and came down heavily on anti-occupation protesters.
The three young men were rushed to the Turkish Hospital in Tubas for urgent treatment over thigh injuries.
Clashes also rocked the West Bank towns of Azzoun, Anbata, al-Jalazoun, and al-Dhahriya.
Meanwhile, nine Palestinians, mostly ex-prisoners and anti-occupation activists affiliated with Hamas, were kidnapped by the IOF from Nablus.
Overnight, dozens of extremist Israeli settlers stormed Nablus and vandalized Palestinian cars. Heavily-armed Israeli patrols escorted the settler hordes and closed off the Hawara checkpoint and other vital thoroughfares in the area.
The Israeli occupation forces on Tuesday demolished a Palestinian home in the village of al-Jiftlik, in the Jordan Valley, in the occupied West Bank.
According to local sources Israeli forces raided the village at daybreak and proceeded with the demolition of a home owned by Omar Rahaila after they violently beat him up and opened fire at the vehicle which transported him to the demolition scene as soon as he received the news.
Rahaila was left with bruises before he was detained by the occupation forces. He was denied field treatment.
According to local sources Israeli forces raided the village at daybreak and proceeded with the demolition of a home owned by Omar Rahaila after they violently beat him up and opened fire at the vehicle which transported him to the demolition scene as soon as he received the news.
Rahaila was left with bruises before he was detained by the occupation forces. He was denied field treatment.
Dozens of Palestinian youth suffered from tear-gas inhalation, predawn Monday, during violent confrontations which broke out after hundreds of Israeli settlers stormed Joseph’s Tomb, in the northern occupied West Bank city of Nablus.
Ma’an reported that confrontations were triggered when Israeli settlers began performing Jewish religious rituals in Joseph’s Tomb, under the tight security of Israeli forces.
Sources added that Israeli forces fired rubber-coated steel bullets, tear-gas bombs, and stun grenades towardthe youth.
Joseph’s Tomb is revered by Jews, Muslims, Christians, and Samaritans alike. The Israeli military allows Jews to visit as part of organized pilgrimages, despite the site being located in Area A where the PA has full control, and prohibits Muslims from worshiping at the site.
Ultra-orthodox and nationalist Jews regularly try to visit the shrine without approval, as many Jews believe the tomb to be the final resting place of the biblical figure in the Old Testament.
Palestinians believe that Joseph’s Tomb is the funerary monument to Sheikh Yousif Dweikat, a local religious figure.
Ma’an reported that confrontations were triggered when Israeli settlers began performing Jewish religious rituals in Joseph’s Tomb, under the tight security of Israeli forces.
Sources added that Israeli forces fired rubber-coated steel bullets, tear-gas bombs, and stun grenades towardthe youth.
Joseph’s Tomb is revered by Jews, Muslims, Christians, and Samaritans alike. The Israeli military allows Jews to visit as part of organized pilgrimages, despite the site being located in Area A where the PA has full control, and prohibits Muslims from worshiping at the site.
Ultra-orthodox and nationalist Jews regularly try to visit the shrine without approval, as many Jews believe the tomb to be the final resting place of the biblical figure in the Old Testament.
Palestinians believe that Joseph’s Tomb is the funerary monument to Sheikh Yousif Dweikat, a local religious figure.