31 dec 2015
An Israeli soldier on Thursday afternoon suffered injuries when a Palestinian young man rammed his car into him near Nablus city.
Israeli newspapers said that soldiers at Huwara checkpoint showered a vehicle with a hail of bullets and killed its Palestinian driver immediately after he ran over one of them.
Local sources told the Palestinian Information Center that the young man, who carried out the vehicular attack, was identified as Hasan Ali from Raba village in Jenin.
They added that an Israeli ambulance seized the body of the young man and transferred it to an undeclared place.
Consequently, the Israeli army closed all checkpoints around Nablus city following the attack.
Israeli newspapers said that soldiers at Huwara checkpoint showered a vehicle with a hail of bullets and killed its Palestinian driver immediately after he ran over one of them.
Local sources told the Palestinian Information Center that the young man, who carried out the vehicular attack, was identified as Hasan Ali from Raba village in Jenin.
They added that an Israeli ambulance seized the body of the young man and transferred it to an undeclared place.
Consequently, the Israeli army closed all checkpoints around Nablus city following the attack.
The Israeli public prosecutor submitted on Wednesday an indictment against two Palestinian fishermen for allegedly attacking Israeli Navy Forces off Gaza shores.
Israeli media sources claimed that two Palestinian fishermen exceeded recently the permitted fishing distance allowed by Israel and stoned Israeli Navy boats, which tried to stop them.
A number of Israeli soldiers were injured after the Palestinian fishing boat deliberately crashed into an Israeli gunboat, the sources alleged.
Israel has been systematically targeting Palestinian fishermen, preventing them from fishing and sometimes injuring and even killing them.
Israeli media sources claimed that two Palestinian fishermen exceeded recently the permitted fishing distance allowed by Israel and stoned Israeli Navy boats, which tried to stop them.
A number of Israeli soldiers were injured after the Palestinian fishing boat deliberately crashed into an Israeli gunboat, the sources alleged.
Israel has been systematically targeting Palestinian fishermen, preventing them from fishing and sometimes injuring and even killing them.
27 dec 2015
In lieu of growing Israeli focus on Jewish extremism, Israel’s Prime Minister on Sunday said that comparing “Arab terror and Jewish terror” was impossible, Israeli media reported.
During a weekly meeting, Benjamin Netanyahu said: "Here we condemn and they [the Palestinians] praise," according to Israeli daily Haaretz.
The PM said that "Jewish terror" was rare, while “Arab terror” frequently took place on a large scale.
Netanyahu stated that while Israeli leadership condemned terror attacks carried out by Jews, the Palestinian Authority “encourages terror and incites.”
The statement comes as ongoing investigations into the murder of three members of the Palestinian Dawabsha family by Jewish extremists as well as video footage released from an Israeli wedding party celebrating violence against Palestinians has been at the epicenter of Israeli public discussion.
Focus on the growing influence of Israeli extremist groups also coincides with a wave of violence that has left nearly 140 Palestinians and 20 Israelis dead since Oct. 1.
The majority of Palestinians were killed while carrying out attacks on Israeli military and civilians. Palestinian leadership has yet to condemn the individual attacks but has criticized Israel for its response to the recent violence.
While condemning the attacks, a UN official earlier this month said: “The injustices associated with an occupation which shows no prospect of ending feed into a perspective -- particularly among the youth -- that they have nothing to lose by sacrificing their lives."
Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon on Saturday said that recent cases of Jewish extremism had caused politicians to ignore “seemingly less serious” offenses against Palestinians and their property, in effect supporting the perpetrators, according to Haaretz.
Focus on the cases have put other offenses on the back burner, Yaalon said, including the uprooting of Palestinian olive trees and the burning of Palestinian property by Israeli settlers.
The minister said that encouragement from ministers and members of Knesset for settlement expansion as well as verbal attacks on public figures helped to enable incidents like the Dawabsha murder and incitement, Haaretz reported.
Threat of ‘Jewish terror’
Israel has received criticism from the international community and rights groups in the past regarding government policies that encourage violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians.
Israeli police earlier this week opened an investigation into the wedding of two right-wing Israelis after a video showed attendees dancing and singing songs about revenge while waving knives and guns in the air.
At one point during the ceremony, a masked Israeli youth waves a firebomb while another stabs a photo of Ali Dawabsha, an 18-month-old Palestinian burned alive in the arson attack that also left his parents dead.
Prime Minister Netanyahu said at the time that the video showed "the real face of a group that poses danger to Israeli society and security,” the daily said.
The suspects in the Dawabsha murder case have yet to be convicted, and Israel’s domestic security agency Shin Bet has received push-back from right-wing groups over its conduct in the investigation.
The Shin Bet last week warned that the case revealed the growing threat of Jewish terror organizations against the Israeli state as well as regional security.
Israeli settlers regularly carry out attacks on Palestinians and their property, purportedly in revenge for actions taken by Palestinians or the Israeli government against the illegal settlement enterprise.
The attacks -- over 324 of which were carried out in 2014 according to UN documentation -- were labelled as “acts of terrorism” by the US government in 2013.
During a weekly meeting, Benjamin Netanyahu said: "Here we condemn and they [the Palestinians] praise," according to Israeli daily Haaretz.
The PM said that "Jewish terror" was rare, while “Arab terror” frequently took place on a large scale.
Netanyahu stated that while Israeli leadership condemned terror attacks carried out by Jews, the Palestinian Authority “encourages terror and incites.”
The statement comes as ongoing investigations into the murder of three members of the Palestinian Dawabsha family by Jewish extremists as well as video footage released from an Israeli wedding party celebrating violence against Palestinians has been at the epicenter of Israeli public discussion.
Focus on the growing influence of Israeli extremist groups also coincides with a wave of violence that has left nearly 140 Palestinians and 20 Israelis dead since Oct. 1.
The majority of Palestinians were killed while carrying out attacks on Israeli military and civilians. Palestinian leadership has yet to condemn the individual attacks but has criticized Israel for its response to the recent violence.
While condemning the attacks, a UN official earlier this month said: “The injustices associated with an occupation which shows no prospect of ending feed into a perspective -- particularly among the youth -- that they have nothing to lose by sacrificing their lives."
Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon on Saturday said that recent cases of Jewish extremism had caused politicians to ignore “seemingly less serious” offenses against Palestinians and their property, in effect supporting the perpetrators, according to Haaretz.
Focus on the cases have put other offenses on the back burner, Yaalon said, including the uprooting of Palestinian olive trees and the burning of Palestinian property by Israeli settlers.
The minister said that encouragement from ministers and members of Knesset for settlement expansion as well as verbal attacks on public figures helped to enable incidents like the Dawabsha murder and incitement, Haaretz reported.
Threat of ‘Jewish terror’
Israel has received criticism from the international community and rights groups in the past regarding government policies that encourage violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians.
Israeli police earlier this week opened an investigation into the wedding of two right-wing Israelis after a video showed attendees dancing and singing songs about revenge while waving knives and guns in the air.
At one point during the ceremony, a masked Israeli youth waves a firebomb while another stabs a photo of Ali Dawabsha, an 18-month-old Palestinian burned alive in the arson attack that also left his parents dead.
Prime Minister Netanyahu said at the time that the video showed "the real face of a group that poses danger to Israeli society and security,” the daily said.
The suspects in the Dawabsha murder case have yet to be convicted, and Israel’s domestic security agency Shin Bet has received push-back from right-wing groups over its conduct in the investigation.
The Shin Bet last week warned that the case revealed the growing threat of Jewish terror organizations against the Israeli state as well as regional security.
Israeli settlers regularly carry out attacks on Palestinians and their property, purportedly in revenge for actions taken by Palestinians or the Israeli government against the illegal settlement enterprise.
The attacks -- over 324 of which were carried out in 2014 according to UN documentation -- were labelled as “acts of terrorism” by the US government in 2013.
An Israeli settler was shot and injured on early Sunday morning as he was driving near Palestinian lands in the southern occupied West Bank province of al-Khalil.
According to the Israeli Channel 7, a settler’s car was shot near the Samou’ town, in southern al-Khalil, critically wounding the driver.
An Israeli occupation patrol showed up at the scene and raked through the area in search for the perpetrator.
Earlier in the day, an Israeli occupation soldier was wounded in an anti-occupation stabbing attack in Jerusalem’s Central Station. The activist was shot and kidnapped right on the spot.
According to the Israeli Channel 7, a settler’s car was shot near the Samou’ town, in southern al-Khalil, critically wounding the driver.
An Israeli occupation patrol showed up at the scene and raked through the area in search for the perpetrator.
Earlier in the day, an Israeli occupation soldier was wounded in an anti-occupation stabbing attack in Jerusalem’s Central Station. The activist was shot and kidnapped right on the spot.
21 dec 2015
The Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) arrested Monday afternoon a Palestinian girl and four youths in al-Khalil to the south of occupied West Bank.
Eyewitnesses affirmed that the 16-year-old girl Madlin Harizat was detained at the entrance of Yatta town, east of the city, for an alleged stabbing attempt. She was then taken to a detention center, southwest of the city.
Also in al-Khalil, four Palestinians were arrested as clashes broke out in Ramlah suburb. Two minors were among the detainees.
The clashes erupted when IOF stormed the neighborhood amid heavy fire of tear gas bombs.
Similar attacks were also carried out in Beit Ummar town, north of the city, where Palestinian students suffered from effects of tear gas inhalation.
Meanwhile, a second girl was arrested in occupied Jerusalem for allegedly having a knife in her possession.
Yediot Ahranot Hebrew newspaper said that the detained girl, 16, was arrested in the Jewish neighborhood while on her way to carry out a stabbing attack.
On 27 October, Amnesty International released a report that called into question a number of accounts in which Palestinians were shot and killed after alleged stabbing incidents. The group found that many of the cases, including the death of Hadeel al-Hashlamon, were extrajudicial killings.
The day after the report was released, Israel’s Justice Ministry announced that 29-year-old Israa Abed who was shot multiple times by Israeli forces, but not killed, had been cleared of all charges. The court ruled that police investigations into Abed’s shooting were conclusive of the fact that she did not pose any threat when she was shot.
Eyewitnesses affirmed that the 16-year-old girl Madlin Harizat was detained at the entrance of Yatta town, east of the city, for an alleged stabbing attempt. She was then taken to a detention center, southwest of the city.
Also in al-Khalil, four Palestinians were arrested as clashes broke out in Ramlah suburb. Two minors were among the detainees.
The clashes erupted when IOF stormed the neighborhood amid heavy fire of tear gas bombs.
Similar attacks were also carried out in Beit Ummar town, north of the city, where Palestinian students suffered from effects of tear gas inhalation.
Meanwhile, a second girl was arrested in occupied Jerusalem for allegedly having a knife in her possession.
Yediot Ahranot Hebrew newspaper said that the detained girl, 16, was arrested in the Jewish neighborhood while on her way to carry out a stabbing attack.
On 27 October, Amnesty International released a report that called into question a number of accounts in which Palestinians were shot and killed after alleged stabbing incidents. The group found that many of the cases, including the death of Hadeel al-Hashlamon, were extrajudicial killings.
The day after the report was released, Israel’s Justice Ministry announced that 29-year-old Israa Abed who was shot multiple times by Israeli forces, but not killed, had been cleared of all charges. The court ruled that police investigations into Abed’s shooting were conclusive of the fact that she did not pose any threat when she was shot.
20 dec 2015
Armed clashes broke out between Palestinian gunmen and Israeli forces near the Qalandiya military checkpoint near Ramallah late Saturday, locals said, injuring two teenage bystanders.
Locals told Ma’an that “Palestinian militants” hurled several pipe bombs -- a type of improvised explosive device -- at Israeli forces stationed by the checkpoint before a group of gunmen arrived and exchanged fire with the forces for around twenty minutes.
Israeli soldiers reportedly opened fire heavily at Palestinian homes and stores opposite to the military checkpoint.
Fourteen-year-old Fidaa Sheiki was hit in the abdomen with live fire while she was inside her family home adjacent to the checkpoint and an unidentified teenage boy was hit and injured in his hand, according to locals.
Witnesses said that they saw Israeli ambulances arrive to the checkpoint “likely to evacuate Israeli soldiers who were possibly injured” in the exchange.
An Israeli army spokesperson had no record of the clashes and an Israeli border police spokesperson was not immediately available for comment.
Tensions in the Qalandiya area have been running high in recent weeks, with a Palestinian shot and detained Friday after he attempted to run his vehicle into Israeli forces at the checkpoint.
Two Palestinians were killed on Wednesday during a predawn military raid in the Qalandiya refugee camp, after reportedly attempting to carry out separate car-ramming attacks on Israeli soldiers in the camp.
The week before, armed Palestinian protesters closed the main road leading to Qalandiya checkpoint demanding that Israel release the body of a young girl killed by Israeli forces in Jerusalem on Nov. 23.
Fourteen-year-old Hadeel Wajih Awwad -- a Qalandiya camp resident -- was shot dead and her 16-year-old cousin critically injured after reportedly carrying out a stab attack with scissors in West Jerusalem.
Her body was delivered by Israeli officials on Friday and hundreds attended her funeral when she was buried in the camp's cemetery.
The week before the teen’s death, Israeli forces had killed two Palestinians in the refugee camp during a raid to demolish the home of an alleged Palestinian attacker.
Locals told Ma’an that “Palestinian militants” hurled several pipe bombs -- a type of improvised explosive device -- at Israeli forces stationed by the checkpoint before a group of gunmen arrived and exchanged fire with the forces for around twenty minutes.
Israeli soldiers reportedly opened fire heavily at Palestinian homes and stores opposite to the military checkpoint.
Fourteen-year-old Fidaa Sheiki was hit in the abdomen with live fire while she was inside her family home adjacent to the checkpoint and an unidentified teenage boy was hit and injured in his hand, according to locals.
Witnesses said that they saw Israeli ambulances arrive to the checkpoint “likely to evacuate Israeli soldiers who were possibly injured” in the exchange.
An Israeli army spokesperson had no record of the clashes and an Israeli border police spokesperson was not immediately available for comment.
Tensions in the Qalandiya area have been running high in recent weeks, with a Palestinian shot and detained Friday after he attempted to run his vehicle into Israeli forces at the checkpoint.
Two Palestinians were killed on Wednesday during a predawn military raid in the Qalandiya refugee camp, after reportedly attempting to carry out separate car-ramming attacks on Israeli soldiers in the camp.
The week before, armed Palestinian protesters closed the main road leading to Qalandiya checkpoint demanding that Israel release the body of a young girl killed by Israeli forces in Jerusalem on Nov. 23.
Fourteen-year-old Hadeel Wajih Awwad -- a Qalandiya camp resident -- was shot dead and her 16-year-old cousin critically injured after reportedly carrying out a stab attack with scissors in West Jerusalem.
Her body was delivered by Israeli officials on Friday and hundreds attended her funeral when she was buried in the camp's cemetery.
The week before the teen’s death, Israeli forces had killed two Palestinians in the refugee camp during a raid to demolish the home of an alleged Palestinian attacker.
Israeli forces on Sunday shot a Palestinian near an Israeli military checkpoint at the entrance of al-Shuhada street in Hebron’s Old City after she attempted to carry out a stabbing attack.
Witnesses told Ma'an that a 35-year-old woman from a Hebron-area village attempted to stab a soldier before she was shot in the head with a rubber-coated steel bullet.
According to witnesses, a young Palestinian man approached the woman and attempted to help her but was prevented when he was also shot by a rubber-coated steel bullet.
Palestinian Red Crescent paramedics then gave the woman medical treatment on site before she was taken into custody by Israeli soldiers, witnesses added.
Israeli media reported that the woman was in moderate to serious condition after being shot.
An Israeli army spokesperson confirmed the incident but told Ma’an they were still investigating details of the attempted attack.
The attack attempt is the latest to take place in the occupied Palestinian territory, where an escalation of violence that kicked off in October has continued full-fledged into December.
Hebron’s Old City has been at the epicenter of the recent tensions, where Israeli forces last week shot and injured 16-year-old Lama Munthir Hafith al-Bakri northeast of Hebron’s Old City after the army said she attempted to stab an Israeli pedestrian.
Palestinian residents of the Hebron governorate have remained under severe restrictions on movement for several weeks.
Routes leading from Hebron-area villages to main traffic arteries have either been entirely blocked to vehicular movement or are controlled by flying checkpoints manned by Israeli military forces, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
Hebron’s Old City was meanwhile declared a closed military zone last month, with entrance only allowed to Palestinian residents of the Israeli-controlled H2 area as well as Israeli settlers that live in illegal settlements across the area.
Hundreds of Palestinians from across the Hebron district last week protested for the return of the bodies of 21 Palestinians who were killed by Israeli military or settlers.
Israeli authorities have withheld the bodies of suspected attackers from the families, sparking outrage especially among Hebron communities.
Witnesses told Ma'an that a 35-year-old woman from a Hebron-area village attempted to stab a soldier before she was shot in the head with a rubber-coated steel bullet.
According to witnesses, a young Palestinian man approached the woman and attempted to help her but was prevented when he was also shot by a rubber-coated steel bullet.
Palestinian Red Crescent paramedics then gave the woman medical treatment on site before she was taken into custody by Israeli soldiers, witnesses added.
Israeli media reported that the woman was in moderate to serious condition after being shot.
An Israeli army spokesperson confirmed the incident but told Ma’an they were still investigating details of the attempted attack.
The attack attempt is the latest to take place in the occupied Palestinian territory, where an escalation of violence that kicked off in October has continued full-fledged into December.
Hebron’s Old City has been at the epicenter of the recent tensions, where Israeli forces last week shot and injured 16-year-old Lama Munthir Hafith al-Bakri northeast of Hebron’s Old City after the army said she attempted to stab an Israeli pedestrian.
Palestinian residents of the Hebron governorate have remained under severe restrictions on movement for several weeks.
Routes leading from Hebron-area villages to main traffic arteries have either been entirely blocked to vehicular movement or are controlled by flying checkpoints manned by Israeli military forces, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
Hebron’s Old City was meanwhile declared a closed military zone last month, with entrance only allowed to Palestinian residents of the Israeli-controlled H2 area as well as Israeli settlers that live in illegal settlements across the area.
Hundreds of Palestinians from across the Hebron district last week protested for the return of the bodies of 21 Palestinians who were killed by Israeli military or settlers.
Israeli authorities have withheld the bodies of suspected attackers from the families, sparking outrage especially among Hebron communities.
19 dec 2015
A Palestinian from the occupied West Bank reportedly injured three Israelis in a stabbing attack which occurred in the town of Raanana north of Tel Aviv, Israeli police said.Israeli police spokesperson Luba al-Samri stated that a 20-year-old Palestinian from the village of Tammum was arrested after stabbing and moderately injuring one, and leaving two other victims lightly injured.
Two victims were taken to a nearby hospital, while the third was reportedly treated on scene.
The suspect initially fled after the attack, but was located by Israeli police with the assistance of witnesses on site, al-Samri said.
Israeli media reported that the attacker was shot on scene, however Israeli police spokesperson Micky Rosenfeld was unable to confirm to Ma’an if the suspect was injured.
Checkpoints were reportedly erected on main roads leading in and out of Raanana following the attack. Tammum -- the suspect’s hometown -- is located northeast of Nablus in the northern occupied West Bank.
Attacks carried out by Palestinian individuals on Israeli military and civilians began at the start of October and have continued through into December.
Nineteen Israelis have been killed in attacks and around 200 injured, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
At least 125 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers during the same time period, and well over 11,000 injured.
The circumstances of several deaths continue to be disputed as investigations by rights groups have revealed excessive use of force and extrajudicial killing by Israeli forces against Palestinians who had not posed a threat at the time they were killed.
Evidence has been revealed which indicates that many of the reports on knife attacks are not in fact genuine.
Two victims were taken to a nearby hospital, while the third was reportedly treated on scene.
The suspect initially fled after the attack, but was located by Israeli police with the assistance of witnesses on site, al-Samri said.
Israeli media reported that the attacker was shot on scene, however Israeli police spokesperson Micky Rosenfeld was unable to confirm to Ma’an if the suspect was injured.
Checkpoints were reportedly erected on main roads leading in and out of Raanana following the attack. Tammum -- the suspect’s hometown -- is located northeast of Nablus in the northern occupied West Bank.
Attacks carried out by Palestinian individuals on Israeli military and civilians began at the start of October and have continued through into December.
Nineteen Israelis have been killed in attacks and around 200 injured, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
At least 125 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces and settlers during the same time period, and well over 11,000 injured.
The circumstances of several deaths continue to be disputed as investigations by rights groups have revealed excessive use of force and extrajudicial killing by Israeli forces against Palestinians who had not posed a threat at the time they were killed.
Evidence has been revealed which indicates that many of the reports on knife attacks are not in fact genuine.
