25 jan 2017
More than a hundred Israeli settlers have once again stormed al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied Jerusalem Wednesday morning via the Israeli-controlled Magharibeh gate.
The settlers were escorted by several groups of Israeli troops which led to a state of tension among Palestinian worshipers.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Islamic Awqaf (Endowment) Department in Occupied Jerusalem condemned the Israeli escalation in al-Aqsa after allowing settlers groups to perform Talmudic rituals in the compound.
The department also denounced the settlers’ daily provocative break-ins into the holy Islamic shrine.
Over the past few days, Israeli police allowed a group of settlers to perform Talmudic rituals in the Mosque's courtyard in total provocation to Muslim worshipers.
The department reaffirmed that the whole 144 dunums of the al-Aqsa Mosque is a sacred shrine for Muslims only, and no one has the right to make changes on the status quo in the compound.
The settlers were escorted by several groups of Israeli troops which led to a state of tension among Palestinian worshipers.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Islamic Awqaf (Endowment) Department in Occupied Jerusalem condemned the Israeli escalation in al-Aqsa after allowing settlers groups to perform Talmudic rituals in the compound.
The department also denounced the settlers’ daily provocative break-ins into the holy Islamic shrine.
Over the past few days, Israeli police allowed a group of settlers to perform Talmudic rituals in the Mosque's courtyard in total provocation to Muslim worshipers.
The department reaffirmed that the whole 144 dunums of the al-Aqsa Mosque is a sacred shrine for Muslims only, and no one has the right to make changes on the status quo in the compound.
Haaretz newspaper on Tuesday released pictures of a synagogue as it was being established on a seized Palestinian plot of land east of Qalqilya city in the West Bank.
According to the newspaper, Mevasseret Zion settlers appropriated a piece of land in Nabi Ilyas area east of Qalqilya and embarked on building the synagogue.
The seized land had already been annexed by the Israeli army for military purposes before settlers removed a “military zone” sign.
According to the newspaper, Mevasseret Zion settlers appropriated a piece of land in Nabi Ilyas area east of Qalqilya and embarked on building the synagogue.
The seized land had already been annexed by the Israeli army for military purposes before settlers removed a “military zone” sign.
24 jan 2017
Lieberman addressed the possibility of an additional conflict during an INSS conference: "The IDF's orders are to go in full force.' Lieberman also addressed the approval to construct thousands of housing units in the West Bank and said of the Palestinians: 'There is no legitimate leader with whom to make peace.'
At a conference held by the Institute for National Security Studies on Tuesday, Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman said that the IDF's orders are to "go in full force." "If the other side doesn't yield and raise a white flag, we don't stop."
Lieberman also addressed the decision to approve the construction of about 2,500 housing units in Judea and Samaria and connected it to Donald Trump's taking office as the president of the United States: "There is nothing new about it, we have always constructed, including under the Obama administration."
Lieberman criticized Palestinian President Mahmoud "Abu Mazen" Abbas, saying, "There is no one there to actually sign a dramatic agreement with that would change reality. We need a powerful leadership with sway in the field, but Abu Mazen is not a legitimate leader."
He continued to say that "there is no Palestinian Authority. It doesn't exist. We keep forgetting the fact that the Gaza strip is ruled by Hamas and not by the PA."
"There were many good people who worked on an agreement. Why couldn't they work out the problem? It would be impossible to offer Abu Mazen more than what Olmert offered him in Annapolis, including dividing Jerusalem, rehashing the refugee issue, and the evacuation of the West Bank—everything. And what did we end up getting? A no."
Liberman was asked what he would advise President Donald Trump. "It isn't right to advise Americans. Let's not exaggerate. We are a small country and they are a world power," said Liberman and verbally attacked the European countries: "I advise the Europeans, Americans and Russians to first of all steer clear of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Whoever wants to help solve the conflict should first forget the excessive involvement of the rest of the world powers, mainly that of Europe. It is mostly disruptive."
Regarding the Elor Azaria case, Lieberman said, "I don't know whether the soldier did the right thing or not. That is not my job. Again, I advise everyone to accept and respect the military court's decision even if we are not very comfortable."
At a conference held by the Institute for National Security Studies on Tuesday, Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman said that the IDF's orders are to "go in full force." "If the other side doesn't yield and raise a white flag, we don't stop."
Lieberman also addressed the decision to approve the construction of about 2,500 housing units in Judea and Samaria and connected it to Donald Trump's taking office as the president of the United States: "There is nothing new about it, we have always constructed, including under the Obama administration."
Lieberman criticized Palestinian President Mahmoud "Abu Mazen" Abbas, saying, "There is no one there to actually sign a dramatic agreement with that would change reality. We need a powerful leadership with sway in the field, but Abu Mazen is not a legitimate leader."
He continued to say that "there is no Palestinian Authority. It doesn't exist. We keep forgetting the fact that the Gaza strip is ruled by Hamas and not by the PA."
"There were many good people who worked on an agreement. Why couldn't they work out the problem? It would be impossible to offer Abu Mazen more than what Olmert offered him in Annapolis, including dividing Jerusalem, rehashing the refugee issue, and the evacuation of the West Bank—everything. And what did we end up getting? A no."
Liberman was asked what he would advise President Donald Trump. "It isn't right to advise Americans. Let's not exaggerate. We are a small country and they are a world power," said Liberman and verbally attacked the European countries: "I advise the Europeans, Americans and Russians to first of all steer clear of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Whoever wants to help solve the conflict should first forget the excessive involvement of the rest of the world powers, mainly that of Europe. It is mostly disruptive."
Regarding the Elor Azaria case, Lieberman said, "I don't know whether the soldier did the right thing or not. That is not my job. Again, I advise everyone to accept and respect the military court's decision even if we are not very comfortable."
A group of Israeli settlers seized on Tuesday a Palestinian shop in the Old City in occupied Jerusalem.
Al-Quds Press news agency said that Jewish settlers, escorted by Israeli forces, broke into a shop owned by the family of Noura Sub-Laban and started excavation and maintenance activities there without the family's knowledge.
Raafat Sub-Laban, Noura's son, said that Israeli settlers raided in the morning his family's shop, which has been closed for years, "like thieves" and started digging inside without his family's knowledge.
He added that the Israeli High Court excluded in its latest hearing the shop from the decision which allowed his parents to stay in their house for the next 10 years, after which it will be handed to Israeli settlers.
He pointed out that Israeli policemen and border guards secured the settlers' raid into the Palestinian facility before the outbreak of clashes between the settlers and the owners of the shop.
The Israeli High Court issued on 20th December 2016 a decision to postpone transferring the ownership of the Sub-Labans' house to Israeli settlers for 10 years starting from the date of the decision excluding the family's closed shop.
The settlement associations have been trying for years to evict the Sub-Labans from their house backed up by harassments practiced by the Israeli authorities. For example, in the seventies of the past century, the family was prevented from making any repairs or restorations in the house, and in the eighties, the house's entrance was blocked by Israeli settlers.
In 2010, the Israeli authorities gave the house to the Kollel Galicia Trust, a private settler group, who claimed that the house is a Jewish endowment and called for evacuating the Sub-Labans from it claiming that the family do not live in it.
Despite all the Israeli pressures, the Sub-Laban family stood steadfast in the Israeli courts for more than 20 years until they managed to regain their right to stay in it though temporarily.
According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), at least 180 Palestinian families in occupied Jerusalem are under the threat of being forced out of their houses due to the court cases filed against them by Israeli settlers or settlement associations under the pretext of lacking the ownership of the properties or losing the protected tenant status.
Al-Quds Press news agency said that Jewish settlers, escorted by Israeli forces, broke into a shop owned by the family of Noura Sub-Laban and started excavation and maintenance activities there without the family's knowledge.
Raafat Sub-Laban, Noura's son, said that Israeli settlers raided in the morning his family's shop, which has been closed for years, "like thieves" and started digging inside without his family's knowledge.
He added that the Israeli High Court excluded in its latest hearing the shop from the decision which allowed his parents to stay in their house for the next 10 years, after which it will be handed to Israeli settlers.
He pointed out that Israeli policemen and border guards secured the settlers' raid into the Palestinian facility before the outbreak of clashes between the settlers and the owners of the shop.
The Israeli High Court issued on 20th December 2016 a decision to postpone transferring the ownership of the Sub-Labans' house to Israeli settlers for 10 years starting from the date of the decision excluding the family's closed shop.
The settlement associations have been trying for years to evict the Sub-Labans from their house backed up by harassments practiced by the Israeli authorities. For example, in the seventies of the past century, the family was prevented from making any repairs or restorations in the house, and in the eighties, the house's entrance was blocked by Israeli settlers.
In 2010, the Israeli authorities gave the house to the Kollel Galicia Trust, a private settler group, who claimed that the house is a Jewish endowment and called for evacuating the Sub-Labans from it claiming that the family do not live in it.
Despite all the Israeli pressures, the Sub-Laban family stood steadfast in the Israeli courts for more than 20 years until they managed to regain their right to stay in it though temporarily.
According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), at least 180 Palestinian families in occupied Jerusalem are under the threat of being forced out of their houses due to the court cases filed against them by Israeli settlers or settlement associations under the pretext of lacking the ownership of the properties or losing the protected tenant status.
23 jan 2017
Israeli police said on Monday that it had extended the remand of four Israeli settlers suspected of assaulting Palestinian farmers in the village of Turmusayya north of Ramallah in the occupied West Bank, adding that the settlers were indicted in a Jerusalem court over charges of "racially-motivated assault with intention to harm."
Al-Samri said that Israeli police officers had arrested the settlers on Jan. 16 from the illegal Israeli settlement of Geolat Zion near Turmusayya, after police officers saw a number of masked settlers waving clubs and hurling stones at Palestinian farmers in the area.
Police officers chased the settlers, arresting four of them, three of whom were minors, according to the statement.
Two days later, Israeli settlers damaged 12 olive trees belonging to Palestinians near Turmusayya, al-Samri said at the time, in a statement that did not mention the assault case. She said that Israeli police had opened an investigation into the case.
Settlers often carry out attacks on Palestinians and their property, known as “price tag attacks.”
Many Palestinian activists and rights groups have accused Israel of fostering a “culture of impunity” for Israeli settlers and soldiers committing violent acts against Palestinians, who are rarely held accountable for their actions.
According to Israeli NGO Yesh Din, over 85 percent of investigations into violence committed by Israeli settlers against Palestinians are closed without indictments and only 1.9 percent of complaints submitted by Palestinians against Israeli settler attacks result in a conviction.
Yesh Din spokesperson Gilad Grossman told Ma’an in May, ahead of the release of a Jewish extremist arrested for a deadly arson attack that killed three members of the Palestinian Dawabsha family in the occupied West Bank, that the dearth of adequate policing by Israeli forces in the West Bank was largely due to a lack of ability as well as an unwillingness to address ideologically motivated crimes against Palestinians.
Attacks by settlers are often carried out under the armed protection of Israeli forces, who rarely make efforts to protect Palestinians from such attacks.
Between 500,000 and 600,000 Israelis live in Jewish-only settlements across occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank in violation of international law, with recent announcements of settlement expansion provoking condemnation from the international community.
According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), there were a total of 107 reported settler attacks against Palestinians and their properties in the West Bank and occupied East Jerusalem in 2016.
Al-Samri said that Israeli police officers had arrested the settlers on Jan. 16 from the illegal Israeli settlement of Geolat Zion near Turmusayya, after police officers saw a number of masked settlers waving clubs and hurling stones at Palestinian farmers in the area.
Police officers chased the settlers, arresting four of them, three of whom were minors, according to the statement.
Two days later, Israeli settlers damaged 12 olive trees belonging to Palestinians near Turmusayya, al-Samri said at the time, in a statement that did not mention the assault case. She said that Israeli police had opened an investigation into the case.
Settlers often carry out attacks on Palestinians and their property, known as “price tag attacks.”
Many Palestinian activists and rights groups have accused Israel of fostering a “culture of impunity” for Israeli settlers and soldiers committing violent acts against Palestinians, who are rarely held accountable for their actions.
According to Israeli NGO Yesh Din, over 85 percent of investigations into violence committed by Israeli settlers against Palestinians are closed without indictments and only 1.9 percent of complaints submitted by Palestinians against Israeli settler attacks result in a conviction.
Yesh Din spokesperson Gilad Grossman told Ma’an in May, ahead of the release of a Jewish extremist arrested for a deadly arson attack that killed three members of the Palestinian Dawabsha family in the occupied West Bank, that the dearth of adequate policing by Israeli forces in the West Bank was largely due to a lack of ability as well as an unwillingness to address ideologically motivated crimes against Palestinians.
Attacks by settlers are often carried out under the armed protection of Israeli forces, who rarely make efforts to protect Palestinians from such attacks.
Between 500,000 and 600,000 Israelis live in Jewish-only settlements across occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank in violation of international law, with recent announcements of settlement expansion provoking condemnation from the international community.
According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), there were a total of 107 reported settler attacks against Palestinians and their properties in the West Bank and occupied East Jerusalem in 2016.
22 jan 2017
Dozens of Jewish settlers on Sunday morning desecrated the Aqsa Mosque’s courtyards under tight security protection.
According to Quds Press, the Israeli police closed the Aqsa Mosque’s Maghariba Gate after allowing in 31 settlers.
Armed security men and police forces escorted the settlers as they were touring the Mosque’s courtyards and areas.
About 330 Jewish settlers, including Shin Bet and police officers, defiled the Islamic holy site in Occupied Jerusalem last week.
According to Quds Press, the Israeli police closed the Aqsa Mosque’s Maghariba Gate after allowing in 31 settlers.
Armed security men and police forces escorted the settlers as they were touring the Mosque’s courtyards and areas.
About 330 Jewish settlers, including Shin Bet and police officers, defiled the Islamic holy site in Occupied Jerusalem last week.
20 jan 2017
The Mateh Binyamin regional council, which is responsible for 42 illegal Israeli settlements and outposts in the West Bank, has placed 12 mobile homes near Ofra settlement for the Amona settlers.
According to Haaretz newspaper on Friday, these makeshift homes were sited illegally in order to accommodate the settlers who will be evacuated from the illegal outpost of Amona.
It claimed that the Israeli army’s civil administration might take a measure against this step.
Amona outpost was supposed to be evacuated last December 2016 according to a court order, but the Israeli government managed to extract a verdict from the high court of justice delaying the evacuation until early February.
The Israeli government is trying nowadays to illegally seize Palestinian-owned lands near the outpost in order to establish homes on them for Amona settlers.
According to Haaretz newspaper on Friday, these makeshift homes were sited illegally in order to accommodate the settlers who will be evacuated from the illegal outpost of Amona.
It claimed that the Israeli army’s civil administration might take a measure against this step.
Amona outpost was supposed to be evacuated last December 2016 according to a court order, but the Israeli government managed to extract a verdict from the high court of justice delaying the evacuation until early February.
The Israeli government is trying nowadays to illegally seize Palestinian-owned lands near the outpost in order to establish homes on them for Amona settlers.
Palestinians living in Nablus’s southern town of Qasra just before noontime Friday were attacked by a gang of armed Israeli settlers.
Speaking to the PIC, eyewitnesses said four Israeli gangsters broke into Palestinian lands in Qasr al-Ein area, in Qasra village, and attacked the local farmers and civilians.
Shortly after, the native Palestinian inhabitants of the area showed up at the scene and stood on guard to the Israeli assailants.
Two Israeli settlers reportedly held machineguns, which they were carrying, at Palestinians’ heads.
Local supervision committees nabbed the Israeli attackers and turned them in to the Palestinian Liaison.
Speaking to the PIC, eyewitnesses said four Israeli gangsters broke into Palestinian lands in Qasr al-Ein area, in Qasra village, and attacked the local farmers and civilians.
Shortly after, the native Palestinian inhabitants of the area showed up at the scene and stood on guard to the Israeli assailants.
Two Israeli settlers reportedly held machineguns, which they were carrying, at Palestinians’ heads.
Local supervision committees nabbed the Israeli attackers and turned them in to the Palestinian Liaison.
2,700 new Israeli settlements units have been approved early Friday in Gush Etzion illegal settlement only few hours ahead of US president Donald Trump’s inauguration.
US flags were raised throughout the settlement celebrating the inauguration and presidency of Donald Trump.
The newly approved housing units had been frozen because of the international criticism of settlement activity in the last three years.
However, Israeli authorities decided to step up settlement construction after Trump’s election as US President.
Representatives of Israeli settlers have reportedly received an invitation to attend Trump's inauguration ceremony.
US flags were raised throughout the settlement celebrating the inauguration and presidency of Donald Trump.
The newly approved housing units had been frozen because of the international criticism of settlement activity in the last three years.
However, Israeli authorities decided to step up settlement construction after Trump’s election as US President.
Representatives of Israeli settlers have reportedly received an invitation to attend Trump's inauguration ceremony.
18 jan 2017
At least one Palestinian young man was injured as clashes broke out Wednesday between Israeli forces and local youths east of Nablus.
The clashes erupted when nearly 15 Israeli buses carrying hundreds of settlers stormed the city under IOF protection to perform Talmudic rituals in Youssef tomb historical site.
The 19-year-old Mohamed Hashash was shot and injured in his left hand during the clashes. He was later taken to hospital for treatment.
Two young men were also detained from their houses for being allegedly involved in the clashes.
The clashes erupted when nearly 15 Israeli buses carrying hundreds of settlers stormed the city under IOF protection to perform Talmudic rituals in Youssef tomb historical site.
The 19-year-old Mohamed Hashash was shot and injured in his left hand during the clashes. He was later taken to hospital for treatment.
Two young men were also detained from their houses for being allegedly involved in the clashes.
17 jan 2017
A Palestinian child suffered several injuries on Tuesday after she was run over by an Israeli settler in southern al-Khalil city, south of the occupied West Bank.
Eyewitnesses told the PIC reporter that the 4-year-old Lian al-Razem was run over while crossing the street by an Israeli settler in Jabal Johar neighborhood, where the Israeli settlement of Kiryat Arba is built on a part of its land.
The child was taken by an ambulance of the Red Crescent Society to the hospital for treatment.
Eyewitnesses told the PIC reporter that the 4-year-old Lian al-Razem was run over while crossing the street by an Israeli settler in Jabal Johar neighborhood, where the Israeli settlement of Kiryat Arba is built on a part of its land.
The child was taken by an ambulance of the Red Crescent Society to the hospital for treatment.