8 july 2015
‘Temple Mount’ organisations and groups have demanded in an official letter to Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu that Al-Aqsa Mosque be closed to Muslims for a week from July 26.
The closure of the mosque compound would include the week of ‘The destruction of the Temple’, a Jewish holiday which comes a week after Eid al-Fatr at the end of Ramadan. Al-Aqsa Foundation said that settlers had demanded Al-Aqsa Mosque be closed to Muslims during this week, and that settlers be permitted to enter, from July 26.
In the letter, the Temple organisations and groups said: “Due to the closure of Temple Mount [the Israeli name for Al-Aqsa Mosque], the Muslims’ prevention of Jewish entry, and their inability to protect the holy site, the citizens of Israel propose that Temple Mount be opened only to Jews during the Jewish holiday and closed to the Muslims
who riot at the Jewish entrance”.
The letter came as a response to the Israeli police’s closure of al-Mughrabi Gate to settlers for the final ten nights of Ramadan, as a large number of Muslim worshipers flood the mosque compound. The police said that they closed the gate to avoid altercations arising as a result of settler incursions.
Temple activists said in their letter to Netanyahu that “Your response to our demand will show that you have fulfilled your pre-election promise in front of everyone to build mechanisms allowing for Jews to pray at the Temple”.
The Temple organisations strengthened their demand using Israeli public opinion, setting up an online poll in which the public could support their campaign to close the mosque compound to Muslims during the Jewish holiday. They called on the active public to stand with them in their campaign.
In the same context, extremist lawyer Tamir Ibn Ghabir sent a letter in protest of the Israeli police’s decision to close the mosque to settlers during the last ten days of Ramadan, calling it ‘racist and religious profiling’.
The closure of the mosque compound would include the week of ‘The destruction of the Temple’, a Jewish holiday which comes a week after Eid al-Fatr at the end of Ramadan. Al-Aqsa Foundation said that settlers had demanded Al-Aqsa Mosque be closed to Muslims during this week, and that settlers be permitted to enter, from July 26.
In the letter, the Temple organisations and groups said: “Due to the closure of Temple Mount [the Israeli name for Al-Aqsa Mosque], the Muslims’ prevention of Jewish entry, and their inability to protect the holy site, the citizens of Israel propose that Temple Mount be opened only to Jews during the Jewish holiday and closed to the Muslims
who riot at the Jewish entrance”.
The letter came as a response to the Israeli police’s closure of al-Mughrabi Gate to settlers for the final ten nights of Ramadan, as a large number of Muslim worshipers flood the mosque compound. The police said that they closed the gate to avoid altercations arising as a result of settler incursions.
Temple activists said in their letter to Netanyahu that “Your response to our demand will show that you have fulfilled your pre-election promise in front of everyone to build mechanisms allowing for Jews to pray at the Temple”.
The Temple organisations strengthened their demand using Israeli public opinion, setting up an online poll in which the public could support their campaign to close the mosque compound to Muslims during the Jewish holiday. They called on the active public to stand with them in their campaign.
In the same context, extremist lawyer Tamir Ibn Ghabir sent a letter in protest of the Israeli police’s decision to close the mosque to settlers during the last ten days of Ramadan, calling it ‘racist and religious profiling’.
Extremist Israeli settlers yesterday chased down and assaulted 3 Palestinian workers on an-Anbiya Street in Jerusalem.
According to WAFA, witnesses described seeing a group of illegal settlers running after the workers before catching up with them and physically assaulting them.
Israeli police then arrived at the scene of the crime and did nothing to the perpetrators of the attack but rather arrested two victims of the assault. The third was transferred to a nearby hospital for treatment.
This latest assault comes hours after a 14-year-old Jerusalem Palestinian sustained an injury to his eye during a vicious attack by settlers.
A woman was also injured three days ago when extremist settlers attacked her and her family as they waited in traffic. The settlers threw stones at the car, which led to the woman passenger sustaining light injuries.
According to WAFA, witnesses described seeing a group of illegal settlers running after the workers before catching up with them and physically assaulting them.
Israeli police then arrived at the scene of the crime and did nothing to the perpetrators of the attack but rather arrested two victims of the assault. The third was transferred to a nearby hospital for treatment.
This latest assault comes hours after a 14-year-old Jerusalem Palestinian sustained an injury to his eye during a vicious attack by settlers.
A woman was also injured three days ago when extremist settlers attacked her and her family as they waited in traffic. The settlers threw stones at the car, which led to the woman passenger sustaining light injuries.
7 july 2015
A number of Israeli extremists attacked, earlier on Tuesday at dawn, three Palestinians, including two brothers in the al-Misrara Street, in occupied Jerusalem, wounding one of them, before the police arrived at the scene and detained the two other residents.
Resident Firas Mojahed, 45, said the extremists attacked him, his brother Mohammad, 37, and their friend Hasan al-Julani, 28 years of age, hurled stones on them while cursing at them, and struck him on the head with a baton.
The Israeli Police called for an ambulance that moved Firas to the Hadassah Israeli medical center in Jerusalem, and took his brother and their friend to the al-Maskobiyya police station.
They were released on bail later; the police did not detain any of the Israeli attackers.
On Saturday evening, Israeli extremists assaulted several Palestinians of the al-Masri family, in Jerusalem, while driving on Road #1.
Resident Ahmad al-Masri said the fanatics hurled stones on the cars before assaulting them with batons, and that one of the assailants was waving a pocket knife.
Al-Masri added that the police confiscated the knife, and instead of detaining the attackers, briefly imprisoned him, and his brother Hasan.
He stated that the fanatics were also shouting and cursing at his pregnant wife, and his mother, and that his wife, Sabreen, suffered a miscarriage directly after the attack.
Resident Firas Mojahed, 45, said the extremists attacked him, his brother Mohammad, 37, and their friend Hasan al-Julani, 28 years of age, hurled stones on them while cursing at them, and struck him on the head with a baton.
The Israeli Police called for an ambulance that moved Firas to the Hadassah Israeli medical center in Jerusalem, and took his brother and their friend to the al-Maskobiyya police station.
They were released on bail later; the police did not detain any of the Israeli attackers.
On Saturday evening, Israeli extremists assaulted several Palestinians of the al-Masri family, in Jerusalem, while driving on Road #1.
Resident Ahmad al-Masri said the fanatics hurled stones on the cars before assaulting them with batons, and that one of the assailants was waving a pocket knife.
Al-Masri added that the police confiscated the knife, and instead of detaining the attackers, briefly imprisoned him, and his brother Hasan.
He stated that the fanatics were also shouting and cursing at his pregnant wife, and his mother, and that his wife, Sabreen, suffered a miscarriage directly after the attack.
6 july 2015
Settler groups support widespread raids of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem in preparation of Jewish commemoration of the “destruction of the Temple” next week, protected by Israeli police
During settler raids in the Al-Aqsa mosque, a technique known as the “path of escape” is often used. This technique entails imposing a large number of Jewish worshipers in the mosque accompanied by the Israeli police force from the Mughrabi gate and in through the second door, which has no curfew.
The Israeli police prevented the settlers from storming the al-Aqsa mosque yesterday due to the large presence of worshipers there. This was met with wide condemnation by the leaders of Jewish groups and organisations that fall under the so-called “temple groups”.
The leadership of these Israeli temple organisations have been invited to support widespread participation in the incursions of the Al-Aqsa mosque these days in participation for the celebration of the “destruction of the Temple” next week.
During settler raids in the Al-Aqsa mosque, a technique known as the “path of escape” is often used. This technique entails imposing a large number of Jewish worshipers in the mosque accompanied by the Israeli police force from the Mughrabi gate and in through the second door, which has no curfew.
The Israeli police prevented the settlers from storming the al-Aqsa mosque yesterday due to the large presence of worshipers there. This was met with wide condemnation by the leaders of Jewish groups and organisations that fall under the so-called “temple groups”.
The leadership of these Israeli temple organisations have been invited to support widespread participation in the incursions of the Al-Aqsa mosque these days in participation for the celebration of the “destruction of the Temple” next week.
A group of Jewish settlers stormed Monday morning al-Aqsa Mosque from the Israeli-controlled al-Magaribeh gate under heavy Israeli police protection.
Unprecedentedly, the settlers left early the holy shrine before completing their tour due to the presence of big numbers of Palestinian worshipers.
The worshipers started shouting Takbeer forcing the settlers to leave the Mosque shortly after breaking into it.
Earlier yesterday, Israeli police prevented settlers’ access into the holy shrine out of fear of possible clashes with Palestinian worshipers in the Mosque.
On the other hand, director of the Islamic Waqf (Religious Endowment) and al-Aqsa Affairs in occupied Jerusalem Azzam al-Khatib revealed that Israeli occupation authorities plan to close al-Magribeh gate to allegedly reduce the confrontations between Israeli settlers and Palestinian worshipers.
Speaking to Quds Press, al-Khatib said that there is a serious Israeli intention to close al-Magaribeh gate for the rest of the holy month of Ramadan.
Unprecedentedly, the settlers left early the holy shrine before completing their tour due to the presence of big numbers of Palestinian worshipers.
The worshipers started shouting Takbeer forcing the settlers to leave the Mosque shortly after breaking into it.
Earlier yesterday, Israeli police prevented settlers’ access into the holy shrine out of fear of possible clashes with Palestinian worshipers in the Mosque.
On the other hand, director of the Islamic Waqf (Religious Endowment) and al-Aqsa Affairs in occupied Jerusalem Azzam al-Khatib revealed that Israeli occupation authorities plan to close al-Magribeh gate to allegedly reduce the confrontations between Israeli settlers and Palestinian worshipers.
Speaking to Quds Press, al-Khatib said that there is a serious Israeli intention to close al-Magaribeh gate for the rest of the holy month of Ramadan.
At least 184 violations by the Israeli occupation authorities (IOA) against the holy sites in the West Bank and Occupied Jerusalem had been detected in the past couple of months, the Palestinian Ministry of Religious Affairs reported Sunday.
A report by the Ministry said Muslims’ holy al-Aqsa Mosque had been subjected to over 80 desecration assaults during the months of May and June. 98 violations, including the prevention of the call for prayer and the forcible shutdown of a major gate, were, meanwhile, committed against al-Khalil’s Ibrahimi Mosque.
Religious Affairs Minister Youssef Id’is said a tougher line should be taken against the policies pursued by the IOA against al-Aqsa Mosque and Islamic places of worship.
He added that over the past few years the IOA has done it all to wipe out the typically Islamic character of Occupied Jerusalem and impose a new fait accompli on the ground.
“Reality shows that Israel and its fanatic settlers have been feverishly seeking ways to force Muslims out of the Aqsa Mosque, resorting to arbitrary abductions and assaults on the peaceful Muslim sit-inners as a key-tactic,” he said.
Last April, Al-Aqsa Foundation for Endowment and Heritage warned of Israeli bids advised by the so-called Temple Mount groups to officially turn the historical Tankaziya School, located within al-Aqsa Mosque compound, into a Jewish synagogue. The school was turned into a synagogue for enlisted soldiers and a military site for the Israeli Border Police gendarmerie in 1969.
Al-Aqsa Mosque, the third holiest shrine in Islam, has been the permanent target of preplanned sacrilegious assaults, break-ins, and Judaization schemes by Israeli vandals and authorities.
A report by the Ministry said Muslims’ holy al-Aqsa Mosque had been subjected to over 80 desecration assaults during the months of May and June. 98 violations, including the prevention of the call for prayer and the forcible shutdown of a major gate, were, meanwhile, committed against al-Khalil’s Ibrahimi Mosque.
Religious Affairs Minister Youssef Id’is said a tougher line should be taken against the policies pursued by the IOA against al-Aqsa Mosque and Islamic places of worship.
He added that over the past few years the IOA has done it all to wipe out the typically Islamic character of Occupied Jerusalem and impose a new fait accompli on the ground.
“Reality shows that Israel and its fanatic settlers have been feverishly seeking ways to force Muslims out of the Aqsa Mosque, resorting to arbitrary abductions and assaults on the peaceful Muslim sit-inners as a key-tactic,” he said.
Last April, Al-Aqsa Foundation for Endowment and Heritage warned of Israeli bids advised by the so-called Temple Mount groups to officially turn the historical Tankaziya School, located within al-Aqsa Mosque compound, into a Jewish synagogue. The school was turned into a synagogue for enlisted soldiers and a military site for the Israeli Border Police gendarmerie in 1969.
Al-Aqsa Mosque, the third holiest shrine in Islam, has been the permanent target of preplanned sacrilegious assaults, break-ins, and Judaization schemes by Israeli vandals and authorities.
5 july 2015
Israeli forces closed have the Mughrabi Bridge for hundreds of worshipers at the Al-Aqsa Mosque.
The army closed the Mughrabi Bridge, Sunday morning, in front of a solemn assembly of hundreds of Palestinians in the Al-Aqsa Mosque . PNN reports that a large number of settlers waiting behind the Mughrabi Bridge were waiting to storm Al-Aqsa, which is used by settlers every morning from Sunday through Thursday. Usually, these incursions are met with Muslim worshipers chanting in protest, followed by the arrest and detention of worshipers in detention and deportation centres for various amounts of time.
Some of these settler groups called for the organisation of mass break-ins to the mosque, this morning, in commemoration of the “destruction of the walls of Jerusalem”, and as a prelude for the upcoming Jewish holiday.
Hundreds of people inside the Palestinian territories and East Jerusalem and the West Bank, last night in the mosque, observed the strong presence of worshipers from the morning, and the intensity of religious acts performed there.
See also: Israel and Jordan Renegotiate Al Aqsa Access to Non-Muslims
The army closed the Mughrabi Bridge, Sunday morning, in front of a solemn assembly of hundreds of Palestinians in the Al-Aqsa Mosque . PNN reports that a large number of settlers waiting behind the Mughrabi Bridge were waiting to storm Al-Aqsa, which is used by settlers every morning from Sunday through Thursday. Usually, these incursions are met with Muslim worshipers chanting in protest, followed by the arrest and detention of worshipers in detention and deportation centres for various amounts of time.
Some of these settler groups called for the organisation of mass break-ins to the mosque, this morning, in commemoration of the “destruction of the walls of Jerusalem”, and as a prelude for the upcoming Jewish holiday.
Hundreds of people inside the Palestinian territories and East Jerusalem and the West Bank, last night in the mosque, observed the strong presence of worshipers from the morning, and the intensity of religious acts performed there.
See also: Israel and Jordan Renegotiate Al Aqsa Access to Non-Muslims
The Israeli army received reports on Sunday that the car of an Israeli settler was shot at near the illegal settlement of Kedumim in the West Bank district of Qalqiliya, with no injuries reported.
An Israeli army spokesperson told Ma'an that Israeli forces were searching the area for possible suspects. However, she said that the reports remained unconfirmed and were "being looked into."
Settlers and Israeli military in occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank have faced increasing attacks from Palestinians in recent weeks. On Monday, a Palestinian opened fire leaving three Israeli settlers injured and one dead near the West Bank city of Nablus.
The week following was witness to violent reprisals by Israeli settlers throwing stones at Palestinian cars and on Tuesday assaulting a 60-year-old Palestinian man. The Israeli army has responded by carrying out multiple detention raids and setting up numerous flying checkpoints, restricting Palestinian movement across the area.
Palestinian attacks come as tensions have continued to rise since the start of Ramadan in mid-June, and Israeli military checkpoints have been the site of frequent violence.On Friday, Israeli forces shot and killed Muhammad Hani al-Kasbah,17, after he allegedly threw stones at an Israeli military vehicle near Qalandiya checkpoint, south of Ramallah.
An average of two Israeli civilians per week have sustained injuries by Palestinians so far in 2015, with two Israelis killed, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
In the same time period, however, an average of 39 Palestinians have been injured by Israeli forces each week, and 15 have been killed. The number does not include incidents of injury by Israeli settlers on Palestinians in the West Bank.
An Israeli army spokesperson told Ma'an that Israeli forces were searching the area for possible suspects. However, she said that the reports remained unconfirmed and were "being looked into."
Settlers and Israeli military in occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank have faced increasing attacks from Palestinians in recent weeks. On Monday, a Palestinian opened fire leaving three Israeli settlers injured and one dead near the West Bank city of Nablus.
The week following was witness to violent reprisals by Israeli settlers throwing stones at Palestinian cars and on Tuesday assaulting a 60-year-old Palestinian man. The Israeli army has responded by carrying out multiple detention raids and setting up numerous flying checkpoints, restricting Palestinian movement across the area.
Palestinian attacks come as tensions have continued to rise since the start of Ramadan in mid-June, and Israeli military checkpoints have been the site of frequent violence.On Friday, Israeli forces shot and killed Muhammad Hani al-Kasbah,17, after he allegedly threw stones at an Israeli military vehicle near Qalandiya checkpoint, south of Ramallah.
An average of two Israeli civilians per week have sustained injuries by Palestinians so far in 2015, with two Israelis killed, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
In the same time period, however, an average of 39 Palestinians have been injured by Israeli forces each week, and 15 have been killed. The number does not include incidents of injury by Israeli settlers on Palestinians in the West Bank.
A Palestinian girl sustained wounds on Sunday evening after she was hit by an Israeli police car in Occupied Jerusalem.
Eyewitnesses said an Israeli police car driving at high speed ran over a child as she was crossing the Sultan Suleiman Street in Occupied Jerusalem with her mother.
The girl was rushed to a hospital for urgent treatment. Her name was not, however, immediately identified.
In a separate incident, Israeli vandals hurled stones at Palestinian vehicles parked in Jerusalem’s French Hill area.
A video propagated on Facebook showed the father of the Israeli settlers who have attacked the vehicles as swinging a knife to frighten the car owners in the presence of the occupation officers.
Eyewitnesses said an Israeli police car driving at high speed ran over a child as she was crossing the Sultan Suleiman Street in Occupied Jerusalem with her mother.
The girl was rushed to a hospital for urgent treatment. Her name was not, however, immediately identified.
In a separate incident, Israeli vandals hurled stones at Palestinian vehicles parked in Jerusalem’s French Hill area.
A video propagated on Facebook showed the father of the Israeli settlers who have attacked the vehicles as swinging a knife to frighten the car owners in the presence of the occupation officers.
Jewish settlers from the expanding settlement of Leshem are still embarking on carrying out construction activities on Palestinian agricultural lands belonging to three Palestinian towns west of Salfit, according to local sources.
Palestinian citizens said that the annexed lands are part of the towns of Kafr Addik, Deir Ballut and Rafat.
For his part, specialist in settlement affairs Khaled Maali said that heavy construction machinery has been used by the settlers to level the lands and break the rocks near the archeological village of Deir Samaan.
He said that the new Israeli settlement Leshem had been built on Palestinian-owned lands mostly belonging to Kafr Addik town.
Palestinian citizens said that the annexed lands are part of the towns of Kafr Addik, Deir Ballut and Rafat.
For his part, specialist in settlement affairs Khaled Maali said that heavy construction machinery has been used by the settlers to level the lands and break the rocks near the archeological village of Deir Samaan.
He said that the new Israeli settlement Leshem had been built on Palestinian-owned lands mostly belonging to Kafr Addik town.
Hebrew media sources yesterday said that an Arab woman was wounded on Saturday evening after she and her family were attacked by extremist settlers on a street in Jerusalem.
Israeli television channel ‘7th Channel’ said that the group of settlers began throwing stones at an Arab family’s car, leading to a woman passenger sustaining light wounds. 7th Channel added that the group of far-right settlers also threw stones at a number of other Arab cars, causing material damage to the cars only.
7th Channel clarified that a quarrel broke out between the Arab citizens and the Jewish extremist settlers who were provoking them. This lead to light injuries until the Israeli police arrived at the scene, deescalated the quarrel and arrested three persons from the parties involved.
It is noteworthy that extremist settlers have carried out daily attacks and provocations towards Palestinian citizens living in East Jerusalem during the holy month of Ramadan.
Right-wing Jews attack Palestinian vehicles in Jerusalem, injure woman
A Palestinian woman was injured Saturday evening when right-wing Jews threw stones at Palestinian vehicles in occupied East Jerusalem. Israeli police spokeswoman Luba al-Samri said in a statement that the incident took place near "the Tomb of Simeon the Just,” a Jewish site of worship in occupied East Jerusalem near Sheikh Jarrah.
She confirmed that a Palestinian woman sustained injuries. Palestinian youths afterward gathered and clashed with the group of right-wingers.Police officers arrested a young Palestinian man and two Israelis and held them for questioning.
Saturday's incidents come amid heightened tensions in occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank over the past weeks.In the West Bank, attacks have been carried out by Israeli settlers and military as well as by Palestinian locals.
On Friday, a group of Israeli settlers from the illegal Yitzhar settlement in southern Nablus smashed several Palestinian vehicles with stones, days after three Israeli settlers were injured and one killed in a shooting by a Palestinian local in the same area.Israeli military checkpoints have been the site of frequent violence since the start of Ramadan, with two Palestinians killed by Israeli forces at checkpoints and several more injured.
In June, a Palestinian stabbed and wounded an Israeli border policeman at the Damascus Gate of occupied East Jerusalem's old city before being shot by the policeman.
An average of two Israeli civilians per week have sustained injuries by Palestinians so far in 2015, with two Israelis killed, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.In the same time period, however, an average of 39 Palestinians have been injured by Israeli forces each week, and 15 have been killed.The number does not include incidents of injury by Israeli settlers on Palestinians in the West Bank.
Israeli television channel ‘7th Channel’ said that the group of settlers began throwing stones at an Arab family’s car, leading to a woman passenger sustaining light wounds. 7th Channel added that the group of far-right settlers also threw stones at a number of other Arab cars, causing material damage to the cars only.
7th Channel clarified that a quarrel broke out between the Arab citizens and the Jewish extremist settlers who were provoking them. This lead to light injuries until the Israeli police arrived at the scene, deescalated the quarrel and arrested three persons from the parties involved.
It is noteworthy that extremist settlers have carried out daily attacks and provocations towards Palestinian citizens living in East Jerusalem during the holy month of Ramadan.
Right-wing Jews attack Palestinian vehicles in Jerusalem, injure woman
A Palestinian woman was injured Saturday evening when right-wing Jews threw stones at Palestinian vehicles in occupied East Jerusalem. Israeli police spokeswoman Luba al-Samri said in a statement that the incident took place near "the Tomb of Simeon the Just,” a Jewish site of worship in occupied East Jerusalem near Sheikh Jarrah.
She confirmed that a Palestinian woman sustained injuries. Palestinian youths afterward gathered and clashed with the group of right-wingers.Police officers arrested a young Palestinian man and two Israelis and held them for questioning.
Saturday's incidents come amid heightened tensions in occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank over the past weeks.In the West Bank, attacks have been carried out by Israeli settlers and military as well as by Palestinian locals.
On Friday, a group of Israeli settlers from the illegal Yitzhar settlement in southern Nablus smashed several Palestinian vehicles with stones, days after three Israeli settlers were injured and one killed in a shooting by a Palestinian local in the same area.Israeli military checkpoints have been the site of frequent violence since the start of Ramadan, with two Palestinians killed by Israeli forces at checkpoints and several more injured.
In June, a Palestinian stabbed and wounded an Israeli border policeman at the Damascus Gate of occupied East Jerusalem's old city before being shot by the policeman.
An average of two Israeli civilians per week have sustained injuries by Palestinians so far in 2015, with two Israelis killed, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.In the same time period, however, an average of 39 Palestinians have been injured by Israeli forces each week, and 15 have been killed.The number does not include incidents of injury by Israeli settlers on Palestinians in the West Bank.
Israel has accused Palestinians of burning thousands of dunums of lands including forests by throwing Molotov Cocktails in the areas and villages surrounding the separation wall between Ramallah and Jerusalem, and specifically near the village of Mukhmas, the settlement Ma’aliya Mukhmas, a Bedouin village and the lands around Har Adar settlement.
Yadi’out Ahrnout newspaper said that huge destruction has been wreaked in forest lands and nature reservations in these areas after they were torched deliberately more than once by perpetrators using Molotov Cocktails. Fires have been mostly breaking out in areas near the ‘security’ wall.
Yadi’out newspaper pointed out that the settler population are afraid that more lands will be burnt in these areas, after fires were started more than 3 times during recent weeks, which they believe indicates the presence of oppositional activists and parties in the region.
The newspaper clarified that the emergency response team in Jerusalem region had turned over the file to the Israeli police and army, who had then opened an investigation into the causes of the fire after Molotov Cocktails were found in a number of fields. Around 105 dunums of land were burnt in the first incident, 850 dunums in the second and 40 dunums in the latest fire yesterday. Emergency response teams worked for hours to douse the flames and called for additional back up, which arrived in the form of specialized planes used to put out fires.
The newspaper added that the fires had been huge and extremely dangerous, causing the evacuation of many settlers from their homes. No injuries were reported but the newspaper stressed that people could have been badly harmed had the weather conditions been different, and that the settlers had been very afraid
The settlers of Har Adar settlement expressed their disgust for the perpetrators of the fires. They said that the police and emergency response teams had been forced to close the main roads leading to the settlement except for one, causing huge traffic jams and thus disturbing the settler population who were already afraid of the fires.
Yadi’out Ahrnout newspaper said that huge destruction has been wreaked in forest lands and nature reservations in these areas after they were torched deliberately more than once by perpetrators using Molotov Cocktails. Fires have been mostly breaking out in areas near the ‘security’ wall.
Yadi’out newspaper pointed out that the settler population are afraid that more lands will be burnt in these areas, after fires were started more than 3 times during recent weeks, which they believe indicates the presence of oppositional activists and parties in the region.
The newspaper clarified that the emergency response team in Jerusalem region had turned over the file to the Israeli police and army, who had then opened an investigation into the causes of the fire after Molotov Cocktails were found in a number of fields. Around 105 dunums of land were burnt in the first incident, 850 dunums in the second and 40 dunums in the latest fire yesterday. Emergency response teams worked for hours to douse the flames and called for additional back up, which arrived in the form of specialized planes used to put out fires.
The newspaper added that the fires had been huge and extremely dangerous, causing the evacuation of many settlers from their homes. No injuries were reported but the newspaper stressed that people could have been badly harmed had the weather conditions been different, and that the settlers had been very afraid
The settlers of Har Adar settlement expressed their disgust for the perpetrators of the fires. They said that the police and emergency response teams had been forced to close the main roads leading to the settlement except for one, causing huge traffic jams and thus disturbing the settler population who were already afraid of the fires.
3 july 2015
Dozens of settlers, lead by extremist Baroukh Marzel, gathered today near Hebron’s Ibrahimi Mosque in order to protest against the reopening of Palestinian stores.
This protest comes after the decision of the Israeli army in Hebron to allow the stores to reopen, after they were closed by military order almost 21 years ago. In the words of Marzel, this decision supports Palestinian ‘vandals’, and will lead to a life of danger for the Hebron settlers.
According to the Palestinian News Network, hundreds of Palestinian shops and warehouses in the heart of Hebron old city were forced to close by the IOF in 1994 – twenty-one years ago – after the Ibrahimi Mosque massacre during which 29 Muslims were killed by Israeli extremist settler, Baruch Goldstein.
Israel promised in 1997 to reopen the street for trade, however this promise fell flat as, 21 years later, the street is still earning its nickname: Ghost Town.
This protest comes after the decision of the Israeli army in Hebron to allow the stores to reopen, after they were closed by military order almost 21 years ago. In the words of Marzel, this decision supports Palestinian ‘vandals’, and will lead to a life of danger for the Hebron settlers.
According to the Palestinian News Network, hundreds of Palestinian shops and warehouses in the heart of Hebron old city were forced to close by the IOF in 1994 – twenty-one years ago – after the Ibrahimi Mosque massacre during which 29 Muslims were killed by Israeli extremist settler, Baruch Goldstein.
Israel promised in 1997 to reopen the street for trade, however this promise fell flat as, 21 years later, the street is still earning its nickname: Ghost Town.
An Israeli special unit police officer was reported to have physically assaulted a young Palestinian girl in the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, yesterday.
WAFA/PNN said that a 10-year-old Palestinian girl was physically assaulted at the Al-Aqsa holy site by an Israeli special unit police officer, after she chanted ‘Allahu Akhbar’ (God is Greatest), in protest of the provocative incursion of illegal Israeli settlers into the compound.
The 10-year-old girl apparently sustained wounds in her legs and received treatment at the scene of the assault.
Tensions have been rising in Jerusalem during Ramadan, and especially on Fridays, as thousands of Israelisoldiers are deployed around the city and inside the mosque compound in order to maintain control over the hundreds of thousands of worshipers pouring into the city for Friday prayers.
WAFA/PNN said that a 10-year-old Palestinian girl was physically assaulted at the Al-Aqsa holy site by an Israeli special unit police officer, after she chanted ‘Allahu Akhbar’ (God is Greatest), in protest of the provocative incursion of illegal Israeli settlers into the compound.
The 10-year-old girl apparently sustained wounds in her legs and received treatment at the scene of the assault.
Tensions have been rising in Jerusalem during Ramadan, and especially on Fridays, as thousands of Israelisoldiers are deployed around the city and inside the mosque compound in order to maintain control over the hundreds of thousands of worshipers pouring into the city for Friday prayers.
Deputy of Israeli War Minister Eli Ben Dahan has submitted a draft resolution to forever displace the families of Palestinians who were involved in attacks against Israeli targets.
Israeli media reports quoted Friday Ben Dahan stating that displacing Palestinian militants and their families forever will help prevent them from committing attacks against Israeli targets.
Ben Dahan called on Israeli Justice Minister Elite Shaked to study the proposal to be then officially adopted, the sources added.
Israeli displacement policy has been carried out against Palestinians in total violation to international laws and conventions that strongly prevent the displacement of people protected under Article 147 of the Fourth Geneva Convention.
Israeli media reports quoted Friday Ben Dahan stating that displacing Palestinian militants and their families forever will help prevent them from committing attacks against Israeli targets.
Ben Dahan called on Israeli Justice Minister Elite Shaked to study the proposal to be then officially adopted, the sources added.
Israeli displacement policy has been carried out against Palestinians in total violation to international laws and conventions that strongly prevent the displacement of people protected under Article 147 of the Fourth Geneva Convention.
1 july 2015
Parents of Malachi Rosenfeld
A wave of terror attacks since the beginning of Ramadan and easing of travel restrictions for Palestinians is causing anxiety among Jewish residents of the West Bank.
Jews living in West Bank settlements say they fear for their safety and are frustrated by the authorities.
The last ten days have seen a rising wave of Palestinian terror attacks against Israeli citizens and security forces. Danny Gonen was killed on June 19, and on Monday Malachi Rosenfeld was murdered. In between, there were numerous incidents in which people were stabbed and firebombs and stones were thrown.
Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon said the attacks were sanctioned and funded by Hamas in Turkey, while a senior IDF official said the attacks were carried out by isolated individuals.
Residents told Ynet of a sharp decline in the sense of security since the beginning of Ramadan, after restrictions were eased for Palestinians, and protested the failure to resolutely tackle terrorism. Aharon Tavger, 33, a resident of Zeit Raanan in Gush Talmonim, said that alongside anxiety about incidents like those of the last few weeks, residents continue to live normal lives while hoping for stronger action by security forces.
"Waiting in the middle of the night at the hitchhiking stop in Jerusalem is no less scary than driving on roads in Judea and Samaria or walking around these areas," he said.
Tagver, like many residents in the West Bank, said that armored vehicles cannot solve the problem. "When there is a wave of robberies in Kfar Saba, you don't put a police officer at everyone's front door, but deal with the robbers," he said.
"The direction we need to go in is to deal with the problem at the root and start to work more on the intelligence level and on identifying terrorist elements in the Palestinian villages."
Batya, 24, a mother of three and resident of a settlement in Gush Shilo, said that she has been afraid since Monday's terror attack. "It was right under the house," she said. "I have a feeling of insecurity, anxiety for my husband and children who need to leave town and drive on the roads.
"But we must emphasize that we will not leave here and will not run away. The army must do its job better. As soon as something like this happens, like a murderous terror attack, we expect them to take more precautions like closing roads to Palestinian traffic and increasing military presence."
She noted that a number of residents in Gush Shilo have already decided not to be on the roads until the situation is calmer. "My neighbor heard cries of joy from the Palestinian village next to us," she said. "She's traumatized by it. I would have expected the military to go in immediately and silence the celebrations.
"Before I leave the house I think twice about how to drive and on what road. There's a problem when the government doesn't have a real response and doesn't take care of its citizens. A week ago the authorities demolished a few buildings next to us, and demolition leads to an increase in security for Palestinians. The answer to terror attacks is to keep building and settling."
Dina Cohen, a mother of three who lives in Binyamin, drives on Route 60 to work every day. "These incidents occur all over Israel," she said. "Protecting vehicles and posting soldiers will not provide a solution.
"There is a deeply rooted problem that requires a much wider solution. I am not a security expert and I have no solution, but the bottom line is that I only want to drive home in safety and for my kids to be happy."
Shin Bet chief Yoram Cohen on Tuesday discussed the recent events in the West Bank. He said that since 2012, there has been a 50 per cent annual increase in acts of popular terrorism (683 in 2012 and 1,834 in 2014), with the sharpest increase occurring during Operation Protective Edge.
A wave of terror attacks since the beginning of Ramadan and easing of travel restrictions for Palestinians is causing anxiety among Jewish residents of the West Bank.
Jews living in West Bank settlements say they fear for their safety and are frustrated by the authorities.
The last ten days have seen a rising wave of Palestinian terror attacks against Israeli citizens and security forces. Danny Gonen was killed on June 19, and on Monday Malachi Rosenfeld was murdered. In between, there were numerous incidents in which people were stabbed and firebombs and stones were thrown.
Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon said the attacks were sanctioned and funded by Hamas in Turkey, while a senior IDF official said the attacks were carried out by isolated individuals.
Residents told Ynet of a sharp decline in the sense of security since the beginning of Ramadan, after restrictions were eased for Palestinians, and protested the failure to resolutely tackle terrorism. Aharon Tavger, 33, a resident of Zeit Raanan in Gush Talmonim, said that alongside anxiety about incidents like those of the last few weeks, residents continue to live normal lives while hoping for stronger action by security forces.
"Waiting in the middle of the night at the hitchhiking stop in Jerusalem is no less scary than driving on roads in Judea and Samaria or walking around these areas," he said.
Tagver, like many residents in the West Bank, said that armored vehicles cannot solve the problem. "When there is a wave of robberies in Kfar Saba, you don't put a police officer at everyone's front door, but deal with the robbers," he said.
"The direction we need to go in is to deal with the problem at the root and start to work more on the intelligence level and on identifying terrorist elements in the Palestinian villages."
Batya, 24, a mother of three and resident of a settlement in Gush Shilo, said that she has been afraid since Monday's terror attack. "It was right under the house," she said. "I have a feeling of insecurity, anxiety for my husband and children who need to leave town and drive on the roads.
"But we must emphasize that we will not leave here and will not run away. The army must do its job better. As soon as something like this happens, like a murderous terror attack, we expect them to take more precautions like closing roads to Palestinian traffic and increasing military presence."
She noted that a number of residents in Gush Shilo have already decided not to be on the roads until the situation is calmer. "My neighbor heard cries of joy from the Palestinian village next to us," she said. "She's traumatized by it. I would have expected the military to go in immediately and silence the celebrations.
"Before I leave the house I think twice about how to drive and on what road. There's a problem when the government doesn't have a real response and doesn't take care of its citizens. A week ago the authorities demolished a few buildings next to us, and demolition leads to an increase in security for Palestinians. The answer to terror attacks is to keep building and settling."
Dina Cohen, a mother of three who lives in Binyamin, drives on Route 60 to work every day. "These incidents occur all over Israel," she said. "Protecting vehicles and posting soldiers will not provide a solution.
"There is a deeply rooted problem that requires a much wider solution. I am not a security expert and I have no solution, but the bottom line is that I only want to drive home in safety and for my kids to be happy."
Shin Bet chief Yoram Cohen on Tuesday discussed the recent events in the West Bank. He said that since 2012, there has been a 50 per cent annual increase in acts of popular terrorism (683 in 2012 and 1,834 in 2014), with the sharpest increase occurring during Operation Protective Edge.
Dozens of settlers last night attempted to storm the village of Mughir east of Ramallah.
Chairman of Mughir village council Faraj an-Na’san told official agencies that dozens of settlers had congregated at the entrance to the village in an attempt to storm it, noting that a large force of Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) had then come to the site and dispersed the settlers.
An-Na’san added that the IOF had then placed military checkpoints at the entrances to the village, preventing residents from entering or leaving.
Meanwhile, the IOF closed the road between Ramallah and Jalzoun refugee camp north of the city for the second consecutive day, which forced citizens to find alternative routes.
Chairman of Mughir village council Faraj an-Na’san told official agencies that dozens of settlers had congregated at the entrance to the village in an attempt to storm it, noting that a large force of Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) had then come to the site and dispersed the settlers.
An-Na’san added that the IOF had then placed military checkpoints at the entrances to the village, preventing residents from entering or leaving.
Meanwhile, the IOF closed the road between Ramallah and Jalzoun refugee camp north of the city for the second consecutive day, which forced citizens to find alternative routes.
Palestinian medical sources in Ramallah have reported, late on Tuesday evening, that a 60-year-old man was injured, after a number of extremist Israeli settlers assaulted him near the main entrance of his village.
The sources said the man, Mahmoud Saleh Nofal, 60 years of age, was assaulted near Ras Karkar village, west of Ramallah, and was moved to the Palestine Medical Center surfing cuts and bruises to various parts of his body.
The assailants sprayed the man’s face with pepper spray, before proceeding to beat him using batons.
Journalist Mohammad Nofal, a nephew of Mahmoud, said the attack took place in an orchard, shortly after seven in the evening, and that the attackers left him bleeding.
He added that his uncle managed to walk to the main entrance of the village, before locals saw him, and instantly moved him to the hospital.
The sources said the man, Mahmoud Saleh Nofal, 60 years of age, was assaulted near Ras Karkar village, west of Ramallah, and was moved to the Palestine Medical Center surfing cuts and bruises to various parts of his body.
The assailants sprayed the man’s face with pepper spray, before proceeding to beat him using batons.
Journalist Mohammad Nofal, a nephew of Mahmoud, said the attack took place in an orchard, shortly after seven in the evening, and that the attackers left him bleeding.
He added that his uncle managed to walk to the main entrance of the village, before locals saw him, and instantly moved him to the hospital.