14 nov 2019
At least 244 Jewish settlers desecrated the Aqsa Mosque’s courtyards on Thursday morning.
According to the Islamic Awqaf Authority in Occupied Jerusalem, dozens of police officers escorted the settlers as they were touring the Mosque’s courtyards.
The settlers included 97 students of Israeli universities and religious institutes, 40 government employees and eight intelligence officers.
The Aqsa Mosque is exposed to daily desecration by Jewish settlers in the morning and the afternoon except on Fridays and Saturdays.
The Israeli police close al-Maghariba Gate, which is used by Jews to enter the Mosque, at 10:30 am after the settlers complete their morning tours at the holy site. Later in the afternoon, the same gate is reopened for evening tours by settlers.
During the presence of settlers inside the Mosque compound, entry restrictions are imposed on Muslim worshipers at the entrances leading to the Mosque and their IDs are seized until they leave the holy place.
According to the Islamic Awqaf Authority in Occupied Jerusalem, dozens of police officers escorted the settlers as they were touring the Mosque’s courtyards.
The settlers included 97 students of Israeli universities and religious institutes, 40 government employees and eight intelligence officers.
The Aqsa Mosque is exposed to daily desecration by Jewish settlers in the morning and the afternoon except on Fridays and Saturdays.
The Israeli police close al-Maghariba Gate, which is used by Jews to enter the Mosque, at 10:30 am after the settlers complete their morning tours at the holy site. Later in the afternoon, the same gate is reopened for evening tours by settlers.
During the presence of settlers inside the Mosque compound, entry restrictions are imposed on Muslim worshipers at the entrances leading to the Mosque and their IDs are seized until they leave the holy place.
Several fanatic illegal Israeli colonialist settlers infiltrated, on Thursday at dawn, into Qarawat Bani Hassan village, west of Salfit in central West Bank, before writing racist graffiti on a few walls, including a mosque, and punctured the tires of at least 30 cars.
Tamer Rayyan, the head of Qarawat Bani Hassan Town Council, said the Israeli assailants came from the illegal Havat Yair colony, which was built on stolen Palestinian lands.
He added that the colonists wrote racist graffiti on the walls of many homes, the local mosque, and several cars.
Rayyan stated that the attack took place in an area which is subject to frequent Israeli violations, and added that, just a few days ago, the colonists burnt a barn, owned by a local, identified as Mahmoud Abdul-Aziz Mer’ey.
Tamer Rayyan, the head of Qarawat Bani Hassan Town Council, said the Israeli assailants came from the illegal Havat Yair colony, which was built on stolen Palestinian lands.
He added that the colonists wrote racist graffiti on the walls of many homes, the local mosque, and several cars.
Rayyan stated that the attack took place in an area which is subject to frequent Israeli violations, and added that, just a few days ago, the colonists burnt a barn, owned by a local, identified as Mahmoud Abdul-Aziz Mer’ey.
13 nov 2019
Dozens of Jewish settlers on Wednesday morning desecrated the Aqsa Mosque’s courtyards under heavy police guard.
According to the Islamic Awqaf Authority in Occupied Jerusalem, police forces escorted at least 123 extremist settlers into the Mosque compound and provided protection for them as they were touring the Mosque’ courtyards.
The Aqsa Mosque is exposed to daily desecration by Jewish settlers in the morning and the afternoon except on Fridays and Saturdays.
The Israeli occupation police close al-Maghariba Gate, which is used by Jews to enter the Mosque, at 10:30 am after the settlers complete their morning tours at the holy site. Later in the afternoon, the same gate is reopened for evening tours by settlers.
During the presence of settlers inside the Mosque compound, entry restrictions are imposed on Muslim worshipers at the entrances leading to the Mosque and their IDs are seized until they leave the holy place.
According to the Islamic Awqaf Authority in Occupied Jerusalem, police forces escorted at least 123 extremist settlers into the Mosque compound and provided protection for them as they were touring the Mosque’ courtyards.
The Aqsa Mosque is exposed to daily desecration by Jewish settlers in the morning and the afternoon except on Fridays and Saturdays.
The Israeli occupation police close al-Maghariba Gate, which is used by Jews to enter the Mosque, at 10:30 am after the settlers complete their morning tours at the holy site. Later in the afternoon, the same gate is reopened for evening tours by settlers.
During the presence of settlers inside the Mosque compound, entry restrictions are imposed on Muslim worshipers at the entrances leading to the Mosque and their IDs are seized until they leave the holy place.
12 nov 2019
Several fanatic illegal Israeli colonists infiltrated, on Tuesday at dawn, into Orif Palestinian village, south of the northern West Bank city of Nablus, before writing racist graffiti and puncturing the tires of seven vehicles.
Ghassan Daghlas, a Palestinian official who monitors Israel’s illegal colonialist activities in northern West Bank, said the colonists punctured the tires of four cars, two tractors, and one bulldozer, in the eastern area of Orif.
Daghlas added that the assailants also wrote racist graffiti on walls, and the vehicles after puncturing their tires, before fleeing from the village.
The attack is the latest of a serious escalation carried out by the illegal colonists against the Palestinians and their lands, especially since the beginning of the olive harvest season, in several parts of the occupied West Bank.
Ghassan Daghlas, a Palestinian official who monitors Israel’s illegal colonialist activities in northern West Bank, said the colonists punctured the tires of four cars, two tractors, and one bulldozer, in the eastern area of Orif.
Daghlas added that the assailants also wrote racist graffiti on walls, and the vehicles after puncturing their tires, before fleeing from the village.
The attack is the latest of a serious escalation carried out by the illegal colonists against the Palestinians and their lands, especially since the beginning of the olive harvest season, in several parts of the occupied West Bank.
11 nov 2019
Neria Zarug locking himself in the metal device he built to evade arrest
Neria Zarug, banished for three months for 'violent acts against both Palestinians and the security forces,' constructed large metal and wooden clamp for his leg in effort to prevent removal from West Bank settlement, assisted by residents who pelted firefighters with rocks
An extremist settler wanted by the Israeli secuity forces devised a two-layer shield to thwart his arrest - a home-made mechanical contraption attached to his leg and the residents of the West Bank settlement of Yitzhar.
Neria Zarug, a married father of two, lives and works as a goatherder in the outpost of Komi Ori, immediately beside Yitzhar, that is as of now a closed military zone.
According to defense officials, "Zarug is a dangerous, violent and extreme activist, who is well known to security forces in the area. He was banned from entering the region because of recent violent acts against both Palestinians and the security forces."
An administrative detention order was filed against Zarug and signed by GOC Central Command Maj. Gen. Nadav Padan, which would have removed the settler from his household for three months.
According to the security forces, such extreme restraining orders are only issued to dangerous and violent activists, to prevent them from escalating tensions in a certain area.
Zarug refused to abide by the order issued two months ago, staying in Yitzhar and urging Padan to revoke his removal order.
Various attempts were made over the last few days to apprehend Zarug, who is residing in several homes in Yitzhar, but to no avail.
Although he has managed to evade law enforcement so far, his friends and relatives realized the clock was ticking for his freedom and decided to make a public showing in order to draw attention to his situation.
Therefore, they constructed the multi-part mechanical device, soldered it around his right leg and welded it to the floor in the settlement. The main objective of the device is to prolong police's efforts to take him into custody, while an ongoing protest takes place.
On Sunday afternoon, SWAT teams arrived at the house where Zarug was welded to the floor. After realizing they could not free him from the device themselves, a team of fire fighters was called to the scene.
But when the fire fighters arrived, they were met by several youths sitting in the driveway to the settlement with large rocks, burning trashcans and other objects blocking the rescue personnel from entering Yitzhar.
The firetruck turned around and returned to its station, and in its place came a military jeep from the IDF Caracal Battalion armed with special equipment to remove the obstacles.
As residents protested outside, the security forces entered the house with work tools, among them an angle grinder, and began to work to free him.
It seemed that most of the residents were willing to conduct non-violent protest, even a sort of a festival. Next to the house, cookouts took place, a clown on a unicycle arrived and there were even people playing instruments and singing for Zarug.
But suddenly, as with many similar incidents, a group of children started throwing rocks and eggs at security forces, causing both protesters and security forces to clash violently.
Several local Yitzhar leaders arrived at the scene in an effort to calm the youths. For a time, the situation quieted down, until Zarug was allegedly hurt on the leg by the release attempts.
His screams, which could be heard from inside the house, helped to raise tensions once again, and the clashes between settlers and police resumed - with three policemen and 15 settlers being wounded.
Zarug was freed from his device after a five-hour process and taken into custody.
But as military and police forces began to exit the settlement, dozens of youths started hurling stones at them. Caltrops that were spread all along the road punctured the tires of several police cars.
Protesters also triggered a settlement-wide blackout in an effort to prevent police from identifying the rock throwers.
Yitzhar has been the site of multiple clashes between settlers and security forces, most recently last month, when a soldier was lightly hurt after rocks were thrown at troops patrolling the area.
IDF Chief fo Staff Aviv Kochavi ordered security forces to track down those involved in the attack, calling the incident and similar events in the preceding days "delinquent" behavior.
"It is inconceivable that IDF soldiers who work night and day to defend the settlers are attacked by those they protect," he said.
Neria Zarug, banished for three months for 'violent acts against both Palestinians and the security forces,' constructed large metal and wooden clamp for his leg in effort to prevent removal from West Bank settlement, assisted by residents who pelted firefighters with rocks
An extremist settler wanted by the Israeli secuity forces devised a two-layer shield to thwart his arrest - a home-made mechanical contraption attached to his leg and the residents of the West Bank settlement of Yitzhar.
Neria Zarug, a married father of two, lives and works as a goatherder in the outpost of Komi Ori, immediately beside Yitzhar, that is as of now a closed military zone.
According to defense officials, "Zarug is a dangerous, violent and extreme activist, who is well known to security forces in the area. He was banned from entering the region because of recent violent acts against both Palestinians and the security forces."
An administrative detention order was filed against Zarug and signed by GOC Central Command Maj. Gen. Nadav Padan, which would have removed the settler from his household for three months.
According to the security forces, such extreme restraining orders are only issued to dangerous and violent activists, to prevent them from escalating tensions in a certain area.
Zarug refused to abide by the order issued two months ago, staying in Yitzhar and urging Padan to revoke his removal order.
Various attempts were made over the last few days to apprehend Zarug, who is residing in several homes in Yitzhar, but to no avail.
Although he has managed to evade law enforcement so far, his friends and relatives realized the clock was ticking for his freedom and decided to make a public showing in order to draw attention to his situation.
Therefore, they constructed the multi-part mechanical device, soldered it around his right leg and welded it to the floor in the settlement. The main objective of the device is to prolong police's efforts to take him into custody, while an ongoing protest takes place.
On Sunday afternoon, SWAT teams arrived at the house where Zarug was welded to the floor. After realizing they could not free him from the device themselves, a team of fire fighters was called to the scene.
But when the fire fighters arrived, they were met by several youths sitting in the driveway to the settlement with large rocks, burning trashcans and other objects blocking the rescue personnel from entering Yitzhar.
The firetruck turned around and returned to its station, and in its place came a military jeep from the IDF Caracal Battalion armed with special equipment to remove the obstacles.
As residents protested outside, the security forces entered the house with work tools, among them an angle grinder, and began to work to free him.
It seemed that most of the residents were willing to conduct non-violent protest, even a sort of a festival. Next to the house, cookouts took place, a clown on a unicycle arrived and there were even people playing instruments and singing for Zarug.
But suddenly, as with many similar incidents, a group of children started throwing rocks and eggs at security forces, causing both protesters and security forces to clash violently.
Several local Yitzhar leaders arrived at the scene in an effort to calm the youths. For a time, the situation quieted down, until Zarug was allegedly hurt on the leg by the release attempts.
His screams, which could be heard from inside the house, helped to raise tensions once again, and the clashes between settlers and police resumed - with three policemen and 15 settlers being wounded.
Zarug was freed from his device after a five-hour process and taken into custody.
But as military and police forces began to exit the settlement, dozens of youths started hurling stones at them. Caltrops that were spread all along the road punctured the tires of several police cars.
Protesters also triggered a settlement-wide blackout in an effort to prevent police from identifying the rock throwers.
Yitzhar has been the site of multiple clashes between settlers and security forces, most recently last month, when a soldier was lightly hurt after rocks were thrown at troops patrolling the area.
IDF Chief fo Staff Aviv Kochavi ordered security forces to track down those involved in the attack, calling the incident and similar events in the preceding days "delinquent" behavior.
"It is inconceivable that IDF soldiers who work night and day to defend the settlers are attacked by those they protect," he said.
Benny Gantz at the wedding
Netanyahu supporters tell Blue and White leader to 'go to the Arabs' over Joint List contacts as he tries to form government, hours after party MK and fellow former IDF chief Gabi Ashkenazi met with abuse in Ashkelon
Blue and White leader Benny Gantz came under a torrent of abuse Sunday evening as he arrived at a family wedding of a Haredi lawmaker in Bnei Brak. Protesters called him "terrorist" and told him to "go to the Arabs" over contacts with the predominantly Arab Joint List as he tries to form a coalition government.
Blue and White MK Gabi Ashkenazi was also subject to verbal attack in Ashkelon earlier Sunday, as Israel's officials marked the 24th anniversary of the murder of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin by an extremist Jew.
The abuse against Gantz came from supporters of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as he attended the wedding of the son of MK Yaakov Asher, the head of the United Torah Judaism faction.
Nonetheless, Gantz received a warm welcome at the event itself, as crowds surrounded him during the celebration and some attendees even sought to be photoghraphed with the former IDF chief.
Earlier Sunday, Gantz condemned the attack on Ashkenazi during a special Knesset plenum to mark the anniversary of Rabin's assassination.
"Let's not fool ourselves," said Gantz. "The shouts directed at Gabi Ashkenazi this afternoon in Ashkelon are a phenomenon we all must fight without compromise."
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also denounced the incident, but added that he faces similar abuse.
"This is a very serious incident and I strongly condemn it, but it is something that people say about me every day, calling me a traitor," said Netanyahu.
"I never heard anyone condemning threats against the life of a prime minister."
Netanyahu supporters tell Blue and White leader to 'go to the Arabs' over Joint List contacts as he tries to form government, hours after party MK and fellow former IDF chief Gabi Ashkenazi met with abuse in Ashkelon
Blue and White leader Benny Gantz came under a torrent of abuse Sunday evening as he arrived at a family wedding of a Haredi lawmaker in Bnei Brak. Protesters called him "terrorist" and told him to "go to the Arabs" over contacts with the predominantly Arab Joint List as he tries to form a coalition government.
Blue and White MK Gabi Ashkenazi was also subject to verbal attack in Ashkelon earlier Sunday, as Israel's officials marked the 24th anniversary of the murder of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin by an extremist Jew.
The abuse against Gantz came from supporters of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as he attended the wedding of the son of MK Yaakov Asher, the head of the United Torah Judaism faction.
Nonetheless, Gantz received a warm welcome at the event itself, as crowds surrounded him during the celebration and some attendees even sought to be photoghraphed with the former IDF chief.
Earlier Sunday, Gantz condemned the attack on Ashkenazi during a special Knesset plenum to mark the anniversary of Rabin's assassination.
"Let's not fool ourselves," said Gantz. "The shouts directed at Gabi Ashkenazi this afternoon in Ashkelon are a phenomenon we all must fight without compromise."
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also denounced the incident, but added that he faces similar abuse.
"This is a very serious incident and I strongly condemn it, but it is something that people say about me every day, calling me a traitor," said Netanyahu.
"I never heard anyone condemning threats against the life of a prime minister."