Two Palestinian Fighters Killed, One Israeli Soldier Injured In Gaza

Sunday December 12, 2010 02:30 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

Israeli sources reported that two Palestinians were killed and one Israeli occupation soldier was injured on Saturday at night when a resistance group clashed with Israeli soldiers invading an area inside the Gaza Strip.

The army claimed that soldiers spotted two fighters approaching the security fence separating Gaza from Israel before Israeli tanks fired shells at them.

Following the incident, Palestinian fighters fired rounds of live ammunition at Israeli soldiers who invaded the area, and moderately injured one soldier.

Palestinian sources in Gaza reported clashes and explosions, east of the Al Boraij refugee camp, but did report casualties until the time of this report.

Adham Abu Salmiyya, spokesperson of the Emergency Department in the Gaza Strip, stated that Palestinians medics are unable to enter the area to evacuate casualties without an authorization from Israel.

Furthermore, Israeli soldiers opened fire at a number of homes located in the Al Boreij refugee camp, in central Gaza; damage was reported, no injuries.

Last week, Israeli soldiers killed two Palestinian fighters near the border area.

The army believes that resistance groups in Gaza are trying to step up their activities along border areas, and that resistance fighters are attempting to infiltrate into nearby Israeli military camps and settlements.

Qabha in critical condition in Ramle prison hospital

[ 12/12/2010 - 06:45 PM ]

NABLUS, (PIC)--

The Ahrar center for prisoners' studies and human rights held the Israeli occupation government fully responsible for the life of former minister Wasfi Qabha.

Fuad Al-Khafsh, the director of Ahrar, said in a statement on Sunday that Qabha since his detention three days ago was transferred to hospital in an unstable condition, with high blood sugar level fluctuations.

He expressed concern over the life of Qabha, who was only released from Israeli detention eight months ago, charging the Israeli occupation authority with trying to liquidate the minister as evident in remanding him in custody under such a deteriorating health condition.

Khafsh said that Israel was the only state to imprison sick, elderly and disabled people, noting that the prison hospital, where Qabha is being treated, contains 28 other detained patients in very serious conditions including those who could not move and others who suffer from kidney failure, cancer, and hepatitis.

The director appealed to the human rights groups, health organizations and Médecins Sans Frontières to inquire about those sick detainees and to demand their release.

Soldiers Attack Bil’in Weekly Protest

Saturday December 11, 2010 05:26 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC News

As Palestinian residents of Bil’in village, near Ramallah, accompanied by Israeli and international Peace activists, held their weekly nonviolent protest against the Annexation Wall and settlements, Israeli soldiers violently attacked them and kidnapped two activists.

Bil’in (FFJ), reported that this week’s protest marked the commemoration of the First Intifada of 1987, the International Human Rights Day, and came to protest the continued imprisonment of Abdullah Abu Rahma, a local leader of the nonviolent movement in the village.

“Bil'in celebrated International Human Rights Day with a larger than normal demonstration through the village. Hundreds of supporters came from outside Bil'in to support the village's struggle for human rights, to mark the one-year anniversary of Abdullah Abu Rahma's imprisonment, and to commemorate the First Intifada”, the FFJ reported.

Israeli soldiers immediately attacked the protesters with dozens of gas bombs as the soldiers were lined up on two sides after entering through the gate of the wall and waited for the protestors.

A Palestinian protestor was injured after being struck by a teargas bomb fired by the army while dozens of protestors were treated for the effects of teargas inhalation.

Also, soldiers kidnapped a Palestinian protestor identified as Abdul-Fattah Burnat, and a German peace activist.

Friends of Freedom and Justice Website

The protestors marched carrying Palestinian flags, and chanted against Israeli settlements and the occupation.

A number of Palestinian politicians including Dr. Mustafa Barghouthi of the Palestinian National Initiative, Hisham Abu Rayya, a leader of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, participated in the protest.

Moheeb Awad, a Fateh parliamentarian, and several other leaders and members of different factions also participated in the protest.

Similar protests were held in Al Ma’sara village near Bethlehem, and Nabi Saleh and Ni’lin villages near Ramallah, and in several other Palestinian areas.

Troops Kidnap Former Palestinian Minister in Jenin

Saturday December 11, 2010 04:58 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

Palestinian sources reported Friday that Israeli occupation soldiers kidnapped former Minister of Detainees, Wasfy Kabha, while heading to visit his family in Barta’a village, near the northern West Bank city of Jenin. He was moved to an Israeli hospital later on due to a sharp increase in his blood sugar level.

Fuad Al-Khoffash, head of the Ahrar Center for Detainees Studies and Human Rights, stated that, under an illegal Israeli military order, Kabha is not allowed into his own village, but was allowed into the village last week after his father died.

The Israeli Authorities granted him forty days, but on Friday morning Kabha was stopped at a military roadblock at the entrance of his village and the soldiers kidnapped him.

Due to his health condition, he was moved to Al-Khodeira hospital, inside the 1948 territories, and a decision for his arrest was issued by the army.

His wife told the Ahrar Center that soldiers, manning the Barta’a roadblock, detained him for two hours and ordered her to leave the area.

He is currently at the Khodeira hospital, and his family was officially notified that he is “under arrest”.

Al-Khuffash stated that Kabha was imprisoned by Israel for a total of seven years, and that several months ago he was released from an Israeli detention facility after spending a three-year sentence.

There are eleven elected legislators and ministers currently imprisoned by Israel.

Al-Khuffash voiced an appeal to human groups and the International Red Cross to intervene and ensure the release of Kabha, especially due to his health condition.

Palestinian Arab Store Owners In East Jerusalem Forced To Write Store Names In Hebrew

Saturday December 11, 2010 05:53 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

The Jerusalem Municipality is trying to oblige Palestinian store owners in Arab East Jerusalem neighborhoods to change the language of their store signs into Hebrew, and informed the owners that, unless they do so, their stores will not be licensed and they will have to be shut down.

Israeli paper, Maariv, reported Thursday that this decision is effective in all Arab neighborhoods, even those that are not inhibited by any Jewish person.

The new decision pushed the residents and store owners to hold a protest in the city.
Maariv said that Mazin Al Qaq, head of the Merchants Committee in Jerusalem, described the decision as illegal, and added that there are many Arab residents in Jerusalem who do not speak, read or write Hebrew.

“What does the municipality want?” Al Qaq said, “Are they trying to force a sixty-year old person to go back to school to learn Hebrew? This decision is simply illegal and they can’t force anybody to comply”.

Israeli attorney, Yif’at Solel, sent a letter to Jerusalem Mayor, Nir Barkat, demanding him to void the decision as it is illegal and could be voided by any court.