Following the killing of an Israeli soldier, Troops Kidnap Six Palestinians In Jenin

Thursday February 11, 2010 00:24 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

The Israeli occupation army invaded Al-Khiljan village, near the northern West Bank city of Jenin, and kidnapped six members of the Al-Khatib family, including four brothers. The invasion came after Mahmoud Al-Khatib reportedly killed an Israeli soldier on Wednesday.

Local sources reported that the army kidnapped Mohammad Iqab Al-Khatib, 38, and his brother Atef, 27.

Soldiers also kidnapped Mohammad Yousuf Al-Khatib, 27, and his brothers Ahmed, 20, Imad, 38, and Aseed, 17.

Troops ransacked the attacked homes and confiscated computers, pictures and documents.

The army imposed curfew on the village and invaded it after claiming that Mahmoud Al-Khatib stabbed an Israeli soldier to death on Wednesday south of Nablus.

The Maan News Agency reported that Mahmoud Al-Khatib, 33, who stabbed the soldier, is a Palestinian police officer. Soldiers broke into his home and interrogated his brothers.

The slain soldier is an Arab from Al-Maghar Druze village. He was identified as Ihab Al-Khatib.

Israeli Ynet News reported that the soldier, member of the Kfir Brigade, was stabbed to death at the Tapuach Junction in the occupied West Bank. The stabber was arrested on the scene.

The family of the slain soldier told Israeli Ynet news that his uncle, also a soldier with the Israeli army, was killed during a military attack in the Jordan valley ten years ago, and that his aunt was killed during the Lebanon war four years ago when her home was hit by a Katyusha rocket in the eastern Galilee area.

Palestinian Prime Minister, Dr. Salaam Fayyad, slammed the attack and stressed that his security forces will act to ensure similar attacked are prevented. Yet, the attack was carried out in an area controlled by the Israeli military.

Fayyad said that this attack contradicts the Palestinian national interests and the obligations of the Palestinian Authority.

He added that the Palestinians are united behind nonviolent resistance against the illegal Israeli Wall, settlements and the attacks carried out by fundamentalist settlers.

Fayyad further stated that violence harms the cause while nonviolent resistance enjoys international support.

Israeli Settler Security Guard Shoots Palestinian Teen in Northern West Bank

Wednesday February 10, 2010 09:36 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC News

Local sources have reported that an 18-year old teenager from the Palestinian village of Iraq Burin, near Nablus, was shot by an Israeli security guard from the illegal Israeli settlement of Har Bracha, wounding him in the knee.

The incident took place after Israeli settlers and supporters who, were gathered on stolen Palestinian land in the settlement of Har Bracha called the settlement's security forces, reporting that Palestinians were throwing stones at them. The security forces responded by driving to the area in a sport utility vehicle and firing randomly.

The Israeli police who investigated the incident reported that around 15 settlers and their American and Canadian supporters had gathered near the edge of the settlement, and claimed that Palestinians threw stones toward them.

Ghassan Daghlas, a Palestinian Authority official, spoke with Israeli reporters about the repeated attacks by settlers against the villagers from Iraq Burin. He told the Israeli daily Yedioth Ahranoth, “This is a quiet village of no more than 1,200 residents who suffer from repetitive assaults by settlers, without the Israeli authorities doing anything to stop it.”

Daghlas added that after repeated attacks by the settlers, with no response by Israeli authorities, and no attempts to intervene, some Palestinian teens had recently begun to fight back with stones against the settlers' bullets.

The injured youth was not identified, and it remains unclear whether he was involved in throwing any stones, or if there was actually any stone throwing at all.

Israeli occupation soldiers kidnap Two Civilians, Attack And Search Homes in Hebron City

Wednesday February 10, 2010 18:22 by Ghassan Bannoura - IMEMC News & Agencies

Two Palestinian civilians were kidnapped by Israeli occupation soldiers, on Wednesday, during house search targeting the city of Hebron and nearby town.

Palestinian civilians being taken away by Israeli troops near Hebron- photo by WAFA 2009

Local sources said that two young men were taken by troops when they searched their home at the town of Yatta near Hebron city.

Meanwhile Israeli forces invaded attacked al-Arop collage near Hebron and searched the dormitory of the students.

Later in the day, troops opened fire at Palestinian workers while they were going to their home. The attack took place near a military checkpoint outside the city of Hebron. No injuries were reported.

Israeli occupation soldiers Attack Palestinian Farmers & Internationals in Southern West Bank

Wednesday February 10, 2010 16:03 by Ghassan Bannoura - IMEMC News & Agencies

Israeli occupation troops fired tear gas at Palestinian famers and their international and Israeli supporters, on Wednesday, at the town of Yatta southern West Bank.

The villagers along with their supporters were planting olive trees at lands owned by the villagers near the illegal Israeli settlement of Karmi Nassour.

According to local sources the event was organized by the Local Committees Against the Wall and Settlement Construction.

The famers and their supporters managed to plant 500 olive trees before the army have attacked them, the sources added.

Israeli occupation forces bombard the Gaza International Airport

Wednesday February 10, 2010 09:20 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

The Israeli occupation forces fired, on Tuesday evening, several missiles at the Gaza International Airport, east of Rafah city, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip.

Local sources reported that the army carried at least three consecutive air strikes at the main building of the airport. Excessive damage was reported, but no injuries.

This is the second attack against the idled airport since the beginning of this month.

The airport has been shut down since the beginning of the al-Aqsa Intifada in late September 2000.

It was repeatedly attacked and bombarded by the Israeli army, while army bulldozers also destroyed its runways and demolished several buildings.

The airport officially opened to business in 1998, but it shut down after being severely damaged due to repeated Israeli shelling, airstrikes and due to having its runways bulldozed by the army.