Al-Walaja Oldest Living Olive Tree Threatened of Destruction by Israeli Occupation Forces

Al-Walaja villagers rally to save oldest living olive tree from destruction by Israeli occupation forces

Monday August 15, 2011 11:33 by Saed Bannoura/Mazin Qumsiyeh - IMEMC News

On Saturday August 13, 2011, a show of nonviolent popular resistance occurred in Al-Walaja village, west of Bethlehem.

The Israeli occupation and destruction army had mobilized in large numbers, anticipating the villagers' weekly protest. They watched, but did not intervene as Al-Walaja landowners and supporters cleaned and pruned the olive grove that is slated for partial demolition and full annexation by the Israeli military.

At a protest earlier this week in Al-Walaja, Israeli occupation soldiers arrested a dozen supporters, including Israelis who came to support the Al-Walaja villagers' right to remain on their land.

The village of Al-Walaja, which was illegally annexed by Israel in the 1990s, is slated to be completely surrounded by the Israeli Annexation Wall, which is already the situation for a number of Palestinian towns and cities, including Sheikh Sa'ad and Qalqilia.

In addition to imprisoning 2,500 people inside a ghetto and separating them from their land, which is their only source of livelihood, the Israeli construction of the Wall in Al-Walaja is also slated to destroy the oldest living olive tree in the Bethlehem area, dated at between 3,600 and 4,000 years old.

Villagers who gathered on Saturday said that they are steadfast in their commitment to protecting and defending their land through non-violent resistance.

One villager, Abu Wajih's, told his story to a supporter with a camera who filmed an interview with the olive farmer. All but two of Abu Wajih's olive trees will be behind the wall, as will the old house where his wife was born and that belongs to his family. In the interview, he says that he appreciates help of people regardless of their religion and background.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNo2P5tYUqo

Israeli forces abduct three Palestinian children in East Jerusalem

Sunday August 14, 2011 21:10 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC News

According to local sources, Israeli occupation forces invaded the Palestinian neighborhood of Silwan, in Occupied East Jerusalem, on Sunday morning and abducted two young children and a teenager, taking them to an unknown location.

The Israeli occupation forces alleged that the three boys threw stones at the police, although no eyewitnesses were able to confirm this claim.

A member of the Silwan Committee Against Settlements, Abdul-Karim, identified the three boys as Mussellem Moussa Auda, 11, Mohamad Auda, 13, and Kadhem Abu Shafee, 17.

A group of Israeli undercover forces invaded the neighborhood on Sunday morning, and began firing tear gas and stun grenades at residents who gathered in the street.

The neighborhood of Silwan has been targeted by the Israeli government for the last two years as part of a plan to build a 'tourist park' and Jewish-only housing on the traditionally Palestinian neighborhood. Dozens of local families have received demolition orders from the Israeli government, which then destroys their ancestral homes. Some families rendered homeless by the Israeli government have set up tents in the street to continue living in their neighborhood, and to protest what they say is the illegal demolition of their homes.

Although abductions of children are illegal under international law, Israeli forces frequently take young children into custody without informing their parents - often, the parents are unable to locate their children for several days, creating an atmosphere of panic and fear among families.

On Saturday, troops kidnapped Ahmad Al-Harbawi, 18, while he was walking back to his family’s home in Silwan.

The residents of Silwan have been holding a protest at a protest tent that was installed in Silwan more than 18 months ago to express their rejection to the ongoing illegal Israeli policies of home demolition and Israeli settlers’ takeover of their homes.

Several residents were killed and injured in Silwan due to constant Israeli invasions and attacks against them. The residents said they will remain steadfast in their homes and land despite the ongoing aggression. The European Parliament recently launched an inquiry into the treatment of children in Israeli detention. Israel has no juvenile detention facilities for Palestinian detainees, and the children are thus lodged in adult facilities.

According to Defence of Children International, 27% of child prisoners are forced to sign confessions in Hebrew, a language they do not know, 55% of Palestinian child detainees complain of inadequate food, water or shelter, and no Palestinian child prisoners are allowed to speak with their families by phone.

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