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Collective Punishment on Palestinians in Jerusalem, in Response to an Attack on a Synagogue

Israeli Occupation Forces Isolate Palestinian Neighborhoods in Jerusalem, Attack School Children with Gas Bombs, Demolish Homes, in Response to Attack on Jerusalem Synagogue

November 19, 2014

 

 

Israeli Police officer succumbs to wounds from Jerusalem attack

November 19, 2014, TEL AVIV, Israel (Ma'an) --

A police officer who was injured in Tuesday's attack on a Jerusalem synagogue died, raising the death toll to five, Israeli media reported.

Haaretz newspaper named the Durzi police officer as Zidan Nahad Seif, saying he was critically wounded while trying to stop the attack at the Kehilat Bnei Torah synagogue.

Seif succumbed to his wounds after being hospitalized in critical condition, Haaretz said.

Two alleged Palestinian attackers were killed during the assault.

4 Israelis killed in Jerusalem synagogue attack

19/11/2014 13:11, JERUSALEM (Ma'an) --

Two Palestinians armed with a gun and axes attacked a Jerusalem synagogue on Tuesday killing four Israelis, police said.

"There are four dead and six injured, among them two policemen," police spokeswoman Luba Samri said in a statement.

The attack struck during morning prayers at a synagogue in the Har Nof neighborhood in the southwest of the city.

The two assailants were shot dead, she said.

Israeli media identified the Palestinian suspects in the attack as Ghassan Abu Jamal and his cousin Uday from Jabal al-Mukabbir neighborhood of East Jerusalem.

Palestinian sources also confirmed the identity of the two men.

Israeli TV station Channel 1 reported that the two were affiliated to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine.

Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri said in a statement that the attack was a response to the "ongoing Israeli crimes against the Al-Aqsa Mosque."

"The operation in Jerusalem came in response to the execution of the martyr (Yousuf Hasan) al-Ramouni," Abu Zuhri added, referring to the Monday hanging death of a Palestinian Jerusalemite bus driver whose family says was murdered by right-wing Israelis.

The Islamic Jihad movement also commented on Tuesday's attack.

"The operation in Jerusalem was a natural reaction to the crimes committed by the Israeli occupation and its settlers," a statement said.

The attacks come as tensions boiled in Jerusalem, amid various Israeli limitations and threats on the Al-Aqsa Mosque in addition to police killings of Palestinian suspects in deadly stabbing and vehicle attacks in recent weeks.

AP reported that (the Palestinian President) Abbas condemned the attack while calling for an end to Israeli "provocations."

Israel Instates Harsher Measures Isolating East Jerusalem

Wednesday November 19, 2014 04:32 by IMEMC & Agencies

Israeli occupation government Internal Security Minister, Yitzhak Aharonovich, issued orders for more severe measures isolating entire Palestinian neighborhoods in occupied East Jerusalem, including the constant search of Palestinians entering or leaving them.

Aharonovich made his decision following the Tuesday attack by two Palestinians who stabbed Yeshiva students in occupied Jerusalem, killing five and wounding several others, before being shot dead.

The Israeli occupation government Radio said Aharonovich has instructed the army and the security devices to conduct a series of measures against the Palestinians in occupied Jerusalem, including preventing the families of the two Palestinians from burying them in the city.

The Israeli official held a meeting with army and police commanders, in addition to senior Internal Security officials, instructed them to install more roadblocks in Palestinian neighborhoods, villages and towns in and around Jerusalem, and instructed the army to conduct detailed searches of every Palestinian who crosses those roadblocks.

He also ordered the deployment of four more brigades of Border Guard Units in various neighborhoods in Jerusalem.

In addition, Aharonovich instructed the deployment of police and army units in various areas in the country, and is weighing the possibility of resuming Administrative Detention policies against Jerusalemite Palestinians, to enable holding them indefinitely without charges or trial.

He also instructed easing the restrictions on weapons permits to allow more Jewish settlers to carry arms.

In related news, the Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association (ad-Dameer) has reported that the soldiers kidnapped, Tuesday, ten members of the families of Odai and Ghassan Abu Jamal, who carried out the attack against the Yeshiva earlier in the day.

The two are from Jabal al-Mokabber, southeast of Jerusalem.

The lawyer, Mohammad Mahmoud, said the soldiers kidnapped the father, mother and wife of Ghassan, the mother, uncle and brother of Odai. In addition to Forat, Monther, Jamal and Mo’awiya Abu Jamal.

He stated ad-Dameer would be following the cases of the kidnapped Palestinians, currently held at the al-Maskobiyya interrogation center, and added that the family refuses the autopsy the Israeli authorities intend to conduct, and are demanding the release of the bodies of the two Palestinians for burial ceremonies.

Also on Tuesday, a group of Israelis stabbed a Palestinian man in northern Jerusalem; the man Fadi Jalal Radwan, 22, was stabbed three times in the legs, and once in the back, before the assailants fled the scene, leaving him bleeding in the street.

He was eventually moved to a hospital in the city suffering serious injuries. http://www.imemc.org/article/69753

Dozens School Children Injured In Jerusalem

Wednesday November 19, 2014 12:49 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

Palestinian medical sources have reported that dozens of children have been injured during clashes with Israeli occupation soldiers, near the Shu’fat refugee camp, and ‘Anata town, northeast of occupied East Jerusalem.

Local sources said dozens of soldiers and undercover units of the Israeli military, tried to invade the Shu’fat refugee camp, but were met by dozens of Palestinian protesters who hurled stones and empty bottles at them, forcing them to retreat to the entrance of the camp.

The soldiers fired gas bombs and rubber-coated metal bullets at the protesters, and into a local school; more than 35 children, between the ages of 7-12, suffered the effects of tear gas inhalation.

In addition, a Palestinian teen was shot by a rubber-coated metal bullet in his leg, and another in his thigh, and received treatment by local medics as their conditions did not require hospitalization.

The school then phoned the families, asking them to come and pick up their children to avoid further injuries.

Clashes also took place near the Anata roadblock, while the soldiers also stopped and searched dozens of cars, and fired rounds of live ammunition, gas bombs and concussion grenades hitting an electricity pole causing power blackout in the area.

In addition, a number of youths hurled stones and a Molotov cocktail at an Israeli settler’s car near the Hezma roadblock, north of Jerusalem, causing no damage or injuries according to Israeli sources.

Child Seriously Injured During Interrogation In Jerusalem

Wednesday November 19, 2014 11:58 by IMEMC & Agencies

Several Children Kidnapped

Palestinian human rights groups have reported that a detained Palestinian child from Jerusalem was seriously injured during interrogation at an Israeli interrogation center in Salah Ed-Deen Street, in the occupied city.

The WAFA News Agency said the child, Khader al-‘Ajlouni, 16 years of age, was pushed down a flight of stairs at the police station, and suffered serious injuries to his neck, arms and back.

It added that the child was transferred to a hospital in the city after becoming unable to move one of his arms and one of his legs.

Also in Jerusalem, small groups of Israeli extremists invaded the yards of the Al-Aqsa Mosque through the al-Magharba Gate, under heavy Israeli military presence.

Late on Tuesday at night, Israeli soldiers invaded a number of homes in the occupied city, and kidnapped several children, before taking them to an interrogation facility.

Young Palestinian Man Stabbed in Northern Jerusalem|
http://www.imemc.org/article/69753

IOF soldiers fire at farmers, gunboats target fishermen

RAFAH, (PIC)--

Israeli occupation forces (IOF) fired at Palestinian farmers east of Khan Younis, south of the Gaza Strip, on Wednesday morning while navy gunboats targeted Palestinian fishermen off Rafah coast also to the south of the Strip.

Local sources said that the IOF shooting targeted farmers and their plantations in addition to what is remaining of buildings in Khuza’a town to the east of Khan Younis district.

Meanwhile, Israeli gunboats opened machinegun fire at Palestinian fishermen and their fishing boats off the Rafah coast with no casualties reported.

The Israeli gunboats target Palestinian fishing boats on semi daily basis at the pretext of fishing beyond the six nautical miles limit set for them by the Israeli occupation authorities.

The incidents constituted fresh violations of the Egyptian-brokered truce.  

IOF raids two homes in al-Khalil, clashes break out

AL-KHALIL, (PIC)--

The Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) stormed Wednesday homes of two Palestinian young men suspected of kidnapping and killing three Israeli soldiers in June.

Local sources said that IOF soldiers violently raided and searched several homes in al-Khalil including those of the families of martyrs Amer Abu Aisha and Marwan Qawasmeh.

During the raid, the soldiers brutally assaulted inhabitants including women.

Along the same line, Israeli forces set up a number of makeshift checkpoints at the entrance to Dura and Kharsa towns, in addition to storming different neighborhoods in the city of al-Khalil.

The PIC reporter quoted local sources as saying that combing operations were carried out in the area, where Palestinian vehicles were stopped and searched at the checkpoints.

Violent clashes broke out in Kharsa town as Israeli forces stormed its neighborhoods and heavily fired tear gas bombs towards the by-passers. Local youths responded by throwing stones and empty bottles.

A number of Palestinian students suffered effects of tear gas inhalation after IOF soldiers heavily fired gas bombs towards them south of al-Khalil, which led to the outbreak of violent clashes.

Similar clashes broke out in Beit Ummar town, north of al-Khalil, during which Israeli forces fired rubber bullets and tear gas bombs at Palestinian homes and vehicles.

B'Tselem: Orders to demolish homes of Palestinians unlawful

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, (PIC)--

The Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories 'B'Tselem' denounced in a press release issued Tuesday Israeli orders to demolish or seal the homes of the families of Palestinians who carried out recent attacks against Israelis. 

"This action constitutes harming the innocent. It is collective punishment that is both unlawful and immoral," B'Tselem said.

The statement pointed out that “the Israeli security establishment has announced its intention to demolish or seal six homes: three in East Jerusalem, one in Nablus and one in Hebron.”

The center said, "Since the occupation began in 1967, Israeli security forces have demolished hundreds of homes to punish relatives of Palestinians who harmed or allegedly harmed Israelis. This policy rendered homeless thousands of people who were not themselves accused of any wrongdoing."

About ten years ago, a military committee headed by Major General Udi Shani found punitive home demolitions to be a measure of questionable effectiveness in deterring attacks against Israelis. It found that there are even indications that demolitions sometimes achieve the opposite effect and stated that the measure is just on the “verge of legality”. 

B'Tselem said that the habitual call for punitive demolition in response to attacks against Israelis ignores the committee’s findings and is apparently made primarily to achieve media interest and political gain.

A policy of punitive home demolition is fundamentally wrong, irrespective of its effectiveness. It contravenes basic moral standards by punishing people for the misdeeds of others, the human rights organization concluded, calling upon the Israeli authorities not to demolish these homes.

Settlers attack Palestinian homes, vehicles in Nablus

NABLUS, (PIC)--

Jewish extremist settlers attacked overnight Palestinian homes and vehicles at the entrance to Burin town and at the outskirts of Hawara town to the south of Nablus.

Local sources confirmed that a group of settlers brutally attacked three Palestinian homes in Burin town and completely destroyed their furniture.

A fourth home was also attacked near Hawara checkpoint, while Israeli occupation forces violently shut down all shops in the town.

The responsible for the settlement file in the West Bank Ghassan Daghlas pointed out that a number of Palestinian vehicles were subjected to stone-throwing attack while passing near Yitzhar settlement, built on Palestinian land to the south of Nablus.

IOF soldiers closed Hawara checkpoint in both sides and the main road leading to the settlement, he added.

Meanwhile, an Israeli settler suffered slight injuries late Tuesday after being attacked with an iron rod while driving a motorcycle in the Old City east of occupied Jerusalem.

According to Israel’s TV Channel 7, a number of Palestinian youths attacked the settler with an iron rod before fleeing the scene.

Israeli forces were deployed in large numbers in the area looking for the attackers, the TV added.

Earlier Tuesday, two Palestinian young men carried out a deadly attack on a Jewish synagogue located in the ethnically-cleansed Palestinian village of Deir Yassin in response to Israel’s mounting terrorism against Palestinian civilians and Muslims’ holy shrines in Occupied Jerusalem, most recently was hanging to death an Arab driver in occupied Jerusalem on Sunday.

IOF attacks the mourning tent of synagogue attackers

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, (PIC)--

The Israeli Magistrate court on Tuesday ruled against handing over the bodies of the two Palestinian young men, who carried out a deadly attack on a west Jerusalem synagogue.

Local sources said that IOF soldiers heavily fired tear gas bombs at the mourning tent of the two martyrs in Jabal Mukaber in occupied Jerusalem. Many suffered the effects of tear gas inhalation during the attack.

On the other hand, two Israeli policemen were injured during clashes in the Old City in occupied Jerusalem after being stoned by angry protesters. The two injured were transferred to Hadassah hospital for treatment.

Similar confrontations erupted in Tur, Jabal Mukber, and Ras al-Amoud neighborhoods, Shufat refugee camp, the Old City and Ram town in protest against an Arab driver’s murder by Jewish settlers late Sunday.

Meanwhile, Israeli police have released Tuesday evening nine members of the synagogue attackers’ family and extended the arrest of three others till Wednesday.

Al-Dameer Foundation for Human Rights confirmed that the detention of three brothers of Ghassen and Uday Abu Jamal, the two young men who carried out the synagogue attack, was extended for further investigation.

Nine members of Abu Jabal family, including three women, were released on Tuesday night.

Along the same line, violent clashes erupted in Jabal Mukaber town following Israeli decision not to hand over the synagogue attackers’ bodies to their families.

Israeli forces stormed the town and sprayed waste water to suppress the protesters.

Different neighborhoods and towns witnessed similar clashes in occupied Jerusalem. At least five people were nabbed.

An Israeli settler had opened fire randomly at Palestinians in Tur town under the pretext that his car was allegedly stoned.

In the same context, a young man was detained for three hours in Qushla police station after being taken from his home.

Tensions have been running high in occupied Jerusalem, as settlers’ attacks and violations have noticeably escalated against Jerusalemites and their holy sites, most recently was hanging to death an Arab driver in occupied Jerusalem on Sunday. 

IOF blows up Abdul Rahman Shaludi's home in Jerusalem

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, (PIC)--

The Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) stormed and demolished at dawn Wednesday the home of Abdul Rahman Shaludi, the man suspected of running over a group of settlers at a train station.

On 23 October, Abdul Rahman Shaludi rammed his vehicle into a group of settlers at a light rail station in occupied Jerusalem. Two settlers were killed while five others were injured during the incident.

The IOF soldiers violently stormed the four-story home and forced Shaludi family members out before blowing it up, a PIC reporter said.

Israeli radio claimed that demolishing Shaludi’s home came as part of the so-called Israeli "fight against terrorism".

Earlier Tuesday, Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the demolition of the homes of two Palestinians who launched the latest attack on a Jewish synagogue carried out in response to Israel’s mounting terrorism against Palestinian civilians and Muslims’ holy shrines in Occupied Jerusalem.

Israeli critics have slammed Netanyahu's orders to tighten grip around Palestinians’ necks in Occupied Jerusalem and the West Bank, warning that it would be counter-productive.

Netanyahu tightens “noose” around Occupied Jerusalem

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, (PIC)--

Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu gave orders to tighten grip around Palestinians’ necks in Occupied Jerusalem and the West Bank, further giving green light to police and settler violence across the occupied Palestinian territories.

Netanyahu ordered the demolition of the homes of suspects of the latest attack on a Jewish synagogue carried out in response to Israel’s mounting terrorism against Palestinian civilians and Muslims’ sanctuaries in Occupied Jerusalem.

The decisions were taken during an emergency security meeting that convened in Netanyahu’s office hours after Tuesday’s retribution-attack.

Israel’s premier also instructed the demolition of the homes of all those involved in attacks on Israelis and the prosecution of anti-Israeli occupation activists.

Meanwhile, the Palestinian government condemned Tuesday’s attack, warning of dragging the region into a religious war.

The government voiced support for the PA presidency’s statement that condemned “all acts of violence from whatever source”.

The government also condemned the latest cold-blooded murder of the Palestinian youth Yusuf Al-Ramouni, an autopsy on whose body found out that he was strangled to death by a gang of Jewish terrorists in a bus depot in Occupied Jerusalem.

It called on the international community to immediately step in so as to stop Israel’s mounting terrorism against the Palestinian people and halt the incitement to violence launched by Israeli leaders.

Israeli police raid homes of synagogue attackers

Israeli security forces at the synagogue OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, (PIC)--

 The Israeli occupation police forces on Tuesday afternoon violently stormed the houses of the two Palestinian young men who carried out a deadly attack on the same day on a west Jerusalem synagogue located in the ethnically-cleansed Palestinian village of Deir Yassin.

Local sources told the Palestinian information center (PIC) that special police forces raided, amid intensive firing of stun grenades and rubber bullets, the houses of the Palestinian attackers in Jabal Mukkaber neighborhood in east Jerusalem and physically assaulted their relatives before detaining some of them.  

Eyewitnesses said that many residents of those homes suffered injuries during the police raid, including women.

The police troops also suppressed journalists and opened fire at them to prevent them from covering what was happening to the families of the attackers.

During the raid, the Israeli police blocked the entrances to Jabal Mukkaber with their vehicles, while its schools and some businesses closed their doors.  

As some Palestinian resistance factions, including Hamas and Islamic Jihad, lauded what they described as a courageous commando operation in occupied Jerusalem, the Palestinian Authority condemned in a statement the attack on the synagogue and expressed its sympathy with the families of the victims.

The Abu Ali Mustafa Brigades, the armed wing of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, claimed responsibility for the synagogue attack.

Four Israelis were killed and 13 others suffered different injuries as two Palestinian young men armed with a pistol and meat cleavers attacked on Tuesday morning a synagogue in the western Jerusalem neighborhood of Har Nof, according to Israeli news reports.

The attackers, who were killed in a shootout with policemen, were identified as Ghassan and Oday Abu Jamel, cousins from the east Jerusalem neighborhood of Jabal Mukkaber, according to Palestinian sources.

The targeted synagogue is actually located in Deir Yassin village, where extremist Jewish groups on April 9, 1948 massacred and mutilated its Palestinian residents, about 250 civilians including children, women and elderly people.

In a related development, Addameer association for prisoner support and human rights said that the Israeli police detained 10 relatives of Ghassan and Oday Abu Jamel, including their parents and brothers, during the raid on their homes in Jabal Mukkaber.

Lawyer of the association Mohamed Mahmoud said the detainees were taken to Maskobiyeh detention center for interrogation, adding that he would follow up their files until their release. 18

 

 

 

 

70 Israeli settlers attack school in Nablus

November 18, 2014

NABLUS, (PIC)-- Dozens of masked Israeli settlers on Tuesday stormed and attacked a Palestinian school in Urif town to the south of Nablus, which led to the outbreak of clashes in the school.

The local activist Hossam al-Sharif told a PIC reporter that 70 masked settlers broke into the high school and brutally assaulted the Palestinian students and their teachers.

He added that large Israeli forces arrived at the scene and heavily fired tear gas canisters at the students and prevented ambulances' access to the school to provide medical aid for the injured.

The Israeli forces provided security protection for the invading settlers.

Residents of Urif town have repeatedly called for the formation of a popular committee to provide protection in face of the ceaseless settlers' attacks. 

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