This Week in Palestine, June 2, 2017

A Palestinian teenager was killed this week, four more injured by army gunfire in separate incidents, in the meantime the Israeli government approves more settlement construction. These stories, and more, coming up, stay tuned.


The Nonviolence Report

Let’s begin our weekly report as usual with the nonviolent activities organized in the West Bank. On Friday Israeli troops used tear gas and rubber-coated steel bullets to attack protesters marching against the wall and settlements. IMEMC’s Majd Batjali has more:

This week protests were organized in the villages of Bil’in, Ni’lin in central West Bank, and in the northern West Bank village of Kufer Kadum.

Many residents and their supporters were treated for the effects of tear gas inhalation fired by Israeli soldiers as they attacked the villagers of Kufer Kadum.

In central West Bank, at the villages of Bil’in and Ni’lin, Israeli soldiers attacked the protesters as soon as they reached the gate in the wall that separates local farmers from their lands. Many protesters suffered the effects of tear gas inhalation and were treated by field medics at both locations.

For IMEMC News this is Majd Batjali


The Political Report

Despite warnings that settlements activities will obstruct efforts to resume the long stalled peace talks, this week, the Israeli government is considering approving thousands of settlement units in the West Bank, IMEMC’s George Rishmawi with the details:

U.S. President Donald Trump has signed an order delaying the relocation of the U.S. Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, breaking his election promise.

In doing so, Trump continues the policy of the previous three presidents and breaks an election promise he made to move the embassy to Jerusalem, the second president to break such a promise, after George W. Bush.

The waiver has been signed by every U.S. president since 1995, and it is valid for six months at a time. Former U.S. President Barack Obama signed it during the last weeks of his term, and, on Thursday, it would be half a year since he did so.

The White House said Thursday, that while Trump signed the waiver, he has no intention in breaking his campaign promise.

They said in a statement, “No one should consider this step to be in any way a retreat from the President’s strong support for Israel and for the United States-Israel alliance.”

The White House added, “President Trump made this decision to maximize the chances of successfully negotiating a deal between Israel and the Palestinians, fulfilling his solemn obligation to defend America’s national security interests. But, as he has repeatedly stated his intention to move the embassy, the question is not if that move happens, but only when.”

Despite warning of a total collapse of the peace process, Israel continues with its settlements activities. According to Haaretz, next week, 2,100 new housing units, all over the West Bank, will be on the agenda of the planning and building committee of the Israeli army’s civil administration.

The Israeli paper noted that some 1,500 of the units are to be constructed inside the settlement blocs, and the rest will be outside them. The highest planning council for the West Bank announced the agenda for its meeting next week on Friday morning.

Despite the rather large amount of construction under consideration, the settler leadership is somewhat disappointed because they had hoped for thousands more units to be discussed by the planning council. This is the first significant meeting of the council since Trump took office in January.

For IMEMC News, this is George Rishmawi


The West Bank and Gaza Report

This week, Israeli Troops kill a Palestinian teenager in the West Bank and attack residents and fisherman in Gaza leaving four injured. IMEMC’s Ghassan Bannoura Reports:

Nawf Enfei’at, 16, died on Friday at dawn from wounds she sustained on Thursday after being shot by Israeli soldiers near the northern West Bank city of Jenin.

Nawf was seriously injured, Thursday, when the soldiers shot her, allegedly after she stabbed a soldier at the at a military roadblock near Mavo Dotan illegal Israeli colony, built on Palestinian lands, southwest of Jenin.

She died from her serious wounds at an Israeli hosputal, on Friday morning. awf was from Ya’bad town, southwest of Jenin.

Elsewhere, dozens of fanatic Israeli colonists marched, on Wednesday at dawn, in Wadi Hilweh neighborhood in Silwan town, near the Al-Aqsa Mosque, in occupied East Jerusalem, and caused damage to Palestinian homes and cars.

The residents intercepted the settlers and stopped them, leading to some scuffles; there have been no reports of injuries.

During the week, Israeli forces conducted at least 38 military invasions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank and occupied Jerusalem. During these invasions, Israeli troops detained 48 Palestinian civilians, including 3 children.

In Gaza this week, three young men were shot with live Israeli army fire on Friday, and dozens suffered the effects of teargas inhalation, including seven medics, during clashes that erupted along the southern border fence, in the besieged Gaza Strip.

Israeli navy ships opened fire, on Tuesday at dawn, on several fishing boats in Palestinian territorial waters, close to the shore in the Sudaniyya area, northwest of Gaza city, and injured a fisherman.

Medical sources said the wounded fisherman, 24 years of age, was shot in the leg, and suffered a moderate injury, before the medics moved him to the Shifa Medical Center, in Gaza city.

Israeli gunboats stationed in the sea, northwest of Beit Lahia village, north of the Gaza Strip, heavily opened fire at fishing boats sailing within the allowed area and chased them on Saturday, and Sunday of this week. No casualties were reported.

For IMEMC news this is Ghassan Bannoura.


Conclusion

And that’s all for today from This Week in Palestine. This was the Weekly report for May 27, to June 02, 2017. From the Occupied Palestinian Territories. For more news and updates please visit our website at www-dot-imemc-dot-org, This week’s report has been brought to you by Sa’ed Naji and me Eman Abedraboo-Bannoura.