This Week in Palestine, September 18th, 2015

Israeli attacks targeting Jerusalem’s Al Aqsa mosque escalate, 20 Palestinians injured in the clashes. Meanwhile UN Security council calls for restraint. 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. 18 protesters were injured, including children, on Friday when Israeli troops attacked anti wall and settlement protests organized at a number of west Bank villages using live ammunition, tear gas and rubber-coated steel bullets. IMEMC’s Majd Batjali has more:

On Friday protests were organized at the villages of Bil’in, Ni’lin and Al Nabi saleh in central West Bank. Anti-wall and settlements protest were also reported in Kufer Qadum in the north.

18 civilians including two children were injured in Kufer Qadum, when Israeli troops attacked the villagers and their international supporters at the village entrance.

According to medical sources the two children and a man were hit with live rounds in the legs and hands and were moved to Rafidia hospital in Nablus for treatment suffering moderate injuries.

Later troops stormed the village and fired tear gas at protesters, many civilians were treated for the effects of tear gas inhalation.

Elsewhere, at the village of Al Nabi saleh, Israeli soldiers attacked protesters before even leaving the village. Many were treated for the effects of tear gas inhalation.

At the nearby villages of Bil’in, and Ni’lin, residents and their supporters reached the Israeli wall. Soldiers stationed their showered them with tear gas and chemical water that generate bad smell. Many were treated for the effects of tear gas inhalation.

For IMEMC News this is Majd Batjali.


The Political Report

As clashes this week between invading Israeli settlers and military with Palestinian civilians in Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem, the UN Security council calls for restraint and Several Arab leaders warn Israel against provocations. IMEMC's George Rishmawi with the details:

Clashes between invading Israeli settlers and military with Palestinian civilians inside the Aqsa Mosque continued during the past week including four consecutive days.

Following the visit of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday, more settlers invaded the mosque and clashed with the worshippers there.

On its part, the United Nations Security council called for restraint and calm, while several Arab leaders including King Abdullah II of Jordan warned Israel against more provocations at Al-Aqsa mosque, saying that it would damage ties between the two countries.

The Jordanian Monarch said "Any more provocation in Jerusalem will affect the relationship between Jordan and Israel" he told journalists "Jordan will not have a choice but to take actions, unfortunately."

The UN call came after Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz has appealed to UN chief Ban Ki-moon and members of the Security Council for urgent measures regarding clashes at Al-Aqsa Mosque compound.

On Sunday, the Ministerial councils of the Arab League also warned Israel against possible repercussions for its actions at the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, according to a statement released by the league.

The council said the Arab League considers the most recent clashes at the Al-Aqsa compound, and Israel's "attempt to divide" the holy site, a provocation against the Arab states.

This is not the first wave of organized attacks by the Israeli settlers and military against the Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.

Former Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon visited Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in September 2000 which led to the Second Intifada, a popular uprising, also known as the al-Aqsa Intifada.

The brutal assault against Palestinians at the site of the mosque started on Sunday following the deployment of Israeli soldiers to the area for the Jewish Rosh Hashanah New Year holiday.

In the meantime, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said he will drop a bombshell in his upcoming speech before the United Nations General Assembly.

While Abbas refrained to reveal more information about the nature of this bombshell, senior Fatah leader Nabil Shaath said there might be drop of some fundamental clauses of the Oslo Accords signed between the PLO and Israel in 1993 upon which the Palestinian Authority was established in 1995.

Shaath maintained that the Israeli leadership implements only what they see fit with them and drop the rest, and the Palestinian leadership will act in the same way.

For IMEMC News, this is George Rishmawi


The West Bank and Gaza Report

This week, at least 20 Palestinian civilians were injured during clashes in Jerusalem and the West Bank. Moreover, Israeli troops conducted at least 47 military invasions this week into West Bank communities. During these invasions, Israeli forces kidnapped at least 48 Palestinians civilians. IMEMC’s Ghassan Bannoura Reports:

According to the Palestinian Center for Human Rights among those kidnapped this week there was 12 children.

Moreover, clashes between Palestinian residents and Israeli forces were reported all week in Jerusalem. The clashes started on Sunday when Israeli settlers and police stormed Al Aqsa compound in Jerusalem old city to celebrate the Jewish New Year. Five Palestinian civilians, including a child, a civil defence officer and two journalists, were wounded in the attack by the soldiers and settlers.

According to Palestinian sources, at least 20 civilians were injured by Israeli troops gunfire this week. Israeli right wing groups want to take over the Al Aqsa compound, one of the holiest sites for Muslims worldwide. Those groups claim that the holy site was built on top of Solomon’s Temple.

On Friday rallies were organized all over the West Bank and Gaza in support of Al Aqsa. Israeli troops attacked protesters in the West Bank with live rounds and tear gas. As a result, scores were injured from tear gas inhalation, Palestinian medical sources reported.

Later in the week, a young man was shot and seriously injured on Friday at dawn by Israeli army fire, near the Beit Forik Israeli military roadblock, east of the northern West Bank city of Nablus.

On Thursday night, a Palestinian youth was injured by an army live round to his foot during clashes with Israeli soldiers near the Israeli wall surroundings the southern West Bank city of Bethlehem.

Also this week, The Israeli Authorities kidnapped longtime hunger striking detainee, Mohammad 'Allan, directly after he was discharged on Thursday from the Barzilai Israeli Medical Center, in Asqalan.

Allan restarted a hunger strike in protest. Earlier in the month Allan held an extended hunger strike, lasting for 65 days, and was admitted to the medical center. He also fell into a coma due to a deterioration in his health. He suspended his strike after an Israeli High Court decision for his release.

In the Gaza Strip this week, a Palestinian field regulation officer in the border area was wounded on Tuesday when Israeli forces stationed along the border fence, east of Khan Yunis in the south of the Gaza Strip, opened fire at a jeep of the Field Regulation Service.

On Sunday, Israeli forces stationed along the border fence opened fire at farms and homes northwest of Beit Lahia in the north of the Gaza Strip. damage was reported but no injuries.

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 September 12th, to the 18th, 2015. From the Occupied Palestinian Territories. For more news and updates please visit our website at http://www.imemc.org, This week’s report has been brought to you by Maher Qasiess and me Eman Abedraboo-Bannoura.