This Week in Palestine, March 18th, 2015

This week six Palestinians were killed by Israeli gunfire, in the meantime Israel’s government announces its takeover of more Palestinian lands in Jerusalem. 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. many residents were treated for the effects of tear gas inhalation as Israeli troops attacked nonviolent protests organized in West Bank villages. IMEMC’s Majd Batjali with the details :

In Kufer Kadum village in northern West Bank, many residents were treated for the effects of tear gas inhalation as Israeli troops attacked the weekly protest there. Troops later stormed the village and fired tear gas into residents homes

Meanwhile in the villages of Bil’in and Ni’lin, in central West Bank, 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.

At the nearby al Nabi Saleh village, troops attacked protesters at the village entrance. Israeli soldiers fired several rounds of rubber-coated steel bullets and tear gas at protesters and nearby homes. Many residents suffered effects of tear gas inhalation as a result.

For IMEMC News this Majd Batjali.


The Political Report

Israeli occupation authorities confiscated more Palestinian lands this week, Palestinians see the move as a slap to the French peace initiative: IMEMC’s Rami Al Meghari has more:

Top Palestinian negotiator Sa'eb Eriqat, denounced this week latest Israeli confiscation of about 600 acres of Palestinian lands from the West Bank city of Jericho, which falls under Palestinian Authority's jurisdiction.

Eriqat dubbed the move as an Israeli slap to recent French thoughts for resumption of peace talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, following PA's call for holding an international peace conference.

He considered the confiscation of land one more obstacle on the path of Palestinian aspiration for a statehood on occupied Palestinian territories, including the West Bank, East Jerusalem and Gaza Strip.

For few years now, peace talks between the two sides have been on a halt, after the PA has objected to settlement activities on lands, owned by Palestinians, in both West Bank and Arab East Jerusalem.

On a related note, member of Palestine's Liberation Organisation's executive committee, Hanan Ashrawi, emphasized on the need for new international tactics to push the peace process forward.

She called on international players, especially the European Union, to set a timetable for reaching peace in the region, leading eventually to a Palestinian state on the 1967 borders.

United Nations General Assembly, had earlier recognized a Palestinian sate on those borders, including the West Bank , East Jerusalem and Gaza Strip.

For IMEMC News, I am Rami Almeghari in Gaza.


The West Bank and Gaza Report

Six Palestinian civilians were killed this week by Israeli attacks targeting Palestinian communities in Gaza and the West Bank. IMEMC’s Ghassan Bannoura reports:

Israeli soldiers killed Monday, three Palestinians in two separate incidents, in the al-Baq’a area, in the southern West Bank city of Hebron. The Israeli army said four soldiers were mildly wounded in the two attacks that took place nearly 30 minutes apart.

The military claimed that its soldiers killed two armed Palestinians, “after they opened fire on soldiers waiting at the bus stop," in Keryat Arba’ illegal colony, in Hebron city. The two have been identified as Qassem Jaber, 31, and Amir al-Juneidi, 22, from Hebron city.

Approximately thirty minutes later, another Palestinian, identified as Yousef Tarayra, 18, was killed after the soldiers claimed he tried to ram them with his car. Palestinian medics rushed to the scene but the army closed the area and prevented them from approaching the wounded Palestinians, who eventually bled to death.

Moreover, a young man died, Tuesday, of serious wounds he suffered two weeks ago after Israeli soldiers invaded the Qalandia refugee camp, north of occupied Jerusalem, Palestinian medical sources reported.

The sources said that Nahed Mteir, 24, was shot with a live Israeli army bullet, in his neck, and remained in a very serious condition until his death.

Also this week, Israeli forces conducted at least 88 military invasions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank including occupied East Jerusalem. During these invasions, Israeli troops kidnapped at least 74 Palestinian civilians, including six children.

In Gaza, Israeli war plans attack on Saturday left two killed siblings and wounded 6 others, including 2 siblings of the killed ones.

Fighter jets targeted a training site for the Al Qassam brigads the armed wing of Hamas in northern Gaza. The attack cased damage to site and nearby homes sustained damage resulting in the death of Issa Abu Khousa, 6 and his brother Yasin, 9. His 12 year old brother and 2 year old sister were also injured in the attack.

Later in the Week, Israeli soldiers attack Palestinian farmers near the southern and northern borders of the Gaza strip with Israel, forcing them to leave. Such attacks were reported on Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday of this week, local Palestinian sources 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 March 12, to the 18, 2016. 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 George Rishmawi and me Eman Abedraboo- Bannoura.