Israeli Occupation Forces Attack Peace Activists in Bil'in, Khader and Ma'assara Protest the Wall, Illegal Settlers Attack Assirah Al-Qbliya

Settlers attack a Palestinian village near Nablus

Friday May 16, 2008 22:59 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

Dozens of extremist settlers of the illegal Yitzhar settlement, near the northern West Bank city of Nablus, attacked Palestinian villagers of Assirah Al-Qibliya on Friday.

Several Palestinian villagers were beaten by the settlers who also caused excessive damage in the village.

Meanwhile, the settlers claimed that the Palestinian villagers provoked them “by setting a wheat field belonging to the settlement on fire”.

Israeli police sources reported that settlers and Palestinians villagers hurled stones at each other.

The army and the police said that they launched a probe into the incidents. But, Palestinian residents stated that the Israeli police and soldiers did not attempt to stop the settlers from carrying their attack.

Two weeks ago, illegal settlers of Yitzhar attacked the same village and caused excessive damage, but the army claimed that the Palestinians caused these clashes “after approaching the settlement and setting a field on fire”.

The Israeli occupation army also rejected any claims that the illegal settlers invaded the Palestinian village, and refused even to probe the incident.

Two Islamic Jihad fighters wounded in northern Gaza

Friday May 16, 2008 21:59 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC News

Palestinian medical sources reported that two fighters of the Al Quds Brigades, the armed wing of the Islamic Jihad, were wounded on Friday evening after the Israeli air force targeted a group of fighters in the northern part of the Gaza Strip.

A senior source at the Brigades stated that the Israeli air force targeted a group of its fighters who gathered in Tal Qleibo, in the northern part of the Gaza Strip. The source added that that two fighters were wounded in the attack.

Abu Ahmad, media spokesperson of the Brigades, stated that the fighters are ready to counter any Israeli aggression in the Gaza Strip.

In an interview with Maan News Agency, Abu Ahmad said that the Al Quds brigades, and all resistance groups in Gaza will use all available means to counter a possible Israeli invasion into Gaza.

Israeli newspaper, Haaretz, said that Israel is planning a major offensive in Gaza , and that this offensive might be carried out after the US President, George Bush, leaves that Middle East.

Weekly Bil'in protest: dozens treated for tear gas inhalation

Friday May 16, 2008 17:38 by Ghassan Bannoura - IMEMC News

Villagers from Bil'in, located near the central West Bank city of Ramallah, supported by international and Israeli peace activists conducted their weekly nonviolent protest, on Friday midday, against the illegal Israeli wall built on the village's land.

Protesters carried banners demanding the removal of the illegal Israeli wall, illegal settlements, and calling the international community to help Palestinians retain Jerusalem from the Israeli army, as is the case each week the protests started after the mid-day Friday prayers were finished in the local mosque, villagers from Bil'in, along with Israeli and international peace activists, marched towards the location of the Wall which is separating the village from its land.

Immediately after the protest reached the gate of the Wall, soldiers showered the protestors with tear gas and rubber-coated steel bullets. Scores of protesters were treated for gas inhalation.

Al-Khader village protests the Israeli Lad-Grab, Apartheid Wall

Friday May 16, 2008 16:47 by Ghassan Bannoura - IMEMC News

On Friday midday, the popular committee of Al Khader village—near the southern West Bank city of Bethlehem—held a non-violent demonstration to protest the construction of the illegal Israeli Land-Grab, Apartheid Wall, demanding an end to the Palestinians Nakba and recognition of their right of return.

Around 150 Palestinians, internationals, and Israeli peace activists took part in the protest, which started with a prayer near the checkpoint at the entrance of the village.

As soon as the protestors gathered for the prayer, at least 30 Israeli troops blocked the checkpoint, attempting to foil the protest. The protesters marched towards the military barricade and sat in front of it for nearly half an hour. Speeches were delivered and the protest ended peacefully.

Theme of today's protest was Nakba: "Sixty year of ongoing catastrophe, sixty year of exile; sixty years of neglecting Palestinians' rights and basic human needs"

Over the last sixty years, thousands of homesick Palestinians have attempted to cross Israel's barriers, just to see their homes one more time; and thousands have died on Israeli fences, their homes still waiting for them. Between 1948 and 1951 alone, the Israeli army killed 3,000 Palestinians as they tried to cross the border. Nowadays, Israeli soldiers are instructed to shoot Palestinians who attempt to cross the separation wall, a wall that is being built, day by day, on private Palestinian land.

Hundreds join nonviolent anti-wall protest in Al-Ma'assara

Friday May 16, 2008 16:43 by Majeeb Farraj - IMEMC News

Around 250 Palestinians and Internationals, including 70 Americans demonstrated against the construction of the separation wall on the land of Al-Ma'assara village south of Bethlehem on Friday morning.

The protestors wore black T-Shirts, and raised black flags in a mourning sign to commemorate the 60 anniversary of the Nakba, the dispossession of the Palestinian people in 1948.

As the protestors arrived at the construction site of the wall, dozens of Israeli troops lined up and placed barbed wire in order to prevent the protestors to advance closer to the wall.

The protestors set up a tent at the site to resemble the tents the expelled Palestinians of 1948 lived in. Troops assaulted the protestors with their batons, and rifle buts wounding three of them moderately. The three were treated for bruises in their bodes, and were identified as, Mazen El-Azza, Ahmad Hassan and Hassan Zawahra.

A number of speeches were given stressing on the need to continue to resist the wall through nonviolent means, and affirming that the Palestinian people continue to demand their right to return to their land that they were expelled from sixty years ago.

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