Clashes over olive harvest begin in Ni'lin, continue near Hebron

Date: 03 / 10 / 2008  Time:  15:47
Ni’lin - Ma'an –

Illegal Israeli settlers near Ramallah in the central West Bank and Hebron in the south clashed with Palestinians and peace activists as they sought to harvest olives from areas confiscated by Israel. Both incidents occurred on Friday, the last day of the Muslim Eid Al-Fitr holiday that marks the end of Ramadan.

In Ni’lin, a Palestinian town north of Ramallah, a group of international and Israeli peace activists clashed with illegal  Israeli settlers as they accompanied Palestinians from the village of Ni’lin to their lands on the far side of the separation wall in order to harvest the olives from village trees.

About 40 activists clashed with as many settlers. The latter claim that the olive grove that was to be harvested does not indeed belong to the Ni’lin family that went to harvest the fruits. The settlers tried to prevent the activists and the Palestinian family from reaching the trees.

Some of the setters later claimed that a peace activist attacked the wife of extremist settler Itamar Ben-Gvir, who brought her young son to the demonstration. Details of the attack are unclear, and no injuries were documented. The activist charged with the attack was reported to have told the Israeli press that the mother had insulted him prior to his act against her.

In Ni’lin Dr Mustafa Al-Barghouthi told Ma’an that Palestinians and activists were able to drive the settlers away from the olive grove and harvest the fruits belonging to the family.

In Hebron, illegal Israeli settlers attacked peace activists from Rabbis for Human Rights as they stood protecting a group of Palestinians harvesting olives in a nearby field.

According to Israeli media sources Israeli police tried to halt the settlers who were attempting to drive the farmers off the land.

Rabbis for Human Rights said they would be going to 40 different Palestinian villages during this olive harvest season to ensure that Israeli settlers and police do not harm the Palestinian families who go into their fields and village lands to pick the olives from the trees.

For several years international and Israeli peace activists have travelled to Palestine to help local farmers harvest olives from groves and fields that have been confiscated, or effectively confiscated, by Israel. Some fields abut Israeli settlements and farmers cannot go near them without fear of being harassed or injured.

Also on Friday in Al-Ma’asara, an area southeast of Bethlehem, clashes erupted between the Israeli army and activists as the latter marched in the village in a regular protest against the wall. The march came on the eighth anniversary of the death of the young Palestinian Mohammad Ad-Durra on the same sight.

Al-Ma’sara protest again quashed by Israeli troops

Date: 03 / 10 / 2008  Time:  16:18
Bethlehem - Ma'an –

The popular campaign against the wall organized a protest at the site of the contraction of the separation wall near the village of Al-Ma’sara west of Bethlehem on Friday.

Protesters congregated at the Al-Zawahrah School and marched towards the site of the construction wall. International, Israeli and local Palestinians participated in the event, which was dispersed by sound bombs and tear gas when they reached the waiting Israeli troops.

Coordinator of Friday’s protest Mazen Al-Azzah said in a speech that the demonstration and the struggle against the wall will continue despite constant suppression by Israeli forces against such peaceful demonstrations.

4 guns seized, 20 detained and homes ransacked as Israeli forces storm village

Date: 03 / 10 / 2008  Time:  14:13
Bethlehem - Ma'an -

Israeli occupation forces arrested 20 Palestinians in the village of Al-E’bayat village east Bethlehem, who were alleged to have weapons in their homes. At least 20 homes were raided by Israeli forces at dawn on Friday.

Israeli occupation forces said that they found four hunting weapons and M16 rifles in addition to bullets and two knives during the raid.

Security sources informed Ma’an that approximately 20 military vehicles stormed Al-E’bayat from its Eastern Bethlehem road entrance. Among those detained were 39-year-old Jamal Mohammed Hassan Nabhan and his brother Imad Nabhan, who were taken to an unknown location.

Locals reported soldiers ransacking homes that were searched, and destroying much of their contents. Among the homes ransacked were those of Osama Abayat, Raed Abayat, Mohammed Abayat, Ali Hassan Abayat, Imad Hassan Abayat, Yousuf Hassan Abayat, Khaled Mohammed Abayat, Mohammad Hassan Abayat, Yasser Ali Abayat, Hassan Adnan Abayat and Hassan Moussa Abayat.

Several of the members of teh Abayat family work with Palestinian National security forces.

Dozens injured in nonviolent protest in Bil’in

Friday October 03, 2008 14:31 by IMEMC News

Three civilians were wounded with rubber-coated steel bullets and dozens treated for gas inhalation in the village of Bil’in near Ramallah, in the weekly nonviolent anti-wall protest Friday afternoon.

The villagers accompanied by International and Israeli supporters marched after the Friday prayer carrying Palestinian flags and banners calling for continuing the nonviolent resistance to remove the wall and the settlements from the West Bank.

Marchers also took to the streets chanting slogans calling for national unity among Palestinian factions.

Protestors also carried ladders they usually use in the process of harvesting the olive trees, as the harvest season started. Palestinian farmers usually face problems from Israeli settlers and soldiers during the gravest season, who sometimes shoot at them or booby-trap the trees.

As protestors arrived at the gate in the fence, troops showered them with dozens of gas canisters and concussion grenades and rubber-coated steel bullets causing many of them to choke.

Dozens were treated for gas inhalation and three suffered minor injuries as they were hit with rubber-coated steel bullets. Three were identified as Muheeb Barghouthi, a journalist with a local newspaper, Abdullah Yassin from Bil’in and a Japanese peace activist.

Settlers attack nonviolent farmers and activists in Ni’lin village

Friday October 03, 2008 13:26 by IMEMC News

Illegal Israeli settlers attacked farmers accompanied by a group of international and Israeli activists en route to their lands on the far side of the wall in order to harvest the olives trees In the village of Ni’lin, north of Ramallah on Friday afternoon.

About 40 activists clashed with as many settlers, who claim that the olive grove that was to be harvested does not indeed belong to the Ni’lin residents. The settlers tried to prevent the activists and the Palestinian family from reaching the trees.

Local sources reported that the activists and the farmers managed to drive the settlers off the land and to harvest the olive trees.

Meanwhile in Hebron, settlers attacked peace activists from the Israeli Rabbis for Human Rights movement as they stood protecting a group of Palestinians harvesting olives in their field.

Israeli media sources said Israeli troops operating in the area tried to stop the settlers who were trying to drive the farmers off the field.

Rabbis for Human Rights, an Israeli leftist movement, said they are planning to accompany Palestinians in 40 different villages when they go to harvest their olive trees in order to provide protection for them from the Israeli police, military and settlers who increasingly harass and assault Palestinians.

IOF troops kidnap 9 Palestinians in various parts of the West Bank

[ 03/10/2008 - 04:53 PM ] File photo of Israeli occupation soldiers breaking into a Palestinian home

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, (PIC)--

Israeli occupation forces (IOF), Friday morning, raided a number of towns in the northern and southern West Bank and kidnapped nine citizens, according to Palestinian sources.

Local sources in the southern West Bank town of al-Khalil said that IOF troops raided the town and kidnapped four citizens.

Meanwhile, local sources in the village of Beit Bassa, to the east of the southern West Bank town of Beit Sahour said that IOF troops kidnapped two brothers, Muhmmad Nabhan (39) and Imad Nabhan, in his twenties and took then to an unknown destination.

Locals reported that the IOF soldiers also ransacked a number of homes in the village.

Elsewhere in the northern West Bank, sources in the city of Nablus stated that IOF troops kidnapped 3 citizens after raiding a number of neighbourhoods in the city.

Furthermore, IOF troops raided the northern West Bank city of Salfit and were confronted with angry Palestinian youths who belted the invading forces with stones and empty bottles.

On Thursday, Jewish settlers set fire to an olive grove in the village of Kafr Qadoum to the south of the northern West Bank town of Tulkarem in protest at the IOF evacuating Shavuot Ami.

The incident coincided with a statement of a high ranking Israeli occupation officer that attacks by Jewish settlers on Palestinian have increased lately.