IOTF warplanes shell Rafah border strip

[ 17/02/2009 - 11:34 AM ]

RAFAH, (PIC)--

Israeli occupation terrorist forces (IOTF) warplanes on Monday night renewed shelling of the Rafah border area to the southernmost tip of the Gaza Strip after shelling it in the morning, local sources reported.

They said that the US-made Israeli F-16 warplanes launched two separate air raids on the border strip near the Rafah border gate firing two rockets.

The shelling caused powerful blasts but no casualties were reported, the sources said, adding that the shelling apparently targeted tunnels used to channel goods to the Strip in light of the closure of all Gaza crossings.

Meanwhile, the PA health ministry in Gaza said that it ran out of units of negative blood components, and appealed to citizens having negative blood components to donate to the nearest hospital to their homes.

In the West Bank, Israeli occupation terrorist forces rounded up 60 Palestinians in various towns and villages over the past 24 hours.

The Hebrew radio on Tuesday said that the campaign of arrests was reported in Tulkarem, Qalqilia, Al-Khalil and Bethlehem.

Dr. Abdul Sattar Ibrahim Qassem, a professor of political science in Al-Najah University, said that the IOTF soldiers burst into and wreaked havoc in his brother's home in Dair Al-Ghusun village, Tulkarem district.

He added that the soldiers took away his brother Shaikh Qassem Ibrahim Qassem, the Imam of the village's mosque, and added that the Shaikh was previously detained on several occasions by the IOTF troops.

Israeli occupation terrorist forces kidnap eight Islamic Jihad members in northern West Bank

Date: 17 / 02 / 2009  Time:  11:13
Tulkarem – Ma’an –

Israeli occupation terrorist forces stormed the northern West Bank city of Tulkarem on Tuesday morning, kidnapping eight Islamic Jihad members at dawn, among them a senior member.

In addition to Tulkarem proper, soldiers also entered villages around the city and the main refugee camps in the area, where they searched for other members to arrest, according to Palestinian security sources.

Soldiers stormed the Tulkarem-area villages of Anabta, Seida, Illar, Qaffin and Deir Al-Ghusun in the north, as well as Nur Shams Refugee Camp and Ramin in the east and Kafr Abbush in the south.

Forty-five-year-old Sheikh Qassem Tawfiq Khader, a senior leader of Islamic Jihad, was seized in Dair Al-Ghusoun. Ihab Damiri was taken from the city of Tulkarm, 25-year-old Mohammad Jeitawi from Nur Shams and 24-year-old Aziz Tu’mah from Qaffin.

Also, 22-year-old Hassan Abu Kamlah and 23-year-old Jasser Wahdan, both from Anabta, were abducted along with Mohammad Saifi from Kafr Abbush and 23-year-old Mustafa Zeidan from Ramin, the Palestinian sources told Ma’an.

Israeli patrols reportedly withdrew early on Tuesday, leaving scorched and bullet-ridden homes behind.

The closure of Al-Ram

Tuesday February 17, 2009 16:53 by Maisa Abu Ghazaleh - Palestine News Network - PNN

 The Israeli occupation terrorist forces closed the only remaining passage of Dhahiyat Al-Barid between the Jerusalem suburb of Al-Ram and the city.

  The northern town was a part of the city until the Wall was imposed down the center of Main Street effectively prohibiting the movement of residents. There was one passage left and now that is closed.  

The remaining passage, which was the area of Dhahiyat Al-Barid, was closed on Monday after being declared a "closed military zone" at the beginning of the month. Now that the Wall surrounds Al-Ram and that one gate is closed, any possible travel must be conducted through the Ramallah checkpoint of Qalandiya.  

The closure increased congestion in northern Jerusalem and Ramallah today after the Israelis declared passage between Al-Ram and the rest of the city a  “closed military zone” two weeks ago. The gate was the only means left of physical contiguity between the north and south of Jerusalem.   Since yesterday morning the Qalandiya Checkpoint is facing a major crisis with traffic not subsiding. Israeli soldiers continue to detain cars, public buses and passengers. Students and employees en route to work widely report being late.  

In a meeting with the President of the Local Council of Al-Ram, Sirhan Al-Salama said, "I have already warned of the repercussions and the outcome of a unilateral Israeli decision which tries to impose a fait accompli."  

He stressed that the closure of the gate today will “turn the lives of the inhabitants of the region into hell.” Al-Salama said , “It has become a big prison where to enter or exit one must pass through military gates from which the Israeli occupation controls the movements of the residents of Jerusalem.”  

He added, "At the closing of this gate all entry and exit will be through Qalandiya which is already overcrowded. This means the transfer of approximately 60,000 Jerusalemites which increases the magnitude of the problem, particularly in the morning hours for students who will be forced to start out even earlier. And in the winter this is even more difficult. This is causing real suffering for the people, including those who are trying to get to work.”  

Al-Salama- stressed that this move was not related to geographical region but rather was being undertaken in terms of demographic. The 60,000 residents of northern Jerusalem’s Al Ram and suburbs are also being threatened with having their “blue” Jerusalem identification revoked.  

The head of the Al-Ram council is pushing the Palestinian Authority to give more importance to the issue in negotiations with the Israelis. “How can we talk about peace at time when the Israeli occupation terrorist government is converting large areas into prisons, even in Area B which is overseen by the Palestinian Authority in civil matters?”

The Israeli occupation terrorist forces kidnap 26 Palestinian civilians from the West Bank

Tuesday February 17, 2009 12:38 by Ghassan Banoura - IMEMC News

The Israeli military kidnapped 26 Palestinian civilians during pre dawn and morning invasions targeting several West Bank cities and towns on Tuesday, Palestinian sources reported.  

Israeli soldiers kidnapping a Palestinian man near Bethlehem – Photo by IMEMC's Ghassan Bannoura 2008

The sources said that the invasions took place in Tulkarem, Jenin, Qalqilia, Ramallah, Bethlehem and Hebron cities.  

Witnesses said that Israeli troops invaded Tulkarem city and nearby a village, and kidnapped nine civilians after searching a number of homes.  Also, in the northern part of the West Bank, Israeli troops invaded the city of Qalqilia, searched homes and kidnapped seven civilians.  

In the southern part of the West Bank, an Israeli force invaded the villages of Hussan and Beit Omer, near Bethlehem city and kidnapped seven civilians.  

Moreover, three civilians were kidnapped during home searches in Hebron city and nearby villages, local sources reported.