Illegal Israeli settlers torch tent with Palestinians inside near Hebron

Date: 21 / 06 / 2009  Time:  12:02
Hebron – Ma’an –

Three Palestinians from a small hamlet near Yatta, south of Hebron, on Sunday narrowly escaped death after illegal  Israeli settlers set fire to a tent while they were inside.

Local residents told Ma’an that Israeli settlers from the nearby Susia settlement, which sits on Palestinian land, set fire to a large tent used as a meeting hall for the small village.

The tent belonged to Muhammad Nasr Nawaja’ah, and was about 50 square meters in size.

Local residents who were awakened by pleas for help hurried to extinguish the fire and administered first aid to the injured, who were identified as 22-year-old Abdul Rahman Nawaja’ah, 21-year-old Yahya Nawaja’ah, and 22-year-old Ibrahim Nawaj’ah.

Settler boars damage neighborhoods, crops in Salfit

Date: 21 / 06 / 2009  Time:  12:58
Salfit - Ma’an -

A herd of boars released by illegal Israeli settlers in the northern West Bank attacked neighborhoods and farmland in Salfit on Sunday, according to witnesses.

A field of grain near a carpentry area, owned by Faleh Jameel Omran, was destroyed in the incident in which boars attacked Ein Al-Qabila, broke apple trees and devoured their fruit.

"Every day the boars attack in front of my home, searching for snails, worms and fruit trees," said area resident Mahmoud Al-Soues.

Meanwhile, the head of the Agriculture Trade Union in Salfit, Khalil Omran, expressed fears that the boars may transfer the so-called swine flu among residents there, calling on residents to avoid contact with the animals.

He also called on relevant authorities to "not hesitate to help us get rid of these unbearable boars, which cause many losses to farmers."

Israeli occupation forces raid Tulkarem, summon residents for interrogation

Date: 21 / 06 / 2009  Time:  14:28
Tulkarem – Ma’an –

Israeli occupation forces raided Nur Shams Refugee Camp and other areas in and around the West Bank city of Tulkarem on Sunday morning.

Firing in the air, Israeli soldiers knocked down the doors of Palestinians’ houses, handing over written orders summoning residents for interrogation by the Israeli intelligence.

Speaking to Ma’an, Palestinian sources identified those who were summoned to the intelligence: Ahmad Shamsuddin Ghureefy, Dia Abdul Kareem Sabbah, Muhammed Yousuf Salim, Sulaiman Khalil, Ahmed Sulaiman Khalil, all from Nour Shams Refugee Camp, and Ashraf Bilal Tabbal from the town of Dubanah.

Israeli occupation army arrests seven, injures three at Hebron protest

Date: 20 / 06 / 2009  Time:  19:35
Hebron – Ma’an –

The Israeli occupation army arrested seven peace activists demonstrating near the illegal West Bank settlement of Bat Ayin on Saturday, according to local sources.

Witnesses also said that three people were injured after soldiers attacked the demonstration, which is a weekly sit-in gathering near the entrance of the settlement north of the Hebron-area village of Beit Ummar.

The injured were identified as a photojournalist, a local resident, and an activist.

Settlers were also reported to have attacked some of the demonstrators, in addition to Israel's army, according to witnesses, one saying that "the settlers from Bat Ayin were accompanied by soldiers and beat a number of participants at the sit-in."

The seven participants, affiliated with a solidarity movement, were arrested while trying to hold a sit-in on private Palestinian land, reportedly belonging to Abdullah and Hammad Jabber Sulaibi, which is facing confiscation for the settlement's expansion.

Meanwhile on Friday, Israeli soldiers broke into and ransacked homes belonging to Hebron residents Adel Al-Junaidi, Mohammad Salhab and Ayman Juwailes, before arresting them.