North, central Gaza coast fishermen come under Israeli fire

Published today 10:40 Gaza fishing boats

Gaza - Ma’an -

Palestinian fishing boats in the Al-Sudaniyah and Al-Wusta areas of the Gaza coast came under fire Friday morning as Israeli occupation forces warships patrolling the waters launched an attack.

Witnesses reported seeing sporadic attacks on boats in the area since sunrise, with shells heard all along the coast.

While no injuries have been reported, intense explosions caused streets to empty and citizens to take shelter in their homes.

B'Tselem: Israeli occupation soldiers vandalize, torch 8 Palestinian cars

Published today (updated) 16/10/2009 11:39 B`Tselem photo of a vehicle vandalized by Israeli soldiers

Bethlehem - Ma’an -

A string of vandalism targeting Palestinian cars by Israeli occupation soldiers was documented by the Israeli human rights group B’Tselem.

One set of testimony recorded by the group said Israeli occupation forces stopped a car of Palestinian workers near Hebron, evicted the men from the vehicle, told them to walk home and proceeded to break the windshield of the car and set fire to it.

In total, B’Tselem said, eight Palestinian-owned vehicles were likely torched by Israeli military personnel. A report from the group outlined details on the targeted vandalism and how they came across it.

Field workers from B’Tselem saw a vehicle on fire Monday, and when they stopped to investigate, met the owner of the van and his passengers, who said they had been hiding from soldiers in the fields.

The group said Hummer army jeep had chased the van, which malfunctioned and the passengers got out and ran away. The soldiers then went over to the vehicle, smashed the windows, removed the spare tires and burned them under the vehicle. The gas tank caught fire and the vehicle went up in flames.

Field workers were then approached by Israeli soldiers, identified by the Palestinian witnesses as the same soldiers who set the fire on the car, and detained the field workers for half an hour, a report from the organization said.

“The next day, five more vehicles were vandalized in the same area,” the organization announced.

Following B’Tselem requests to the Judge Advocate General's Office, two Israeli officers were suspended.

Six Gazans injured in tunnel collapse

Published today (updated) 16/10/2009 12:40

Gaza – Ma’an –

Six men were injured in a tunnel collapse south of the Gaza Strip city of Rafah, Palestinian medical sources announced Friday morning.

Head of Emergency and Ambulance Services Dr Mu'awiyah Hassanain said all six were evacuated from the tunnel and taken to the Abu Yousuf Al-Najjar Hospital, suffering from obstructed breathing, internal bleeding and severe bruising.

The conditions of all men were described as moderate.

The tunnel collapsed late Thursday night, and crews worked until morning to rescue the men.

Note:

More than 1.5 million Palestinians are isolated from the world by a NATO-supported Israeli-Egyptian embargo and siege, which triggered some of them to dig tunnels to smuggle needed commodities from Egypt.

Israeli occupation forces fine local farmers 1,700 USD if they bring international activists to their lands

Thursday October 15, 2009 16:46 by Ghassan Bannoura - IMEMC News & Agencies

News sources said on Thursday that the Israeli occupation forces have warned local farmers in northern West Bank that they will be charged with a 1,700 USD fine if they bring international activists to their lands.

Farmers from village near Nablus told the Palestinian News Agency Maan that troops stooped them on Thursday morning while being escorted by international activists and informed them of the new law. Famers say that international activists presence allow s them to reach their lands near Israeli settlements.

Since the start if the olive harvest season earlier this week military and settlers attacks on farmers are reported on daily bases. On Monday the military told farmers in the region that they are not allowed to host international activist in their homes.

The Israeli occupation forces kidnap 15 civilians from the West Bank

Thursday October 15, 2009 14:55 by Ghassan Bannoura - IMEMC News & Agencies

Israeli occupation forces kidnapped on Thursday 15 Palestinian civilians during morning invasions targeting a number of West Bank communities.

Local sources reported attacks in Ramallah city central West Bank and Salfit city, northern West Bank, in addition to Bethlehem and Hebron cities both located in southern West Bank.

The occupation army radio said that all men were taken to detention camps for questioning adding that they are on what the military calls its wanted list.