Tuesday August 17, 2010 15:41 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC News

A 10-month old baby was injured Monday when he was caught in a turning metal slatted turnstile in an Israeli checkpoint near Bethlehem, where his face was repeatedly slammed into the iron bars until he fainted and fell to the ground.

Witnesses said that 10-month old Mu'min Qasrawi's mother was holding him, and about to cross through the turnstile, when the baby's arm was caught between the metal bars, wresting the baby from her arms and jerking him through the turning metal, where his hand was broken and face and body bashed until he became unconscious.

According to the baby's mother, Shirin Qasrawi, “As I attempted to get the baby out of the carousel, he was crying and his hand was fractured. The soldiers saw the carousel rotating with the baby inside, but they waited until he fainted and fell to the ground”.

The turnstile is located in the middle of Bethlehem checkpoint, which is usually very crowded with Palestinian workers who have permits to work in Jerusalem. The checkpoint was constructed in 2005, and consists of a large building, a door through the Israeli Wall, and several holding pens and metal turnstiles, as well as observation decks, metal detectors, interrogation rooms and multiple ID and permit checking stations.

The baby was taken to al-Makased Hospital in Jerusalem for treatment.

Israeli soldiers deliberately break baby’s arm near Bethlehem

 [ 18/08/2010 - 12:43 PM ]

BETHLEHEM, (PIC)--

10-month-old Mu’min Al-Qasrawi was taken to the Maqasid hospital in Jerusalem Monday evening after Israeli occupation soldiers deliberately broke his arm.

The child’s mother said his arm got caught in an inspection conveyor belt when she was on her way to Al-Aqsa Mosque to pray. His arm was crushed and left with bruises after the soldiers failed to turn off the belt as usual practice.

In other instances, IOF troops abducted Tuesday seven Palestinians from Al-Khalil, including a young woman arrested at a military checkpoint.

Ayat Abu Markhiya was taken to the Israeli police station in Kiryat Araba after she was stopped at a military checkpoint in the Tel al-Rumaida neighborhood, local sources said.

Three other Palestinians were taken from the town of Yatta south of the city as well as another in Beit Awa, another in the Arroub refugee camp, and another in Beit Ummar, north of Al-Khalil. Private property was confiscated during the arrests.

Israeli troops have erected a barrier in Al-Khalil’s northern entrance, where they detain and inspect vehicles.

In similar incidents, IOF soldiers arrested Wednesday three Palestinians in Bethlehem and Al-Khalil in the West Bank.

The Yediot Ahranot newspaper reported that the detainees were taken for investigations.

In other stories, illegal Israeli settlers were reported to have thrown rocks Tuesday at Palestinian cars in south Nablus. Broken windows and other damages were left on several vehicles.

Palestinian drivers said their cars were stoned by a group of Israelis across the bypass road near the Yitzhar settlement in south Nablus.