Editorial Note: The following news reports are summaries from original sources. They may also include corrections of Arabic names and political terminology. Comments are in parentheses.

 
Escalation of Israeli Violations of Palestinian Human Rights, Confiscation of Lands, Assault on Palestinians, their Homes, and Property

Report details Israeli violations and seizure of West Bank land

[ 29/07/2012 - 11:19 AM ]

WEST BANK, (PIC)--

The West Bank witnessed last week an Israeli frenzied campaign including seizure and confiscation of lands, in addition to a series of daily assaults on citizens, their homes, and their property.

The National Bureau for the Defense of Land revealed, in its weekly report, the Israeli ongoing demolition and accelerated seizure projects in the occupied West Bank.

In Jerusalem, a group of settlers tried to re-install the door on the southern entrance to the Ein Silwan under the protection of Israeli soldiers who closed Wadi Al-Hilwa Street.

In Bethlehem, a number of Israeli settlers set up dozens of mobile houses in the village of al-Khader and damaged a number of fruit trees where they dug a trench to create territorial contiguity between the Israeli outposts built on seized private Palestinian lands.

Moreover, IOF set up a military watchtower in the village of al-Khader near Bethlehem city.

In the Tubas area of the Jordan Valley, settlers seized nearly 50 dunums of land and began farming it. The land, which belongs to villagers, had previously been used by the Israeli army as tank emplacements.

In Al-Khalil, settlers from Susiya settlement seized five dunums of private Palestinian land near the town of Yatta. Settlers broke into the land and installed a power generator as part of plans to use the land for settlement expansion.

In addition Susiya and Maoun's settlers uprooted olive trees and assaulted Palestinian houses in Yatta town southern Al-Khalil.

IOF bulldozed and damaged the link road connecting Om Safat and Alderat in Yatta south of Al-Khalil.

The Israeli occupation authorities began building a new section of its illegal apartheid wall in an area west of Masaha, a town west of Salfit governorate, where Israeli occupation forces closed the entrance of the area, preventing farmers from entering it to tend to their fields.

In Ramallah, three farmers from Sinjil village were injured in an attack by settlers while heading to their land. Meanwhile, violent clashes took place in Nabi Salah village between the villagers and Israeli settlers who tried to take over a water spring in the village.

Soldiers Invade Nabi Saleh Village

Sunday July 29, 2012 03:38 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

Israeli occupation soldiers invaded, on Saturday evening, the village of Nabi Saleh, near the West Bank city of Bethlehem, and fired several concussion grenades and gas bombs at random before kidnapping one youth.

The Media Office of the Popular Resistance Movement in the village reported that clashes were reported on Saturday evening due to escalating attacks and invasions carried out by extremist Israeli settlers against the residents of the village, their property and their lands.

The Office added that the army fired dozens of concussion grenades and gas bombs at the local protesters and at a number of homes; dozens of residents were treated for the effects of teargas inhalation.

It also stated that soldiers broke into and searched dozens of homes before kidnapping resident Majd Taha At-Tamimi, 16, and took him to an unknown destination.

Soldiers further violently attacked three more residents before withdrawing from the village.

Nabi Saleh village is one of several Palestinian villages that are actively involved in nonviolent resistance against the illegal Israeli Annexation Wall and Israeli illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank.

Israeli and International peace activists participate in these protests, and are frequently attacked and harassed by Israeli soldiers and settlers.

Army Invades Al-Aqsa Mosque, Attack Worshipers

Sunday July 29, 2012 03:07 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

Israeli occupation soldiers and policemen invaded, on Saturday night after midnight, the Al-Aqsa Mosque, in occupied East Jerusalem, and attacked several worshipers while trying to forcefully remove them out of the mosque; clashes were reported and two worshipers were kidnapped.

The Al-Aqsa Foundation for Waqf and Heritage reported that the two kidnapped worshipers are young men from Jerusalem.

The Foundation added that hundreds of worshipers remained in the Al-Aqsa Mosque for the third night in a row, and that their stay was facilitated by the Islamic Waqf Department while the Israeli military and police are trying to prevent any worshiper from staying overnight at the mosque or its yards.

In related news, hundreds of Israeli settlers, and fundamentalist members of Knesset, participated in a procession that started in West Jerusalem and headed towards the gates of the Old City, especially Bab Al-Amoud (Damascus) Gate, Bab As-Sahera (Herod’s Gate) and Al-Asbat Gate (Gate of the Tribes) and ending at the Al-Magharba Gate, the Foundation said.

Limited clashes between Palestinian youths and Israeli policemen took place near Al-Amoud Gate; no injuries were reported.

The Al-Aqsa Foundation reported that, despite extensive Israeli restrictions and military presence, thousands of worshipers managed to reach the Al-Aqsa Mosque, and its surrounding areas, on Friday, and performed prayers marking the second Friday of the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.

Several wounded in nonviolent anti-wall demonstrations in the W.B.

Friday July 27, 2012 19:19 by George Rishmawi - IMEMC & Agencies

In central West Bank, Palestinians organized anti-wall and settlements protests in the villages of Bil’in, Nil’in and al-Nabi Saleh. Israeli troops used chemical water in addition to tear gas to suppress protesters.

Israeli and international supporters joined villagers after the midday prayers at all three locations. Troops used tear gas and rubber-coated steel bullets to stop the protests. Many were treated for the effects of tear gas inhalation and treated by field medic.

In other news, Israeli soldiers attacked the weekly protest at Al-Nabi Saleh village near Ramallah wounding four people including a 9-year old child.
The villagers marched after the midday prayers towards the confiscated lands, however, Israeli troops stopped them by firing several rounds of rubber-coated steel bullets and a number of tear gas canisters. Nine-year old Mohammad Tamimi was hit in his arm with a tear gas canister and was moved to the hospital for treatment.

Three others were wounded with rubber-coated steel bullets however, their wounds were described as minor.

In northern West Bank, at the village of Kufur Qadduom, villagers accompanied by international supporters were attacked with tear gas as soon as they reached the road block isolating the village form the surrounding villages and towns. Local sources said that several residents were treated for the effects of tear gas inhalation.

Meanwhile on Friday, in southern West Bank, several residents were also treated for the effects of tear gas inhalation when Israeli soldiers attacked the villagers of Al Ma’sara as they organized their weekly anti wall and settlements protest which called this week for boycotting Israeli products.

Residents and international supporters marched near the construction site of the wall and were faced with tear gas fired by Israeli troops operating in the area.