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.

Israeli Occupation Forces Open Fire on Palestinians in Gaza, Qaryout, Silwad, Nabi Salih, Bir Zayt, Restrict Entry of Palestinians to Al-Aqsa Mosque

April 19, 2014

Israeli soldiers open fire at peaceful march east of Gaza

[ 19/04/2014 - 10:08 AM ]

GAZA, (PIC)--

The Israeli occupation forces (IOF) on Friday afternoon intensively fired tear gas grenades and live bullets at dozens of Gazan citizens participating in a peaceful march in solidarity with the Aqsa Mosque to the east of the Gaza Strip.

This happened after hundreds of young men marched following the Friday prayers to the east of the eastern cemetery and rallied near the perimeter of Nahal Oz military post behind the security fence in Shuja'eiya district.

The protestors carried Palestinian flags and chanted slogans in solidarity with the Aqsa Mosque.

A spokesman for the health ministry told the Palestinian information center (PIC) that no casualties had occurred among the protestors during the time of reporting the news, but ambulances were sent to the area.

For its part, Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper said that Israeli soldiers arrested on Friday afternoon a Palestinian young man near the border fence to the north of Gaza. Walla news website, however, said that Israeli troops were dispatched to an area near Nativ Haasara settlement after receiving information about the infiltration of a Palestinian young man from Gaza.

The young man, then, was taken into custody and interrogated by the Shin Bet in a detention center, according to Walla.

In a separate incident, a spokesman for the health ministry in Gaza said that a 24-year-old young man was badly injured in his left feet when Israeli soldiers stationed to the east of Jabaliya district opened fire at him.

He added that another Gazan also suffered injuries when a homemade rocket accidently exploded near Musab Bin Omair Mosque in Al-Zaitoun neighborhood, east of Gaza city.

 

IOF intensifies presence in occupied Jerusalem

[ 19/04/2014 - 10:01 AM ]

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, (PIC)--

Thousands of Israeli occupation soldiers and policemen have been deployed Saturday throughout occupied Jerusalem  in preparation for Sabt El Nour or Holy Saturday.

Israeli police spokeswoman said in a statement on Friday that thousands of Israeli soldiers will be deployed on the "Holy Saturday" starting from the early morning hours in the vicinity of occupied Jerusalem, where prayers will be performed at the Holy Sepulcher Church.

Military checkpoints will be erected in different areas of the occupied city, in addition buses and vehicles' access to the Old City will be blocked, the spokeswoman declared.

The Israeli occupation forces (IOF) have imposed tight restrictions on Palestinian worshipers' access to al-Aqsa Mosque where they prevented Palestinian men under age 50 from entering the holy site.

Meanwhile, Israeli radio said on Saturday that Israeli authorities are discussing possibility to increase penalties on Palestinians who confront Israeli break-ins into al-Aqsa Mosque.

Israeli ministers will debate after Passover Holiday ways to intensify security measures against Palestinians who are responsible for "riots and tensions" in al-Aqsa Mosque during the last few days.

The Israeli intended measures include the detention of those Palestinians, including members of the Islamic Movement inside the Green Line, administratively.

The Israeli security measures aim to put an end to Palestinian protests against Israeli settlers and forces’ break-ins into al-Aqsa Mosque, according to the sources.

 

Dozens of Palestinians injured in IOF quelling of Qaryut demonstration

[ 19/04/2014 - 09:06 AM ]

NABLUS, (PIC)--

Dozens of Palestinian activists were injured in Qaryout village, south of Nablus city, after Israeli occupation forces (IOF) heavily fired teargas canisters at them.

Bashar Al-Qaryouti, an activist in the village, told the PIC reporter that IOF soldiers encircled the activists while performing the Friday prayers on their confiscated land, off Shilo settlement.

He said that dozens were injured in the IOF teargas attack and physical assaults and were all treated on the field.

The Israeli occupation authorities had announced a week ago the confiscation of one thousand dunums of Qaryut land.

Meanwhile, IOF soldiers raided Azun village, east of Qalqilia, at dawn Saturday and served summonses to a number of young men for intelligence interrogation.

Eyewitnesses told the PIC reporter that three IOF patrols were deployed in the town’s center while others served the summonses in the eastern suburbs and the cemetery area.

 

Violent clashes with IOF in different West Bank areas

[ 19/04/2014 - 07:35 AM ]

RAMALLAH, (PIC)--

Dozens of Palestinian young men suffered injuries during violent clashes on Friday afternoon with the Israeli occupation forces (IOF) in Silwad town to the east of Ramallah city.

An Israeli soldier suffered a bad injury when a stone hit one of his knees during the events, according to the Palestinian information center (PIC) reporter in Ramallah.

The angry young men, who were protesting Israel's violations against the Aqsa Mosque, torched several tires and rolled them towards concrete barriers used by Israeli soldiers to protect themselves from stone attacks.

Consequently, the burning tires caused a raging fire near the barriers, prompting the soldiers to take buckets and empty containers from nearby houses to extinguish the blaze.

Confrontations also took place in Nabi Saleh village, northwest of Ramallah, between the IOF and Palestinian young men during the weekly anti-settlement march.

Eyewitnesses told the PIC that scores of Palestinian citizens and foreign activists tried to reach the village's water spring, which was annexed by the Israeli army to the nearby Israeli settlement Halamish.

The soldiers near the spring showered the protestors with a hail of tear gas grenades and prevented them from advancing.

In Birzeit town, Palestinian young men on Friday afternoon clashed with Israeli troops and torched tires near Attara checkpoint in protest at the ongoing Jewish violations against the Aqsa Mosque.

The soldiers at the checkpoint responded by firing tear gas grenades and rubber bullets at the young men. Some young men suffered from tear gas inhalation.

At the same time, the IOF suppressed the weekly anti-wall march in Bil'in village and caused several tear gas injuries among Palestinian and foreign protestors.

 

Israeli security restrictions on al-Aqsa mosque

[ 18/04/2014 - 03:54 PM ]
OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, (PIC)--

The Israeli occupation forces (IOF) have imposed tight restrictions on Palestinian worshipers' access to the Aqsa mosque and prevented many of them from performing Friday prayers inside it.
The IOF also intensified their presence in the Old city of Jerusalem.

local sources said taht the Israeli police prevented Palestinian men under age 50 from entering the Aqsa mosque, while women were allowed in.

Israeli forces have also erected iron barricades, closing all streets leading to the Old City's gates.
Palestinian worshipers were obliged to perform dawn prayers in streets.
 
Several buses from 1948-occupied territories carrying hundreds of Palestinian worshipers were also prevented from entering east Jerusalem to attend the Friday prayers at the Aqsa Mosque.

The Israeli police claimed that these security measures came to prevent expected riots.

Israeli forces have carried out recently attacks and break-ins at the Aqsa mosque aiming to impose Israeli control over it especially on the Passover Holiday.

 

IOA closes Al-Maghariba Gate following Jordanian diplomatic intervention

[ 18/04/2014 - 12:29 PM ]

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, (PIC)--

The Israeli occupation authority (IOA) decided to close Al-Maghariba Gate, one of the historical portals of the Aqsa Mosque, and prevented soldiers and policemen from entering it in response to Jordanian pressures, according to Quds Net news agency.

Quds Net quoted Abdul-Naser Nassar, the Jordanian adviser for Jerusalem affairs as saying that the Jordanian diplomacy, as part of its responsibility toward the Aqsa Mosque, moved to stop Israel's persistent violations against it.

Nassar said that his country, which has historical, religious and legal obligations towards the Islamic and Christian holy sites in occupied Jerusalem, had made efforts to prevent the reoccurrence of any violations by Israelis against the sanctity of the holy sites under its administration, especially the Aqsa Mosque.

He added that the Jordanian diplomatic efforts also succeeded in forcing the Israeli side to close Al-Maghariba Gate and bar police and military forces from entering the Aqsa Mosque compound.

The Jordanian official also affirmed that the massive Jewish rally which had been slated to take place on Thursday at the Aqsa Mosque was also cancelled.

 

Solidarity events in support of Palestinian prisoners throughout Europe

[ 18/04/2014 - 03:41 PM ]
EUROPE, (PIC)--

Mass marches and sit-ins were organized on Thursday in different European capitals to mark the Palestinian Prisoners Day celebrated by Palestinian people and free world on the 17th of April of each year.

The participants have held banners and pictures exposing Israeli violations against Palestinian prisoners, and submitted petitions to European politicians and decision-makers to identify the prisoners' plight in Israeli jails.

The events were organized by Palestinian and European activists in 12 European capitals.
The participants called for pressuring Israeli government to commitment with international law, stressing their support to the Palestinian prisoners' steadfastness.

Dublin has witnessed a large march in support of Palestinian prisoners' issue, included performances to shed light on Palestinian prisoners' poor detention conditions.

In Vienna, number of activities and sit-ins were organized in solidarity with Palestinian prisoners and detainees.

In London, Palestinian Return Centre has briefed in letters sent to British MPs and political leaders about Palestinian prisoners' suffering, calling for sending international delegations to check on detention conditions in Israeli jails.

In Berlin, large demonstration in support of prisoners' issue was organized in front of the main gate of Berlin.

Head of Palestinian Return Center Majed Al-Zeer stated that they will continue organizing events throughout Europe and sit-ins in order to put pressure on Israeli authorities.