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 Large-Scale Kidnapping Campaign Against Palestinians in the West Bank, Including Members of Parliament

 

Large-scale kidnapping campaign in the WB

June 16-17, 2014

WEST BANK, (PIC)--

The Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) launched at dawn Monday a large-scale kidnapping campaign throughout the West Bank towns and villages.

In al-Khalil (Hebron), PIC reporter said that IOF soldiers kidnapped Palestinian Legislative Council speaker Dr. Aziz Duwaik along with Dr. Azzam Salhab, MP Bassem Zarir, MP Mohammed al-Tal in addition to a number of Hamas leaders in the city.

Dozens of citizens were kidnapped after raiding their homes in different towns of al-Khalil as part of the Israeli continued search operation in the city and its nearby villages.

The Israeli kidnapping campaign targeting Hamas leaders and cadres came following Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu’s recent statements accusing the movement of kidnapping three Jewish settlers.

Israeli media sources have earlier revealed that Israeli occupation government is seriously discussing the deportation of Hamas leaders in the West Bank to the Gaza Strip.

In this context, IOF soldiers continued for the second day in a row their kidnapping campaign in Nablus targeting Hamas leaders and activists including the leader Sheikh Maher Kharraz.

Violent clashes erupted when dozens of military vehicles stormed at midnight different neighborhoods in the city. IOF soldiers also stormed more than 40 homes in Tal town, and detained 35 Palestinian youths for long hours.

On the other hand, Israeli forces along with a group of settlers last night attacked a number of villages in southern Nablus.

At least one Palestinian was seriously injured after being beaten by Israeli settlers who attacked Palestinian farmers in Aqraba village, southeast of Nablus. Many cattle heads were stolen during the attack.

Meanwhile, Israeli settlers stoned Palestinian vehicles passing near Zatara checkpoint, eyewitnesses said.

Israeli soldiers searched Palestinian vehicles passing by Burin Junction also south of the city, and erected a checkpoint at the entrance to Jamma'in village where they stopped and searched Palestinian vehicles.

On the other hand, 50 Israeli soldiers stormed the eastern district of Jenin at dawn today, which led to the outbreak of violent clashes. Heavy tear gas bombs and live bullets were fired towards Palestinian youths. One Palestinian was injured and dozens were arrested during the clashes.

Combing operations were carried out in Jenin refugee camp when around 100 Israeli soldiers stormed the camp and arrested a number of citizens including minors and elderly men.

Local sources confirmed that large and unprecedented numbers of Israeli forces stormed the camp and carried out raid and search campaigns into homes of Hamas leaders and activists.

The sources added that Israeli forces also broke into two Palestinian charity institutions' headquarters in the camp and confiscated computers and important files.

Along the same line, two Palestinians were arrested in Tulkarem amid intensive presence of Israeli forces throughout the city’s neighborhoods.

In addition, at least five Palestinians were arrested in Jalazoun camp north-east of Ramallah, which led to the outbreak of clashes between Israeli forces and Palestinian youths. No arrests were reported.

However, a Palestinian young man identified as Ahmad Arafat Sabarin was shot dead by Israeli gunfire during the clashes, while two other youths were injured and transferred to hospital for treatment.

For its part, the Palestinian Prisoners Society (PPS) confirmed Sunday that around 130 Palestinians were arrested on Saturday night till dawn Sunday. 46 arrests were carried out in al-Khalil, while 23 arrests were reported in Nablus.

In its turn, the Palestinian Human Rights Center strongly condemned in a statement issued on Sunday the Israeli authorities' collective punishment policy in the occupied Palestinian territory following their declaration of the disappearance of 3 Israeli settlers near al-Khalil.

Since Thursday evening, 12 June 2014, Israeli forces carried out a large-scale arrest campaign in the West Bank and launched airstrikes on many targets in the Gaza Strip, in addition to imposing a comprehensive security closure on the West Bank and Gaza Strip and restrictions on the Gaza Strip border crossings, according to the center's statement.

Only a limited number of patients and their companions have been allowed to pass through Beit Hanoun “Erez” Crossing, and only quantities of fuel have been allowed to enter via Karm Abu Salim Crossing, the statement continued.

Palestinian Human Rights Center pointed out that residents of al-Khalil, who are less than 50 years old, have been prevented from travelling outside the West Bank.

Illegal Israeli settlers carry out brutal attacks against Palestinians

[ 16/06/2014 - 12:28 PM ]

NABLUS, (PIC)--

Groups of illegal Israeli settlers attacked and stoned Palestinian vehicles passing by the main roads in Nablus  and in occupied Jerusalem on Sunday night.

Atef Daghlas, in charge of the illegal Israeli settlements file in the northern part of the West Bank, said that large numbers of settlers stoned Palestinian vehicles passing by roads surrounding the city of Nablus. More than 35 vehicles were smashed during the attack.

Daghlas pointed out that the settlers invented new dangerous methods to attack Palestinian vehicles, explaining that they deliberately stop the vehicles and start throwing big stones from a short distance, threatening the lives of the cars' drivers and commuters.

He added that the settlers severely beat a Palestinian taxi driver, identified as Said Atallah Zaid, while passing through the main street near Yitzhar settlement. He was transferred to hospital suffering moderate to severe injuries.

Meanwhile, illegal Israeli settlers smashed the windshields of three Palestinian cars in occupied Jerusalem, and brutally attacked Jerusalemite citizens.

Palestinian sources said that 250 illegal Israeli settlers attacked Jerusalemite citizens with tear gas, and smashed their cars’ windows in occupied Jerusalem’s Old City.

The illegal Israeli settlers performed Talmudic rituals before carrying out the attack on Jerusalemite citizens and properties, the sources added.

Violent clashes erupt in Bab al-Zawiya, raids reported in Beita, Beit Ummar

[ 16/06/2014 - 02:55 PM ]

AL-KHALIL,(PIC)--

Violent clashes erupted Monday when Israeli occupation forces (IOF) stormed Bab al-Zawiya area in al-Khalil and fired tear gas bombs and rubber bullets towards Palestinians.

Palestinian youths, in their turn, threw stones and empty bottles at the invading forces.

PA security forces completely withdrew from the scene during the clashes, while Israeli soldiers and snipers boarded Palestinian homes’ rooftops.

A general strike has been declared in the city in solidarity with Palestinian prisoners who have been on hunger strike for 54 days in a row.

On the other hand, the occupation forces raided Yatta and Beit Ummar towns in al-Khalil and carried out raid campaigns into Palestinian homes throughout the city’s towns and villages, the activist Ratib Jabour told the PIC reporter.

The raid campaign was accompanied with low-flying helicopters southern al-Khalil, he added.

On the other hand, Israeli forces confiscated Monday large numbers of surveillance cameras installed outside the stores in Dura and Hawooz in al-Khalil.

Eyewitnesses said that IOF soldiers removed and confiscated the surveillance cameras installed outside the stores as part of the search campaign for the three missing settlers.

The sources added that the soldiers carried out raid campaigns into Palestinian stores and homes in the city after blowing up their doors.

Meanwhile, a group of Palestinian youths called on Monday for a week of wrath against Israeli brutal practices and violations in the West Bank.

According to the PIC reporter, the group of activists called for mass protests and demonstrations in solidarity with hunger strikers in Israeli jails and in support of residents of al-Khalil who are subjected to a fierce, arrest campaign.

Violent clashes were witnessed in Bethlehem, Ramallah, Jenin refugee camp, Bitounia, and Jalazoun. Injuries and arrests were reported during the clashes, while a Palestinian young man was shot dead in Jalazoun.

PLC deputy speaker: Kidnapping Palestinian MPs is a crime

[ 16/06/2014 - 03:04 PM ]

GAZA, (PIC)--

Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) Deputy Speaker Ahmed Bahar held the Israeli occupation authorities fully responsible for the kidnapping of Palestinian MPs topped by Dr. Aziz Dweik, the PLC speaker, considering their arrest a crime par excellence.

In a solidarity rally in support of Palestinian detainees on hunger strike for 54 consecutive days organized in Gaza on Monday, Bahar said that the kidnapping of Palestinian elected MPs is a political crime and serious violation of international laws.     

Bahar stressed the Palestinian right to resist occupation by all possible means as endorsed by international human rights institutions.

He called on the national unity government, headed by Rami Hamdallah, to bear its responsibility in defense of Palestinian people vis-à-vis Israeli continued aggressions.       

PLC deputy speaker also called on Hamdallah to stop security coordination with the occupation in order to foil its schemes against the Palestinian people.

Bahar stressed the need to intensify popular support for hunger strikers in Israeli jails, hailing the detainees’ legendary steadfastness.

He called on Arab and Islamic parliaments and the Arab League to exercise pressures on the occupation authorities demanding the release of Palestinian prisoners.

For its part, Ahrar center for prisoners’ studies called on the Arab parliaments to intervene and work for the release of 18 Palestinian MPs and 3 former ministers including PLC speaker Dr. Aziz Dweik kidnapped by the Israeli forces.

Fuad al-Khuffash, director of the center, revealed that Israeli forces kidnapped 7 Palestinian MPs and 2 former ministers during the two past days, bringing the number of Palestinian MPs held in Israeli jails to 18 in addition to 3 former ministers.