Israeli Occupation Forces Shut Down 3 Radio Stations, Block Road Construction, Kidnap 6 Palestinians, Raid 5 Cities, on August 20, 2008

Israeli occupation forces shut down three radio stations in Hebron

Date: 20 / 08 / 2008 Time: 13:30
Hebron – Ma'an –

The Israeli occupation army shut down three local radio stations in the West Bank city of Hebron on Wednesday, arrested two workers, and confiscated the transmitting equipment of all three staions.

Israeli occupation forces invaded Hebron late on Wednesday morning and forced their way into the offices of "One FM" radio andesting the director of the station Mohammad Qafisha.

Israeli soldiers also raided the studio of the station Al-Huriyya (Freedom) and arrested worker Mahmoud Qneibi.

Israeli occupation forces also invaded the office of Al- Majd radio, which is in the same building as a local BBC affiliate. Witnesses said Israeli troops broke down the door of the office.

Israeli occupation troops then withdrew from the area. All three stations are now off the air.

Israeli occupation troops raided the Al-Huriyya radio studio in 2006.

Israeli occupation forces block construction of road in Al-Walaja, near Bethlehem

Date: 20 / 08 / 2008 Time: 14:28
Bethlehem – Ma'an –

Israeli occupation forces on Wednesday blocked the construction of a road in the West Bank village of Al-Walaja on the grounds that the land is claimed by the Israeli municipality of Jerusalem.

The road leads to what is said to be the oldest olive tree in the world, an international tourist attraction.

Israeli occupation border police and representatives of Interior Ministry raided the village, detained the bulldozer operator and threatened the other construction workers with arrest is they continue work on the road, said Sa'id Abu Ali Al-Walaja's agricultural charitable association.

The village's municipal council and the charitable association wanted to improve the route to the olive tree, Abu Ali said. The project was funded by the Italian government.

The Governor of Bethlehem, Salah At-Ta’mari, condemned the Israeli decision, saying that it reflects Israel's lack of desire for peace. Ta'amari noted that Israel has previously confiscated land in the village, part of a larger Israeli plan to consolidate control around what it claims as "greater Jerusalem."

At-Ta’mari urged the US and EU to end their "shy condemnations" of Israel's practices, saying that Palestinians are losing faith in the peace process due to events on the ground.

Al-Walaja lies on the outskirts of the West Bank city of Bethlehem, near the Green Line. Following its 1967 occupation of the West Bank and Jerusalem, Israel unilaterally expanded the boundaries of its Jerusalem municipality, swallowing East Jerusalem and a number of West Bank villages, including much of Al-Walaja. The international community does not recognize the Israeli claim to the area.

Israeli occupation forces kidnap five Palestinians in Hebron

Date: 20 / 08 / 2008 Time: 12:50
Hebron – Ma'an –

Israeli occupation forces on Wednesday morning kidnapped four Palestinians, two whom are brothers, in Hebron in the southern West Bank.

Ma'an's reporter said the troops stormed several homes before kidnapping 21-year-old Raed Abu Sneinah, his 18-year-old brother Izzuddin, 24-year-old Muhammad Abu Sneinah, 21-year-old Hamzah Abu Snainah.

In a separate incident, Israeli occupation soldiers stationed near the Ibrahimi Mosque in Hebron kidnapped a Palestinian teenager in possession of a 10-centimeter knife.

Israeli occupation forces raid Qabatiya, erect checkpoint at one entrance

Date: 20 / 08 / 2008 Time: 11:37
Jenin – Ma’an –

Israeli occupation troops forced their way into houses in the northern West Bank town of Qabatiya during a pre-dawn raid on Wednesday, witnesses said.

Local sources said that seven military vehicles stormed the town at 3am and ransacked houses in western neighborhood of the town, forcing sleeping civilians into the street.

The sources added that Israeli occupation troops spread out through the town, shooting their weapons. No one was arrested.

Security sources said that Israeli occupation forces sat up a military checkpoint on the road connecting Qabatiya and the neighboring village of Misliyam, where they inspected identity cards and searched vehicles.

Israeli occupation forces kidnap Palestinian civilian in Jenin

Date: 20 / 08 / 2008 Time: 10:33
Jenin – Ma’an –

Israeli occupation forces kidnapped a civilian in the West Bank city of Jenin during a raid on Tuesday night.

Palestinian security sources said that Israeli occupation forces stormed the eastern neighborhood of Jenin under intense gunfire and ransacked a number of houses before detaining Ahmed Asa’ad Zayed.

Witnesses reported that Israeli occupation troops roamed the streets of the eastern neighborhood and the Al-Marah neighborhood before withdrawing a few hours later.

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