Israeli occupation forces sweep into two refugee camps, Kidnap 12 people

Thursday October 23, 2008 09:22 by IMEMC Staff - IMEMC & Agencies

The Israeli occupation forces swept early on Thursday morning into the West Bank refugee camps of Askar and Balata and kidnapped 12 Palestinians from different parts of the West Bank.

According to the Palestine News Network (PNN), a contingent of Israeli occupation troops invaded some parts of the two refugee camps. No further details were reported.

PNN sources confirmed that at least 12 Palestinian residents were rounded up and led to unknown destinations by the Israeli soldiers Thursday at dawn.

The detentions took place in various West Bank areas, the sources said.

Meanwhile, Israeli troops detained a Palestinian resident last night at the Hewarra checkpoint in Nablus city, to the south of West Bank.

Witnesses said that the resident was held after attempting to cross the checkpoint, considered one of the largest Israeli roadblocks in the West Bank.

Currently, Israel maintains more than 600 checkpoints and roadblocks, regarded by international human rights groups as violations of people's right to live normally, as such checkpoints hamper the movement of the population.

Illegal Israeli settlers attack villages, destroy agricultural fields near Bethlehem

Thursday October 23, 2008 20:57 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies

Palestinian sources reported on Wednesday that at least seven illegal Israeli settlers from the illegal Efrat Settlement built on lands that belong to Al Khader town south of Bethlehem infiltrated Palestinian orchards close to the settlement on Thursday eveneing, attacking a number of villagers and destroying barracks used for storage and resting.

Several villagers reported that the settlers uprooted winter plants and sabotaged several hothouses in the area.
The villagers added that the settlers escalated assault as they were trying to illegally annex more lands in order to expand their illegal settlement.
Dozens of residents rushed to defend the attacked lands and the settlers fled to settlements in Efrat.

Palestine's mission at the UN files a complaint against Israeli settlers

Thursday October 23, 2008 09:38 by Rami Almeghari - IMEMC & Agencies

The Palestine mission at the United Nations filed a complaint on Wednesday to the UN's security council against the Israeli armed settlers in the occupied West Bank.

"The terrorism and horrible actions of the Israeli settlers against the Palestinian people have recently increased as armed settlers attack Palestinian residents and properties," the complaint read.

The complaint also pointed out a specific episode on October 18, when Israeli settlers attacked Palestinian farmers in the Tal Alromaida neighborhood in the West Bank city of Hebron.

"The assailants should be brought to justice as the Israeli authorities have previously declared the West Bank as a military closed zone," urged the complaint.

Over the past few weeks, armed Israeli settlers have stepped up assaults on Palestinian farmers across the West Bank as farmers continue harvesting olive trees, considered to be a major source of income for the Palestinian population.