Israeli occupation troops rampage various West Bank areas

Tuesday September 23, 2008 11:15 by IMEMC Staff - IMEMC & Agencies

Israeli occupation troops rampaged on Tuesday morning a number of West Bank areas, as Israel continues a grip military control over the region.

In the West Bank city of Nablus, witnesses said that an Israeli contingent broke into the city through the southern entrance and that many armored vehicles cordoned off the old city of Nablus.

In Bethelahem city, Palestinian security sources reported that an Israeli army force, made up of armored vehicles, stormed the Taqou village, to the east of the city.

The sources said that the Israeli soldiers ransacked several houses, rounding up brothers , identified as , Mohammad and Khalil Jebril as well as Khlaed and Mahmoud Abed Sabbah.

The Israeli troops also broke into the Dar Sallah village, east of Bethlehem, handing over a warrant to one citizen Raed Ahmad Salah, that he refers to the nearby illegal Israeli settlement of Etsion, where the Israeli intelligence service exists, the sources added.

Meanwhile, the Israeli troops invaded early this morning the Jenin city and theYamoun village to the north of West Bank.

Palestinian security sources reported that an Israeli contingent broke into these areas under a barrage of heavy gun fire and sound grenades, adding that the Israeli soldier placed checkpoints at the entrances of Jenin and Yamoun.

In a related development, Israeli soldiers, manning the Tubas checkpoint in the Tubas city, detained physician doctor Saleh Sawafta, while on way to his workplace in the Aghwar area, witnesses said.

Israeli occupation troops kidnap three brothers in Ni’lin

Monday September 22, 2008 19:59 by George Rishmawi - IMEMC & Agencies

Three brothers from the Ni'lin were taken prisoner early this morning when Israeli forces invaded the village at 1am.

Israeli occupation police attempt to kidnap protestors in Ni'lin (Photo: Active Stills)

Sufiyan, 19, Sadam, 21 and Nafar Nafar, 31 were kidnapped from their homes before Israeli forces left the village at 3am and were taken to an undisclosed location.

Eyewitnesses reported that over 70 soldiers and border police entered the village on foot from the surrounding hills, backed by at least 6 military vehicles. Soldiers fired a number gas bombs and concussion grenades in the village causing panic, especially among children.

International solidarity activists in the area were out in the village attempting to reach the home of a member of the village's Popular Committee because they have been repeatedly targeted by the Israeli army and police, who attempt to kidnap them.

According to an International Solidarity Movement report, Israeli soldiers declared the area a closed military zone. When asked, however, they failed to provide relevant documents. Instead, they held guns to the members' heads and threatened to shoot.

The villagers of Ni’lin have been organizing frequent nonviolent actions against the wall being built on their land, following in the footsteps of their neighboring village, Bil’in. Two young men were killed in Nil’in two months ago by Israeli troops during demonstrations that involved demonstrators throwing stones.

Israeli occupaiton forces detain two near Nablus

Date: 22 / 09 / 2008  Time:  12:04
Tulkarem – Ma’an –

Israeli occupation forces took two Palestinians the northern West bank village of Far’un into custody take into custody, after they were summoned to Israeli District Coordinating Offices on Monday morning.

Yazan Zandiq and his cousin Walid Zandiq were identified as those detained, according to Ma’an’s correspondent.

Israeli occupation soldiers injure mentally disabled Palestinian near Bethlehem

Date: 22 / 09 / 2008  Time:  09:37
Bethlehem – Ma’an –

A mentally disabled Palestinian child was injured Monday morning by Israeli gunfire near Bethlehem, according to Palestinian sources.

The 10-year-old Muhammad Abu Dayyah from Beit Ummar, a village between Bethlehem and Hebron, sustained wounds after Israeli occupation soldiers opened fire on him. He was in the area around Safa, a village south of Bethlehem, near the illegal Israeli settlement Kefar Etzion.

No further details about his injury have been released.

Ni'lin: day after Israeli occupation soldier stoned, 2 arrested, others sent to interrogation

Date: 22 / 09 / 2008  Time:  10:14
Bethlehem/Ramallah – Ma’an –

Israeli occupation forces detained brothers from the central West Bank village of Ni’lin during a raid on the village Monday morning.

Those detained are named as Hussein Nafi and Saddam Nafi. A number of warrants were handed to young men of the village, summoning them to Israeli intelligence offices for interrogation.

The invading soldiers fired incendiary bombs (designed to start fires) and tear gas canisters at the Ar-Rafati mosque in the village burning carpets on the floor.

Earlier on Monday Israeli sources reported that one of their soldiers was lightly injured Sunday evening after his patrol car was pelted with stones as it drove through the village of Ni’lin.

The soldier was transferred to hospital for medical treatment.

Sources added that Israeli army apprehended what they called “wanted activists” from Ni’lin suspected of incitement for violence during anti-wall demonstrations in the town in the early hours on Monday.

Coordinator of the popular campaign against the separation wall Ahid Al-Khawaja said “Israeli soldiers are maneuvering in order to scare us so that we stop defending our lands which are being confiscated for establishment of the separation wall.”

Ni’lin is the site of weekly protests involving locals, Israeli and international activists who are against the confiscation of land for the building of the separation wall. Palestinian farmers have been cut off from their fields, destroying patterns of movement and livelihoods.

***Updated 11:55 Bethlehem time