Israeli occupation army kidnaps two Gazans near Khan Younis

Date: 26 / 09 / 2008  Time:  19:47
Gaza – Ma’an –

Israeli soldiers abducted two Palestinians from eastern Khan Younis on Friday, according to Palestinian sources. The two Gazans were taken to an undisclosed location.

Sources also told Ma’an that Israeli occupation forces also invaded the area with a number of armored vehicles. Soldiers reportedly came as close as 100 meters east of the Khuza’ah area of Khan Younis before turning back.

Three kidnapped by Israeli occupation forces in Nablus, Jenin
Date: 26 / 09 / 2008  Time:  09:57
Bethlehem - Ma'an -

Israeli occupation forces arrested three Palestinian citizens from northern West Bank cities before dawn on Friday.

According to Israeli sources, three "wanted" Palestinians were arrested in Nablus and Jenin and taken to investigation centers for questioning. The detainees have not been identified.

Three civilians wounded by Israeli troops in Bil’in

Friday September 26, 2008 18:31 by George Rishmawi - IMEMC News

Three protestors were wounded Friday noon including a Scottish human rights activist with rubber-coated steel bullets fired by the Israeli military forces in the village of Bil’in near Ramallah.

The wounded were identified as Yassin Mohammad, Tamer El-Khatib and Oliver, their wounds were described as light.

Troops fire rubber-coated steel bullets and C.S gas at civilians who gathered after the Friday prayer to protest against the land confiscation and settlement and wall building on the village’s land.

Protestors carried Palestinian flags and banners calling for more active nonviolent resistance to the wall and settlements and the opening of the roads closed by the Israeli military.

Among the protestors was an Israeli young man who refused to enlist with the Israeli army. Yuval Oron, 19 a resident of the mixed Arab-Jewish village Neveh Shalom, “Peace Oasis” near Tel Aviv, said that he will not join military service in the Israeli occupation army, although he knows that he will end up in jail for doing so.

He added that some of his friends are already in jail for refusing the service. Oron, who will be called to for the military service next month, said the reason for refusing the service, is that he would not serve an army that forcefully occupies other people’s land.

Dozens suffered gas inhalation in Anti-wall protest in Ni’lin

Friday September 26, 2008 18:29 by George Rishmawi - IMEMC News

Dozens were treated for gas inhalation in the village of Ni’lin near the west Bank city of Ramallah Friday afternoon during an anti-wall protest.

The Popular Committee against the Wall and Settlements in the village organized a nonviolent protest after the Friday prayer. Israeli troops who came to the village did not allow the protestors to reach their land slated for confiscation for the wall to be built on.

As the protesters came close to the land, the soldiers showered them with dozens of C.S. gas canisters, causing many of them to choke.

During the Friday prayer, the preacher called the worshippers to unite and to continue the struggle against the Israeli military occupation.

On their part, the popular committee in the village said in a press release that the villagers should boycott the permits that the Israeli requests the farmers to obtain in order to enter their property that is slated for confiscation.

Meanwhile, Salah el-Khawaja, spokesperson of the committee told IMEMC that there will be a campaign to protect the farmers while attempting to harvest their olive trees from settler and military assaults.

On Tuesday, Ahed al-Khawaja, member of the popular committee in Ni’lin suffered facial injuries as Israeli troops fired gas bombs and concussion grenades at him he was accompanying a delegation from the European Union visiting the village.

According to a press release by the Grassroots Palestinian Anti-Apartheid Wall Campaign sent to IMEMC al-Khawaja sustained serious injuries as one of the grenades hit him in his face causing him a fracture in the nose and burns and bruises in the face and eyes.

Khawaja was transported to the Sheikh Zayed hospital in Ramallah for medical treatment. Doctors estimate that he needs at least a week to begin the recovery process.