Israeli settlers in Hebron occupy four shops in Al-Shuhada Street

Date: 03 / 04 / 2009  Time:  12:03
Hebron - Ma'an -

Illegal Israeli settlers in Hebron took over four shops on Al-Shuhada Street in the Old City market in the area abutting the illegal Israeli settlement of Abraham Avinu.

Several Al-Shuhada Street shops were ordered closed in 1994 following the Ibrahimi Mosque massacre. The street is a market road roughly parallel north of the Old City. Access to the street was totally restricted in 2000, so only residents of the area could enter the zone.

Recently pressure from locals and international NGOs have allowed some shops in the area to re-open, although the decision was met with anger and protests from Hebron’s 700-strong settler population, some who live in occupied homes and trailers just north of the street.

The shops occupied by the settlers Friday belong to Azzam E’wewi, Baha E’wewi, Hussam Bader and Muhammad Qawasmi. The shops have been closed since 1994.

Soldiers kidnap two brothers, one mentally challenged, near Hebron

Saturday April 04, 2009 00:55 by IMEMC & Agencies

Palestinian sources in the southern West Bank city of Hebron, reported that Israeli soldiers kidnapped on Friday at night two brothers, including one who is suffering from a mental disability, in Safa village, near Hebron.

Eyewitnesses reported that troops broke into the home of Khalil Mahmoud Abu Dayya, and kidnapped his sons Mohammad, 19, who suffers a mental disability, and Mahmoud, 21.

The two brothers were cuffed and blindfolded, and taken to an unknown destination.

It is worth mentioning that the army is still conducting invasions and searches in Safa village, and Beit Ummar after the shooting attack in Ayin settlement that led to the death of a 13-year old settler.

During large-scale invasions;12 residents detained in a Jenin village

Friday April 03, 2009 12:57 by Maram Isid - IMEMC & Agencies

The Israeli military kidnapped Thursday morning 12 residents, including elders and children, in a village near Jenin, in the northern part of the WestBank.

Eyewitnesses reported that more than 20 military vehicles stormed the village at two after midnight on Thursday, surrounded a neighborhood after closing all entrances, and prevented people from leaving, and even barred from going to dawn prayers at the local mosque.

The residents said that soldiers raided homes, forced dozens out, searched the buildings and deliberately destroyed their contents.

A citizen said that the soldiers occupied his house for several hours, and after searching it they kidnapped his 15-year-old son and took him to unknown destination.

The resident added that soldiers took several young men to the main village square and interrogated them before kidnapping a number of residents.

Two Journalists injured at the weekly Bil'in demonstration

Friday April 03, 2009 16:53 by Ghassan Bannoura - IMEMC News

The residents of Bil'in village, located near the central west Bank city of Ramallah, marched towards the wall today after Friday prayers. The protest was joined by Israeli and international activists.

Protesters' banners condemned Israel's ongoing policies and violence against civilians; The protest began in the center of the village then headed towards the Apartheid Wall which is being built on Bil'in's land. An Israeli army unit stationed behind the wall prevented the crowd from going through the gate and fired tear gas canisters to break up the crowd. Two Journalists were injured, while dozens suffered from gas inhalation.

Six injured one seriously in Nil'in weekly protest

Friday April 03, 2009 16:51 by Ghassan Bannoura - IMEMC News

Scores of villagers from Nil'in, located near the central West Bank city of Ramallah, along with their international supporters held their weekly protest on Friday midday against the illegal Israeli wall being built on village land.

As soon as locals and international supporters arrived in the part of the village where Israel is building the wall, soldiers showered them with tear gas and rubber-coated steel bullets; also firing live rounds of ammunition. Six were injured among them a boy who sustained serious wounds and was moved to a hospital in Ramallah city.

Dozens were treated for gas inhalation. Israeli troops attacked the village early on Friday morning and fired tear gas homes, local sources said that clashes took place between the invading troops and local youth, no injuries were reported.