Israeli terrorist forces escalate attacks, launch air raids on Rafah

[ 07/02/2009 - 09:49 AM ]

RAFAH, (PIC)--

Israeli terroirst forces warplanes launched a series of air raids on the border strip between the Gaza Strip and Egypt at midnight Friday wounding three citizens and inflicting big damage to a number of buildings in Rafah.

Security and local sources told the PIC reporter that Israeli occupation terrorist forces used Apache gunships and F-16 warplanes in the raids that fired 15 missiles at the Palestinian-Egyptian borders at the pretext of blasting tunnels in a new escalation of IOF attacks on the Strip.

The sources noted that two missiles fell in an open area in Rafah city wounding three citizens.

They noted that a group of fighters escaped unharmed after two missiles targeted them east of Rafah.

The IOF command claimed that the raids aimed at blasting four tunnels that were used for smuggling and for storing Hamas combat means, and added that the raids were also in reprisal to the firing of two homemade missiles from Gaza at Israeli targets.

In the West Bank, IOF soldiers fired live bullets and sonic and gas bombs at participants in a peaceful demonstration in Bil'in village, Ramallah district, following the Friday congregation.

Witnesses said that two citizens were injured and many others treated for suffocation, noting that Israeli and foreign activists took part in the march.

In Jenin, the IOF troops kidnapped fire citizens at an early hour on Friday after storming the city and nearby towns amidst random firing.

In occupied Jerusalem, local sources reported that Israeli bulldozers destroyed four tents owned by four Bedouin families residing east of Alezariya.

Locals in Nahalin village, Bethlehem district, said that IOF troops distributed notification for the confiscation of village lands.

Israeli warships injure fisherman off southern Gaza coast

Date: 06 / 02 / 2009  Time:  18:56

Gaza – Ma’an –

A Palestinian fisherman was injured as Israeli naval boats opened fire on the man’s craft Palestinian medical sources said on Friday. The man was in the Al-Mawasi area off the coast of southern Gaza, and was transferred first to the Rafah Hospital, then on to Khan Younis for treatment. Israeli ships are deployed off Gaza shores and have shot at civilian areas on land and at sea for months before, during and following the Gaza war.

Two people shot, olive threes uprooted during weekly demonstration against the wall

Friday February 06, 2009 17:01 by IMEMC Staff

On Friday, approximately 200 youth from Jayyous organized the weekly demonstration after Friday prayers to protest agains tthe illegal annexation wall. The youth marched to the South Gate, protesting against the new path of the Apartheid Wall.

Jayyous Demo against the wall (Archive 2006 - Photo: EAPPI)

As is the case at every protest, the Israeli soldiers tried to stop the youth from demonstrating. This Friday, more than 10 Israeli Army Jeeps entered the village. So far they have shot two male students, one of the students in the leg with a rubber coated bullet. The other student was shot in the hand with a live bullet and was detained by the Israeli soldiers next to the gate.

Neither the ambulance nor his family was allowed to help him stop the bleeding. At the same time, the Israeli Army brought bulldozers and uprooted about 10 olive trees next to the South gate. The Israeli Army has also occupied three houses in the area.

Israeli troops attack a nonviolent protest near Bethlehem and detain two civilians

Friday February 06, 2009 16:52 by IMEMC Staff

Scores of villagers from al-Ma'ssara, located near the southern West Bak city of Bethlehem, along with international supporters protest the illegal Israeli annexation wall on Friday.

The demonstrators gathered at the village's school and marched towards the location where the Israeli military is building the annexation wall.

Protestors held Palestinian flags and marched towards the site of the wall construction.  Israeli troops stopped the demonstrators from reaching the lands where the Israel is erecting the wall, and attacked them with rifle buts and batons; a scuffle ensued after attack.

Troops then kidnapped an Israeli peace activist, a member of the local committee against the wall and settlement coordinator, Mahmoud Zawahra, and took them to an unknown location.  Witnesses said that an Israeli soldier assaulted them before taking them away.

Two injured and dozens suffered teargas inhalation during weekly demonstration in Bil'in

Friday February 06, 2009 16:45 by IMEMC Staff

The residents of Bil'in, near the central West Bank city of Ramallah, gathered after Friday's prayers in a protest joined by international and Israeli activists. The demonstrators carried Palestinian flags and banners, calling for an end to crimes against civilians, breaking the Gaza siege and stopping settlement building and expansion.

The protest left from the center of the village, calling for national unity and resisting the occupation, and headed towards the apartheid wall which is built on Bil'in's land.  An Israeli Army unit was situated behind the wall and prevented the crowd from going through the gate.  The Israeli Army fired tear gas canisters to disturb the crowd, causing dozens to suffer gas inhalation, injuring two; Adib Aburahma and Abdullah Aburahma.

The Israeli Army has been raiding the village at night nearly on a daily basis. There have been many clashes between the Israelis and residents of the village. Some residents have been kidnapped.

These Israeli actions can be classified as collective punishment, which aims to instill fear into Palestinians to try and stop the from resisting the illegal occupation and theft of their lands. The popular Committee against the wall is still encouraging people to continue resisting the wall and the occupation, despite these threats.