Israeli Occupation Forces Injure, Kidnap Protesters in the West Bank, Allows Foreign Press to Enter Gaza After 6-Week Media Blackout

Bethlehem protests the continued Israeli attacks on Gaza

Thursday January 01, 2009 10:16 by Ghassan Bannoura - IMEMc News

On Thursday morning, scores of Palestinians from the southern West Bank city of Bethlehem protested at the Church on the Nativity against the Israeli attacks on Gaza.

People protesting at the Church on Nativity on 31-12-2008 midnight – photo by IMEMC's Ghassan Bannoura

Local sources reported that the demonstrators carried banners calling on Israel to stop the attacks, while calling on the international community to aid Palestinians in Gaza.

The Israeli terrorist attacks on the Gaza Strip, which started on Saturday morning have so far left 396 Palestinians killed, and more than 1788 injured.

At midnight on Wednesday, at least 150 Palestinians and internationals gathered at the Church of the Nativity to mark the New Year with a vigil for Gaza. People lit candles and drew "Gaza" in Arabic and English.

Speeches were delivered calling for an international intervention to stop, what the people call, the Israeli terrorist war on Gaza.

Israeli occupation terrorist forces kidnap four from Hebron area, including village mayor

Date: 01 / 01 / 2009 Time: 12:54
Hebron – Ma’an –

The Israeli occupation terrorist forces kidnapped four Palestinians from Tarqumiya and Al-Samu in the Hebron governorate Thursday morning.

Security sources in Tarqumiya village west of Hebron said Israeli troops invaded the area, broke into several homes and detained Shehda Al-Fatafta, Rami Hassan Al-Badawi and Abd Al-amid Eghtas.

In Al-Samu village the mayor was kidnapped.

All were taken to an unknown destination.

Palestinian demonstrator dies of wounds from clash with Israeli forces

Date: 31 / 12 / 2008 Time: 22:32
Ramallah - Ma'an -

A young man injured in clashes with Israeli occupation terrorist forces in Na’lin died from his wounds Wednesday.

Twenty-one-year-old Mohammed Said al-Khawaja was injured in protests that broke out following the first Israeli airstrikes on Gaza Saturday.

The protest took place in the central West Bank city of Na’lin, the site of the weekly Friday demonstrations against the wall. When airstrikes broke out the day after the weekly protest, demonstrators gathered for a second day to condemn the Israeli violence.

Medical sources in Ramallah Hospital confirmed the death.

Israeli soldiers hurl tear gas canisters at Palestinian homes in Hebron "for fun"

Date: 31 / 12 / 2008 Time: 22:18
Hebron – Ma’an –

Israeli occupation terrorist forces hurled tear gas canisters at a Palestinian house in Hebron on Wednesday evening near the illegal Israeli Kiryat Arba settlement in the southern West Bank.

Several members of one family suffered from teargas inhalation, said Farid Al-Razim, who lives in the home targeted by soldiers, told Ma’an over the phone from the scene of the attacks.

According to Al-Razim the soldiers threw the canisters at the home entirely unprovoked, most likely to "amuse themselves." The vehicle from which the soldiers threw the canisters is permanently stationed near the fence between his house and the nearby Israeli settlement.

Israeli occupation terrorist forces force families from homes in village near Qalqiliya

Date: 01 / 01 / 2009 Time: 11:50
Qalqiliya – Ma’an –

Several Israeli occupation terrorist forces military vehicles overran Kafr Laqif village and forced several families to evacuate their homes east of Qalqiliya Wednesday night, eyewitnesses said.

The families were interrogated and the homes searched; no detentions were reported.

Vice President of the European Parliament tells Hebronites to continue fighting for rights

Date: 31 / 12 / 2008 Time: 22:42
Hebron – Ma’an -

Vice President of the European Parliament Luisa Morgantini went to Hebron on Wednesday with a delegation of Europeans to show solidarity with Palestinians under Israeli attack.

The delegation was received by Hebron mayor Khaled Al-Usaili and other members of the city’s municipal council.

The delegation was given an update on the situation in Hebron in light of the recent settler attacks against Palestinian homes following the eviction of right wing settlers from the Rajabi home. He called the actions in Hebron a “prelude to the bloodshed by an Israeli war machine which targets residential buildings, mosques, hospitals and schools paying no attention to international conventions and laws.”

Al-Usaili asked members of the delegation to exert pressure on their home governments and on the European Union to stop Israeli aggression both in Hebron and in the Gaza Strip.

He also called on France, the current president of the European Union to place more pressure on Israel, as well as the UN Security Council which he suggested pass a binding resolution on the situation in Gaza.

Al-Usali also asked the visiting delegation to support an application by the Hebron municipal council to UNESCO for status as a World Heritage Site. The ancient mosque and old city would thus be preserved and Israel would be prevented from destroying precious landmarks Palestinians consider part of human cultural heritage.

For her part, Morgantini said, “We came to Hebron to show solidarity with the Palestinians as we can feel the tyranny upon them, and we believe they have the right to live in freedom by ending occupation of their lands. We believe they have the right to achieve their national dream and gain their rights in accordance with international conventions. We herby call on the whole world to exert endeavors towards achieving Palestinian freedom and letting the Palestinians live in peace securing normal life for their children as their counterparts in the world.”

Oxfam calls on EU to take larger role in demanding ceasefire

Date: 01 / 01 / 2009 Time: 00:16
Bethlehem - Ma’an -

Oxfam called on the EU to take a more active role in preventing a humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

In a statement from Oxfam International’s Director Jeremy Hobbs the international agency asked the EU to “push Israel and Hamas to agree an immediate ceasefire.” They insisted that “any agreement on improved humanitarian access must not be a fig leaf for lacklustre diplomatic efforts to bring the violence to an immediate end.”

“What is needed is an immediate ceasefire to end the terrible levels of human suffering in Gaza,” Hobbs said in the statement. “Only then can there be any hope of substantial levels of humanitarian supplies reaching those in need. It is just far too dangerous for people to receive aid and for aid workers to deliver it and there is little fuel in Gaza to transport the aid. For the people of Gaza the latest round of violence is an intense part of a festering catastrophe they have endured for more than 18 months. An immediate end to the violence and an end to the blockade of Gaza is desperately needed.”

After six weeks of near blackout, foreign press to re-enter Gaza

Date: 01 / 01 / 2009 Time: 12:30
Bethlehem - Ma’an -

After more than a month of near media blackout Israeli occupation terrorist forces announced Thursday its decision to slowly allow foreign journalists into Gaza.

Starting 11 November members of the international press reported that they were being turned away from Erez crossing.

A journalist for a major international news organization, speaking anonymously on Monday said that he had been attempting to enter Gaza consistently since 9 November and was denied entry each time.

After one week of non-access for the international press, media outlets condemned the Israeli policy as an unprecedented violation of press freedom. The Foreign Press Association (FPA) submitted a petition to the Israeli High Court.

Israeli officials cited the “volatile security situation in Gaza” as a risk to the safety of the international press as justification for the blackout.

While a few members of the press were in fact in Gaza, it was only because they were either Palestinians with Gazan ID cards unable to leave, or internationals who insisted on remaining in the Strip. Only a small handful of reporters remained in the Strip, making information on the Israeli strikes throughout November and early December scarce.

Pressure to allow foreign journalists into Gaza increased as Israel began Operation Cast Lead, which has so far killed more than 400 Palestinians, at least 15% of which are said to be children.

On Thursday Israel announced that it would allow eight journalists at a time through the Erez crossing “when it is open.” It has been totally closed since 27 December when heavy airstrikes began.

According to the Israeli press, the court ordered FPA to compile a narrow list of reporters wishing to enter the area by Thursday morning.

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