Violating Own Pledge, Israeli Occupation Forces Invade Bethlehem and Qalqiliya

Violating own decree, Israeli occupation forces invade Bethlehem and Qalqiliya

Date: 02 / 07 / 2009 Time: 10:46
Jenin – Ma’an –

Following their announcement pledging to stay out of four city districts of the West Bank, Israeli occupation forces overran two of the cities and three others in raids Wednesday night and Thursday morning.

The raids saw the detention of at least six Palestinians from Hebron, Nablus, Bethlehem, and Qalqiliya, the latter two cities among the four Israeli officials said would be left completely under Palestinian Authority control except for "exceptional cases." Several raids were also documented in the northern city of Jenin.

According to Israel Radio, troops entered the areas in order to detain "wanted" Palestinians. Five were reportedly taken to investigation centers for questioning.

Three, detained from Hebron, were identified as Abdel Karim Issa Hassan Musa, 22, Issa Muhammad Issa Hassan Musa, 45, and Jalal Hassan Al-Atrash, 35. The men were travelling through Hebron by car when they were taken. According to family members, the men were forced to strip and Israeli troops searched the car. They were then taken to an unknown location.

In the Jenin area, Palestinian security sources confirmed the harassment of Abdel Hadi Atiq from Barkin, whose home was invaded at 2am. Troops searched the house and an adjacent shop where he sells agricultural goods.

The sources noted the troops invaded Jenin in the northern West Bank at 3am, breaking into several homes in the city center.

Updated 16:55 Bethlehem time

Israeli occupation army invades West Bank cities and breaks its own pledge

Thursday July 02, 2009 13:19 by Katherine Orwell - 1 of International Middle East Media Center Editorial Group

The Israeli occupation army violated its own pledge that it would not invade four cities in the West Bank. On Wednesday night and Thursday morning the army entered two of these cities as well as three others during incursions of the West Bank.

At least six Palestinians were kidnapped by the army. The army explained its behavior by stating that it entered the areas to detain men that are on its “wanted list”. The men were taken from Bethlehem, Hebron, Jenin, Nablus and Qalqiliya.

Bethlehem and Qalqiliya were on the list of cities that the Israeli occupation army, only last week, promised not to invade anymore to boost the Palestinian security and as a sign of goodwill to the US. Israel claimed that it would only enter these cities in “exceptional cases”.

Anonymous sources from within the Palestinian Authority had immediately expressed doubts that this announcement would not be able to make any changes on the ground.

Four Palestinian youths injured near Nablus

Thursday July 02, 2009 06:07 by IMEMC News

Four Palestinian youths were injured on Wednesday evening by Israeli occupation forces' fire near the Tafoah settlement, south of the northern West Bank city of Nablus.

One of the four youths, Laith Mohammad Hamayil, 15, from Beta village, is currently in a serious condition, medical sources reported. Hamayil was shot by two live rounds in his thigh.

The sources added that Maher Fawzi Hamayil, 15, was shot in his legs.

Residents Fadil Mohammad Mandil, 16, and Muwaffaq Hamayil, 18, were moved by the army to an Israeli hospital.

The Israeli Radio claimed that the four were shot after hurling stones at a settlers’ vehicle near Qabalan junction, south of Nablus.

Israeli occupation soldiers detain head of the Workers Union in Salfit

Date: 02 / 07 / 2009 Time: 13:35
Salfit – Ma’an –

Israeli occupation forces detained the head of the Palestinian Workers Union, Yasser Taha, near Salfit shortly after midnight Friday.

Local sources said that the troops overran Taha's house in Biddya village, west of Salfit, at 2am and searched his house before detaining him.

Yasser Taha is considered one of the most prominent Fatah leaders in Biddya and has run the Workers Union in Salfit for several years.