Thursday June 11, 2009 12:14 by Katherine Orwell - 1 of International Middle East Media Center Editorial Group

Palestinian fighters fired shots at the Israeli occupation forces at the northern Gaza border on Thursday morning. The Israeli troops responded to the incident with the shooting of mortar shells.

Both on the Palestinian and the Israeli no injuries were reported. None of the Palestinian factions has so far claimed responsibility for the shooting.

At the beginning of this week Palestinians attacked Israeli troops on the Eastern border, resulting in the death of four of them.

Gunfire, shelling in northern Gaza

Date: 11 / 06 / 2009  Time:  09:28
Gaza – Ma’an –

Palestinian fighters opened fire at Israeli occupation forces operating along the northern border of the Gaza Strip on Thursday morning, the Israelis also shelled the area.

No injuries were reported from the Israeli or Palestinian side. The Israeli military claimed that its forces were fired at near Kibbutz Bi’iri, north of Gaza, confirming that it responded with shelling.

Palestinian factions have not yet claimed responsibility for the shooting.

On Monday four Palestinian fighters were killed when they attacked Israeli forces along the border east of Gaza City.

On Wednesday Israel’s political-security cabinet convened on Wednesday morning to discuss international calls to ease the blockade of the Gaza Strip, and to consider other issues relating to the Palestinian territory.

During their meeting, the cabinet agreed that the Israel military must “respond to any attacks from the Gaza Strip,” according to the Israeli newspaper Haaretz.

Israeli occupation army kidnaps 9 Palestinians from the West Bank

Thursday June 11, 2009 11:56 by Katherine Orwell - 1 of International Middle East Media Center Editorial Group

Israeli occupation forces kidnapped 9 Palestinian men from different areas in the West Bank, during pre-dawn invasions.

Three Palestinians were detained from Kfar Qalil, a village south of Nablus. The Israeli army claimed that the men were in possession of illegal arms and confiscated the weaponry. Other raids were carried out in the Ramallah, Qalqilya and Jericho areas. The men were taken for questioning, as the Israeli army claimed the men were wanted.

Israeli cabinet gives the army a free-hand in Gaza

Thursday June 11, 2009 11:31 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agecnies

The Israeli occupation government ministerial council decided to give the army "a free hand" to retaliate to any cease fired violation carried out by Palestinians armed groups in the Gaza Strip.

The cabinet decided to hold Hamas responsible for any deterioration in the security situation, and decided to give the Israeli occupation army a free hand to retaliate and to carry out limited offensives.   

Israeli sources that Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, adopted this position.

He also held talks on the possibility of opening the crossing terminals in Gaza especially amidst the American and International pressure.

Netanyahu’s office said that the Israeli cabinet discussed the methods that would ease the suffering of the Palestinian in Gaza without harming Israel’s security interests.