Editorial Note: The following news reports are summaries from original sources. They may also include corrections of Arabic names and political terminology. Comments are in parentheses.

 
Israeli Occupation Forces Back Illegal Jewish Settlers, Attack Palestinian Protesters, Kidnap Civilians, Shoot a Youngman for Standing Near a Settler's Bus Stop

Two youths injured in IOF shooting one seriously

[ 20/05/2012 - 05:44 PM ]

AL-KHALIL, (PIC)--

A Palestinian teen was seriously injured near Gush Etzion settlement to the north of Al-Khalil after Israeli occupation forces (IOF) fired at him.

Medical sources said that the 17-year-old youth Salah Zaghir was seriously wounded in his abdomen after an Israeli soldier fired at him near a bus stop for settlers after “suspecting” that he was carrying a knife and that he would use it to stab a settler.

Other sources said that the IOF closed the Bethlehem-Al-Khalil road and took the youth to Hadassah hospital where his condition was described as “serious”, but denied that he was dead.

In a related incident, a Palestinian youth was shot and injured east of Qarara town in Khan Younis, south of the Gaza Strip.

The PIC reporter said that Wahid Abu Zir, 22, was hit with a bullet in his leg in the indiscriminate shooting by IOF soldiers at residential quarters.

The IOF suppress counter-demonstration held in Jerusalem

[ 21/05/2012 - 11:36 AM ]

Occupied JERUSALEM (PIC)--

The occupation forces suppressed hundreds of Jerusalemites who demonstrated in response to the Zionist settlers’ marches on the anniversary of what they call "Jerusalem Day", on Sunday night.

Hundreds of Palestinians demonstrated outside Damascus Gate in occupied Jerusalem to protest the Jewish march “dance of flags" staged by thousands of settlers who roamed yesterday the streets of Jerusalem, chanting slogans against the Arabs and the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him.

As a result of the attacks carried out by IOF, dozens of demonstrators, including journalists, were injured by rubber bullets and choked with toxic gas coming from Zionist tear gas. In addition, 10 people, including a woman from Jerusalem, were arrested under the pretext of resisting the occupation forces in several areas of eastern of occupied Jerusalem.

Israeli occupation policemen had closed roads and streets in the city of Jerusalem to ensure protection for Zionist settlers and to enable them to celebrate their provocative marches.

For its part; "Al-Aqsa Foundation for Waqf and Heritage" denounced, in a statement, chanting offensive slogans against the Prophet Muhammad -peace be upon him– by the settlers during the Judaization marches held on Sunday.

Al-Aqsa Foundation also warned of the calls of thousands of Zionist settlers to demolish Al Aqsa Mosque and build the alleged temple during their march that was marking the 45th anniversary of occupying Jerusalem.

Meanwhile, dozens of citizens had continued chanting slogans opposing the march and raising Palestinian flags near the Damascus Gate. They also threw stones and Molotov cocktails at the occupation military forces stationed at Shu'fat camp’s border, which led to an outbreak of violent clashes resulting in the injury of dozens of protesters, but no arrests were reported.

IOF soldiers arrest seven Palestinians including 70-year-old

[ 21/05/2012 - 09:37 AM ]

NABLUS, (PIC)--

Israeli occupation forces (IOF) arrested seven Palestinian citizens in the West Bank at dawn Monday including a 70-year-old man in Nablus, local sources said.

Eyewitnesses told the PIC reporter in Nablus city that IOF soldiers stormed the city before dawn and withdrew after taking away four men including Sami Shaabalo, 70.

IOF soldiers detained two other civilians in Al-Khalil after breaking into their homes and searching them, local said.

In Jenin, the IOF soldiers detained a citizen in the city’s refugee camp and searched a number of other homes in the province.

On Sunday night, IOF soldiers served a summons to liberated prisoner Fahd Abu Subaih from Al-Khalil city.

Eyewitnesses told the PIC reporter that the soldiers searched Abu Subaih’s home and broke things in their savage search before handing him the summons.

A researcher: 66% of Jerusalemites threatened with displacement

 [ 20/05/2012 - 08:06 PM ]

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM (PIC)--

A Palestinian researcher revealed that more than two thirds of Jerusalemites owe money to the Israeli occupation's different organs and departments.

The Jerusalemite activist and researcher, Fakhri Abu Diab, said that Israeli official data showed that there are over 43 thousand debt files in the Israeli official debt collection department , estimated at tens of millions of shekels.

Abu Diab stated, in a press release on Saturday, it has been detected that 9300 debt files are imposed on Jerusalemites to the occupation’s income tax office and the National Insurance department, in addition to another 15 thousand containing large sums owed to the occupation Municipality in Jerusalem. Thus, more than two thirds of Jerusalemites owe large sums to official and governmental occupation departments, according to Abu Diab.

He added that the largest proportion of the Jerusalemites' debts are owed to the Municipal Property Tax "Arnona", followed by the Insurance Institute that goes to withdrawing citizenship from Palestinians who do not pay the debts. He also warned of the repercussions of the growing indebtedness on Jerusalemites which is becoming a "factor of economic displacement and expulsion that will be used by the occupation to displace Jerusalemites."

He added, "Since the poverty rate in Jerusalem is 78 per cent (according to reports and researches), the Jerusalemites will not be able to pay their debts as they can hardly live. Meanwhile, the Zionist institutions' laws require the reservation and confiscation of properties because of accumulated debts, which endangers the Jerusalemites. "

Barhoum champions third intifada to protect Aqsa and holy shrines

[ 20/05/2012 - 05:52 PM ]

GAZA, (PIC)--

Spokesman of Hamas in Gaza Fawzi Barhoum has charged that the Jewish settlers’ storming of the Aqsa mosque on Sunday fell in line with the religious war waged by the Israeli occupation government against the Palestinian people.

Barhoum told the PIC that the repeated visits by Arab and Muslim officials to the Aqsa mosque gave legitimacy to occupation, and noted that the storming also followed PA invitations to Arabs and Muslims outside Palestine to visit the holy site.

He said that the attacks reflect the extremism and dangerous nature of the new Israeli coalition government.

The Hamas spokesman championed a third intifada for the sake of the holy shrines that should be backed by Arabs and Muslims to check the Israeli occupation authority’s incessant attempts to Judaize occupied Jerusalem.