31 july 2018

Gaza's National Committee for Breaking the Siege expressed its concern for the safety of international solidarity activists who were aboard the Al Awda Freedom Flotilla ship when it was attacked by Israel in international waters.
The Freedom Flotilla members were detained by Israeli naval forces on Sunday and are still being held in the Israeli Givon prison in al-Ramla in central Israel.
The National Committee confirmed that Dr. Swee Chai Ang, a British activist, author, and orthopedic surgeon, suffered injuries due to being assaulted on board by masked Israeli naval forces.
Sources also confirmed that several activists were beaten by Israeli forces before being dragged out of the ship to be detained.
Head of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Zaher Birawi, said that this information contradicts Israel's statements and claims that the detention of the activists was peaceful and that no one was harmed.
Birawi holds Israel fully responsible for the safety of the activists, pointing out that Israel must provide them with medical care and demanded Israel to immediately release them.
He stressed that Israel will be prosecuted for the "crime of kidnapping" the Freedom Flotilla ship and its activists, who did not impose a threat to Israel's security.
Birawi requested Israel to also return media equipment belonging to journalists who were aboard the ship.
On Monday, Israeli authorities released two Israeli activists on bail, who were identified as Jonathan Shapira and Zuhr Chamberlain Regev, while the remaining 20 international activists were not given the option of release upon bail.
Regev said in a statement that "people on board were tasered and hit by masked Israeli soldiers. We did not get our passports or belongings before we got off the boat. Do not believe reports of peaceful interception."
Israel charged both, Regev and Shapira, with attempting to enter Gaza and conspiracy before being released on bail.
In 2010, one of the Freedom Flotilla ships was attacked by Israeli naval forces in international waters. The ship, which was carrying aid to Gaza, was attacked while being unarmed, killing 10 pro-Palestinian activists and injuring dozens of other peaceful activists.
The Freedom Flotilla ship peacefully sailed towards the shores of Gaza, with aim to draw the world's attention to the unjust siege and intending on breaking Israel's nearly 12-year blockade of the Gaza Strip.
The Freedom Flotilla members were detained by Israeli naval forces on Sunday and are still being held in the Israeli Givon prison in al-Ramla in central Israel.
The National Committee confirmed that Dr. Swee Chai Ang, a British activist, author, and orthopedic surgeon, suffered injuries due to being assaulted on board by masked Israeli naval forces.
Sources also confirmed that several activists were beaten by Israeli forces before being dragged out of the ship to be detained.
Head of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Zaher Birawi, said that this information contradicts Israel's statements and claims that the detention of the activists was peaceful and that no one was harmed.
Birawi holds Israel fully responsible for the safety of the activists, pointing out that Israel must provide them with medical care and demanded Israel to immediately release them.
He stressed that Israel will be prosecuted for the "crime of kidnapping" the Freedom Flotilla ship and its activists, who did not impose a threat to Israel's security.
Birawi requested Israel to also return media equipment belonging to journalists who were aboard the ship.
On Monday, Israeli authorities released two Israeli activists on bail, who were identified as Jonathan Shapira and Zuhr Chamberlain Regev, while the remaining 20 international activists were not given the option of release upon bail.
Regev said in a statement that "people on board were tasered and hit by masked Israeli soldiers. We did not get our passports or belongings before we got off the boat. Do not believe reports of peaceful interception."
Israel charged both, Regev and Shapira, with attempting to enter Gaza and conspiracy before being released on bail.
In 2010, one of the Freedom Flotilla ships was attacked by Israeli naval forces in international waters. The ship, which was carrying aid to Gaza, was attacked while being unarmed, killing 10 pro-Palestinian activists and injuring dozens of other peaceful activists.
The Freedom Flotilla ship peacefully sailed towards the shores of Gaza, with aim to draw the world's attention to the unjust siege and intending on breaking Israel's nearly 12-year blockade of the Gaza Strip.

The Israeli Magistrate Court of Nazareth sentenced Palestinian poet Darin Tatour, from the al-Reineh village in northern Israel, to five months of prison and 6 months of suspended sentence, on Tuesday.
The Israeli prosecution accuses Tatour of “incitement and supporting a terrorist organization” for writing a poem criticizing the Israeli occupation and posting it on her personal page on Facebook.
The Israeli prosecution demanded that Tatour be imprisoned for periods between 15 and 26 months.
Tatour had previously spent more than 2 years and 8 months between prison and house arrest for writing the poem.
Read the poem here.
She said that the decision was “unjust” and that there was no reason for the court to place her under trial in the first place. However, she added that she was not surprised by the ruling.
She added, according to Ma’an News Agency, that she does not trust the Israeli court system, pointing out that the her detention was politically motivated; “democracy is confined to one type of people in this country,” Tatour said, pointing out to the discrimination against Palestinian citizens in Israel.
Tatour was previously detained in October of 2015, indicted in November on charges of “incitement to violence and support for a terrorist organization.”
The Israeli prosecution accuses Tatour of “incitement and supporting a terrorist organization” for writing a poem criticizing the Israeli occupation and posting it on her personal page on Facebook.
The Israeli prosecution demanded that Tatour be imprisoned for periods between 15 and 26 months.
Tatour had previously spent more than 2 years and 8 months between prison and house arrest for writing the poem.
Read the poem here.
She said that the decision was “unjust” and that there was no reason for the court to place her under trial in the first place. However, she added that she was not surprised by the ruling.
She added, according to Ma’an News Agency, that she does not trust the Israeli court system, pointing out that the her detention was politically motivated; “democracy is confined to one type of people in this country,” Tatour said, pointing out to the discrimination against Palestinian citizens in Israel.
Tatour was previously detained in October of 2015, indicted in November on charges of “incitement to violence and support for a terrorist organization.”

Israeli soldiers abducted, Tuesday, three Palestinians in occupied Jerusalem, including one who was kidnapped by undercover soldiers in the Al-Aqsa Mosque, and one at a military roadblock near Jenin, in northern West Bank.
Media sources in occupied Jerusalem said several army jeeps invaded the al- ‘Isawiya town, in the center of the city, and abducted Sa’ed ‘Obeid, and Sbeih Abu Sbeih, before taking them to an interrogation center in the city.
It is worth mentioning that Sbeih is the son of Misbah Abu Sbeih, 39, who was killed by Israeli fire on October 9, 2016, after he shot to death an Israeli woman and a police officer near light-rail station at Jerusalem’s Ammunition Hill.
In addition, undercover Israeli soldiers infiltrated the courtyards of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, in Jerusalem, and kidnapped a worshiper, who remained unidentified at the time of this report.
Eyewitnesses said many soldiers also invaded the mosque before searching and interrogating dozens of young men.
The attack came after dozens of colonialist settlers invaded the mosque’s courtyards accompanied by police officers and soldiers, and conducted provocative tours.
Furthermore, the soldiers abducted a young man, identified as Hazem al-Ajlouni, from Kafr Aqab neighborhood, north of Jerusalem.
In related news, soldiers stationed at Za’tara military roadblock, south of the northern West Bank city of Jenin, abducted a young man, identified as Watheq Mohammad Omar, from the al-Yamoun nearby town.
Media sources in occupied Jerusalem said several army jeeps invaded the al- ‘Isawiya town, in the center of the city, and abducted Sa’ed ‘Obeid, and Sbeih Abu Sbeih, before taking them to an interrogation center in the city.
It is worth mentioning that Sbeih is the son of Misbah Abu Sbeih, 39, who was killed by Israeli fire on October 9, 2016, after he shot to death an Israeli woman and a police officer near light-rail station at Jerusalem’s Ammunition Hill.
In addition, undercover Israeli soldiers infiltrated the courtyards of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, in Jerusalem, and kidnapped a worshiper, who remained unidentified at the time of this report.
Eyewitnesses said many soldiers also invaded the mosque before searching and interrogating dozens of young men.
The attack came after dozens of colonialist settlers invaded the mosque’s courtyards accompanied by police officers and soldiers, and conducted provocative tours.
Furthermore, the soldiers abducted a young man, identified as Hazem al-Ajlouni, from Kafr Aqab neighborhood, north of Jerusalem.
In related news, soldiers stationed at Za’tara military roadblock, south of the northern West Bank city of Jenin, abducted a young man, identified as Watheq Mohammad Omar, from the al-Yamoun nearby town.

The Israeli occupation authorities notified on Tuesday the demolition of six Palestinian homes in al-Walaja village, northwest of Bethlehem.
A heavily-armed Israeli patrol and members of the Jerusalem municipality showed up in Ein Juweiza, north of al-Walaja, and handed over demolition orders to six Palestinian families.
The demolition notices were issued under the pretext of unlicensed construction.
The occupation forces also handed over interrogation writs to the owners of the targeted homes.
Over recent months, 20 Palestinian families have had their homes reduced to rubble or received halt-construction orders by the occupation forces in Juweiza area.
80 more Palestinians buildings risk to face a similar fate.
A heavily-armed Israeli patrol and members of the Jerusalem municipality showed up in Ein Juweiza, north of al-Walaja, and handed over demolition orders to six Palestinian families.
The demolition notices were issued under the pretext of unlicensed construction.
The occupation forces also handed over interrogation writs to the owners of the targeted homes.
Over recent months, 20 Palestinian families have had their homes reduced to rubble or received halt-construction orders by the occupation forces in Juweiza area.
80 more Palestinians buildings risk to face a similar fate.

The Palestinian Prisoners Society (PPS) has reported that Israeli soldiers abducted, on Tuesday at dawn, eighteen Palestinians, including one woman, in several parts of the occupied West Bank, including occupied Jerusalem.
The PPS said the soldiers stormed and violently searched many homes across the West Bank, interrogated several Palestinians while inspecting their ID cars, and abducted eighteen, including one woman, identified as Kifah Hijazi.
It identified the abducted Palestinians as:
17 Palestinians arrested in pre-dawn raids
The Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) arrested at dawn Tuesday 17 Palestinians after breaking into a number of West Bank towns and cities.
Israeli Army claimed in a statement issued today morning that 17 “wanted” Palestinians were rounded up for allegedly being involved in anti-occupation attacks.
Four Palestinians, including a woman, were detained in al-Khalil, four more arrests were carried out in Ramallah, and two detainees were reported in Jenin while another was arrested in Bethlehem.
Three more arrests were reported in Qalqilia and a citizen was kidnapped from occupied Jerusalem.
Meanwhile, violent clashes broke out early today in Dheisheh refugee camp in Bethlehem, the eastern neighborhood of Tulkarem and in the city of Qalqiliya.
The PPS said the soldiers stormed and violently searched many homes across the West Bank, interrogated several Palestinians while inspecting their ID cars, and abducted eighteen, including one woman, identified as Kifah Hijazi.
It identified the abducted Palestinians as:
- Kifah Hijazi al-Husseini – Hebron.
- Ibrahim Khalil Abu Dayya – Hebron.
- Saif Kassab Abu Dayya – Hebron.
- Ahmad Daghamin – Hebron.
- Mohammad Emad Khalil – Hebron.
- Ahmad Mahmoud Nakhla – Ramallah.
- Abed Samad’a – Ramallah.
- Mohammad Samad’a – Ramallah.
- Saher Dabbour – Ramallah.
- Zaki Fa’eq Ata – Ramallah.
- Adham Silmi, 19 – Qalqilia.
- Ahmad Rayyan, 16 – Qalqilia.
- Karim Hussein, 16 -Qalqilia.
- Mahmoud Adel Zayed – Jenin.
- Luay Hamdan Sammoudi – Jenin.
- Abdul-Salam Adel Kamil – Jenin.
- Hazem al-‘Ajlouni – Jerusalem.
- Mohammad Tahseen Hajajra – Bethlehem.
17 Palestinians arrested in pre-dawn raids
The Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) arrested at dawn Tuesday 17 Palestinians after breaking into a number of West Bank towns and cities.
Israeli Army claimed in a statement issued today morning that 17 “wanted” Palestinians were rounded up for allegedly being involved in anti-occupation attacks.
Four Palestinians, including a woman, were detained in al-Khalil, four more arrests were carried out in Ramallah, and two detainees were reported in Jenin while another was arrested in Bethlehem.
Three more arrests were reported in Qalqilia and a citizen was kidnapped from occupied Jerusalem.
Meanwhile, violent clashes broke out early today in Dheisheh refugee camp in Bethlehem, the eastern neighborhood of Tulkarem and in the city of Qalqiliya.

Dozens of Israeli soldiers invaded, on Tuesday at dawn, the Deheishe refugee camp, south of the West Bank city of Bethlehem, and abducted a young man.
Media sources in Bethlehem said the soldiers stormed the refugee camp from its main entrance, near the Jerusalem-Hebron city, before invading and searching homes, and abducted a young man, identified as Mohammad Tahseen Hajajra, 22.
They added that dozens of youngsters protested the invasion, and hurled stones at the soldiers, while the army fired live rounds, gas bombs and concussion grenades at the protesters.
It is worth mentioning that Deheishe has been subject to extensive and violent military invasions, leading to many abductions and injuries, in addition to the fatal shooting of a child, identified as Arkan Tha’er Mizhir, 15, who was killed by the army on July 22nd 2018.
Media sources in Bethlehem said the soldiers stormed the refugee camp from its main entrance, near the Jerusalem-Hebron city, before invading and searching homes, and abducted a young man, identified as Mohammad Tahseen Hajajra, 22.
They added that dozens of youngsters protested the invasion, and hurled stones at the soldiers, while the army fired live rounds, gas bombs and concussion grenades at the protesters.
It is worth mentioning that Deheishe has been subject to extensive and violent military invasions, leading to many abductions and injuries, in addition to the fatal shooting of a child, identified as Arkan Tha’er Mizhir, 15, who was killed by the army on July 22nd 2018.