12 aug 2019
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Israeli police injured dozens of Palestinians praying at the al-Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem on Sunday, the first day of Eid al-Adha or Feast of the Sacrifice.
The Muslim holiday this year coincides with the Jewish holiday of Tisha B’Av, which in Jewish belief commemorates the destruction of the First and Second Temples in Jerusalem. The Islamic Waqf – the body responsible for Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem – announced on Friday that only the al-Aqsa mosque would open its doors for prayers in Jerusalem on the first day of the holiday. Israel initially closed the al-Aqsa mosque compound, which Jews call the |
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Temple Mount and Muslims call al-Haram al-Sharif, for Jewish worshippers on Sunday, as is the norm, to avoid clashes with Muslim worshippers.
Israel regularly imposes tight closures on all Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip for days during Jewish holidays. Israel then reversed its decision, allowing more than 1,700 Jewish Israelis to enter the compound under the protection of occupation forces: tweet, video tweets Israel fired tear gas canisters, stun grenades and rubber-coated steel bullets at Palestinian worshippers in the compound. This video shows Israeli forces firing rubber-coated steel bullets at |
Palestinians: Local media circulated pictures and videos showing Israeli forces attacking Palestinian worshippers: This video shows Palestinians, including children, running from Israeli forces:
Fifteen Palestinians were hospitalized and seven arrested.
Gradual takeover
Jewish religious authorities backed the ban on Jewish worshippers from entering the compound during the Tisha B’Av holiday out of religious principles.
“Jews are strictly prohibited from entering Temple Mount according to Jewish law, and it would be best if they avoid from entering the complex all year long,” Yitzhak Yosef, one of Israel’s two chief rabbis, stated.
This reflects the longstanding position of Israel’s official rabbinate.
But Jewish nationalist groups with close links to the government defy this position.
Activists from the so-called Temple movement encourage Jews to go to al-Aqsa, using such incursions as steps toward a gradual takeover of the site by settlers.
“It seems the Arabs are going to win over the battle to open Temple Mount to Jews on Tisha B’Av,” an activist with the movement told Israeli newspaper Haaretz.
“When hundreds of thousands of Jews arrive at Temple Mount, no one will be able to prevent the building of the Temple,” another said.
The ultimate aim of the movement – openly declared by many of its adherents – is the destruction of the al-Aqsa mosque and the Dome of the Rock and their replacement with a Jewish temple.
However, Temple movement activists often obscure this goal and claim they merely want more access for Jews to pray at the site, framing the matter as an issue of equality and civil rights.
But as The Electronic Intifada’s Ali Abunimah told Al Jazeera English on Sunday, “you can’t have civil rights under military occupation when Palestinians have no civil rights, no human rights.”
“The thing I would ask [Likud lawmaker] Yehuda Glick, which I don’t see too many journalists doing, why have you and your Temple movement published blueprints for this Jewish temple, which will be built on the ruins of al-Aqsa mosque?” Abunimah added.
Glick is a leader of the Israeli-government backed Temple movement.
United States envoy Jason Greenblatt tweeted in support of Israeli settlers.
“Don’t let anyone claim Israel is ‘judaizing’ the City of Jerusalem,” Greenblatt stated. tweet
Israel’s strategic affairs minister Gilad Erdan celebrated the decision to allow Jewish Israelis into the compound to “strengthen Israeli sovereignty on the mount.”
Such comments expose how Israel’s real agenda is to use Jewish worship at the site as a cover and alibi for its illegal annexation of occupied East Jerusalem.
Condemnations
Jordan – the custodian of holy sites in Jerusalem – condemned Israeli violence against Palestinian worshippers.
Foreign minister Ayman Safadi said that “attempts by the occupying authorities will not change the status quo of occupied Jerusalem.”
Safadi warned that Israel’s violations of the holy site could lead to an “explosion” in the already volatile situation.
Jordan called on the international community to pressure Israel to halt its provocations.
The Palestinian Authority also called for international action.
Settler organization strengthens hold
Meanwhile, the Greek Orthodox Church filed a lawsuit with an Israeli court last week seeking to overturn leases of Jerusalem properties to a settler organization.
The 99-year leases are for three prime properties near Jaffa Gate. They were given to Ateret Cohanim, a right-wing organization involved in Israeli settlement on Palestinian land in Jerusalem.
In June, the Israeli high court ruled in favor of the settler organization, giving the greenlight for it to take over the properties.
The church claims to have new evidence of corruption including bribes between the settler group and church officials involved in the leases, Haaretz reported.
Previously, Ateret Cohanim claimed to have bought the church land in 2004 from Ireneus I, the Greek Orthodox patriarch at the time.
The Greek Orthodox Church has subsequently taken over the site but Ateret Cohanim is now trying to seize the land that it says it bought over a decade ago.
Ireneus I claims his ousting was not legal and still identifies as the patriarch.
Theophilos III, the current patriarch, has rejected the sale that his predecessor approved, saying it involved corruption.
Fifteen Palestinians were hospitalized and seven arrested.
Gradual takeover
Jewish religious authorities backed the ban on Jewish worshippers from entering the compound during the Tisha B’Av holiday out of religious principles.
“Jews are strictly prohibited from entering Temple Mount according to Jewish law, and it would be best if they avoid from entering the complex all year long,” Yitzhak Yosef, one of Israel’s two chief rabbis, stated.
This reflects the longstanding position of Israel’s official rabbinate.
But Jewish nationalist groups with close links to the government defy this position.
Activists from the so-called Temple movement encourage Jews to go to al-Aqsa, using such incursions as steps toward a gradual takeover of the site by settlers.
“It seems the Arabs are going to win over the battle to open Temple Mount to Jews on Tisha B’Av,” an activist with the movement told Israeli newspaper Haaretz.
“When hundreds of thousands of Jews arrive at Temple Mount, no one will be able to prevent the building of the Temple,” another said.
The ultimate aim of the movement – openly declared by many of its adherents – is the destruction of the al-Aqsa mosque and the Dome of the Rock and their replacement with a Jewish temple.
However, Temple movement activists often obscure this goal and claim they merely want more access for Jews to pray at the site, framing the matter as an issue of equality and civil rights.
But as The Electronic Intifada’s Ali Abunimah told Al Jazeera English on Sunday, “you can’t have civil rights under military occupation when Palestinians have no civil rights, no human rights.”
“The thing I would ask [Likud lawmaker] Yehuda Glick, which I don’t see too many journalists doing, why have you and your Temple movement published blueprints for this Jewish temple, which will be built on the ruins of al-Aqsa mosque?” Abunimah added.
Glick is a leader of the Israeli-government backed Temple movement.
United States envoy Jason Greenblatt tweeted in support of Israeli settlers.
“Don’t let anyone claim Israel is ‘judaizing’ the City of Jerusalem,” Greenblatt stated. tweet
Israel’s strategic affairs minister Gilad Erdan celebrated the decision to allow Jewish Israelis into the compound to “strengthen Israeli sovereignty on the mount.”
Such comments expose how Israel’s real agenda is to use Jewish worship at the site as a cover and alibi for its illegal annexation of occupied East Jerusalem.
Condemnations
Jordan – the custodian of holy sites in Jerusalem – condemned Israeli violence against Palestinian worshippers.
Foreign minister Ayman Safadi said that “attempts by the occupying authorities will not change the status quo of occupied Jerusalem.”
Safadi warned that Israel’s violations of the holy site could lead to an “explosion” in the already volatile situation.
Jordan called on the international community to pressure Israel to halt its provocations.
The Palestinian Authority also called for international action.
Settler organization strengthens hold
Meanwhile, the Greek Orthodox Church filed a lawsuit with an Israeli court last week seeking to overturn leases of Jerusalem properties to a settler organization.
The 99-year leases are for three prime properties near Jaffa Gate. They were given to Ateret Cohanim, a right-wing organization involved in Israeli settlement on Palestinian land in Jerusalem.
In June, the Israeli high court ruled in favor of the settler organization, giving the greenlight for it to take over the properties.
The church claims to have new evidence of corruption including bribes between the settler group and church officials involved in the leases, Haaretz reported.
Previously, Ateret Cohanim claimed to have bought the church land in 2004 from Ireneus I, the Greek Orthodox patriarch at the time.
The Greek Orthodox Church has subsequently taken over the site but Ateret Cohanim is now trying to seize the land that it says it bought over a decade ago.
Ireneus I claims his ousting was not legal and still identifies as the patriarch.
Theophilos III, the current patriarch, has rejected the sale that his predecessor approved, saying it involved corruption.
Israeli soldiers abducted, Monday, four Palestinians, including a paralyzed man and his son, in two separate incidents in the al-‘Isawiya town, in occupied East Jerusalem.
Eyewitnesses said the soldiers invaded al-‘Isawiya, on Monday evening, before breaking into and searching homes and stores, and abducted Mohammad Ibrahim Obeid, 18.
They added that the soldiers also abducted Mohammad Amin Khallaf, 27, while walking in the Schools Neighborhood in the town.
On Monday afternoon, the soldiers invaded and searched homes in Abu Ryala neighborhood, in al-‘Isawiya, and abducted a paralyzed man, identified as Jarrah Mohammad Ali Nasser, 52, in addition to his son, Essam, 22.
Eyewitnesses said the soldiers invaded al-‘Isawiya, on Monday evening, before breaking into and searching homes and stores, and abducted Mohammad Ibrahim Obeid, 18.
They added that the soldiers also abducted Mohammad Amin Khallaf, 27, while walking in the Schools Neighborhood in the town.
On Monday afternoon, the soldiers invaded and searched homes in Abu Ryala neighborhood, in al-‘Isawiya, and abducted a paralyzed man, identified as Jarrah Mohammad Ali Nasser, 52, in addition to his son, Essam, 22.
Israeli soldiers abducted, Monday, a Palestinian woman from the southern West Bank district of Hebron, while visiting with her imprisoned son in Hadarim Israeli prison.
The Palestinian Prisoners’ Society (PPS) said the soldiers abducted Siham al-Battat, 59, from the ath-Thaheriyya town, southwest of Hebron, while visiting with her imprisoned son, Haitham al-Battat, who is serving three life-terms in prison.
The PPS added that Siham is also a former political prisoner, who was abducted in 2015 and was subjected to a harsh and extended interrogation.
The Palestinian Prisoners’ Society (PPS) said the soldiers abducted Siham al-Battat, 59, from the ath-Thaheriyya town, southwest of Hebron, while visiting with her imprisoned son, Haitham al-Battat, who is serving three life-terms in prison.
The PPS added that Siham is also a former political prisoner, who was abducted in 2015 and was subjected to a harsh and extended interrogation.
The Israeli prison service on Monday afternoon transferred Palestinian prisoner Sami Abu Diyak, who suffers from cancer, from Ramla Hospital to Asaf Hospital following serious health complications.
According to the Palestinian Commission of Detainees’ and Ex-Detainees’ Affairs, Abu Diyak has one of the most serious medical conditions in Israeli jails and has been exposed in recent years to deliberate slow killing and medical neglect.
Abu Diyka has been suffering from bowel cancer for over three years and there was an intentional medical error when he underwent intestinal surgery in 2015 in Soroka Hospital, leading to his suffering from other health problems, including renal and lung failures and blood poisoning.
Later, he underwent three useless surgical operations.
Abu Diyak, who hails from the West Bank town of Silat al-Dahr, was arrested in July 17, 2002, and was sentenced to three life terms in prison for resisting the Israeli occupation.
Ailing Palestinian Detainee Faces Life-Threatening Deterioration
The Palestinian Detainees’ Committee has reported, Monday, that the Israeli Prison Authority has moved an ailing Palestinian detainee to Assaf Harofeh Medical Center after a sharp deterioration in his health condition, due to lack of adequate medical treatment.
The Committee stated that the detainee, Sami Abu Diak, was diagnosed with cancer three years ago, and in September of 2015, he was moved to Soroka Israel Medical Center for surgery in his bowels; however, due to a medical error after the surgeons removed some of his intestines, he started facing further complications.
As a result of this, Abu Diak suffered kidney, renal and pulmonary failures, before he underwent three additional surgeries, and remained hooked to respiratory machines for six months.
The detainee was taken prisoner in the year 2002, and was sentenced to three life-terms and an additional 30 years in prison.
He is one of 15 detainees who are constantly housed at the clinic of the Ramla prison, which lack basic essential equipment and specialized physicians, in addition to being one of nearly 7000 detainees in various prisons, who suffer with several serious conditions, including cancer.
His brother, Samer Abu Diak, is also a political prisoner serving a life term, and is facing various health complications, in the Ramla prison clinic.
The Detainee’ Committee held Israel responsible for his life, and the lives of hundreds of ailing detainees, especially since Tel Aviv refuses to release them to be hospitalized in Palestinian medical centers, closer to their families, where they can constantly be treated by specialists.
According to the Palestinian Commission of Detainees’ and Ex-Detainees’ Affairs, Abu Diyak has one of the most serious medical conditions in Israeli jails and has been exposed in recent years to deliberate slow killing and medical neglect.
Abu Diyka has been suffering from bowel cancer for over three years and there was an intentional medical error when he underwent intestinal surgery in 2015 in Soroka Hospital, leading to his suffering from other health problems, including renal and lung failures and blood poisoning.
Later, he underwent three useless surgical operations.
Abu Diyak, who hails from the West Bank town of Silat al-Dahr, was arrested in July 17, 2002, and was sentenced to three life terms in prison for resisting the Israeli occupation.
Ailing Palestinian Detainee Faces Life-Threatening Deterioration
The Palestinian Detainees’ Committee has reported, Monday, that the Israeli Prison Authority has moved an ailing Palestinian detainee to Assaf Harofeh Medical Center after a sharp deterioration in his health condition, due to lack of adequate medical treatment.
The Committee stated that the detainee, Sami Abu Diak, was diagnosed with cancer three years ago, and in September of 2015, he was moved to Soroka Israel Medical Center for surgery in his bowels; however, due to a medical error after the surgeons removed some of his intestines, he started facing further complications.
As a result of this, Abu Diak suffered kidney, renal and pulmonary failures, before he underwent three additional surgeries, and remained hooked to respiratory machines for six months.
The detainee was taken prisoner in the year 2002, and was sentenced to three life-terms and an additional 30 years in prison.
He is one of 15 detainees who are constantly housed at the clinic of the Ramla prison, which lack basic essential equipment and specialized physicians, in addition to being one of nearly 7000 detainees in various prisons, who suffer with several serious conditions, including cancer.
His brother, Samer Abu Diak, is also a political prisoner serving a life term, and is facing various health complications, in the Ramla prison clinic.
The Detainee’ Committee held Israel responsible for his life, and the lives of hundreds of ailing detainees, especially since Tel Aviv refuses to release them to be hospitalized in Palestinian medical centers, closer to their families, where they can constantly be treated by specialists.
The Israeli occupation forces (IOF) mapped overnight Sunday the homes of two Palestinians suspected, with no evidence, in the West Bank murder of an Israeli soldier as a prelude to demolishing them.
Cousins Nseir Asafra, 24, and Kassem Asafra, 30, were arrested on Saturday in the Palestinian town of Beit Kahil, northwest of Hebron.
Kassem's wife, Enas, was also arrested, as was a third man, Akrama Asafra, on suspicion of aiding the two suspects.
The main suspects are being exposed to pressure by Sin Bet interrogators to make confessions. The IOF also confiscated a vehicle allegedly used in the incident.
The IOF said that during the arrests, clashes broke out between forces and dozens of angry Palestinian young men.
Israeli army officials claims that suspects' questioning affirms that they did not operate under the guidance of any Palestinian group in the West Bank or Gaza but rather took a spur-of-the-moment decision when they saw the soldier, Dvir Sorek, walking alone toward his settlement.
Cousins Nseir Asafra, 24, and Kassem Asafra, 30, were arrested on Saturday in the Palestinian town of Beit Kahil, northwest of Hebron.
Kassem's wife, Enas, was also arrested, as was a third man, Akrama Asafra, on suspicion of aiding the two suspects.
The main suspects are being exposed to pressure by Sin Bet interrogators to make confessions. The IOF also confiscated a vehicle allegedly used in the incident.
The IOF said that during the arrests, clashes broke out between forces and dozens of angry Palestinian young men.
Israeli army officials claims that suspects' questioning affirms that they did not operate under the guidance of any Palestinian group in the West Bank or Gaza but rather took a spur-of-the-moment decision when they saw the soldier, Dvir Sorek, walking alone toward his settlement.
11 aug 2019
The Israeli occupation army said its forces arrested two Palestinians suspected of the murder of a soldier last week in the West Bank.
The two Palestinians were identified as 24-year-old Nazir Saleh Khalil Atafra – a Hamas member – and 30-year-old Qasem Araf Khalil Atafra. Both are from the Palestinian village Beit Kahil, north of al-Khalil in the occupied West Bank, and had no previous arrests.
Last Wednesday, a 19-year-old Israeli soldier was murdered in a stabbing attack in the settlement bloc of Gush Etzion in the occupied West Bank.
He has been identified as Dvir Sorek, a resident of the settlement of Ofra.
Following the incident, the Israeli army, the police and the Shin Bet security apparatus launched a manhunt for the perpetrators and carried out many arrests.
Israel arrests two in murder of IDF soldier in West Bank
Detainees are family members, one with Hamas ties, from same town near Hebron; two others held in connection to killing of Dvir Sorek,; Hamas accuses PA of cooperating with Israel to track down the killers
The Shin Bet security service said Saturday that two suspects have been arrested in the killing of IDF soldier Dvir Sorek in the West Bank, following intelligence and operational activity.
The detainees are members of the same family and both from the West Bank town of Beit Kahil i teh Hebron area – Nazir Salah Khalil Atsafra, a 24-year-old Hamas activist, and Kassem Araf Khalil Atsafra, aged 30.
The two are considered the main suspects in the murder of the 18-year-old earlier this week. Two other people suspected of aiding them have also been detained.
The Israel Defense Forces said in a statement that terrorists who killed the 18-year-old outside a settlement near Hebron were arrested and the car they used in the attack was seized.
There was no immediate Palestinian comment.
The body of Sorek was found with stab wounds near his yeshiva (religious seminary) at Kibbutz Migdal Oz, where he studied as part of a program combining military conscription with religious classes. He was neither in army uniform nor armed.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised intelligence and security forces for locating and arresting the suspects.
"We will continue to fight terrorism intensely on all fronts," he wrote on his Twitter account.
Hamas, the terrorist group controlling the Gaza Strip, accused the Palestinian Authority, its rival in the West Bank, of cooperating with Israel to identify the terrorists behind the killing.
"We have always warned against the security liaison between the Authority's security in the West Bank and the occupation army," Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem said.
The two Palestinians were identified as 24-year-old Nazir Saleh Khalil Atafra – a Hamas member – and 30-year-old Qasem Araf Khalil Atafra. Both are from the Palestinian village Beit Kahil, north of al-Khalil in the occupied West Bank, and had no previous arrests.
Last Wednesday, a 19-year-old Israeli soldier was murdered in a stabbing attack in the settlement bloc of Gush Etzion in the occupied West Bank.
He has been identified as Dvir Sorek, a resident of the settlement of Ofra.
Following the incident, the Israeli army, the police and the Shin Bet security apparatus launched a manhunt for the perpetrators and carried out many arrests.
Israel arrests two in murder of IDF soldier in West Bank
Detainees are family members, one with Hamas ties, from same town near Hebron; two others held in connection to killing of Dvir Sorek,; Hamas accuses PA of cooperating with Israel to track down the killers
The Shin Bet security service said Saturday that two suspects have been arrested in the killing of IDF soldier Dvir Sorek in the West Bank, following intelligence and operational activity.
The detainees are members of the same family and both from the West Bank town of Beit Kahil i teh Hebron area – Nazir Salah Khalil Atsafra, a 24-year-old Hamas activist, and Kassem Araf Khalil Atsafra, aged 30.
The two are considered the main suspects in the murder of the 18-year-old earlier this week. Two other people suspected of aiding them have also been detained.
The Israel Defense Forces said in a statement that terrorists who killed the 18-year-old outside a settlement near Hebron were arrested and the car they used in the attack was seized.
There was no immediate Palestinian comment.
The body of Sorek was found with stab wounds near his yeshiva (religious seminary) at Kibbutz Migdal Oz, where he studied as part of a program combining military conscription with religious classes. He was neither in army uniform nor armed.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised intelligence and security forces for locating and arresting the suspects.
"We will continue to fight terrorism intensely on all fronts," he wrote on his Twitter account.
Hamas, the terrorist group controlling the Gaza Strip, accused the Palestinian Authority, its rival in the West Bank, of cooperating with Israel to identify the terrorists behind the killing.
"We have always warned against the security liaison between the Authority's security in the West Bank and the occupation army," Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem said.
10 aug 2019
Israeli forces on Saturday early morning detained four Palestinians, including a young woman, and confiscated the vehicle of one of them after raiding the town of Beit Kahil, north of Hebron in the West Bank, local sources said. video
Forces broke into the town and detained four from the Asafrah family, including the young woman who was identified as Enas Asafrah, 26 years old.
The forces also confiscated a private vehicle belonging to one of the detainees, Qasem Asafrah.
During the raid, the soldiers assaulted and beat up two Palestinians in the town, who were later moved to hospital for medical treatment.
Forces broke into the town and detained four from the Asafrah family, including the young woman who was identified as Enas Asafrah, 26 years old.
The forces also confiscated a private vehicle belonging to one of the detainees, Qasem Asafrah.
During the raid, the soldiers assaulted and beat up two Palestinians in the town, who were later moved to hospital for medical treatment.
At least four Palestinians were detained last night by Israeli occupation forces during a detention campaign in the occupied East Jerusalem neighborhood of Al-Issawiya, one of them had sustained wounds during earlier clashes with the forces, local sources said. video
Clashes erupted with stone-throwing Palestinian protesters after Israeli police raided the neighborhood in middle of the night.
The latter fired rubber-coated rounds to disperse the protesters, injuring one of them in his foot before detaining him.
The police also detained three Palestinians after raiding their homes in the neighborhood during the campaign.
Clashes erupted with stone-throwing Palestinian protesters after Israeli police raided the neighborhood in middle of the night.
The latter fired rubber-coated rounds to disperse the protesters, injuring one of them in his foot before detaining him.
The police also detained three Palestinians after raiding their homes in the neighborhood during the campaign.
