23 jan 2016
Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) rounded up Saturday evening a Palestinian young man at Howara military barrier in southern Nablus city in the northern West Bank.
Eyewitnesses told the PIC reporter that the arrested man was identified as Wesam Besharat, 22, from Tamoun town to the south of the city. The IOF soldiers detained the youth after stopping the car he was in.
Israeli soldiers forced the young man to get out of the car and cuffed his hands before taking him to Howara military camp, eyewitnesses pointed out.
Eyewitnesses told the PIC reporter that the arrested man was identified as Wesam Besharat, 22, from Tamoun town to the south of the city. The IOF soldiers detained the youth after stopping the car he was in.
Israeli soldiers forced the young man to get out of the car and cuffed his hands before taking him to Howara military camp, eyewitnesses pointed out.
The occupation forces arrested on Friday night a Jerusalemite woman from the area of Herod’s Gate and transferred her to Salah Eddin Street police station for interrogation.
Wadi Hilweh Information Center was informed that the occupation forces also arrested on Friday one young man and two minors from the Old City of Jerusalem and transferred them to Al-Qishleh police center in the Old City of Jerusalem.
The detainees are: 15-year old Khader Ajloni, 16-year old Amjad Abdel Ghani and 20-year old Ahmad Mughrabi.
On the other hand, the occupation police released on Thursday a Jerusalemite woman and two young men that were arrested from the area of Damascus Gate in Jerusalem.
The center was also informed that the occupation police arrested a woman and two young men and released them after interrogating them from several hours without any conditions; among them was 17-year old Mouayad Bader from the village of Esawyeh.
Wadi Hilweh Information Center was informed that the occupation forces also arrested on Friday one young man and two minors from the Old City of Jerusalem and transferred them to Al-Qishleh police center in the Old City of Jerusalem.
The detainees are: 15-year old Khader Ajloni, 16-year old Amjad Abdel Ghani and 20-year old Ahmad Mughrabi.
On the other hand, the occupation police released on Thursday a Jerusalemite woman and two young men that were arrested from the area of Damascus Gate in Jerusalem.
The center was also informed that the occupation police arrested a woman and two young men and released them after interrogating them from several hours without any conditions; among them was 17-year old Mouayad Bader from the village of Esawyeh.
Ruqaya Eid Abu Eid 14
A Palestinian girl passed away on Saturday morning in the village of Anata after being shot by the guard of Antot settlement under the pretext of carrying out a stabbing attack; note that the settlement is established on the lands of the village of Anata.
The Martyr is 14-year old Ruqaya Eid Abu Eid.
The police said that the Martyr’s father was arrested and transferred for interrogation.
A Palestinian girl passed away on Saturday morning in the village of Anata after being shot by the guard of Antot settlement under the pretext of carrying out a stabbing attack; note that the settlement is established on the lands of the village of Anata.
The Martyr is 14-year old Ruqaya Eid Abu Eid.
The police said that the Martyr’s father was arrested and transferred for interrogation.
Israeli forces Saturday evening shot Yahya Enaizat, 30, with a rubber bullet in his back and arrested his brother, Anwar, after storming the town of Silwan in Occupied Jerusalem.
Wadi Hilweh Information Center revealed that Israeli forces fired rubber bullets and unleashed tear gas canisters at Palestinians in Silwan’s streets. Israeli soldiers also assaulted Anwar Enaizat, 25, before arresting him.
Israeli troops along with municipality teams broke into Palestinians' commercial and housing structures in ِAin al-Lawzeh and Beir Ayyoub districts and handed summonses to their owners to be interviewed by Israeli authorities.
Wadi Hilweh Information Center revealed that Israeli forces fired rubber bullets and unleashed tear gas canisters at Palestinians in Silwan’s streets. Israeli soldiers also assaulted Anwar Enaizat, 25, before arresting him.
Israeli troops along with municipality teams broke into Palestinians' commercial and housing structures in ِAin al-Lawzeh and Beir Ayyoub districts and handed summonses to their owners to be interviewed by Israeli authorities.
The Palestinian Prisoner Center for Studies (PPCS) has voiced its deep concern over the health and lives of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails, especially in the Negev desert prison, as a result of the harsh weather conditions that hit the region.
Spokesman for the center Riyadh al-Ashqar warned that the Israeli prisons have no protection means against heavy rains and cold temperatures.
Ashqar noted that the prisoners in the prisons of Negev and Ofer in particular suffer greatly when rainwater floods their tents and rooms, and spoils their belongings.
He added that the Israeli jails also lack sufficient winter clothing and blankets for prisoners, whose numbers increased as a result of recent arrest campaigns.
The spokesman appealed to human rights groups and the Red Cross to visit the prisoners in Israeli jails and work on meeting their essential needs.
Spokesman for the center Riyadh al-Ashqar warned that the Israeli prisons have no protection means against heavy rains and cold temperatures.
Ashqar noted that the prisoners in the prisons of Negev and Ofer in particular suffer greatly when rainwater floods their tents and rooms, and spoils their belongings.
He added that the Israeli jails also lack sufficient winter clothing and blankets for prisoners, whose numbers increased as a result of recent arrest campaigns.
The spokesman appealed to human rights groups and the Red Cross to visit the prisoners in Israeli jails and work on meeting their essential needs.
Hundreds of Palestinians demonstrated after Friday prayers in al-Aqsa Mosque calling for the immediate release of Mohamed al-Qeiq who has been on hunger strike for 59 days in protest against his administrative detention.
The participants raised photos of al-Qeiq and slain Jerusalemites whose bodies continue to be held by Israeli authorities.
A popular march was also organized in al-Bireh city in Ramallah in support of al-Qeiq’s hunger strike.
A similar solidarity march was organized by al-Qeiq’s family in al-Khalil amid the participation of national and Islamic forces in addition to Palestinian MPs.
During the march, the MP Nizar Ramadan called for forming an international committee to check on the hunger striker al-Qeiq’s health condition.
He also called for forming a human rights committee for the defense of al-Qeiq.
Similar marches were scheduled to kick off on Saturday in Umm al-Fahm, Qalanswa, Araba, and Kafer Qana within the Green Line in solidarity with the two hunger strikers Mohamed al-Qeiq and Abdulallah Jaber.
Meanwhile, Palestinian journalists declared a solidarity day with their colleague Mohamed al-Qeiq’s protest steps in Israeli jails.
The journalists called for covering and shedding more light on al-Qeiq’s hunger strike in all media outlets.
Al-Qeiq enters his 59th day on hunger strike after being subjected to severe interrogation for 25 consecutive days. He gained widespread solidarity from his fellow journalists and human rights organizations working for his immediate and unconditional release.
The participants raised photos of al-Qeiq and slain Jerusalemites whose bodies continue to be held by Israeli authorities.
A popular march was also organized in al-Bireh city in Ramallah in support of al-Qeiq’s hunger strike.
A similar solidarity march was organized by al-Qeiq’s family in al-Khalil amid the participation of national and Islamic forces in addition to Palestinian MPs.
During the march, the MP Nizar Ramadan called for forming an international committee to check on the hunger striker al-Qeiq’s health condition.
He also called for forming a human rights committee for the defense of al-Qeiq.
Similar marches were scheduled to kick off on Saturday in Umm al-Fahm, Qalanswa, Araba, and Kafer Qana within the Green Line in solidarity with the two hunger strikers Mohamed al-Qeiq and Abdulallah Jaber.
Meanwhile, Palestinian journalists declared a solidarity day with their colleague Mohamed al-Qeiq’s protest steps in Israeli jails.
The journalists called for covering and shedding more light on al-Qeiq’s hunger strike in all media outlets.
Al-Qeiq enters his 59th day on hunger strike after being subjected to severe interrogation for 25 consecutive days. He gained widespread solidarity from his fellow journalists and human rights organizations working for his immediate and unconditional release.
Clashes broke out Friday afternoon between Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) and Palestinian youths across occupied West Bank and Jerusalem.
Palestinian medical sources affirmed that 57 injuries were reported during the clashes, including three live shot wounds, nine rubber bullet injuries, and 45 tear gas suffocation cases.
The sources pointed out that 10-year-old Bashar Mustafa al-Khatib was injured with a rubber-coated steel bullet in his head while dozens of others suffered from effects of tear gas inhalation during clashes that erupted in Bilin town.
The clashes broke out when Israeli forces suppressed a peaceful anti-settlement march in the town.
In Nablus, similar confrontations broke out in Beit Furik town east of the city, which resulted in at least one injury.
A Palestinian identified as Sharif Haneni was shot in the foot with a rubber-coated steel bullet during Beit Furik clashes, eyewitnesses told the PIC reporter.
Owners of nearby shops were used by Israeli forces as human shields to stop stone-throwing attacks by locals.
In Qalqilia, Israeli forces shot and injured three Palestinians with live fire, one of whom was a child, during clashes in Kafr Qaddum town.
Spokesman for the popular resistance committee in the village, Murad Shtewei, affirmed that 9-year-old Ayat Zahi was shot in the hand while standing on the porch of her house in the area where clashes were taking place.
She was taken to Rafidia hospital in a moderate condition.
Two other citizens were injured with live fire in their feet and taken to Rafidia hospital for treatment, Shtewei added.
Separately, undercover forces detained three Palestinians participating in a demonstration at the northern entrance of Bethlehem, witnesses said.
One of the three detainees was shot in the foot while the two others were severally beaten before being arrested, the sources added.
Medical sources said another Palestinian was injured by a rubber-coated steel bullet in the foot in Bethlehem and was taken to Beit Jala hospital for treatment.
Clashes also broke out in Aroub refugee camp in al-Khalil, no injuries were reported.
On the other hand, IOF closed Friday afternoon the entrance to Nabi Saleh village west of Ramallah, while violent clashes broke out near Ofer jail amid heavy firing of tear gas bombs.
Palestinian medical sources affirmed that 57 injuries were reported during the clashes, including three live shot wounds, nine rubber bullet injuries, and 45 tear gas suffocation cases.
The sources pointed out that 10-year-old Bashar Mustafa al-Khatib was injured with a rubber-coated steel bullet in his head while dozens of others suffered from effects of tear gas inhalation during clashes that erupted in Bilin town.
The clashes broke out when Israeli forces suppressed a peaceful anti-settlement march in the town.
In Nablus, similar confrontations broke out in Beit Furik town east of the city, which resulted in at least one injury.
A Palestinian identified as Sharif Haneni was shot in the foot with a rubber-coated steel bullet during Beit Furik clashes, eyewitnesses told the PIC reporter.
Owners of nearby shops were used by Israeli forces as human shields to stop stone-throwing attacks by locals.
In Qalqilia, Israeli forces shot and injured three Palestinians with live fire, one of whom was a child, during clashes in Kafr Qaddum town.
Spokesman for the popular resistance committee in the village, Murad Shtewei, affirmed that 9-year-old Ayat Zahi was shot in the hand while standing on the porch of her house in the area where clashes were taking place.
She was taken to Rafidia hospital in a moderate condition.
Two other citizens were injured with live fire in their feet and taken to Rafidia hospital for treatment, Shtewei added.
Separately, undercover forces detained three Palestinians participating in a demonstration at the northern entrance of Bethlehem, witnesses said.
One of the three detainees was shot in the foot while the two others were severally beaten before being arrested, the sources added.
Medical sources said another Palestinian was injured by a rubber-coated steel bullet in the foot in Bethlehem and was taken to Beit Jala hospital for treatment.
Clashes also broke out in Aroub refugee camp in al-Khalil, no injuries were reported.
On the other hand, IOF closed Friday afternoon the entrance to Nabi Saleh village west of Ramallah, while violent clashes broke out near Ofer jail amid heavy firing of tear gas bombs.
Undercover soldiers of the Israeli army infiltrated, Friday, into the northern part of the West Bank city of Bethlehem, shot and injured one Palestinian youngster, and kidnapped him, along with two others. Another Palestinian was also injured, and many suffered effects of tear gas inhalation.
Red Crescent medics said the soldiers shot a Palestinian, near Jasser Palace Hotel, after they infiltrated local protesters. The Palestinian was shot in his leg before the soldiers took him to an unknown destination.
The undercover officers also assaulted two other Palestinians, repeatedly struck them on various parts of their bodies, mainly on their heads, and abducted them.
Another Palestinian was shot with a rubber-coated steel bullet in his leg, before Palestinian medics took him to the Beit Jala governmental hospital.
Many Palestinians also suffered the effects of tear gas inhalation after the soldiers fired dozens of gas bombs at the protesters, and several homes.
Red Crescent medics said the soldiers shot a Palestinian, near Jasser Palace Hotel, after they infiltrated local protesters. The Palestinian was shot in his leg before the soldiers took him to an unknown destination.
The undercover officers also assaulted two other Palestinians, repeatedly struck them on various parts of their bodies, mainly on their heads, and abducted them.
Another Palestinian was shot with a rubber-coated steel bullet in his leg, before Palestinian medics took him to the Beit Jala governmental hospital.
Many Palestinians also suffered the effects of tear gas inhalation after the soldiers fired dozens of gas bombs at the protesters, and several homes.
22 jan 2016
By Gregory Shupak
Mohammed al-Qeeq has been on hunger strike since 25 November 2015 in protest against Israel placing him under six-month administrative detention and his condition has deteriorated. On 17 January, an Israeli military court rejected an appeal calling for Al-Qeeq to be removed from administrative detention, a practice whereby Israel jails Palestinians for renewable periods of up to six months on the basis of secret evidence and without charge or trial.
Administrative detention has been condemned several times by the UN Human Rights Office and the Human Rights Committee. Similarly, the Israeli NGO B’tselem notes “the substantial injury to due process inherent in this measure.”
Addameer, the Palestinian political prisoners’ rights group, says that Israel is holding 660 Palestinians in administrative detention, during which detainees “must endure severe restrictions on their right to education, rights to communicate with families and receive visits, and right to adequate medical treatment.”
In a 15 January report critical of Israel for apprehending Mohammad Faisal Abu Sakha “without charge or any explanation,” Amnesty International points out that among those held under administrative detention are “prisoners of conscience, held solely for the peaceful exercise of their right to freedom of expression and association.”
Currently Al-Qeeq is being force fed. Israeli officials are doing so under a law their government passed on 30 July 2015 that the UN sharply criticized. In a joint statement, the UN notes that its experts describe force feeding as “a violation of internationally protected human rights” that guarantee the right to protest with hunger strikes and cites the Israeli Medical Association’s assertion that force feeding is “tantamount to torture”.
The Al Mezan Centre for Human Rights reports that Al-Qeeq has been “subject to various forms of torture including humiliating treatment and the use of stress positions.” The mistreatment Al-Qeeq has experienced is far from unique. Al Mezan has found that Israel routinely subjects Palestinians to torture and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment.
Meanwhile, Israel wants Bulgarian authorities to give them Omar Nayef Zayed, who escaped Israeli detention in May 1990 after an Israeli military court convicted him of the killing of an Israeli settler yeshiva student and sentenced him to life. For now Zayed has taken refuge in the Palestinian Authority’s embassy in Sofia. Under the Oslo Accords, all Palestinian political prisoners were supposed to be released and Zayed seems to fall within this purview.
The extradition request is based on Israel’s extradition treaty with the Council of Europe. Yet as has been pointed out by Charlotte Kates, a coordinater with the National Lawyers Guild International Committee and with the Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network, “the extradition treaty allows ‘political offences’ to be excluded from its scope” and, because “Zayed was convicted in a military court, administered by an occupying power, he can certainly be considered a political prisoner”. At present Israel is holding 6,800 political prisoners, 470 of whom are children.
Three other members of the National Lawyers Guild have penned a letter that also describes Zayed as a political prisoner. As the letter points out, the Zayed affair could have huge ramifications that go well beyond his case. If Bulgaria complies with Israel’s demand that would set a dangerous precedent because it would open the door to Israel being able to hunt down any Palestinian it chooses across Europe and perhaps beyond.
Martina Anderson, a member of the European Parliament, describes efforts to send Zayed to Israel as part of a “further campaign to criminalise the Palestinian struggle” as well as “a threat to Palestinians fleein[g] persecution” and both she and Irish legislator Sean Crowe have appealed to Bulgaria to reject Israel’s request.
Military courts such as the one that convicted Zayed are where Palestinians from the occupied territories are prosecuted, whereas Israelis who have illegally settled those same territories have the advantage of being tried under a civilian legal system. This arrangement is deeply flawed and heavily biased against Palestinians.
A 2014 report by the Association for Civil Rights in Israel notes that while the settlers are granted the right to due process enshrined in civil law, “the military legal system [in which Palestinians are prosecuted] does not grant the right to due process and the rights derived from it.”
In the military courts, “military orders always take precedence over Israeli and international law,” Arabic-speaking detainees are frequently required to sign statements or confessions that they cannot understand because they are written in Hebrew, and Palestinians receive longer sentences and are tried as adults at younger ages than the settlers are in the civilian system.
Given the risk of Zayed being tortured by Israel, given the unfair system in which he was tried, and given the risk that his extradition could enable Israel to expand its persecution of Palestinians internationally, Bulgaria should reject Israel’s request.
Underlying cases like those of al-Qeeq and Zayed is the contradiction of the Israeli state claiming for itself an authority to arbitrate justice that is inherently unjust because it rests upon apartheid and occupation.
These conditions find their most vulgar expressions in administrative detention, the military court system, and the pervasive torture of Palestinians - but all matters of crime and punishment are of dubious legitimacy because they derive from Israel’s domination of the entirety of historic Palestine and its indigenous people.
There is simply no such thing as justice under colonialism. Colonised people by definition cannot be treated justly by their colonisers.
An analogous problem persists in Canada where 25.4 percent of the incarcerated population are aboriginal - while in some provinces the number is as high as 48 percent. Among women the number is 36 percent even though aboriginals are only 4.3 percent of the overall population.
A different kind of parallel can also be drawn to France where Muslims, most of whom have lineages tracing back to former French colonies in North Africa, make up 7.5 percent of the population but up to 70 percent of those in jail.
People across historic Palestine can only know justice once all of its inhabitants live in equal conditions.
- Dr Gregory Shupak is an author and activist who teaches media studies at the University of Guelph in Canada.
The article was published in the Middle East Eye website.
Mohammed al-Qeeq has been on hunger strike since 25 November 2015 in protest against Israel placing him under six-month administrative detention and his condition has deteriorated. On 17 January, an Israeli military court rejected an appeal calling for Al-Qeeq to be removed from administrative detention, a practice whereby Israel jails Palestinians for renewable periods of up to six months on the basis of secret evidence and without charge or trial.
Administrative detention has been condemned several times by the UN Human Rights Office and the Human Rights Committee. Similarly, the Israeli NGO B’tselem notes “the substantial injury to due process inherent in this measure.”
Addameer, the Palestinian political prisoners’ rights group, says that Israel is holding 660 Palestinians in administrative detention, during which detainees “must endure severe restrictions on their right to education, rights to communicate with families and receive visits, and right to adequate medical treatment.”
In a 15 January report critical of Israel for apprehending Mohammad Faisal Abu Sakha “without charge or any explanation,” Amnesty International points out that among those held under administrative detention are “prisoners of conscience, held solely for the peaceful exercise of their right to freedom of expression and association.”
Currently Al-Qeeq is being force fed. Israeli officials are doing so under a law their government passed on 30 July 2015 that the UN sharply criticized. In a joint statement, the UN notes that its experts describe force feeding as “a violation of internationally protected human rights” that guarantee the right to protest with hunger strikes and cites the Israeli Medical Association’s assertion that force feeding is “tantamount to torture”.
The Al Mezan Centre for Human Rights reports that Al-Qeeq has been “subject to various forms of torture including humiliating treatment and the use of stress positions.” The mistreatment Al-Qeeq has experienced is far from unique. Al Mezan has found that Israel routinely subjects Palestinians to torture and cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment.
Meanwhile, Israel wants Bulgarian authorities to give them Omar Nayef Zayed, who escaped Israeli detention in May 1990 after an Israeli military court convicted him of the killing of an Israeli settler yeshiva student and sentenced him to life. For now Zayed has taken refuge in the Palestinian Authority’s embassy in Sofia. Under the Oslo Accords, all Palestinian political prisoners were supposed to be released and Zayed seems to fall within this purview.
The extradition request is based on Israel’s extradition treaty with the Council of Europe. Yet as has been pointed out by Charlotte Kates, a coordinater with the National Lawyers Guild International Committee and with the Samidoun Palestinian Prisoner Solidarity Network, “the extradition treaty allows ‘political offences’ to be excluded from its scope” and, because “Zayed was convicted in a military court, administered by an occupying power, he can certainly be considered a political prisoner”. At present Israel is holding 6,800 political prisoners, 470 of whom are children.
Three other members of the National Lawyers Guild have penned a letter that also describes Zayed as a political prisoner. As the letter points out, the Zayed affair could have huge ramifications that go well beyond his case. If Bulgaria complies with Israel’s demand that would set a dangerous precedent because it would open the door to Israel being able to hunt down any Palestinian it chooses across Europe and perhaps beyond.
Martina Anderson, a member of the European Parliament, describes efforts to send Zayed to Israel as part of a “further campaign to criminalise the Palestinian struggle” as well as “a threat to Palestinians fleein[g] persecution” and both she and Irish legislator Sean Crowe have appealed to Bulgaria to reject Israel’s request.
Military courts such as the one that convicted Zayed are where Palestinians from the occupied territories are prosecuted, whereas Israelis who have illegally settled those same territories have the advantage of being tried under a civilian legal system. This arrangement is deeply flawed and heavily biased against Palestinians.
A 2014 report by the Association for Civil Rights in Israel notes that while the settlers are granted the right to due process enshrined in civil law, “the military legal system [in which Palestinians are prosecuted] does not grant the right to due process and the rights derived from it.”
In the military courts, “military orders always take precedence over Israeli and international law,” Arabic-speaking detainees are frequently required to sign statements or confessions that they cannot understand because they are written in Hebrew, and Palestinians receive longer sentences and are tried as adults at younger ages than the settlers are in the civilian system.
Given the risk of Zayed being tortured by Israel, given the unfair system in which he was tried, and given the risk that his extradition could enable Israel to expand its persecution of Palestinians internationally, Bulgaria should reject Israel’s request.
Underlying cases like those of al-Qeeq and Zayed is the contradiction of the Israeli state claiming for itself an authority to arbitrate justice that is inherently unjust because it rests upon apartheid and occupation.
These conditions find their most vulgar expressions in administrative detention, the military court system, and the pervasive torture of Palestinians - but all matters of crime and punishment are of dubious legitimacy because they derive from Israel’s domination of the entirety of historic Palestine and its indigenous people.
There is simply no such thing as justice under colonialism. Colonised people by definition cannot be treated justly by their colonisers.
An analogous problem persists in Canada where 25.4 percent of the incarcerated population are aboriginal - while in some provinces the number is as high as 48 percent. Among women the number is 36 percent even though aboriginals are only 4.3 percent of the overall population.
A different kind of parallel can also be drawn to France where Muslims, most of whom have lineages tracing back to former French colonies in North Africa, make up 7.5 percent of the population but up to 70 percent of those in jail.
People across historic Palestine can only know justice once all of its inhabitants live in equal conditions.
- Dr Gregory Shupak is an author and activist who teaches media studies at the University of Guelph in Canada.
The article was published in the Middle East Eye website.
The Israeli Minister of Interior decided on Thursday to cancel the residency of four Jerusalemites accused of killing Israelis during the last few months.
Israeli sources said that the Minister of Interior decided to take away the IDs of 23-year old Bilal Abu Ghanem (stabbing and shooting attack in an Israeli bus), 18-year old Mohammad Salah Abu Kaf, 19-year old Walid Firas Al-Atrash and 20-year old Abed Mahmoud Dwayyat (all three accused of throwing stones towards a settler’s vehicle which led to his death; they were accused of attempt murder and causing death).
The young men are from the villages of Sur Baher and Jabal Al-Mukabber south of Jerusalem.
Israeli sources said that the Minister of Interior decided to take away the IDs of 23-year old Bilal Abu Ghanem (stabbing and shooting attack in an Israeli bus), 18-year old Mohammad Salah Abu Kaf, 19-year old Walid Firas Al-Atrash and 20-year old Abed Mahmoud Dwayyat (all three accused of throwing stones towards a settler’s vehicle which led to his death; they were accused of attempt murder and causing death).
The young men are from the villages of Sur Baher and Jabal Al-Mukabber south of Jerusalem.
The Israeli occupation forces (IOF) last night and at dawn Friday kidnapped three Palestinian young men from the West Bank and Jerusalem.
The Hebrew news website 0404 that the Israeli army arrested two wanted Hamas activists from Kafr Aqab town, north of Occupied Jerusalem.
Local sources affirmed that the IOF stormed and ransacked homes at dawn in Kafr Aqab town and Qalandiya refugee camp in Jerusalem and kidnapped two young men.
The IOF also kidnapped last night 22-year-old Sa'eid Samara, from Siris village in Jenin province, at a checkpoint near Qalqiliya city.
In another incident, violent clashes broke out between Palestinian young men and Israeli soldiers in Jayyous village, east of Qalqiliya.
The Red Crescent said its ambulance crews provided medical assistance for more than 24 Palestinians, including children, after they suffered from inhaling tear gas during the events.
The Hebrew news website 0404 that the Israeli army arrested two wanted Hamas activists from Kafr Aqab town, north of Occupied Jerusalem.
Local sources affirmed that the IOF stormed and ransacked homes at dawn in Kafr Aqab town and Qalandiya refugee camp in Jerusalem and kidnapped two young men.
The IOF also kidnapped last night 22-year-old Sa'eid Samara, from Siris village in Jenin province, at a checkpoint near Qalqiliya city.
In another incident, violent clashes broke out between Palestinian young men and Israeli soldiers in Jayyous village, east of Qalqiliya.
The Red Crescent said its ambulance crews provided medical assistance for more than 24 Palestinians, including children, after they suffered from inhaling tear gas during the events.
The Palestinian journalist captive Mohammad al-Qeiq, who has been on hunger strike for 58 days in Israeli jails, declared that he is determined to continue his hunger strike until his freedom or martyrdom.
Lawyer Ashraf Abu Sneineh revealed that the Israeli Supreme Court approved on Thursday advancing his court hearing date to January, 27 instead of February 25 due to the severe critical deterioration of his health condition.
Head of Detainees and Ex-detainees Committee Issa Qaraqe opined that the Israeli intelligence apparatus has a tendency of revenge against captive Qeiq. He said, in a statement, that Israel deals with detainee Qeiq as if he constitutes a threat to Israeli security. Qaraqe held the Israeli government responsible in full for the worsening of his health condition.
The Arab Organization for Human Rights in Britain called on the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to pressure the Israeli authorities to end the policy of administrative detention with no trial or charge.
Lawyer Jawad Boulus, head of the legal unit of Palestinian Prisoners Society, said on Thursday that prisoner Qeiq has entered a serious stage of health condition. He has become too exhausted and weak due to his ongoing hunger strike.
The hunger striking detainee, Qeiq, sent a thanking letter to all of those who supported him especially his colleagues the journalists.
Captive Qeiq, 33, was arrested on November 21, 2015, and was held under administrative detention for six months without charge or trial. He is married and and has two children.
Rally in Istanbul in solidarity with Palestinian hunger-striker al-Qeiq
A group of Turkish and Arab journalists and media professionals gathered on Thursday evening in the Taksim Square, in Istanbul, in solidarity with the Palestinian hunger-striking detainee Muhammad al-Qeiq, starving for 58 days running in Israeli jails.
The rally-goers expressed, in a statement written in the Arabic and Turkish languages, their solidarity with journalist al-Qeiq, who has been on an open-ended hunger-strike in protest at being held administratively, with neither charge nor trial, in Israeli occupation jails.
The statement spoke up for al-Qeiq’s right to free press and free speech as already guaranteed by international laws and treaties.
The demonstrators held the Israeli occupation government responsible for any downturn al-Qeiq’s life is going through, dubbing Israeli policies of force-feeding “immoral.”
The journalists urged all humanitarian institutions, governments, and activists to immediately step in and work on releasing al-Qeiq.
They further condemned Israel’s suppressive policies against the Palestinian detainees, calling them “war crimes that have to be brought before international courts.”
“Any Palestinian journalist is very like to be subjected to what al-Qeiq has been subjected to just by doing his/her job—disclosing Israeli crimes and violations against the Palestinian people,” the statement read.
“For those reasons, we have to support the detainee until he restores his freedom and work on bringing Israeli policies of administrative detention to a halt,” it added.
A letter by al-Qeiq’s wife, which was delivered during the vigil by journalist Majduleen Hassouna, also appealed to the Turkish people and government to work on releasing her husband before it is too late.
Lawyer Ashraf Abu Sneineh revealed that the Israeli Supreme Court approved on Thursday advancing his court hearing date to January, 27 instead of February 25 due to the severe critical deterioration of his health condition.
Head of Detainees and Ex-detainees Committee Issa Qaraqe opined that the Israeli intelligence apparatus has a tendency of revenge against captive Qeiq. He said, in a statement, that Israel deals with detainee Qeiq as if he constitutes a threat to Israeli security. Qaraqe held the Israeli government responsible in full for the worsening of his health condition.
The Arab Organization for Human Rights in Britain called on the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to pressure the Israeli authorities to end the policy of administrative detention with no trial or charge.
Lawyer Jawad Boulus, head of the legal unit of Palestinian Prisoners Society, said on Thursday that prisoner Qeiq has entered a serious stage of health condition. He has become too exhausted and weak due to his ongoing hunger strike.
The hunger striking detainee, Qeiq, sent a thanking letter to all of those who supported him especially his colleagues the journalists.
Captive Qeiq, 33, was arrested on November 21, 2015, and was held under administrative detention for six months without charge or trial. He is married and and has two children.
Rally in Istanbul in solidarity with Palestinian hunger-striker al-Qeiq
A group of Turkish and Arab journalists and media professionals gathered on Thursday evening in the Taksim Square, in Istanbul, in solidarity with the Palestinian hunger-striking detainee Muhammad al-Qeiq, starving for 58 days running in Israeli jails.
The rally-goers expressed, in a statement written in the Arabic and Turkish languages, their solidarity with journalist al-Qeiq, who has been on an open-ended hunger-strike in protest at being held administratively, with neither charge nor trial, in Israeli occupation jails.
The statement spoke up for al-Qeiq’s right to free press and free speech as already guaranteed by international laws and treaties.
The demonstrators held the Israeli occupation government responsible for any downturn al-Qeiq’s life is going through, dubbing Israeli policies of force-feeding “immoral.”
The journalists urged all humanitarian institutions, governments, and activists to immediately step in and work on releasing al-Qeiq.
They further condemned Israel’s suppressive policies against the Palestinian detainees, calling them “war crimes that have to be brought before international courts.”
“Any Palestinian journalist is very like to be subjected to what al-Qeiq has been subjected to just by doing his/her job—disclosing Israeli crimes and violations against the Palestinian people,” the statement read.
“For those reasons, we have to support the detainee until he restores his freedom and work on bringing Israeli policies of administrative detention to a halt,” it added.
A letter by al-Qeiq’s wife, which was delivered during the vigil by journalist Majduleen Hassouna, also appealed to the Turkish people and government to work on releasing her husband before it is too late.
