12 may 2016

The Israeli police arrested Thursday seven Palestinian minors for allegedly being involved in anti-occupation attacks.
According to Israeli police’s statement, six of the arrested minors are aged between 14 and 17 and were detained for allegedly setting fire near the Apartheid Wall north of occupied Jerusalem.
Along the same line, violent clashes erupted in Nabi Yacob area after being brutally stormed by Israeli policemen amid heavy fire of teargas bombs and sound grenades.
A 16-year-old boy was also arrested for allegedly being involved in stone-throwing attack against settlers’ cars, causing material damage. Since the outbreak of Jerusalem Intifada on October 1 last year, Israel stepped up its arrest campaigns against Palestinian children.
According the Palestine Center for Prisoners’ Studies, more than 2000 Palestinian minors were arrested since October 1. 2000 minors were among 5500 detainees rounded up since the outbreak of Jerusalem Intifada, spokesman for the center Riyad al-Ashqar clarified.
70% of the detained minors were arrested in al-Khalil and occupied Jerusalem, he added, pointing out that many of them are under the age of 10 while 32 of them suffered live bullet injuries during their arrest.
The majority of the child detainees were released, while 450 minors are still held behind Israeli bars including an 11-year-old boy.
According to Israeli police’s statement, six of the arrested minors are aged between 14 and 17 and were detained for allegedly setting fire near the Apartheid Wall north of occupied Jerusalem.
Along the same line, violent clashes erupted in Nabi Yacob area after being brutally stormed by Israeli policemen amid heavy fire of teargas bombs and sound grenades.
A 16-year-old boy was also arrested for allegedly being involved in stone-throwing attack against settlers’ cars, causing material damage. Since the outbreak of Jerusalem Intifada on October 1 last year, Israel stepped up its arrest campaigns against Palestinian children.
According the Palestine Center for Prisoners’ Studies, more than 2000 Palestinian minors were arrested since October 1. 2000 minors were among 5500 detainees rounded up since the outbreak of Jerusalem Intifada, spokesman for the center Riyad al-Ashqar clarified.
70% of the detained minors were arrested in al-Khalil and occupied Jerusalem, he added, pointing out that many of them are under the age of 10 while 32 of them suffered live bullet injuries during their arrest.
The majority of the child detainees were released, while 450 minors are still held behind Israeli bars including an 11-year-old boy.

The Israeli municipal crews on Thursday handed over al-Issawi family a home demolition notice under the pretext of being built without permit.
Um Tarek al-Issawi, the mother of Samer, Shireen, and Medhat who are held currently in Israeli jails, said that she has received a notice from the Israeli municipality regarding their intention to demolish their house, for being constructed “without an Israeli permit.”
She affirmed that the family’s house was built in 1970. Al-Issawi said the decision to demolish her house was prompted by the Israeli intelligence, and described it as an act of “reprisal” against the entire family.
She said such a decision aims at “breaking the steadfastness” of her three imprisoned sons and daughter. The lawyer Shireen al-Issawi was recently sentenced for four years, while her brother Medhat was sentenced for eight years. Israel re-imposed decades-long sentence against prominent Palestinian political prisoner Samer al-Issawi, who had been released following a prisoner swap in late 2011.
Issawi was first arrested during Israel’s large-scale invasion of the West Bank in 2002 and was sentenced to thirty years imprisonment on charges of possession of weapons and involvement in armed resistance in Jerusalem. He was one of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners released in late 2011 in exchange for an Israeli soldier held captive in Gaza.
But just a few months later, al-Issawi, from the Jerusalem-area village of Issawiyeh, was arrested again after visiting Kufr Aqab, a nearby community within the Israeli-defined municipal boundaries of Jerusalem. Israel claims that he violated the 2011 release deal by leaving the city.
After his arrest in 2012, Issawi launched a 266-day hunger strike protest within Israel’s prison walls. He was released in late December 2013 after 17 months of detention without charge or trial, a practice known as administrative detention. Al-Issawi’s latest arrest came in June 2014, when a large force of Israeli soldiers and officers raided his family’s home.
Um Tarek al-Issawi, the mother of Samer, Shireen, and Medhat who are held currently in Israeli jails, said that she has received a notice from the Israeli municipality regarding their intention to demolish their house, for being constructed “without an Israeli permit.”
She affirmed that the family’s house was built in 1970. Al-Issawi said the decision to demolish her house was prompted by the Israeli intelligence, and described it as an act of “reprisal” against the entire family.
She said such a decision aims at “breaking the steadfastness” of her three imprisoned sons and daughter. The lawyer Shireen al-Issawi was recently sentenced for four years, while her brother Medhat was sentenced for eight years. Israel re-imposed decades-long sentence against prominent Palestinian political prisoner Samer al-Issawi, who had been released following a prisoner swap in late 2011.
Issawi was first arrested during Israel’s large-scale invasion of the West Bank in 2002 and was sentenced to thirty years imprisonment on charges of possession of weapons and involvement in armed resistance in Jerusalem. He was one of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners released in late 2011 in exchange for an Israeli soldier held captive in Gaza.
But just a few months later, al-Issawi, from the Jerusalem-area village of Issawiyeh, was arrested again after visiting Kufr Aqab, a nearby community within the Israeli-defined municipal boundaries of Jerusalem. Israel claims that he violated the 2011 release deal by leaving the city.
After his arrest in 2012, Issawi launched a 266-day hunger strike protest within Israel’s prison walls. He was released in late December 2013 after 17 months of detention without charge or trial, a practice known as administrative detention. Al-Issawi’s latest arrest came in June 2014, when a large force of Israeli soldiers and officers raided his family’s home.

The Palestinian Prisoners Society (PPS) has reported that the Israeli Authorities imprisoned 647 Palestinians under arbitrary Administrative Detention order, without charges, since October 1, 2015.
The PPS said that the current number of Palestinian detainees, held under Administrative Detention orders, is 750, and that this is first the number reached this level since 2008.
It added that Israeli military courts issued 1144 Administrative Detention orders since October 1st of last year, including new orders and renewal of existing orders.
It also said that most of these orders were made by the Ofer Israeli military court, north of Ramallah, in the occupied West Bank.
The PPS said such orders witnessed a sharp rise after Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, instructed the military to escalate this policy, as part of the collective punishment measures issued against the Palestinians.
The PPS said that the current number of Palestinian detainees, held under Administrative Detention orders, is 750, and that this is first the number reached this level since 2008.
It added that Israeli military courts issued 1144 Administrative Detention orders since October 1st of last year, including new orders and renewal of existing orders.
It also said that most of these orders were made by the Ofer Israeli military court, north of Ramallah, in the occupied West Bank.
The PPS said such orders witnessed a sharp rise after Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, instructed the military to escalate this policy, as part of the collective punishment measures issued against the Palestinians.

The Palestinian Prisoners Society (PPS) has reported that Israeli soldiers have kidnapped, on Thursday at dawn, two Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.
The PPS said many army vehicles invaded Kharbatha al-Misbah village, near Ramallah in central west Bank, before the soldiers searched homes and kidnapped a young man, identified as Arafat Ali Musleh.
It added that the soldiers also kidnapped a young man, identified as Saifeddin Abu Ta’a, from Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, in occupied East Jerusalem.
Late on Wednesday at night, the soldiers invaded Kafr ed-Deek town, west of the central West Bank city of Salfit, and kidnapped a child from his home.
Eyewitnesses said several army vehicles invaded the town, before the soldiers violently searched a few homes, and kidnapped the child, identified as Amro Ibrahim Qassoul, 15.
The PPS said many army vehicles invaded Kharbatha al-Misbah village, near Ramallah in central west Bank, before the soldiers searched homes and kidnapped a young man, identified as Arafat Ali Musleh.
It added that the soldiers also kidnapped a young man, identified as Saifeddin Abu Ta’a, from Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood, in occupied East Jerusalem.
Late on Wednesday at night, the soldiers invaded Kafr ed-Deek town, west of the central West Bank city of Salfit, and kidnapped a child from his home.
Eyewitnesses said several army vehicles invaded the town, before the soldiers violently searched a few homes, and kidnapped the child, identified as Amro Ibrahim Qassoul, 15.

Israeli authorities have been depriving the Palestinian captive Dirar Abu Sisi, 46, of family visitation right since he was abducted from Ukraine and arrested five years ago.
Palestinian Prisoner Society pointed out on Wednesday that the Israeli prison service held captive Abu Sisi in solitary confinement for four years and ended his isolation just last year after protest measures taken by prisoners.
Detainee Abu Sisi is sentenced to 21 years and held in Rimon jail. He is married and has six children, the society pointed out.
Palestinian Prisoner Society pointed out on Wednesday that the Israeli prison service held captive Abu Sisi in solitary confinement for four years and ended his isolation just last year after protest measures taken by prisoners.
Detainee Abu Sisi is sentenced to 21 years and held in Rimon jail. He is married and has six children, the society pointed out.

Israeli courts issued administrative detention orders as well as actual imprisonment sentences against 19 Palestinian captives.
Actual imprisonment sentences were issued against 6 detainees from Occupied Jerusalem and the West Bank for 3 to 14-month periods.
Fines were also imposed ranging from 3600 to 5000 shekels after convicting them with stone throwing at Israeli forces and targets.
Palestinian human rights sources affirmed that Israeli authorities issued administrative detention orders against another 13 prisoners for renewable 3 to 6-month periods.
Actual imprisonment sentences were issued against 6 detainees from Occupied Jerusalem and the West Bank for 3 to 14-month periods.
Fines were also imposed ranging from 3600 to 5000 shekels after convicting them with stone throwing at Israeli forces and targets.
Palestinian human rights sources affirmed that Israeli authorities issued administrative detention orders against another 13 prisoners for renewable 3 to 6-month periods.

Israeli soldiers invaded, late on Wednesday at night, Kafr ed-Deek town, west of the central West Bank city of Salfit, and kidnapped a child from his home.
Eyewitnesses said several army vehicles invaded the town, before the soldiers violently searched a few homes, and kidnapped the child, identified as Amro Ibrahim Qassoul, 15.
It is worth mentioning that, a month ago, the soldiers invaded the same property, and kidnapped Amro’s brother, Zahi, who is still under interrogation.
On Wednesday evening, a Palestinian man, identified as Maher Ali Ra’ey, 50, was released after spending 13 years in Israeli prisons and detention centers.
Eyewitnesses said several army vehicles invaded the town, before the soldiers violently searched a few homes, and kidnapped the child, identified as Amro Ibrahim Qassoul, 15.
It is worth mentioning that, a month ago, the soldiers invaded the same property, and kidnapped Amro’s brother, Zahi, who is still under interrogation.
On Wednesday evening, a Palestinian man, identified as Maher Ali Ra’ey, 50, was released after spending 13 years in Israeli prisons and detention centers.
A video posted online shows a group of men attacking Manasra, cursing and using anti-Arab epithets against the boy.
An average of 700 Palestinian children are abducted by Israeli forces each year. Human rights groups have pointed out that over 90% of these children are subjected to brutal interrogation by Israeli officers with no family members or lawyer present.
In 2013, an Israeli government investigation looked at the disparate treatment between Palestinian and Israeli children accused of a crime. The Israeli paper Yedioth Ahranot reported in 2014, “The gap between the treatment of Israeli minors and minors living in the territories has to date led to endless international complaints, and numerous reports by the Association for Civil Rights in Israel.
Israel responded to the criticism by establishing a year ago a committee headed by Raz Nazari, the deputy attorney general for the criminal division, who was tasked with exploring the possibility of finally establishing a special military tribunal for Palestinian youths in the territories.”
According to Yedioth Ahranoth, the investigation found discriminatory practices against Palestinian minors at every stage of their cases: from arrest, to interrogation, to assignment of lawyers, to family members being present, to hearings, to court rules, trials and sentences.
An average of 700 Palestinian children are abducted by Israeli forces each year. Human rights groups have pointed out that over 90% of these children are subjected to brutal interrogation by Israeli officers with no family members or lawyer present.
In 2013, an Israeli government investigation looked at the disparate treatment between Palestinian and Israeli children accused of a crime. The Israeli paper Yedioth Ahranot reported in 2014, “The gap between the treatment of Israeli minors and minors living in the territories has to date led to endless international complaints, and numerous reports by the Association for Civil Rights in Israel.
Israel responded to the criticism by establishing a year ago a committee headed by Raz Nazari, the deputy attorney general for the criminal division, who was tasked with exploring the possibility of finally establishing a special military tribunal for Palestinian youths in the territories.”
According to Yedioth Ahranoth, the investigation found discriminatory practices against Palestinian minors at every stage of their cases: from arrest, to interrogation, to assignment of lawyers, to family members being present, to hearings, to court rules, trials and sentences.

Israeli military court of Ofer rejected the appeal of the Palestinian hunger striker detainee Adib Mafarjeh, from Beit Leqiya town in Ramallah, and decided to hold him captive under the illegal administrative detention for 6 months.
Head of the legal unit at Detainees and Ex-Detainees Committee, Iyad Misk, revealed that the committee will appeal to the Israeli Supreme Court for the release of Mafarjeh due to the seriousness of his health condition and the illegality of his detention.
He pointed out that prisoner Mafarjeh suffers from change in temperature and chest pain in addition to imbalance.
Lawyer Misk underlined that Mafarjeh vomits blood because of his continuous hunger strike lasting for over 37 days so far and affirmed that he stopped taking water.
The committee disclosed that captive Mafarjeh has recently been subjected to a series of violations and harassment in order to force him to end his strike.
He was transferred several times between Israeli jails, isolation sections, and hospitals. Israeli occupation authorities renewed last February the administrative detention against detainee Mafarjeh for six months for the third time in a row after he had completed a sentence of three months. He was arrested in December 2014. He is a student in Birzeit University who had previously served eight years in Israeli jails.
Head of the legal unit at Detainees and Ex-Detainees Committee, Iyad Misk, revealed that the committee will appeal to the Israeli Supreme Court for the release of Mafarjeh due to the seriousness of his health condition and the illegality of his detention.
He pointed out that prisoner Mafarjeh suffers from change in temperature and chest pain in addition to imbalance.
Lawyer Misk underlined that Mafarjeh vomits blood because of his continuous hunger strike lasting for over 37 days so far and affirmed that he stopped taking water.
The committee disclosed that captive Mafarjeh has recently been subjected to a series of violations and harassment in order to force him to end his strike.
He was transferred several times between Israeli jails, isolation sections, and hospitals. Israeli occupation authorities renewed last February the administrative detention against detainee Mafarjeh for six months for the third time in a row after he had completed a sentence of three months. He was arrested in December 2014. He is a student in Birzeit University who had previously served eight years in Israeli jails.

Israeli occupation authorities (IOA) claimed Wednesday evening that an Israeli undercover unit arrested a number of local residents in Hizma town, northeast of occupied Jerusalem, for being involved in Tuesday’s explosion, in which two soldiers and a settler were injured.
The arrested suspects were sent for investigation by the Shin Bet.
Two Israeli soldiers and a settler were injured Tuesday evening in an explosion near Hizma checkpoint, north of occupied Jerusalem. One of the injured soldiers was reportedly seriously wounded in the blast.
Following the explosion, Israeli occupation forces imposed a tight closure on the town, and erected dozens of make-shift checkpoints at its entrances.
The arrested suspects were sent for investigation by the Shin Bet.
Two Israeli soldiers and a settler were injured Tuesday evening in an explosion near Hizma checkpoint, north of occupied Jerusalem. One of the injured soldiers was reportedly seriously wounded in the blast.
Following the explosion, Israeli occupation forces imposed a tight closure on the town, and erected dozens of make-shift checkpoints at its entrances.
11 may 2016

Israeli soldiers kidnapped, on Wednesday at dawn, two Palestinians in the northern West Bank district of Nablus, and in Jerusalem, after invading their homes and searching them.
The Nablus office of the Palestinian Prisoners Society (PPS) has reported that the soldiers invaded Tal village, southwest of Nablus, and kidnapped one Palestinian, identified as Fayez Abdul-Rahman Ramadan, 45.
In addition, the soldiers kidnapped a dentist from his home in Abu Dis town, southeast of occupied East Jerusalem, after breaking into his home and searching it.
The PPS said the kidnapped dentist has been identified as Samer Ayyad, and that the soldiers also invaded his clinic in the town, and violently searched it.
In relayed news, Israeli navy ships opened fire on Palestinian fishing boats, in Palestinian waters, in the northern part of the Gaza Strip, forcing them back to shore.
The Nablus office of the Palestinian Prisoners Society (PPS) has reported that the soldiers invaded Tal village, southwest of Nablus, and kidnapped one Palestinian, identified as Fayez Abdul-Rahman Ramadan, 45.
In addition, the soldiers kidnapped a dentist from his home in Abu Dis town, southeast of occupied East Jerusalem, after breaking into his home and searching it.
The PPS said the kidnapped dentist has been identified as Samer Ayyad, and that the soldiers also invaded his clinic in the town, and violently searched it.
In relayed news, Israeli navy ships opened fire on Palestinian fishing boats, in Palestinian waters, in the northern part of the Gaza Strip, forcing them back to shore.

The Palestinian Detainees’ Committee (PPS) has reported, on Wednesday morning, that hunger-striking detainee Sami Janazra, has suspended his hunger strike, that lasted for 69 days protesting his Administrative Detention.
The PPS said the detainee decided to suspend his strike, for seven days, awaiting the decision of the Israeli prosecution to either indict him, or renew his Administrative Detention.
His decision was made after the Israeli Supreme Court decided, Tuesday, to delay the deliberations on his Defense Attorney’s appeal against the Administrative Detention order, in order to continue his interrogation, and examine the possibly for filing charges against him.
The Palestinian Prisoners Society (PPS) said the latest developments are positive, as the Israeli prosecutor has been refusing to indict him, in order to keep him under Administrative Detention, under the pretext of a “secret file,” that neither the lawyer or the detainee can know its contents.
The PPS added that Janazra intends to resume his strike should Israel decide to keep him under Administrative Detention, without charges.
Janazra’s lawyer said the Israeli Prosecutor’s Office said, on Tuesday, that it received new information on the case, which requires resuming his interrogation, before deciding to hold him under Administrative Detention or take and alternative route.
The detainee will be receiving liquids, including soups, in the coming seven days, and will like take supplements and vitamins. Janazra is from the al-Fawwar refugee camp, in Hebron.
The PPS said the detainee decided to suspend his strike, for seven days, awaiting the decision of the Israeli prosecution to either indict him, or renew his Administrative Detention.
His decision was made after the Israeli Supreme Court decided, Tuesday, to delay the deliberations on his Defense Attorney’s appeal against the Administrative Detention order, in order to continue his interrogation, and examine the possibly for filing charges against him.
The Palestinian Prisoners Society (PPS) said the latest developments are positive, as the Israeli prosecutor has been refusing to indict him, in order to keep him under Administrative Detention, under the pretext of a “secret file,” that neither the lawyer or the detainee can know its contents.
The PPS added that Janazra intends to resume his strike should Israel decide to keep him under Administrative Detention, without charges.
Janazra’s lawyer said the Israeli Prosecutor’s Office said, on Tuesday, that it received new information on the case, which requires resuming his interrogation, before deciding to hold him under Administrative Detention or take and alternative route.
The detainee will be receiving liquids, including soups, in the coming seven days, and will like take supplements and vitamins. Janazra is from the al-Fawwar refugee camp, in Hebron.

Israeli prosecution charged the Palestinian captive journalist Sami al-Saai, from Tulkarem, with incitement on Facebook.
Local sources told the PIC reporter on Tuesday that the journalist's trial was adjourned to May 15 in Salem military court and that the Israeli prosecution demanded a sentence of nine months for the charge of incitement on Facebook.
Israeli forces arrested journalist Saai on March 09 within an arrest campaign against Palestinian journalists.
Local sources told the PIC reporter on Tuesday that the journalist's trial was adjourned to May 15 in Salem military court and that the Israeli prosecution demanded a sentence of nine months for the charge of incitement on Facebook.
Israeli forces arrested journalist Saai on March 09 within an arrest campaign against Palestinian journalists.

The Israeli Ofer court sentenced Tuesday the imprisoned Palestinian astrophysicist and professor Imad Barghouthi, 54, to two months under administrative detention for “incitement” in a facebook post.
The Palestinian Prisoners Society (PPS) declared intention to appeal against the court’s order.
During the hearing, a petition was submitted to the Israeli judge signed by academics from all over the world calling for professor Barghouthi’s release.
Professor Barghouthi was arrested on April 24. Since then, he was investigated three times over a post he published in his Facebook page.
Professor Barghouthi was previously arrested in 2014 and released in 2015 under the same charge. Almost 700 Palestinians are currently held in administrative detention in Israeli jails without charge or trial.
The Palestinian Prisoners Society (PPS) declared intention to appeal against the court’s order.
During the hearing, a petition was submitted to the Israeli judge signed by academics from all over the world calling for professor Barghouthi’s release.
Professor Barghouthi was arrested on April 24. Since then, he was investigated three times over a post he published in his Facebook page.
Professor Barghouthi was previously arrested in 2014 and released in 2015 under the same charge. Almost 700 Palestinians are currently held in administrative detention in Israeli jails without charge or trial.