Israel Reopens the Gaza Slaughterhouse

DECEMBER 1, 2023

Source

Chris Hedges

Phase One of Israel’s genocidal campaign on Gaza has ended. Phase Two has begun. It will result in even higher levels of death and destruction.

The skies over Gaza are filled — after a seven-day truce — with projectiles of death. Warplanes. Attack helicopters. Drones. Artillery shells. Tank shells. Mortars. Bombs. Missiles. Gaza is a cacophony of explosions and forlorn screams and cries for help beneath collapsed buildings. Fear, once again, is coiling itself around every heart in the Gazan concentration camp.

By Friday evening, 184 Palestinians — including three journalists and two doctors — had been killed by Israeli air strikes in the north, south and central Gaza, and at least 589 injured, according to the Ministry of Health in Gaza. Most of them are women and children. Israel will not be deterred. It plans to finish the job, to obliterate what is left in the north of Gaza and decimate what remains in the south, to render Gaza uninhabitable, to see its 2.3 million people driven out in a massive campaign of ethnic cleansing via starvation, terror, slaughter and infectious diseases.

The aid convoys, which brought in token amounts of food and medicine — the first batch was shrouds and coronavirus tests according to the director of al-Najjar hospital — have been halted. No one, least of all President Joe Biden, plans to intervene to stop the genocide. Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Israel this week, and while calling for Israel to protect civilians, refused to set conditions that would disrupt the $3.8 billion Israel receives in annual military assistance or the $14.3 billion supplemental aid package. The world will watch passively, muttering useless bromides about more surgical strikes, while Israel spins its roulette wheel of death. By the time Israel is done, the 1948 Nakba, where Palestinians were massacred in dozens of villages and 750,000 were ethnically cleansed by Zionist militias, will look like a quaint relic of a more civilized era.

Nothing is off limits. Hospitals. Mosques. Churches. Homes. Apartment blocks. Refugee camps. Schools. Universities. Media offices. Banks. Sewer systems. Telecommunications infrastructure. Water treatment plants. Libraries. Wheat mills. Bakeries. Markets. Entire neighborhoods. Israel’s intent is to destroy Gaza’s infrastructure and daily kill or wound hundreds of Palestinians. Gaza is to become a wasteland, a dead zone that will be incapable of sustaining life.

Israel began to bomb Khan Younis on Friday after dropping leaflets warning civilians to evacuate further south to Rafah, located on the border crossing with Egypt. Hundreds of thousands of displaced Palestinians had sought refuge in Khan Younis. Once Palestinians are pushed to Rafah, there is only one place left to flee — Egypt. The Israeli Ministry of Intelligence, in a leaked report, calls for the forcible transfer of Gaza’s population to Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula. A detailed plan to intentionally displace the Palestinians in Gaza and push them into Egypt has been embedded in Israeli doctrine for five decades. Already, 1.8 million Palestinians in Gaza have been driven from their homes. Once Palestinians cross the border into Egypt — which the Egyptian government and Arab leaders are seeking to prevent despite pressure from the U.S. — Palestinians will never return.

This is not a war against Hamas. It is a war against Palestinians.

Israeli strikes are generated at a dizzying rate, many of them from a system called “Habsora” — The Gospel — which is built on artificial intelligence that selects 100 targets a day. The AI-system is described by seven current and former Israeli intelligence officials in an article by Yuval Abraham on the Israeli sites +972 Magazine and Local Call, as facilitating a “mass assassination factory.” Israel, once it locates what it assumes to be a Hamas operative from a cell phone, for example, bombs and shells a wide area around the target, killing and wounding tens, and at times hundreds of Palestinians, the article states.

“According to intelligence sources,” the story reads, “Habsora generates, among other things, automatic recommendations for attacking private residences where people suspected of being Hamas or Islamic Jihad operatives live. Israel then carries out large-scale assassination operations through the heavy shelling of these residential homes.”

Some 15,000 Palestinians, including 6,000 children and 4,000 women, have been killed since Oct. 7. Some 30,000 have been wounded. Over six thousand are missing, many buried under the rubble. More than 300 families have lost 10 or more members of their families. More than 250 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank since Oct. 7, and more than 3,000 injured, although the area is not controlled by Hamas. The Israeli military claims to have killed between 1,000 and 3,000 of some 30,000 Hamas fighters, a relatively small number given the scale of the assault. Most resistance fighters shelter in their vast tunnel system.

Israel’s playbook is the “Dahiya Doctrine.” The doctrine was formulated by former Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Chief of Staff Gadi Eizenkot, who is a member of the war cabinet, following the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon. Dahiya is a southern Beirut suburb and a Hezbollah stronghold. It was pounded by Israeli jets after two Israeli soldiers were taken prisoner. The doctrine posits that Israel should employ massive, disproportionate force, destroying infrastructure and civilian residences, to ensure deterrence.

Daniel Hagari, spokesman of the IDF, conceded at the start of Israel’s most recent attack on Gaza that the “emphasis” would be “on damage and not on accuracy.”

Israel has abandoned its tactic of “roof knocking” where a rocket without a warhead would land on a roof to warn those inside to evacuate. Israel has also ended its phone calls warning of an impending attack. Now dozens of families in an apartment block or a neighborhood are killed without notice.

The images of mass destruction feed the thirst for revenge within Israel following the humiliating incursion by Hamas fighters on Oct. 7 and the killing of 1,200 Israelis, including 395 soldiers and 59 police officers. There is a sadistic pleasure voiced by many Israelis over the genocide and a groundswell of calls for the murder or expulsion of Palestinians, including those in the occupied West Bank and those with Israeli citizenship.

The savagery of the air strikes and indiscriminate attacks, the cutting off of food, water and medicine, the genocidal rhetoric of the Israeli government, make this a war whose sole objective is revenge. This will not be good for Israel or the Palestinians. It will fuel a conflagration throughout the Middle East.

Israel’s attack is the last desperate measure of a settler colonial project that foolishly thinks, as many settler colonial projects have in the past, that it can crush the resistance of an indigenous population with genocide. But even Israel will not get away with killing on this scale. A generation of Palestinians, many of whom have seen most, if not all, of their families killed and their homes and neighborhoods destroyed, will carry within them a lifelong thirst for justice and retribution.

This war is not over. It has not even begun.

(Republished from Scheerpost by permission of author or representative)

← Israel’s War on Hospitals

Hamas Chief in Gaza: Palestinian Resistance Used Only 50% of its Military Power During Al-Quds Sword Battle السنوار عن الرشقة الأخيرة في معركة سيف القدس: “وما خفيّ أعظم”

Source

June 5, 2021

Hamas Chief in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar, indicated on Saturday that the Palestinian resistance used only 50% of its military power during Al-Quds Sword battle, highlighting the military readiness to face any Zionist aggression.

Addressing the academicians in Gaza, Sinwar stressed that if the confrontation erupts again, the entire Middle East will change, underlining that there are great surprises in this regard.

Sinwar pointed out that 130 missiles were fired by the Palestinian resistance at Tel Aviv, adding that the Zionist enemy could not destroy more than 3% of Gaza tunnels.

On the other hand, Sinwar said that the Palestinian resistance will reject any attempt to keep Gaza affected by the destruction caused by the Israeli war, adding that all who plan to support the Gazans or invest in the Strip are welcomed.

Sinwar, also, noted that the PLO must be reorganized in order to be joined by Hamas and the resistance factions, emphasizing that all the political concepts that were adopted by the PLO figures before Al-Quds Sword have become useless.

 Al-Manar English Website

السنوار عن الرشقة الأخيرة في معركة سيف القدس: “وما خفيّ أعظم”

 الميادين نت

05/06/2021

رئيس المكتب السياسي لحركة حماس في قطاع غزة يحيى السنوار يؤكد أنه “إذا تفجرّت المواجهة مع “إسرائيل” مجدداً، فإن شكل الشرق الأوسط سيكون مختلفاً عما هو عليه الآن”.

رئيس المكتب السياسي لحركة حماس في قطاع غزة يحيى السنوار (أرشيف)

أعلن رئيس المكتب السياسي لحركة حماس في قطاع غزة يحيى السنوار، أنه “إذا تفجرّت المواجهة مع “إسرائيل” مجدداً، فإن شكّل الشرق الأوسط سيكون مختلفاً عما هو عليه الآن، فالمقاومة قادرة على تحقيق الردع واستطاعت أن تصنع من المستحيل القوة المتراكمة”.

ولفت خلال لقاء مع الكتّاب والأكاديميين والأساتذة في جامعات بغزة، إلى أن”انتفاضة أهل الضفة الغربية والداخل شكلّت عامل ضغط أكبر من صواريخ المقاومة في العدوان على غزة، فيما الهرولة العربية للتطبيع والانقسام الفلسطيني والوضع الدولي شجعّت إسرائيل على عدوانها”. 

وكشف السنوار أن “ما خفيّ كان أعظم، ففي في الرشقة الصاروخية الأخيرة التي أعددناها، كان القرار بإطلاق كافة الصواريخ القديمة”، موضحاً أن “العدو لن يستطيع فرض واقعه المزعوم في القدس والشيخ جرّاح مستغلاً حالة الانقسام والتطبيع”.

وتابع السنوار قائلاً: “مقاومتنا المحاصرة من العدو والأقربون، تستطيع أن تدك تل أبيب بـ130 صاروخاً برشقة واحدة، والرشقة الأخيرة بمعركة “سيف القــدس” كان القرار أن تدك بكل صواريخها القديمة، وما خفيّ أعظم”، مؤكدا أن “تل أبيب التي أصبحت قبلة الحكام العرب، حولناها إلى ممسحة وأوقفتها المقـاومة على رجل واحدة”.

وأشار السنوار إلى أن “الاحتلال لم يدمّر إلا كسوراً من أنفاق المقـاومة في قطاع غزة، وفشل في تحطيم “مترو حمـاس” لأننا نعشق هذه الأرض كما هي تعشقنا، كما فشل بتحطيم قدرات المقـاومة وفي تنفيذ خطته التي تقضي بقتل 10 آلاف مقاتل من المقاومة، ولم يدمروا أكثر من 3% من الأنفاق، مضيفا أنه “إستعملنا فقط نصف قوتنا”.

وشدد على أنه “لا يمكن أن نقبل دون انفراجة كبيرة يلمسها أهلنا في قطاع غزة، ونحن بعد أيار/مايو 2021 لسنا كما كنا قبله”، مؤكداً بسياق المناسبة أن “المعركة الأخيرة أثبتت أن المقاومة الفلسطينية تضم بين صفوفها عدداً كبيراً من حملة الشهادات العليا”.

انتخابياً، كشف السنوار عن ” تقديم كل تنازل ممكن وأبدينا مرونة عالية جداً من أجل الوصول لحالة تنهي شتاتنا وتنهي الانقسام، لكن الانتخابات ألغيت، وأي شخص يريد الإستثمار بقطاع غزة أو يقدم الدعم لغزة سنفتح له الباب ولن نأخذ أي شيء للمقاومة، والأيام القادمة ستكون  اختباراً حقيقياً للاحتلال وللعالم وللسلطة لترجمة ما تم الاتفاق عليه”.

وأكمل: “أمامنا فرصة لإنهاء حالة الانقسام وترتيب البيت الفلسطيني ونقول كل ما كان يطرح قبل 21 أيار لم يعد صالحاً”، معتبراً أن “منظمة التحرير بدون حركة حمـاس وفصائل المقـاومة هي مجرد صالون سياسي، وأمامنا استحقاق فوري لترتيب المنظمة لتمثّل الجميع ولنضع استراتيجيتنا الوطنية لإدارة الصراع لتحقيق جزء من أهداف شعبنا”.

Good News and Bad News: Biden Punts on Russia and Takes Some Heat on Afghanistan

Executive Director of the Council for the National Interest.

Philip Giraldi

May 27, 2021

The Establishment Foreign Policy has long advocated a policy of staying in Afghanistan until a political reliable government is established there.

Possibly the best news to come out of the past week has been the announcement of a possibly Egyptian mediated cease fire between Israel and Gaza late last Thursday. The fighting killed 243 Palestinians, including 66 children, versus twelve Israelis including two children and also did major damage to schools, medical facilities and other infrastructure in Gaza. It is being widely presumed that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pulled the plug on the “Guardians of the Walls” offensive because of concerns that Israeli Army brutality was inflicting serious damage on the hitherto favorable perception of the Jewish state in the United States. As U.S. support of Israeli initiatives for both the money and political cover that Washington provides is essential to the Netanyahu long term plan to annex nearly all of the West Bank, it would have seemed prudent to take one’s foot off the pedal until the expected next round of fighting.

Though it has not been confirmed, it seems reasonable to assume that President Joe Biden might have offered a considerable sweetener to Netanyahu to nudge the Israeli leader towards the cease fire. It appears to have come in the form of an offer to help pay for and assist the reconstruction of Gaza with one apparent condition, that Hamas effectively completely disarm by getting rid of all its missiles. Presumably U.S. or United Nations inspectors would make sure the job were done right, would share what they learn about Gaza’s tunnel system with Israeli intelligence, and the IDF in turn would find it much easier going the next time it chooses to attack. As usual, the American taxpayer would be victimized to undo the damage in paying for a significant part of the multi-billion dollar reconstruction tab.

But in terms of benefiting actual American interests, there has also been the Biden Administration decision to lift the sanctions imposed by Donald Trump on the contractors who have been working on the Nord Stream 2 pipeline which will deliver Russian gas to Germany. The Trump Administration, driven by its gaggle of neocon advisers, had declared that the pipeline was a “national security threat” and initiated sanctions on all parties involved, including Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, while also appointing a special envoy to put pressure on the German government to renege on the deal. The pipeline was and is good business for Moscow and also for Berlin since the Russian gas is cheaper than other available supplies. It will cost $11 billion to complete, is over 95% finished and will reportedly create at least 10,000 jobs.

It initially looked as if Biden would continue the Trump policy. As recently as mid-March Secretary of State Tony Blinken stated that it was a bad deal because “this pipeline is a Russian geopolitical project intended to divide Europe and weaken European energy security.” He said he would do “whatever he can to stop [its] completion” and also warned that companies working on the pipeline must cease work immediately or face more “harsh” U.S. sanctions. Most of the companies were and are Western European and nominally NATO allies of the U.S. and Nord Stream 2 and while it appeared likely that the project would be completed for good economic reasons, the German government was reportedly undecided, afraid to confront Biden.

Washington was angered, at least in part, because it wanted to sell more expensive American gas to the Germans. Biden surprisingly has decided to abandon the bad Trump policy, which, inter alia also has given fuel to European anti-U.S. sentiment while serving unnecessarily to increase tension with Russia. The move was welcomed both in Germany and in Russia. The German Foreign Minister noted that it was a sign that Washington is now willing to work with its “partners.” It is an all too rare “win” for American foreign policy.

Now for the bad news. President Joe Biden has recently received an unexpected gift in the form of a letter signed by 126 retired admirals and generals stating that he is not qualified to hold office because of his health and because the 2020 election process was flawed. It also raises a number of specific foreign and national security policy issues, including the threat from China, the border crisis and increased censorship. One might expect that the letter originated in a circle of disgruntled Trump supporters and could therefore be ignored, but many of signatories are not known to be Republican Party supporters. Given that, the agenda just might be more complicated and its timing suggests that it might be linked to the United States proceeding with its withdrawal from Afghanistan.

What might be referred to as the Establishment Foreign Policy as opposed to what sometimes goes on in the State Department and White House has long advocated a policy of staying in Afghanistan until the establishment of a stable and political reliable government in Kabul is completed. And to be sure there are many dissidents in Congress who see leaving Kabul as yet another avoidable defeat for the United States. Given all of that, several previous attempts by Donald Trump to withdraw the U.S. troops were successfully undermined by critics and eventually abandoned. Biden, however, appears to be sticking to his pledge to depart fully by September 11^th and many tons of military equipment are currently being removed from the country.

This has produced multiple attacks on the intention to leave Afghanistan effectively in the hands of the Taliban. A humanitarian pitch has included stories on how women will suffer, being deprived of schooling and opportunity if and when the Taliban return to power. That claim is unfortunately true but the continued presence of a couple of thousand American soldiers at bases in a country as large and infrastructure deficient as Afghanistan will not reverse attitudes that are as much cultural and religious as political.

And the pressure on Biden to reverse the decision is growing. On May 25^th, for example, the Center on National Security at Fordham Law in New York hosted a discussion panel looking into “Departure from Afghanistan: Envisioning a Responsible Withdrawal.” The panel’s conclusions were to say the least mixed and have already been used by critics of the Biden decision.

Pressure is also coming from Congress, even from lawmakers who would normally support the White House. “This has some eerie resemblances” [to Vietnam], Representative Gerald E. Connolly, a Virginia Democrat, said pointedly at a “heated” hearing last week at the House Foreign Affairs Committee. He recalled the unexpectedly rapid collapse of security in Saigon in 1975 as U.S. forces evacuated the last of the personnel from the American embassy, lifting employees from the roof of the building with helicopters. He added that “It seems the American game is to cut its losses and leave and hope for the best — not our problem. The problem is because of this engagement, just like Vietnam, we’re leaving behind hundreds of thousands of Afghans who relied on us, trusted us, for security.”

And if more resistance to the plan were needed, it came last week from George W. Bush, best noted for his disastrous invasions of both Afghanistan and Iraq. Bush had no end game to extricate the U.S. from either intervention and the results of the improvised policies that have continued now for nearly twenty years are clearly evident. Bush said in a Fox News interview “I’ve always warned that no U.S. presence in Afghanistan will create a vacuum, and into that vacuum is likely to come people who treat women as second class citizens… One of the great successes of the liberation of Afghanistan and the removal of al-Qaeda’s safe haven was that women and girls began to flourish in the country… We all benefit when women and girls are empowered to realize their full potential and become contributing members of society. And Laura and I will always stand behind them… I’m also deeply concerned about the sacrifices of our soldiers, and our intelligence community, will be forgotten…”

Bush also said that Iran is very dangerous for “world peace” because it is targeting Israel, revealing yet again that he, like the Bourbon kings of France, has not learned anything since leaving office. In any event, the comments by Bush, the pushback in Congress, the holding of academic conferences on leaving Afghanistan as well as the letter from retired senior military officers just might be part of the same plan to force Biden into extending the timetable or even revoking the orders for U.S. departure from Kabul. And it just might succeed. That would be very bad news indeed.

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Gaza ceasefire between Hamas and Israel begins after 11 days of deadly air strikes

 Officials from both sides have confirmed the truce, which came into effect at 2am, local time

An Israeli air strike hits Gaza just hours before the ceasefire was announced on 20 May (Reuters/Mohammed Salem)

By MEE staff

Published date: 20 May 2021 20:01 UTC | Last update: 10 mins 28 secs ago

A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas aimed at ending eleven days of intense bombing on the besieged Gaza Strip appeared to be holding early on Friday, despite cross-border attacks in the hours leading up to the truce.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said in a statement on Thursday that it had accepted Egypt’s proposal for a “mutual” ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, after several days of mounting international pressure. 

The ceasefire, if it holds, would end the heaviest Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip since its 2014 offensive. 

Palestinians in Gaza and the occupied territories took to the streets to celebrate at 2 am local time, (23:00 GMT Thursday), when the ceasefire came into effect.

Celebratory gunfire and fireworks could be heard while mosques used their loudspeakers to broadcast celebratory chants as the war-torn enclave hailed the apparent end to some of the worst violence in a decade.

https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FMiddleEastEye%2Fvideos%2F826877294913683%2F&show_text=0&width=560

The ceasefire comes amid heightened pressure from the US and the European Union. 

In remarks delivered on Thursday evening, US President Joe Biden Biden commended both Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and Netanyahu for the truce, while reiterating that the US “fully supports Israel’s right to defend itself against indiscriminate rocket attacks from Hamas and other Gaza based terrorist groups”.

“These hostilities have resulted in the tragic deaths of so many civilians, including children, and I send my sincere condolences to all the families, Israeli and Palestinian, who have lost loved ones,” Biden said.

Biden added that the US was committed to providing humanitarian assistance and support for reconstruction efforts in Gaza, but would only work with the Palestinian Authority, not Hamas.Live: Hamas and Israel agree to Gaza ceasefire after intense violence

Read More »

Despite efforts to broker a ceasefire, both parties continued exchanging blows late on Thursday – with Israeli strikes causing significant damage in the besieged Gaza Strip.

More than two million Palestinians are packed into Gaza, an area the size of the US city of Detroit. Under blockade by Israel since 2006, the area has been described as “the world’s largest open-air prison”.

Earlier, the White House said that it believed Israel would agree to a ceasefire because it had “achieved significant military objectives that they laid out to achieve, in relation to protecting their people and to responding to the thousands of rocket attacks from Hamas”.

“So that’s why in part that we feel they’re in a position to start winding their operation down,” said White House press secretary Jen Psaki during a regular briefing earlier in the day.

Sheikh Jarrah and al-Aqsa Mosque

Hamas began shooting rockets at Israel on the night between 9 and 10 May. The initial attacks, which caused no deaths or damage, were in response to Israel’s invasion of the al-Aqsa Mosque and its attempts to forcibly evict Palestinian families in East Jerusalem’s Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood.

Tensions were already high as Israel had put severe limitations on Palestinians’ right to enter and pray at al-Aqsa Mosque during the holy month of Ramadan. Around the same time, Israel’s Supreme Court had ordered 40 Palestinians in Sheikh Jarrah, including 10 children, out of their homes, which were set to be taken over by Israeli settlers. 

Protests erupted in Sheikh Jarrah over the decision, and within days, solidarity demonstrations spread across the rest of occupied East Jerusalem and the West Bank, as well as Gaza. 

Israeli forces attacked a large solidarity protest at al-Aqsa Mosque that had followed a massive day of prayers, shooting tear gas and rubber-coated metal bullets into and around the mosque, which is considered the third holiest site in Islam.

Outrage quickly spread across Palestinian communities, and the Hamas movement gave Israel an ultimatum, demanding it withdraw its forces from al-Aqsa Mosque and halt its plans to force Palestinian families out of Sheikh Jarrah.

When Israel did not respond, Hamas shot its first missile. The next day, Israel responded with sophisticated air strikes and began taking out high rise buildings. Throughout its bombing campaign, a high level of civilian casualties, particularly children, have been documented. 

While there were reports that the ceasefire had been conditional on Israel meeting Hamas’ original demands, Israeli journalist Barak Ravid has reported that no such conditions were agreed upon. 

BREAKING: Senior Israeli official pushed back on Hamas claims: “The agreement is unconditional. There are no understandings or commitments regarding the al-Aqsa mosque or Sheikh Jarrah as part of the agreement. Those claims are totally false”

— Barak Ravid (@BarakRavid) May 20, 2021

“The agreement is unconditional. There are no understandings or commitments regarding the al-Aqsa mosque or Sheikh Jarrah as part of the agreement. Those claims are totally false,” a senior Israeli official told Ravid.

Jerusalem to see ‘disguised calm’

Despite the ceasefire announcement, Palestinians in the occupied territories said they remained sceptical that tensions would ease in Jerusalem, particularly with residents of Sheikh Jarrah still at risk of imminent eviction. 

Hamza Qattina, a lawyer from Jerusalem, said the ceasefire brought about a “disguised and temporary calm” in the disputed city. 

“This mask will disappear shortly after the end of the war and the occupation will return to its violations,” he told Middle East Eye.

‘This mask will disappear shortly after the end of the war and the occupation will return to its violations’

– Hamza Qattina, lawyer 

He added that Israeli courts had not annulled the decision to evict Palestinian residents from their homes.

“Instead, occupation forces have set up barricades around Sheikh Jarrah and besieged its people even more. They are trying to expel the families making the least noise possible,” he added.

Qattina said that he expected Israel to de-escalate tensions in Jerusalem for a few weeks, “so that everyone thinks they are not the ones causing tensions.”

‘New equation’

Hatem Abdel-Qader, a member of the Fatah Revolutionary Council and Council of Islamic Endowments, said that recent developments in Gaza created a new awareness regarding the Palestinian struggle and the dire situation Jerusalem.

“Jerusalem will remain the compass and heart of events regardless of whether the aggression on the Gaza Strip ends or continues,” he told MEE.

“The battle in Jerusalem is still ongoing and will continue until Israel ends the occupation. For Israel, Jerusalem is at the forefront of its attack on Palestinian national aspiration and it’s undergoing a fierce open war against all components of the city,” he told MEE.

‘Jerusalem will not calm down as long as Sheikh Jarrah is being targeted’

– Hatem Abdel-Qader, Fatah Revolutionary Council

“Therefore, the noble Aqsa Mosque will remain the hottest flashpoints and the other point will be Sheikh Jarrah. These won’t calm down as long as Israeli measures continue.

“I believe Jerusalem before the 28th of Ramadan is different from Jerusalem after this date,” Abdel-Qader said. 

“There is a new awakening and a new equation established by the people of Jerusalem which is based on meeting Israeli oppression and aggression with steadfastness and resistance.”

This new equation, according to Abdel-Qader, is what compelled Israel to postpone, even if temporarily, the eviction notice for the residents of Sheikh Jarrah. He pointed out that Israel has realised the expulsions would constitute a “red line” for the residents of Jerusalem.

“Jerusalem will not calm down as long as Sheikh Jarrah is being targeted and there are attempts to evict Palestinians.”

Palestinian struggle bolstered

Meanwhile, researcher and political analyst Khalil Shaheen believes that the current moment across occupied Palestinian territories will strengthen the longstanding tradition of resistance in the Palestinian struggle against Israel. 

Speaking to MEE, Shaheen said the struggle against the occupation has been taking a new turn since 2014, after the Israeli aggression on the Gaza Strip and the popular uprising that coincided with it in the West Bank. Then there was the Jerusalem popular uprising in 2017 against the installation of electronic gates by Israeli authorities on gates of al-Aqsa Mosque.Heavy Israeli crackdown on Palestinians in West Bank marking Nakba anniversaryRead More »

On the current wave of demonstrations, Shaheen said the West Bank is witnessing a new phase. The researcher said the wave has mostly been dominated by youth and popular initiatives that appear to be largely unorganised but are still able to accumulate efforts and make an impact. 

Despite Shaheen’s optimism that the popular sentiment of resistance in the West Bank will continue, he fears the Palestinian Authority’s repressive policies will likely lead to more oppression and persecution. 

“There is a big gap between the aspirations of the Palestinian street and the aspirations of the Palestinian Authority,” Shaheen said. 

Shaheen said Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas is eager for the fighting in Gaza to end so that he can focus efforts on going back to negotiations with Israel and reviving the peace process. 

“There is a gap between the PA on one hand, which wants to recreate the same old policies, and a Palestinian youth on the other hand who want to forge a new path for themselves,” Shaheen said. 

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“Imad Mughniyeh, Qassem Suleimani Masterminded Gaza Tunnels”

January 9, 2020

Representative of Hamas resistance movement in Lebanon Ahmad Abdu Hadi revealed that Hezbollah top commander Hajj Imad Mughniyeh and Commander of IRGC’s Quds Force General Qassem Suleimani had visited Gaza repeatedly and contributed to resistance actions against the Zionist entity in the coastal enclave.

“There are 360-kilometer underground tunnels in Gaza. The idea of these tunnels was introduced by two men: the first was Imad Mughniyeh, while the second was Qassem Suleimani,” Abdul Hadi said in a meeting with journalists on Wednesday.

Martyrs Suleimani and Mughniyeh went repeatedly to Gaza and contributed to the defensive plans by the resistance factions in the besieged strip, Abdul Hadi added.

“Thanks to Suelimani and Mughniyeh the resistance managed to have and produce Kornet rockets and anti-aircraft rockets as well as missiles equipped by three warheads that are capable to reach Tel Aviv.”

Mughniyeh was martyred in a Mossad car bomb attack in the Syrian capital, Damascus, in February 2008. Suleimani was

Source: Al-Manar

IOF Official Warns: Tunnels under Northern Border Pose ‘Major Threat’

December 16, 2019

A senior Israeli official said that tunnels will play a major part in the next armed conflict on the Zionist entity’s northern and southern border.

Maj. Gen. Mickey Edelstein, who heads the military’s counter-tunnel warfare development efforts, described the tunnels as serious threat which the occupation military is gearing up to counter.

He said that some of the tactics already developed for underground warfare will soon become obsolete, as quoted by “Israel Hayom”.

“There is a need to change many of the basic assumptions. The enemy wants to force us to operate above and below ground at the same time, in order to exhaust us and lead to further attacks against civilians,” he told a symposium titled “Subterranean Challenges in War and Peace” on Sunday.

Edelstein said that with respect to urban warfare, buildings that have been cleared of fighters could still pose a risk due to tunnels.

“If in the past there was the question of whether we could counter the terror tunnels without entering them – we won’t have this privilege in the future. There is a 100% chance that we will face the challenge of the tunnels in Gaza and in Lebanon.”

He further noted that the threat posed by tunnels in the northern sector is “unequivocal”.

“Every village has tunnels,” he said, adding that the occupation military is sparing no effort to meet this challenge.

“Tunnel warfare reduced nearly all the advantaged you have when fighting above ground to almost zero, be it with respect to firepower, engaging the enemy, and the troops’ movement,” he explained.

“One of the problems is that we don’t have the intelligence capability to discern the location of each and every tunnel. No one unit can do handle locating a tunnel and neutralize it – we need an entire strategic lineup for that,” the Israeli general said.

Source: Israeli media

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Hamas: Iran Provided Palestinian Resistance with Weaponry & Money

November 4, 2019

Gaza’s Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar Monday gave Iran the greatest credit for supporting the Palestinian resistance and providing it with money, expertise and weaponry.

Sinwar stressed that the Palestinian resistance has developed anti-armored missiles, adding that it can fire missiles at Tel Aviv for six consecutive months.

Sinwar also reiterated that the Deal of the Century aims at eradicating the Palestinian cause, adding that the weekly Return Protests achieved many targets.

Source: Al-Manar English Website

السنوار: لدينا مئات الكيلومترات من الأنفاق

الميادين نت 

رئيس المكتب السياسي لحماس في غزة يقول إننا “لن نقدم أي تنازلات استراتيجية مقابل حل مشكلتنا الإنسانية بل سنرغم الاحتلال على كسر الحصار عن شعبنا”، ويشدد على الجهوزية للاحتكام إلى إرادة شعبنا عبر صناديق الاقتراع وشعبنا لم يخذلنا يوماً.

السنوار: حالة الاشتباك المستمرة مع العدو دفعت ببعض العرب الى الهرولة للتطبيع وانهاء قضيتنا

قال رئيس المكتب السياسي لحماس في غزة يحيى السنوار إن العدو صبّ نيرانه في المنطقة على الخلاف الطائفي ليتصارع أطرافها الذين انشغلوا عن القضية الفلسطينية، مضيفاً “واجهنا تحديات كبيرة في العامين الماضيين وعوائق تعترض قضيتنا وتهددها”.
ولفت السنوار إلى أن العدو تحكمه سياسات يمينية متطرفة تصبّ الزيت على النيران في المنطقة وتغتنم الفرص لشطب القضية، موضحاً أن الصهاينة يتحكمون بالادارة الاميركية التي قال رئيسها من قمة الرياض ان القدس عاصمة اليهود ولم يعترض أحد.

كما اعتبر  أن توجهات كبيرة بدأت لدى زعماء عرب في أواسط العام 2017 بالتطبيع مع “إسرائيل” وإجراء محادثات معها، مؤكداً أننات في المرحلة الماضية عملنا خلالها على 6 محاور من بينها العمل لطي الانقسام الداخلي.

كذلك كشف عن مباحثات مع حركة فتح والسلطة ومع الفصائل من أجل إنهاء الانقسام و”أدركنا أن ذلك يحتاج إلى وقت”،مضيفاً لقد “شكلّنا مع الفصائل وبرعاية مصرية لجاناً بهدف ازالة كل العوائق امام انجاز التفاهمات الداخلية”.

وتابع السنوار قائلاً “هناك قوى سوداء مجرمة لم ترد أن تطوى صفحة الانقسام وفي مقدمها جهاز الشاباك الاسرائيلي”.

وأسف السنوار لأن هذه القوى نجحت في إفشال مسعى طي الانقسام عبر أيد داخلية، مؤكداً أن التحقيقات بيّنت أن حادثة محاولة استهداف رامي الحمد لله في غزة كان وراءها الشاباك بأيد داخلية.

هذا ولفت السنوار إلى الموافقة “على مبادرة دفع المسيرة رغم ملاحظاتنا عليها وأبدينا استعدادنا لاجراء الانتخابات وتسهيلها”، مضيفاً “نجحنا في تشكيل غرفة العمليات المشتركة التي تضم 13 جناحاً مسلحاً وهي تمكنت من صد اعتداءات الاحتلال”.

العلاقات مع العرب

رئيس المكتب السياسي لحماس في غزة شدد على النجاح في توحيد الكلمة في وجه محاولات تمرير صفقة القرن،
وعن العلاقات مع الخارج”.

وقال السينوار “سعينا إلى تفكيك أي إشكال بيننا وبين أي قطر عربي أو اسلامي وحققنا انجازاً في العلاقة مع مصر”، مضيفاً “نجحنا في وقف التحريض في الاعلام المصري ضد حماس والمقاومة الفلسطينية فنحن لا يمكننا ان نستغني عن مصر”.

كما طورت الحركة العلاقة مع قطر التي ضخت مبالغ مالية كبيرة في غزة وهي قاربت المليار دولار.

أما عن إيران فقال السنوار

“إن لها الفضل الأكبر بعد الله تعالى في بناء قوتنا ولولا دعمها لما وصلنا إلى ما وصلنا إليه”، حيث “قدمت لنا المال والسلاح والخبرات في حين خذلنا أخوان عرب عند تقديم العون”.

بالمقابل، وبحسب السنوار قال

“هناك دول عربية أوصدت أبوابها قالت إن عليكم التكلم مع الأميركيين اولاً”، مضيفاً “رغم سيل دمنا الهادر.. فتحت عواصم عربية أبوابها أمام الاحتلال وعُزف فيها النشيد الإسرائيلي”.

لدينا في قطاع غزة؟

وكشف السنوار في خطابه، أن

“في القطاع قوة عسكرية يعتد بها ويحسب لها العدو الف حساب ولدينا مئات الكيلومترات من الانفاق والمئات من غرف التحكم والسيطرة وفق الارض وتحتها ولدينا مئات وآلاف الكمائن.إلى جانب ألاف من المضادات من تصنيع غزة والآلاف المؤلفة من القذائف الصاروخية، والمئات من المضادات للدروع التي صنعها شباننا في غزة”.

واستدرك ليقول إن “آلاف العمليات ضد الاحتلال نفذّها ابطال الضفة الغربية في الاعوام الماضية”.

ووجه السنوار حديثه لقادة الاحتلال وتحديداً لرئيس الأركان بني غانتس قائلاً

“نحن في انتظاركم وسنجعلك يا غانتس تلعن اليوم الذي ولدت فيه”.

مسيرات العودة

هذا واعتبر السنوار أن “مسيرات العودة في غزة حققت أهدافاً كثيرة أبرزها إحياء حق العودة وإسقاط نظرية العدو بأن الصغار سينسون، مؤكداً أن حالة الاشتباك المستمرة مع العدو دفعت ببعض العرب إلى الهرولة للتطبيع وإنهاء قضيتنا”.

السنوار: لا بد من لقاء وطني يجتمع فيه قادة الفصائل

كما قال “لن نقدم أي تنازلات استراتيجية مقابل حل مشكلتنا الإنسانية بل سنرغم الاحتلال على كسر الحصار عن شعبنا”، مشدداً على أننا”كنا ولا زلنا جاهزين للاحتكام إلى ارادة شعبنا عبر صناديق الاقتراع وشعبنا لم يخذلنا يوما”.

كذلك، اعتبر أنه لا بد من لقاء وطني يجتمع فيه قادة الفصائل لإزالة أي اشكالية ممكن ان تنشأ في طريق إنجاح الانتخابات.

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Weekly report on israel’s terrorism on Palestinians (25 April – 01 May 2019)

Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations

Israeli forces continue systematic crimes in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt)

(25 April – 01 May 2019)

• Israeli forces continued to use excessive force against the peaceful protestors in the Gaza Strip.
• 115 civilians, including 40 children, 3 women, 4 paramedics and a journalist, were wounded. The injury of 2 of them was reported serious.
• A Palestinian civilian was wounded in the West Bank.
• Israeli forces conducted 75 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank and 4 other incursions into Jerusalem.
• 37 Palestinian civilians, including 4children, were arrested in the West Bank.
• 9 of them, including 3 children, were arrested in occupied Jerusalem.
• Shooting incidents continued against Palestinian farmers and shepherds in the border areas of the Gaza Strip, but no casualties were reported.
• Israeli authorities continued to create a Jewish majority in occupied East Jerusalem.
• 5 houses and 18 other facilities were demolished in addition to forcing a civilian to self-demolish his house and another to self-demolish his balcony.
• Israeli authorities continued their settlement activities in the West Bank.
• A house was demolished, and 4 dunums were leveled in al-Dirat village, south of Hebron in addition to uprooting dozens of olive trees in Beit Jala.
• 3 civilians sustained wounds and bruises after being attacked by settles, west of Ramallah.
• 8 Shooting incidents were reported against the fishing boats in the Gaza Strip Sea.
• The allowed area for fishing decreased to 6 nautical miles. A fisherman was wounded, 2 others were arrested, and a fishing a boat was confiscated.
• Israeli forces turned the West Bank into cantons and continued to impose the illegal closure on the Gaza Strip for the 13th consecutive year.
• Israeli forces established 92 permanent checkpoints and 136 temporary checkpoints in the West Bank.
• Two Palestinian civilians were arrested at military checkpoints in the West Bank.

 

Summary

 

Israeli violations of international law and international humanitarian law in the oPt continued during the reporting period (25 April – 01 May 2019).

 

Shooting:

 

In the Gaza Strip, the Israeli forces continued to use lethal force against the participants in the peaceful protests organized within the Great March of Return and Breaking the Siege along the Gaza Strip borders, which witnessed the peaceful protests for the 56^th week along the eastern and northern border area of the Gaza Strip. They also continued to use force against Palestinians protesting against the incursions into the West Bank. In the Gaza Strip, During the Great March of Return and Breaking the Siege protests, Israeli forces wounded 115 civilians, including 40 children, 3 women, 1 journalist and 4 paramedics. The injury of 2 of those wounded was reported serious.  Moreover, a fisherman was wounded by the Israeli forces in the Gaza Sea. In the West Bank, Israeli forces wounded a Palestinian civilian in a shooting incident.

 

Injuries in the Gaza Strip from 25 April – 01 May 2019 According to the Governorate

 

Governorate	Injuries
	Total	Children	Women	Journalists	Paramedics	Critical Injuries
Northern Gaza Strip	31	12	0	0	1	0
Gaza City	13	1	1	0	1	0
Central Gaza Strip	38	16	1	0	1	0
Khan Yunis	12	4	0	0	1	0
Rafah	21	7	1	1	0	2
Total	115	40	3	1	4	2

 

As part of targeting the Palestinian fishermen in the sea, the Israeli forces continued to escalate their attacks against the Palestinian fishermen, indicating the on-going Israeli policy to target their livelihoods.  On 30 April 2019, the Israeli authorities informed the Palestinian side of reducing the allowed area for fishing to 6 miles after weeks of allowing the fishermen to fish in the Gaza Sea up to 15 nautical miles.  As a result, the Israeli naval forces opened fire and chased the fishermen sailing within more than 6 nautical miles off the Gaza Shore, overwhelming many fishing nets.  During the reporting period, PCHR documented 8 shooting incidents against the Palestinian fishermen off al-Waha resort shore in the northern Gaza Strip.  As a result, a fisherman was wounded, 2 were arrested and their fishing boat was confiscated.

 

As part of targeting the border areas, on 25 April 2019, Israeli soldiers opened fire at the farmers in eastern Shokah village, east of Rafah City.  The shooting recurred at the farmers in the same area on the same day.

 

On 30 April 2019, Israeli forces fired live ammunition and teargas canisters at the shepherds in northern Bouret Abu Samrah area in the northern Gaza Strip.  However, no casualties were reported.

 

In the West Bank, the Israeli forces wounded 2 Palestinian civilians in separate shooting incidents while a child was wounded after being shot by settlers.

 

Incursions:

 

During the reporting period, Israeli forces conducted at least 75 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank and 4 other incursions into Jerusalem and its suburbs. During those incursions, Israeli forces arrested at least 28 Palestinians, including a child, in the West Bank, while 9 other civilians, including 3 children, were arrested in Jerusalem and its suburbs.

Israeli authorities continued to create a Jewish majority in occupied East Jerusalem.

As part of the Israeli house demolitions and notices, On 29 April 2019, the Israeli municipality bulldozers demolished a number of residential and agricultural facilities in the villages of Sour Baher and al-Mukaber Mount in addition to the Thawri neighborhood, south of occupied East Jerusalem, under the pretext of building without a license.  According to PCHR’s investigations, 3 residential houses and 15 other civil facilities were demolished in al-Mukaber Mount village and a shed in Sour Baher village.  Moreover, a Palestinian was forced to self-demolish his house balcony in the latter village while another was forced to self-demolish his house in Qaddoum Valley neighborhood in Silwan village, south of occupied East Jerusalem pursuant to the Israeli Municipality’s decision under the pretext of building without a license.

On 30 April 2019, the Israeli municipality bulldozers demolished 2 houses and 2 barracks in Yasoul Valley neighborhood in Silwan village, south of occupied East Jerusalem’s Old City, under the pretext of building without a license.  It should be mentioned that those facilities belonged to Anas and Qosai Burqan and used to shelter 11 family members, including 7 children.

Israeli Forces continued their settlement activities, and the settlers continued their attacks against Palestinian civilians and their property

 

• As part of house demolitions and notices, on 29 April 2019, the Israeli forces leveled an agricultural land belonging to Walid Zarinah in Beit Jala and uprooted dozens of olive trees. Zarinah said that his land was uprooted with 200 fruitful olive trees as the Israeli bulldozers uprooted dozens of them.

 

• On 01 May 2019, the Israeli forces demolished a house belonging to the family of Jabrin al-‘Adrah in al-Dirat village, east of Yata, south of Hebron. The 1-story house was built of bricks on an area of 130 square meters and sheltered a family of 7 members, including 5 children.

 

• As part of Israeli settlers’ attacks against Palestinian civilians and their property, on 28 April 2019, a group of settlers attacked 3 Palestinian civilians, who were in their agricultural lands in al-Risan Mount area in the western side of Ras Karkar village, west of Ramallah. The settlers managed to catch the 3 civilians and beat them up.  As a result, they sustained bruises in the chest and lower limbs.
• On 01 May 2019, a group of Israeli settlers from “‘Itsaf” settlement established on the lands of Barwa village, east of Ramallah, cut and destroyed 120 olive trees in the eastern area lands of the village.   Those trees belonged to Ibrahim Hasan Kan’an, ‘Abdullah Barakat, and Yousif Kan’an.

 

 

Details

 

1. Incursions into Palestinian Areas, and Attacks on Palestinian Civilians and Property in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

 

Thursday, 25 April 2019:

 

• At approximately 02:00, Israeli forces moved into Beit Ummer village, north of Hebron. They raided and searched a house belonging to Kefah Ahmed Abu ‘Ayash (22) and then handed him a summons to refer to the Israeli Intelligence Service in “Gush Etzion” settlement, south of Bethlehem.

 

• At approximately 03:00, Israeli forces moved into Birzeit village, north of Ramallah. They raided and searched a house belonging to Anas Mahmoud Sa’ed (19) and then arrested him.

 

• At approximately 08:50, Israeli forces stationed along the border fence between the Gaza Strip and Israel, east of al-Shawkah village, east of Rafah, opened fire at Palestinian farmers. As a result, the farmers were forced to leave the area fearing for their lives, but no casualties were reported.

 

• At approximately 14:50, Israeli soldiers stationed along the border fence between the Gaza Strip and Israel, east of al- Shawkah village, east of Rafah, opened fire and fired tear gas canisters at Palestinian farmers near the March of Return encampment. As a result, the farmers were forced to leave the area, but no casualties were reported.

 

Note: During the aforementioned day, Israeli forces conducted (11) incursions in the following areas and no arrests were reported: Deir al-‘Asal, Karza villages and Halhoul in Hebron; Safa, ‘Ein ‘Arik and Betunia villages in Ramallah; Qifin, Ertah and Far’oun villages in Tulkarm; Hares village, north of Salfit; and ‘Azoun village, east of Qalqiliyah.

 

 

Friday, 26 April 2019:

 

• At approximately 01:00, Israeli forces moved into Beit Ummer village, north of Hebron. They raided and searched a house belonging to Mohammed Abdul Qader Haroub (33). They then withdrew from the area and no arrests were reported.

 

Note: During the aforementioned day, Israeli forces conducted (9) incursions in the following areas and no arrests were reported: Bani Na’im and al-Samou’a villages in Hebron; Nablus and Tal village, southwest of the city; Sebastia village, northwest of the city; Qabatiyah village, southeast of Jenin; Hares village, north of Salfit; ‘Azoun village, east of Qalqiliyah; and Seniriya village southeast of the city.

 

Saturday, 27 April 2019:

 

• At approximately 06:45, Israeli gunboats stationed offshore, adjacent to al-Waha Resort, northwest of Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip, heavily opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats sailing within 2 nautical miles and chased them. As a result, the fishermen were forced to flee fearing for their lives, but neither casualties nor material damage was reported.

 

Note: During the aforementioned day, Israeli forces conducted (8) incursions in the following areas and no arrests were reported: Dura, al-Majd, Beit Ummer and al-Fawar refugee camp in Hebron; Baqa western village, north of Tulkarm; al-Zawiyah village, west of Salfit; ‘Azzoun and Kufor Qaddoum villages, east, northeast of Qalqiliyah.

 

Sunday, 28 April 2019

 

• At approximately 01:30, Israeli forces moved into al-‘Aroub refugee camp, north of Hebron. They raided and searched a number of houses and then arrested 3 civilians namely Mohammed Taha ‘Adarbah (23), Rani Ahmed Hadeeb (18) and ‘Obaid Akram Jawabrah (22).

 

• At approximately 02:00, Israeli forces moved into Hebron. They raided and searched a house belonging to Zohair Khairi Eskafi (40). They withdrew and no arrests were reported.

 

• At approximately 02:15, Israeli forces moved into Silwad village, northeast of Ramallah. They raided and searched 2 houses belonging to Osamah Nathir Hamed (26) and Abdul Hafith Wasel ‘Azzam (25) and then arrested them.

 

• At approximately 09:00, Israeli gunboats stationed offshore, adjacent to al-Wahah Resort, northwest of Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip, heavily opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats sailing within 3 nautical miles and chased them. As a result, the fishermen were forced to flee fearing for their lives, but neither casualties nor material damage was reported.

 

Note: During the aforementioned day, Israeli forces conducted (5) incursions in the following areas and no arrests were reported: Yatta, Tarqumiyah and al-Thaheriyah villages in Hebron; Kufor Sour and al-Ras villages, south of Tulkarm.

 

 

Monday, 29 April 2019

 

• At approximately 01:00, Israeli forces moved into ‘Atil village, north of Tulkarm. They raided and searched a house belonging to Zaher Abdul Rahman As’ad Daqqah (43) and then arrested him.

 

• At approximately 01:30, Israeli forces moved into Balatah refugee camp, east of Nablus. They raided and searched a house belonging to Majdi Jamal ‘Awad Hasan Salem Hashash (20) and then arrested him.

 

• Around the same time, Israeli forces moved into Batir village, west of ‘Askar al-Jadeed refugee camp, east of Nablus. They raided and searched a house belonging to Yusuf Amjad al-Ashqar (23) and then arrested him.

 

• At approximately 02:30, Israeli forces moved into Balatah refugee camp, east of Nablus. They raided and searched several houses and then arrested 4 civilians, including 2 brothers, namely Yusuf ‘Ali Yusuf al-Safadi (23), Abdullah Jehad Theeb Shehadah (21); Mohammed (23) and Saif Eden Mustafa Ahmed al-Safadi (23).

 

• At approximately 03:15, Israeli forces moved into Kufor Dan village, west of Jenin. They raided and searched a house belonging to Ayman Rajeh ‘Abed and then arrested his sons Ehsan (20) and Osamah (22).

 

• At approximately 07:00, Israeli forces moved into al-Zawiyah village, west of Salfit. They raided ad searched a house belonging to Yusuf Sofian Abu Laila (24) and then arrested him.

 

• At approximately 08:15, Israeli gunboats stationed offshore, adjacent to al-Waha Resort, northwest of Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip, opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats sailing within 3 nautical miles and chased them. As a result, the fishermen were forced to flee fearing for their lives, but neither casualties nor material damage was reported.

 

Note: During the aforementioned day, Israeli forces conducted (10) incursions in the following areas and no arrests were reported: Tarqoumia village, Dura in Hebron; Sabastia village, northwest of Nablus; Jenin Refugee Camp, west of Jenin.Zawata and Agnesina villages, northwest of Nablus; Hebron, Surif, al-Thaheriyah and Hadab villages in Hebron; Qalqiliyah, Ezbet al-Ashqar, Kufor Thuluth and ‘Azzoun villages in Qalqiliyah.

 

 

Tuesday, 30 April 2019

 

• At approximately 04:40, Israeli forces moved into Kufor Ne’mah village, west of Ramallah. They raided and searched a number of houses after which they arrested 3 civilians, including a child, namely Ahmed Nazih Abu ‘Ali (14), Ramzi Medhat ‘Abdoh (22), and Yusuf Hasan Abu ‘Adi (19).

 

• Around the same time, Israeli forces moved into Silwad village, northeast of Ramallah. They raided and searched a house belonging to Mohammed Zeyad Hamed (20) and then arrested him.

 

• At approximately 05:00, Israeli forces informed the Palestinian competent authorities of their decision to reduce the fishing area to 6 nautical miles after weeks of allowing fishermen to freely fish in the Gaza Strip sea at a distance of 15 nautical miles. Therefore, the Israeli forces chased the fishermen, who sailed at a distance of more than 6 nautical miles off the Gaza Strip shore, and opened fire at them. As a result, a number of fishing nets sank into the sea after the fishermen left them fearing for their lives.

 

• At approximately 07:00, Israeli gunboats stationed offshore, adjacent to al-Waha Resort, northwest of Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip, heavily opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats sailing within 2 nautical miles and chased them. The shooting recurred at approximately 19:55 on the same day. As a result, the fishermen were forced to flee fearing for their lives, but neither casualties nor material damage was reported.

 

• At approximately 14:45, Israeli forces stationed along the border fence between the Gaza Strip and Israel, opened fire and fired flare bombs at Palestinian Shepherds, north of Buret Abu Samrah, north of Beit Lahia. As a result, the shepherds were forced to leave the area fearing for their lives, but no casualties were reported.

 

• At approximately 11:00, Israeli forces moved into Kufor Thuluth village, in Qalqiliyah. They raided and searched a house belonging to ‘Ali Kamel Ahmed Shawahnah (69) and then arrested him.

 

Note: During the aforementioned day, Israeli forces conducted (4) incursions in the following areas and no arrests were reported: Emrish and Beit ‘Awa village in Hebron; Howarah and Beta villages, south of Nablus.

 

 

Wednesday, 01 May 2019

 

• At approximately 01:00, Israeli forces moved into Taqou’a village, east of Bethlehem. They raided and searched a house belonging to Ahmed Ibrahim al-‘Amour (22) and then arrested him.

 

• Around the same time, Israeli forces moved into Bani Na’em village, east of Hebron. They raided and searched a number of houses after which they handed summonses to 4 civilians to refer to the Israeli Intelligence Service in “Gush Etzion” settlement, south of Bethlehem. The civilians were identified as Bilal Mohammed Tarirah, Sabri al-Khodour, Mohammed Sa’ed Barakat and Mohammed ‘Ali Manasrah.

 

• At approximately 01:30, Israeli forces moved into Nablus. They raided and searched 2 houses belonging to Mojahed Waddah al-Qutob (28) and ‘Asem Gunaim (27) and then arrested him.

 

• At approximately 02:30, Israeli forces moved into Yatta, south of Hebron. They raided and searched a house belonging to Khalid Yusuf ‘Ali Jabrin (19), who is arrested. They withdrew later and no arrests were reported. It should be noted that the Israeli forces demolished the family house on 16 December 2018, claiming that Khalid carried out a stab attack.

 

• Around the same time, Israeli forces moved into Marah Rabah village, south of Bethlehem. They raided and searched a house belonging to Ahmed ‘Ali Qasem al-Shaikh (22) and then handed him a summons to refer to the Israeli Intelligence Service in “Gush Etzion” settlement, south of Bethlehem.

 

• At approximately 07:15, Israeli gunboats stationed offshore, adjacent to al-Waha Resort, northwest of Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza strip, heavily opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats sailing within 3 nautical miles and chased them. The gunboats surrounded a fishing boat belonging to Saleh Mohammed Ibrahim Abu Ryalah (48), from al-Shati’ refugee camp, west of Gaza City. The board was manned by Saleh’s son Hazem (28) and Khalid Rajab Abu Ryalah (24). The Israeli soldiers ordered the fishermen to take off their clothes, jump into water and swim towards the gunboats. The fishermen were arrested and their boat was confiscated. As a result, of shooting, fisherman Mohammed Bashir Sha’ban Abu Ryalah (24), who was sailing in another boat, was hit with a rubber bullet to the back. He received medical treatment at al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City and doctors classified his injury as minor.

 

• At approximately 19:30, Israeli gunboats stationed offshore, adjacent to al-Waha Resort, northwest of Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip, heavily opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats sailing within 2 nautical miles and chased them. The shooting recurred in the area at approximately 23:50. As a result, the fishermen were forced to flee fearing for their lives, but neither casualties nor material damage was reported.

 

Note: During the aforementioned day, Israeli forces conducted (7) incursions in the following areas and no arrests were reported: al-Samou’, Nuba, Kharas, Deir Samet and Tarousah villages in Hebron; Beit Liqya village, south of Ramallah; al-Nabi Saleh village, northwest of the city.

 

 

Use of Force against Demonstrations in Protest against the U.S. President’s Decision to Recognize Jerusalem as the Capital of Israel:

 

Israeli forces continued its excessive use of lethal force against peaceful demonstration organized by Palestinian civilians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, and it was named as “The Great March of Return and Breaking Siege.” The demonstration was in protest against the U.S. President Donald Trump’s declaration to move the U.S. Embassy to it. According to PCHR fieldworkers’ observations, the border area witnessed large participation by Palestinian civilians as the Israeli forces continued to use upon highest military and political echelons excessive force against the peaceful demonstrators, though the demonstration were fully peaceful. The demonstration was as follows during the reporting period:

 

 

Gaza Strip:

 

During the 55^th week of the March of Return and Breaking Siege activities, Israeli forces wounded 92, including 22 children, four women, five journalists, and five paramedics. Two of them sustained serious wounds. The incidents were as follows:

 

• Northern Gaza Strip: The Israeli shooting at Palestinian demonstrators resulted in the injury of 31 Palestinian civilians, including 12 children and a paramedic. Twenty five of them were hit with live bullets and shrapnel, 2 with rubber bullets and 4 were directly hit with tear gas canisters. The wounded paramedic was identified as Mohammed Nabil Ibrahim al-Bes (28), who is a volunteer paramedic at “Volunteer Nurse Team” from Beit Lahia, was hit with a tear gas canister to the right foot.

 

• Gaza City: the Israeli shooting at Palestinian demonstrators resulted in the injury of 13 Palestinian civilians, including a child, a paramedic an a woman. Seven of them were hit with live bullets and shrapnel, 3 were hit with rubber bullets and 3 were directly hit with tear gas canister. The wounded paramedic was identified as Husain Mohsen, who works at the Military Medical Services, was hit with a live bullet to the left hand.

 

 

• Central Gaza Strip: The Israeli shooting at Palestinian demonstrators, which continued from 15:00 until 19:00, resulted in the injury of 38 Palestinian civilians, including 16 children, a woman and a paramedic. Eighteen of them were hit with live bullets and their shrapnel and 20 of them were directly hit with live bullets. The wounded paramedic was identified as Ahmed Husain Mohammed Kafinah (32), who works at the Civil Defense, was directly hit with a tear gas canister to the neck.

 

• Khan Younis: The Israeli shooting at the demonstrators, which continued until 19:00, resulted in the injury of 12 demonstrators, including 4 children, and a paramedic. The wounded paramedic was identified as Mohammed Sobhi Abu Ta’aimah (24), who works at Medical Top Team. It should be noted that on 19 April 2019, Mohammed was hit with a tear gas canister to the foot.

 

• Rafah: The Israeli shooting at the demonstrators, which continued from 16:30 until 18:30, resulted in the injury of 21 civilians, including 7 children, a woman and a journalist. Nine of them were hit with live bullets and shrapnel, 12 were directly hit with tear gas canisters and 2 were seriously injured. The wounded journalist was identified as Ramadan Ibrahim Khalil al-Sharif (30), who works at Shehab News Agency, was hit with a tear gas canister to the right leg.

2. Continued closure of the oPt

 

Israel continued to impose a tight closure on the oPt, imposing severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem.

 

Gaza Strip

 

Israeli forces continuously tighten the closure of the Gaza Strip and close all commercial crossings, making the Karm Abu Salem crossing the sole commercial crossing of the Gaza Strip, although it is not suitable for commercial purposes in terms of its operational capacity and distance from markets.

Israeli forces have continued to apply the policy, which is aimed to tighten the closure on all commercial crossings, by imposing total control over the flow of imports and exports.

 

Israeli forces have continued to impose a total ban on the delivery of raw materials to the Gaza Strip, except for very limited items and quantities. The limited quantities of raw materials allowed into Gaza do not meet the minimal needs of the civilian population of the Gaza Strip.

 

Israeli forces also continued to impose an almost total ban on the Gaza Strip exports, including agricultural and industrial products, except for light-weighted products such as flowers, strawberries, and spices. However, they lately allowed the exportation of some vegetables such as cucumber and tomatoes, furniture and fish.

 

Israel has continued to close the Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing for the majority of Palestinian citizens from the Gaza Strip. Israel only allows the movement of a limited number of groups, with many hours of waiting in the majority of cases. Israel has continued to adopt a policy aimed at reducing the number of Palestinian patients allowed to move via the Beit Hanoun crossing to receive medical treatment in hospitals in Israel or in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Israel also continued applying the policy of making certain civilian traveling via the crossing interviewed by the Israeli intelligence service to be questioned, blackmailed or arrested.

 

 

Beit Hanoun (“Erez”) crossing, in the north of the Gaza Strip, is designated for the movement of individuals, and links the Gaza Strip with the West Bank.

 

 Movement at Beit Hanoun (“Erez”) crossing

(24-29 April 2019)

Category	24 April	25 April	26 April	27 April	28 April	29 April
Patients	74	34	–	–	87	86
Companions	62	30	–	–	77	74
Personal needs	2	2	–	–	24	20
Families of prisoners	–	–	–	–	–	26
Arabs fromIsrael	23	3	–	–	30	13
Diplomats	–	–	–	–	–	5
Meetings in Erez	–	–	–	–	–	–
International workers	30	20	–	–	9	14
TravelersAbroad	–	–	–	–	–	1
Business people+ BMC	–	1	–	–	875	397
Economic and agriculture    interviews	–	–	–	–	–	–
Security interviews	–	–	–	–	3	8
Death cases	–	–	–	–	–	–
Companions’ Deaths	–	–	–	–	–	–
Return to the West Bank	–	–	–	–	–	–
Christians’ Holidays	45	23	–	–	35	34
Conferences and Training courses	–	–	–	–	2	–
Permits’ renewal	–	–	–	–	–	–
VIPs	–	–	–	–	–	–
AmbulancesPatient	3	–	–	–	3	3
Ambulancescompanion	3	–	–	–	2	3

 

 

• Following table illustrates temporary and permanent checkpoints and arrests at these checkpoints in the West Bank from 25 April to 01 May 2019:  

Governorate	Permanent temporary	Temporary checkpoints	Closed Roads	Arrested persons
Jerusalem	13	9	–	–
Nablus	10	27	2	1
Jenin	5	8	–	1
Ramallah	11	17	4	–
Tulkarm	7	7	1	–
Tubas	2	3	1	–
Salfit	3	9	1	–
Qalqiliyia	5	12	4	–
Hebron	20	30	15	–
Bethlehem	11	11	2	–
Jericho	5	3	–	–
Al-Karama Crossing	–	–	–	–
Total	92	136	30	2

 

Arrests at Military Checkpoints:

 

• At approximately 21:30 on Friday, 26 April 2019, Israeli forces stationed at Za’tara checkpoint, south of Nablus, arrested Hamid Ghazi al-Sirawan (33), from the Old City of Nablus.
• At approximately 22:30 on Friday, Israeli forces stationed at a military checkpoint established at the entrance to al-Jamala village near the Power Plant of Jenin, arrested Mohamed Ahmed Fayiz Frihat (25), from al-Yamoun village, west of the city.

 

 

• Efforts to Create A Jewish majority

 

Israeli forces escalated their attacks on Palestinian civilians and their property. They have also continued their raids on al-Aqsa Mosque and denied the Palestinians access to it:

 

Arrests and Incursions:

 

• At approximately 03:00 on Thursday, 25 April 2019, Israeli forces moved into Beit Iksah village, northwest of occupied East Jerusalem. They raided and searched a house belonging to Shihab Husam Gharib (24) and then arrested him.
• At approximately 11:00 on Thursday, Israeli forces arrested Ameer Moneer Zaghir (35|) while getting out of al-Asbat Gate, one of al-Aqsa Mosque gates, in occupied East Jerusalem’s Old City.
• At approximately 19:00 on Saturday, 27 April 2019, Israeli forces moved into Silwan village, south of occupied East Jerusalem’s Old City. They raided and searched a house belonging to Mo’taz ‘Abdullah Zaytoun (14) and then arrested him.
• At approximately 03:00 on Sunday, 28 April 2019, Israeli forces moved into al-‘Issawiyia village, northeast of occupied East Jerusalem. They raided and searched houses, from which they arrested 4 civilians, including 2 children. The arrested civilians were identified as Ayoub ‘Ali Abu al-Humus (19), Yunis Ayman ‘Olayan (23), Moneer Mo’amer ‘Olayan (17), and Mahmoud Naser Mostafa (17).
• At approximately 14:00 on Wednesday, 01 May 2019, Israeli forces moved into Sho’fat refugee camp, north of occupied East Jerusalem. They raided and searched 2 houses belonging to Ziyad Yousef Motawer (34) and Adham Motawer (28) and then arrested both of them.

 

• Notices and House Demolitions:

 

• On Monday, 29 April 2019, the Israeli Municipality bulldozers demolished many residential and agricultural facilities in Surbaher village, al-Mukaber Mount area, and al-Thawri neighborhood, south of occupied East Jerusalem, under the pretext of non-licensing. According to PCHR’s investigation, the demolished facilities were as follows:

 

In al-Mukaber Mount area:

1- A residential house built of tin plates and belongs to Ahmed Khalaf Ja’abees.

2- A 150-sqaure-meter residential house comprised of 3 rooms; a 140-sqaure-meter barrack; and a 40-sqaure-meter store belong to ‘Emad Abu Sharifa.

3-Two sheds used for breeding livestock and belongs to Jamal Shoqairat.

4- A 40-sqaure-meter shed used as a store; and a 50-sqaure-meter container belong to Mohamed ‘Adel Shoqirat.

5- Two sheds used for breeding livestock and belongs to Fawzi Masouda.

6- Twi sheds used for agriculture and belongs to Ya’qoub Abu Isninah.

7- Five caravans belonging to ‘Awni Othman.

8-An agricultural shed belonging to Isma’il ‘Obaidiyia.

9- Wall built with bricks belonging to Salah Shoqirat and Khalil Shoqirat.

 

In Surbaher village, south of occupied Jerusalem, Mahmoud ‘Abed Rabbo self-demolished his balcony in order to implement the Israeli Municipality decision. The demolition was under the pretext of non-licensing. Moreover, the Israeli Municipality bulldozers demolished a shed used for breeding livestock and belongs to Abu Kaf Family.

 

• On Monday evening, Mohamed Sa’ied Ahmed al-Salimah self-demolished his house located in Wadi Qaddoum neighborhood in Silwan village, south of occupied East Jerusalem’s Old City, under the pretext of non-licensing. Mohamed said that on Saturday, 27 April 2019, he demolished parts of his house, which was still under-construction, but the Israeli Municipality staff raided his house along with the Israeli police, demanding him to demolish all the house or the municipality staff will demolish it and fine him. Mohamed said that his lawyer managed to delay the demolition until Thursday morning, 02 May 2019, on one condition that he will pay NIS 10.000. Thus, he was forced to immediately demolish the house by using a bulldozer. Mohamed pointed out that he demolished his house on last Saturday with manual demolishing tools. He added that on Saturday evening he demolished his house by using a bulldozer, which caused damage in nearby building. It should be noted that Mohamed’s house located in the 3^rd floor of the abovementioned building and built on an area of 130 square meters.

 

• At approximately 09:00 on Tuesday, 30 April 2019, the Israeli Municipality bulldozers demolished 2 houses and 2 barracks in Wadi Yasoul neighborhood in Silwan village, south of occupied East Jerusalem’s Old City, under the pretext of non-licensing. The neighborhood’s residents said that the municipality bulldozers accompanied with dozens of soldiers and special focus moved into Wadi Yasoul neighborhood. The Israeli soldiers surrounded the neighborhood, topped the houses and buildings roofs, and then forcibly raided two houses belonging to the siblings Anas and Qusai Burqan to demolish their houses under the pretext of non-licensing. The residents said that the Israeli forces threw a sound bomb inside a house to disperse the residents and forcibly get them out. The soldiers then severely beat Anas with gun butts, pushed and beat his mother and threatened him to beat his pregnant sister. During which, the soldiers indiscriminately sprayed pepper-spray inside and outside the house. The residents pointed out that the Israeli forces also attacked other residents, who were outside the house, fired rubber bullet at them, and pushed and beat them to deny their access to the demolition area. As a result, a 71-year-old elderly sustained wounds to his hand which received 30 stitch. Moreover, Mohamed Abu ‘Eidah sustained wounds to his head after being hit with a sound bomb shrapnel and his head received 10 stitch. Hamza Maragha also sustained wounds to his ear, which received 12 stitch, after being hit with gun butts. The house owner, Anas Burqan, sustained wounds and bruises and then detained until the next day under the pretext of assaulting an Israeli police officer. Moreover, Mahdi and Suhaib Burqan sustained various bruises. Burqan family said that the Israeli forces left 11 family members, including 7 children, homeless after demolishing his house. The family clarified that Anas’s house was built 29 years ago and Qusai’s house was built 27 years ago. Both of the houses were built of tin plates and bricks. The family added that the demolition decision issued against 2 houses only, but the Israeli bulldozers demolished 2 barracks used for breeding livestock, a store, and walls surrounding the land. Moreover, the bulldozers levelled olive, lemon and palm trees. In mid-April, the Israeli Supreme Court dismissed the appeal applied by the house owner against demolishing their houses and allowed to demolish 4 houses. It should be noted that the Israeli Municipality and Courts refused all construction works in Wadi Yasoul neighborhoods under the pretext of being green areas. Around 84 houses were threatened to be demolished.

 

Settlement activities and attacks by settlers against Palestinian civilians and property

 

Israeli forces’ attacks:

• On Monday, 29 April 2019, the Israeli authorities’ vehicles demolished an agricultural land belonging to Waleed Zarinah in Beit Jala. They also uprooted dozens of olive trees. Waleed said that his land planted with around 200 fruitful olive trees, which the Israeli forces uprooted dozens of them. He added that the Israeli forces declared the area as a “closed military zone” and prevented Palestinian civilians from approaching the area. The Israeli forces also arrested his brother Ayman while he was in the plot of land.
• At approximately 11:00 on Wednesday, 01 May 2019, Israeli forces accompanied with military vehicles, a vehicle of the Israeli Civil Administration and a bulldozer moved into al-Dirat village, east of Yatta, south of Hebron. The Israeli forces surrounded a house belonging to Jabreen Mahmoud al-‘Adrah (40) while the Israeli Civil Administration officers vacated the house contents. The 130-sqaure-mketer house was comprised of one floor and built with bricks. It sheltered 7 members, including 5 children. The family members were prevented from approaching the house after vacating it and then the Israeli bulldozers started to demolish it under the pretext of non-licensing.

 

Israeli settlers’ attacks:

• On Thursday, 25 April 2019, a group of Israeli settlers, under the Israeli forces’ protection, moved into Wadi al-Qut site, south of Beit Ummer, north of Hebron. The Israeli settlers performed their rituals and Talmudic prayers and no more events were reported.

 

• At approximately 17:30 on Sunday, 28 April 2019, a group of Israeli settlers, some of them were armed, attacked 3 Palestinian civilians while they were in their agricultural lands in al-Risan Mount area in the western area of Ras Karkar village, west of Ramallah. The settlers caught the 3 Palestinians identified as Wesam Ibrahim Matar (49), Zahid Jobran Mohamed Ishtaih (42), and Omar Suliman al-Deek (53). The settlers then beat them, causing bruises to their chest and lower limbs. Meanwhile, the village residents gathered and forced the settlers to leave. The wounded were then taken to Palestine Medical Complex in Ramallah to receive medical treatment.

 

• At approximately 05:00 on Wednesday, 01 May 2019, a large number of Israeli settlers, from “Assaf” settlement established on Burqa village lands, east of Ramallah, cut and damaged around 120 olive trees. Ibrahim Hasan Kan’an (55), one of the affected persons, said that at approximately 05:00, around 30 Israeli settlers cut the olive trees and their branches after damaging barbed wires and stone chains surrounding them. The settlers then leave the area and headed to the abovementioned settlement. The settlers cut around 120 olive trees planted 5 years ago and belong to Ibrahim Kan’an, ‘Abdullah Barakat and Yousef Kan’an.

 

• Recommendations to the International Community

 

PCHR warns of the escalating settlement construction in the West Bank, the attempts to legitimize settlement outposts established on Palestinian lands in the West Bank and the continued summary executions of Palestinian civilians under the pretext that they pose a security threat to the Israeli forces. PCHR reminds the international community that thousands of Palestinian civilians have been rendered homeless and lived in caravans under tragic circumstances due to the latest Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip that has been under a tight closure for almost 11 years. PCHR welcomes the UN Security Council’s Resolution No. 2334, which states that settlements are a blatant violation of the Geneva Conventions and calls upon Israel to stop them and not to recognize any demographic change in the oPt since 1967.  PCHR hopes this resolution will pave the way for eliminating the settlement crime and bring to justice those responsible for it. PCHR further reiterates that the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, are still under Israeli occupation in spite of Israel’s unilateral disengagement plan of 2005.  PCHR emphasizes that there is international recognition of Israel’s obligation to respect international human rights instruments and international humanitarian law.  Israel is bound to apply international human rights law and the law of war, sometimes reciprocally and other times in parallel, in a way that achieves the best protection for civilians and remedy for the victims.

1. PCHR calls upon the international community to respect the Security Council’s Resolution No. 2334 and to ensure that Israel respects it as well, in particular point 5 which obliges Israel not to deal with settlements as if they were part of Israel.
2. PCHR calls upon the ICC this year to open an investigation into Israeli crimes committed in the oPt, particularly the settlement crimes and the 2014 offensive on the Gaza Strip.
3. PCHR Calls upon the European Union (EU) and all international bodies to boycott settlements and ban working and investing in them in application of their obligations according to international human rights law and international humanitarian law considering settlements as a war crime.
4. PCHR calls upon the international community to use all available means to allow the Palestinian people to enjoy their right to self-determination through the establishment of the Palestinian State, which was recognized by the UN General Assembly with a vast majority, using all international legal mechanisms, including sanctions to end the occupation of the State of Palestine.
5. PCHR calls upon the international community and United Nations to take all necessary measures to stop Israeli policies aimed at creating a Jewish demographic majority in Jerusalem and at voiding Palestine from its original inhabitants through deportations and house demolitions as a collective punishment, which violates international humanitarian law, amounting to a crime against humanity.
6. PCHR calls upon the international community to condemn summary executions carried out by Israeli forces against Palestinians and to pressurize Israel to stop them.
7. PCHR calls upon the States Parties to the Rome Statute of the ICC to work hard to hold Israeli war criminals accountable.
8. PCHR calls upon the High Contracting Parties to the Geneva Conventions to fulfill their obligations under article (1) of the Convention to ensure respect for the Conventions under all circumstances, and under articles (146) and (147) to search for and prosecute those responsible for committing grave breaches of the Geneva Conventions to ensure justice and remedy for Palestinian victims, especially in light of the almost complete denial of justice for them before the Israeli judiciary.
9. PCHR calls upon the international community to speed up the reconstruction process necessary because of the destruction inflicted by the Israeli offensive on Gaza.
10. PCHR calls for a prompt intervention to compel the Israeli authorities to lift the closure that obstructs the freedom of movement of goods and 1.8 million civilians that experience unprecedented economic, social, political and cultural hardships due to collective punishment policies and retaliatory action against civilians.
11. PCHR calls upon the European Union to apply human rights standards embedded in the EU-Israel Association Agreement and to respect its obligations under the European Convention on Human Rights when dealing with Israel.
12. PCHR calls upon the international community, especially states that import Israeli weapons and military services, to meet their moral and legal responsibility not to allow Israel to use the offensive in Gaza to test new weapons and not accept training services based on the field experience in Gaza in order to avoid turning Palestinian civilians in Gaza into testing objects for Israeli weapons and military tactics.
13. PCHR calls upon the parties to international human rights instruments, especially the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), to pressurize Israel to comply with its provisions in the oPt and to compel it to incorporate the human rights situation in the oPt in its reports submitted to the relevant committees.
14. PCHR calls upon the EU and international human rights bodies to pressurize the Israeli forces to stop their attacks against Palestinian fishermen and farmers, mainly in the border area.

 

 

 

…………………………………………………………

Public Document

For further information please visit our website www.pchrgaza.org or contact PCHR’s office in Gaza City, Gaza Strip by email pchr@pchrgaza.org or telephone +972 08 282 4776 – 282 5893

The Mossad Hit List & the Men behind Gaza’s Rockets

Darko Lazar

There is no shortage of reasons why “Israel’s” most recent ground incursion into the Gaza Strip does not exactly scream ‘mission accomplished’.

Requiring air support to make its way out of the Palestinian enclave, the “Israeli” special forces team failed to return to home base without sustaining casualties.

Still, the world’s headlines preferred to focus on Palestinian deaths, and none more so than that of senior Hamas commander Nour Baraka.

From there, the rest of the story pretty much wrote itself.

An “Israeli” hit team infiltrated Gaza to kill a member of the Ezzedeen al-Qassam Brigades, who was supposedly in charge of underground tunnels that stretch from Khan Yunis into Egypt.

But not everyone bought this version of events.

Al-Jazeera’s Wael Dahdouh quickly made his way to the scene of the crime, and later said the “Israelis” “planned something much bigger here, and did not succeed.”

Nour Baraka’s role in maintaining and overseeing Hamas’ infrastructure in Khan Yunis was undoubtedly important. But it was his family tree that likely made him a point of interest for the “Israelis”.

Baraka’s brother, Suleiman, has a PhD in Astronomy and Space Sciences. A recipient of prestigious Western awards, he is formally an employee of NASA. After the “Israelis” martyred his 11-year-old boy in 2008, he made his way back to Gaza where he now works as a college professor.

Dr. Suleiman Baraka’s craft is closely related to astrophysics, aerospace engineering, astronautics, making him an ideal candidate for engineering and modernizing rocket technology.

According to unconfirmed reports, Nour Baraka was martyred after he approached and confronted the occupants of a suspicious van parked outside his home.

Although it is difficult to ascertain who the “Israeli” operatives were actually waiting for, the Gaza incursion follows a string of assassinations targeting the brains behind Hamas’ rocket capabilities.

From Masyaf to Kuala Lumpur

Just three short months before the latest flare-up in Gaza, the government in Damascus accused “Israel’s” Mossad of assassinating Syrian scientist Dr. Aziz Asbar. He was martyred in Syria’s northwestern city of Masyaf when his car exploded.

Dr. Asbar was one of the directors at the Syrian Scientific Research Center [SSRC], where he headed Department 4, which focuses on the development of all of Syria’s ballistic missile and rocket programs.

Syrian rockets have been prominently featured across the battlefields of occupied Palestine throughout the years – most recently so in 2014, when Palestinian resistance factions unleashed the surface-to-surface, M-302s against “Israeli” cities.

The M-302, the range of which varies from 90 kilometers to at least 150, was also fired at “Israel” by Hezbollah in 2006, albeit under the name of Khaibar-1.

Hezbollah would later receive a delivery of the more advanced, Syrian-made M600s, which Dr. Asbar is personally credited with modernizing.

Not surprisingly perhaps, “Israel’s” Intelligence Minister “Israel Katz” did not mince his words when asked about the Mossad’s alleged involvement in Asbar’s murder.

“I welcome his departure from the world,” Katz said in an interview with “Israel’s” Army Radio.

Katz likely welcomed the departure of another Syrian officer, Ahmad Issa Habib, who was said to be in charge of the army’s “Palestine Department”.

The Syrian military intelligence operative was shot in the head by unknown assailants less than a month after Dr. Asbar’s death.

It is only logical to assume that Habib was extensively involved in the transfer of both information and military hardware to Palestinian Resistance factions. 

Sadly, the string of targeted assassinations is not confined to military personnel.

In April of this year, a Palestinian scholar and scientist, Fadi al-Batsh was mowed down in a drive-by shooting in the Malaysian capital of Kuala Lumpur.

The 35-year-old Hamas member was an electrical engineer that top Malaysian officials later described as “an expert at making rockets”.

Al-Batsh’s family also accused the Mossad of carrying out the killing.

Indecision and panic grips “Israel”  

During a brief, two-day battle in the immediate aftermath of Nour Baraka’s death, the “Israelis” gave every indication that they were gearing up for yet another full-scale ground war in Gaza.

Avigdor Liberman’s sudden departure from the “Israeli” cabinet over the truce with Hamas is perhaps the most convincing evidence that his men were itching to go after Gaza’s supply lines and rocket stockpile.

So many things, however, went wrong. For starters, the “Israelis” botched the first phase of the operation, as their hit squad was discovered and likely failed to eliminate the designated target.

Then, more sophisticated rocket attacks began inflicting losses on “Israeli” troops, including one that struck a busload of soldiers.

Such failures have clearly restrained Tel Aviv, causing serious reservations about another Gaza war.

More importantly, the “Israeli” military can no longer be certain about what to expect from the other side of the Gaza frontier, prompting more daring assassinations across the Middle East and beyond.

But that’s not all. This strategy also clearly exposes a growing sense of panic in “Israel” about the increasingly likely prospect of being surrounded by long-range, modernized rocket systems. With this behavior trend of someone who has been backed into a corner through failure, there’s plenty of reasons to believe that the “Israelis” with continue to make some fairly rash moves under such duress.

Source: Al-Ahed News

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Unbelievable Jewish terrorism, snipers ordered to shoot children, israeli general confirms

Snipers Ordered to Shoot Children, Israeli General Confirms

Ali Abunimah Rights and Accountability 22 April 2018

Israeli Brigadier-General (Reserve) Zvika Fogel (Wikipedia)

An Israeli general has confirmed that when snipers stationed along Israel’s boundary with Gaza shoot at children, they are doing so deliberately, under clear and specific orders.

In a radio interview, Brigadier-General (Reserve) Zvika Fogel describes how a sniper identifies the “small body” of a child and is given authorization to shoot.

Fogel’s statements could be used as evidence of intent if Israeli leaders are ever tried for war crimes at the International Criminal Court.

On Friday, an Israeli sniper shot dead 14-year-old Muhammad Ibrahim Ayyoub.

The boy, shot in the head east of Jabaliya, was the fourth child among the more than 30 Palestinians killed during the Great March of Return rallies that began in Gaza on 30 March.

More than 1,600 other Palestinians have been shot with live ammunition that has caused what doctors are calling “horrific injuries” likely to leave many of them with permanent disabilities.

As eyewitnesses and video confirmed, the child Muhammad Ayyoub posed no conceivable danger to heavily armed Israeli occupation forces stationed dozens of meters away behind fences and earthen fortifications on the other side of the Gaza boundary when he was killed.

Even the usually timid United Nations peace process envoy Nickolay Mladenov publicly declared that the slaying was “outrageous.”

Targeting children

On Saturday, Brigadier-General Fogel was interviewed by Ron Nesiel on the Israeli public radio network Kan.

Fogel is the former chief of staff of the Israeli army’s “southern command,” which includes the occupied Gaza Strip.

Ahmad Tibi, a Palestinian lawmaker in Israel’s parliament, drew attention to the interview in a tweet.

A recording of the interview is online (it begins at 6:52). The interview was translated for The Electronic Intifada by Dena Shunra and a full transcript follows this article.

The host Ron Nesiel asks Fogel if the Israeli army should “rethink its use of snipers,” and suggests that someone giving orders “lowered the bar for using live fire.”

Fogel adamantly defends the policy, stating: “At the tactical level, any person who gets close to the fence, anyone who could be a future threat to the border of the State of Israel and its residents, should bear a price for that violation.”

He adds: “If this child or anyone else gets close to the fence in order to hide an explosive device or check if there are any dead zones there or to cut the fence so someone could infiltrate the territory of the State of Israel to kill us …”

“Then his punishment is death?” Nesiel interjects.

“His punishment is death,” the general responds. “As far as I’m concerned then yes, if you can only shoot him to stop him, in the leg or arm – great. But if it’s more than that then, yes, you want to check with me whose blood is thicker, ours or theirs.”

Fogel then describes the careful process by which targets – including children – are identified and shot:

“I know how these orders are given. I know how a sniper does the shooting. I know how many authorizations he needs before he receives an authorization to open fire. It is not the whim of one or the other sniper who identifies the small body of a child now and decides he’ll shoot. Someone marks the target for him very well and tells him exactly why one has to shoot and what the threat is from that individual. And to my great sorrow, sometimes when you shoot at a small body and you intended to hit his arm or shoulder, it goes even higher.”

For “it goes even higher,” Fogel uses a Hebrew idiom also meaning “it costs even more.”

In this chilling statement, in which a general talks about snipers targeting the “small body of a child,” Fogel makes crystal clear that this policy is premeditated and deliberate.

While presenting unarmed Palestinian children as dangerous terrorists worthy of death, Fogel describes the snipers killing them in cold blood as the innocent, vulnerable parties who deserve protection.

“We have soldiers there, our children, who were sent out and receive very accurate instructions about whom to shoot to protect us. Let’s back them up,” he says.

Lethal policy

Fogel’s statements are no aberration but represent Israeli policy.

“Israeli officials made it clear that the open-fire regulations would permit lethal fire at anyone attempting to damage the fence, and even at any person coming within 300 meters of it,” the Israeli human rights group B’Tselem stated in a recent analysis of Israel’s illegal targeting of unarmed civilians who pose no threat.

“Nevertheless, all state and military officials have steadfastly refused to cancel the unlawful orders and continue to issue – and justify – them,” B’Tselem added.

B’Tselem has called on individual soldiers to defy such illegal orders.

Following its investigation of the “calculated” killings of unarmed demonstrators on 30 March, the first day of the Great March of Return rallies in Gaza, Human Rights Watch concluded that the lethal crackdown was “planned at [the] highest levels of the Israeli government.”

Two weeks ago, the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court issued an unprecedented warning that Israeli leaders may face trial for the killings of unarmed Palestinian protesters in the Gaza Strip.

Potential defendants would be giving any prosecutor a gift with such open admissions that killing unarmed people in an occupied territory who pose no objective threat is their policy and intent.

The question remains whether anything will finally pierce the shield of impunity that Israel has enjoyed for 70 years.

Full Transcript

Brigadier-General (Res.) Zvika Fogel interviewed on the Yoman Hashevua program of Israel’s Kan radio, 21 April 2018.

Ron Nesiel: Greetings Brigadier General (Res.) Zvika Fogel. Should the IDF [Israeli army] rethink its use of snipers? There’s the impression that maybe someone lowered the bar for using live fire, and this may be the result?

Zvika Fogel: Ron, let’s maybe look at this matter on three levels. At the tactical level that we all love dealing with, the local one, also at the level of values, and with your permission, we will also rise up to the strategic level. At the tactical level, any person who gets close to the fence, anyone who could be a future threat to the border of the State of Israel and its residents, should bear a price for that violation. If this child or anyone else gets close to the fence in order to hide an explosive device or check if there are any dead zones there or to cut the fence so someone could infiltrate the territory of the State of Israel to kill us …

Nesiel: Then, then his punishment is death?

Fogel: His punishment is death. As far as I’m concerned then yes, if you can only shoot him to stop him, in the leg or arm – great. But if it’s more than that then, yes, you want to check with me whose blood is thicker, ours or theirs. It is clear to you that if one such person will manage to cross the fence or hide an explosive device there …

Nesiel: But we were taught that live fire is only used when the soldiers face immediate danger.

Fogel: Come, let’s move over to the level of values. Assuming that we understood the tactical level, as we cannot tolerate a crossing of our border or a violation of our border, let’s proceed to the level of values. I am not Ahmad Tibi, I am Zvika Fogel. I know how these orders are given. I know how a sniper does the shooting. I know how many authorizations he needs before he receives an authorization to open fire. It is not the whim of one or the other sniper who identifies the small body of a child now and decides he’ll shoot. Someone marks the target for him very well and tells him exactly why one has to shoot and what the threat is from that individual. And to my great sorrow, sometimes when you shoot at a small body and you intended to hit his arm or shoulder it goes even higher. The picture is not a pretty picture. But if that’s the price that we have to pay to preserve the safety and quality of life of the residents of the State of Israel, then that’s the price. But now, with your permission, let us go up one level and look at the overview. It is clear to you that Hamas is fighting for consciousness at the moment. It is clear to you and to me …

Nesiel: Is it hard for them to do? Aren’t we providing them with sufficient ammunition in this battle?

Fogel: We’re providing them but …

Nesiel: Because it does not do all that well for us, those pictures that are distributed around the world.

Fogel: Look, Ron, we’re even terrible at it. There’s nothing to be done, David always looks better against Goliath. And in this case, we are the Goliath. Not the David. That is entirely clear to me. But let’s look at it at the strategic level: you and I and a large part of the listeners are clear that this will not end up in demonstrations. It is clear to us that Hamas can’t continue to tolerate the fact that its rockets are not managing to hurt us, its tunnels are eroding …

Nesiel: Yes.

Fogel: And it doesn’t have too many suicide bombers who continue to believe the fairytale about the virgins waiting up there. It will drag us into a war. I do not want to be on the side that gets dragged. I want to be on the side that initiates things. I do not want to wait for the moment where it finds a weak spot and attacks me there. If tomorrow morning it gets into a military base or a kibbutz and kills people there and takes prisoners of war or hostages, call it as you like, we’re in a whole new script. I want the leaders of Hamas to wake up tomorrow morning and for the last time in their life see the smiling faces of the IDF. That’s what I want to have happen. But we are dragged along. So we’re putting snipers up because we want to preserve the values we were educated by. We can’t always take a single picture and put it before the whole world. We have soldiers there, our children, who were sent out and receive very accurate instructions about whom to shoot to protect us. Let’s back them up.

Nesiel: Brigadier-General (Res.) Zvika Fogel, formerly Head of the Southern Command Staff, thank you for your words.

Fogel: May you only hear good news. Thank you.

Gaza: A Concentration Camp of 1.5 Million People

Source

By Jean Shaoul,

Israel mounts fresh military assault on Gaza

Israeli forces attacked 18 targets in the Gaza Strip belonging to Hamas, which controls the besieged enclave, in the second such action over the weekend.

The strikes followed an explosion during a demonstration of Palestinians on the southern border with Israel Saturday that injured four Israeli soldiers. The Israeli military shot and killed two Palestinian teenagers in response. It was the worst such border incident since Israel’s war against Gaza in 2014 and portends a broader offensive.

None of the militant groups in Gaza has claimed responsibility for the explosion. Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Lieberman accused the Popular Resistance Committees, one of the smaller armed groups in Gaza, of detonating the bomb. Nevertheless, as always Israel holds Hamas, the Islamist national bourgeois party that controls Gaza, responsible for the attack.

For months, there have been almost weekly demonstrations against Israel’s blockade of Gaza and the deteriorating economic conditions. Last December, tensions rose after US President Donald Trump recognised Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. Earlier this year, Gaza’s traders closed in protest over the deteriorating situation.

Israel’s Army Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot warned the cabinet recently that tensions were rising due to the worsening humanitarian crisis, that demonstrations were increasing in size and that an incident along the fence could spark an escalation of hostilities. His purpose was to get cabinet approval for harsh measures to deal with the crisis in the face of Gaza’s economic collapse.

Conditions in Gaza, a narrow coastal strip on the Egyptian-Israeli border, after 11 years of living under a land, sea and air blockade, are hellish.

Last year, a United Nations report stated that the living conditions for two million Palestinians had deteriorated “further and faster” than the prediction made in 2012 that the enclave would become “unlivable” by 2020. Large numbers of people are destitute. Forty-six percent of the population are without work. Sixty five percent live on $1.90 or less a day. This collapse in purchasing power has led to a huge drop in the number of trucks entering Gaza with food and equipment—from 800-1,200 a day to just 300.

Power shortages mean that most Palestinians are lucky if they get four hours of electricity a day. There is not enough power to pump sewage, so 95 percent of Gaza’s drinking water is not fit to drink. The coastal aquifer is almost unusable and will soon be irreversibly-depleted unless remedial action is taken.

The health system is collapsing, medical supplies are dwindling and clinics are closing, causing untold suffering and unnecessary deaths. Unable to get treatment in Gaza for complicated or chronic medical problems, many seek treatment in Egypt, Israel, the West Bank or Jordan. Yet last year, Israel granted just 54 percent of 25,000 applications for travel permits in time for patients to attend their scheduled appointments, down from 92 percent in 2012. As a result, at least 54 people died in 2017 waiting for visas.

Children are in school for just four hours a day.

There is no escape from this open-air prison. Israel has surrounded the Gaza Strip with a high-tech barrier and spent almost $1 billion building an underground-barrier project to seal its border to the attack tunnels into Israel. It controls two of the three exit points, while Egypt controls the third. Last year, Israel issued one-third of the number of exit visas issued two years earlier and just one percent of the number in early 2000. Movement between the two Palestinian territories, Gaza and the West Bank, in either direction is all but impossible.

The economic and social plight of the two million Palestinians living in the tiny enclave has been dire ever since Israel, with the full support of the US, European Union and the Fatah-controlled Palestinian Authority (PA)—particularly since 2013—imposed a blockade on Gaza. Jordan, by imposing strict transit conditions on Gazans, and Egypt, which controls the Rafah crossing, have played a key role in the siege.

The siege of Gaza was mounted following the unexpected victory of Hamas over Fatah in the January 2006 elections which the major powers had intended as a means of strengthening the hand of Mahmoud Abbas, Fatah leader and PA President. Winning 44 percent of the vote in the West Bank and Gaza, compared to Fatah’s 41 percent, Hamas took 74 of the 132-seat Palestinian Legislative Council.

Hamas’ election victory was the result of widespread disgust at Fatah’s corruption and subservience to Israel. The Oslo Accords, which Hamas had earlier opposed, had brought wealth for a few and unemployment, poverty and military oppression for the majority, while the Israeli settlements on land to be included in any future state had increased.

Despite Hamas’ willingness to accept some form of a “two state solution” and take a minority role in a coalition with Fatah, Israel and the US rejected this. They demanded Hamas abandon its three core tenets and renounce the use of arms, recognise Israel and sign up to the Oslo Accords in return for international recognition of a Hamas-controlled PA, or face an international boycott. The other members of the Quartet, the UN, European Union and Russia, soon fell in line with Washington’s demands, and the EU too cut its aid to the PA.

The US and Israel were determined to prevent any attempts by Fatah and Hamas to reach an agreement, deepening the split between the two factions in order to divide and rule, while increasing Hamas’ economic dependence on Qatar and Iran.

In June 2006, Israel launched an attack on Gaza, knocking out its power station, making Gaza increasingly dependent on Israel for its electricity and precipitating daily power cuts lasting for hours at a time. Israel tightened its blockade on Gaza after Hamas forestalled and defeated an attempted coup by Fatah in a brief but brutal civil war in June 2007. Three military assaults on Gaza in 2008-09, 2012 and 2014 killed 1,417, 147 and 2,250 Palestinians respectively, and destroyed much of Gaza’s basic infrastructure together with tens of thousands of homes. Around 90,000 of the 500,000 people displaced by the 2014 assault remain displaced or homeless.

The blockade worsened after the military coup in Egypt that toppled the Muslim Brotherhood-led government of Mohammed Morsi and the clampdown on the Brotherhood and Hamas—a Brotherhood affiliate—by the military junta of Abdul Fattah el-Sisi.

El-Sisi closed Egypt’s border crossing at Rafah and forced Hamas to close the tunnels between Gaza and Egypt that had provided a means of circumventing Israel’s blockade and a source of income, by taxing the goods brought in, for Hamas.

Last year, Abbas imposed further hardship on Gaza. He stopped paying Israel for fuel for Gaza’s power station and electrical transmission into the Gaza Strip and ended or cut salary payments to thousands of public sector workers. This was to force Hamas into “reconciliation” talks with Fatah that culminated in a Cairo-brokered agreement in October. But the talks have stalled and the promised relief has failed to materialise.

In October, the World Food Programme announced a cutback in its food voucher programme in Gaza due to a budget shortfall.

Earlier this year, the Trump administration withheld $65 million in funding for the United Nations Relief and Work Agency (UNRWA), which supports some 1.2 million in Gaza, as well as $45 million in food aid in the West Bank and Gaza that it had promised for an emergency UNRWA appeal.

UNRWA has for decades provided key social services as well as a vital lifeline for the poorest Palestinians. Now that too has gone and the viability of the agency itself is in question.

*

Featured image is from Defend Democracy Press.

The original source of this article is Defend Democracy Press

Netanyahu Under Fire for 2014 Gaza War

Local Editor

24-01-2017 | 13:51

A report that could be damaging to “Israeli” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu given how he managed the 2014 war in Gaza is likely to be published in the coming days, after regime members of a Knesset subcommittee said they would vote on Tuesday to make the report public.

After “Kulanu” MK Merav Ben-Ari, one of the three regime members of the subcommittee, said on Sunday that she would vote in favor of publishing the document, coalition chairman MK David Bitan said on Monday that he and the prime minister were in favor of publishing the report as well.

One of the critical sections of the report drafted by the comptroller deals with concerns that the security cabinet was not warned by the prime minister, the war minister or the “Israeli” Occupation Forces [IOF] chief of staff of the threat posed to the “Israeli” entity by Hamas’ tunnel network ahead of the 55-day “Operation Protective Edge” in Gaza in the summer of 2014.

It is also believed that the report criticizes the same trio for failing to warn the security cabinet that the chance of war with Hamas was high, and for not providing sufficient information during the operation.

A public letter issued earlier this week by families of 55 soldiers who were killed during the war put pressure on the government to publish the document.

According to “Israeli” website The Jerusalem Post, Ben-Ari said she had not received any direct pressure against publishing the document.

However, she acknowledged, “the way things were going [it looked like] publication would be prevented, but when we got to the moment of truth, however, everyone understood that the professional issues were more important than the political ones”.

The “Israeli” MK stressed on the importance to publish the document because it will have an impact on all “Israelis”, saying that “At the end of the day, the security cabinet needs to know what’s happening ahead of time and [to be able] to prepare for the next operation.”

Ben-Ari said it was “the right of the public to know how the senior leadership of the state acts in such an important time,” and that the report would be crucial in guiding the IOF and the security cabinet in conducting any future wars and operations in Gaza.

She also noted that the report is critical of the prime minister, the war minister and then-IOF chief of staff Benny Gantz, but would not be withheld based on the potential political impact the report might have.

Ben-Ari, together with Bitan and Shas MK Ya’acov Margi, are the coalition members on the subcommittee of the Knesset State Comptroller’s committee, together with subcommittee chairwoman MK Karin Elharar [Yesh Atid] and MK Eyal Ben Reuven [Zionist Union].

It is not yet clear if the section on the security cabinet will be published immediately, or if publication will on the decisions made on whether to publicize two other sections of the report, which will be passed to the subcommittee later this week.

Ahead of Tuesday’s vote, MKs from the entire political spectrum called on the committee members to vote in favor of exposing it to the public.

Yesh Atid chairman Yair Lapid, who was the “Israeli” entity’s so-called finance minister and a cabinet member during the operation, said in the party faction meeting on Monday that political considerations should not guide the panel members.

“There are already attempts to prevent the publication of the report,” Lapid said. “As someone who knows the details of it and testified in the comptroller’s office more than once – this report should be revealed.”

Lapid also addressed Netanyahu’s concerns in opening the report to the public. “The Prime Minister’s Office is afraid of the report because it shows severe failures.”

Bennett also expressed his support of exposing the details of the report, but added that it should be taken as constructive criticism.

“We should not ignore the ‘Protective Edge’ report but also [should] not make it a reason for [political] beheading,” Bennett said on Monday. “We should learn from it in order to change our security world view from inclusive to defeating; from dragging it over 50 days to winning in five.

“Only exposing the details will provide us a way to move forward,” Bennett added.

Zionist Union co-chairwoman Tzipi Livni, who served as so-called “justice” minister in the cabinet during “Operation Protective Edge”, echoed the notion that the report should be revealed according to the wishes of the bereaved settler families.

“I was in the cabinet during the operation,” she said. “But I wasn’t among those who leaked [details of meetings] to the media, and I will not do so now from the opposition. But the families and the public have the right to know exactly what happened, in order to create a constructive discussion about it.”

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team

 

 

Weekly report on israel’s terrorism against the State of Palestine

Weekly Report On Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (01 – 07 December 2016)

Israeli forces continue systematic crimes in the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt)

(01 – 07 December 2016)

 

• Israeli forces continued to use excessive force in the oPt
• A Palestinian civilian was wounded in the east of Gaza City, while another was wounded in the east of Bethlehem.

 

• Israeli forces conducted 49 incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank and 10 ones in occupied Jerusalem.
• 51 civilians, including 4 children, were arrested.
• Sixteen of them, including 2 children, were arrested in occupied Jerusalem.

 

• Israeli forces continued to target Palestinian fishermen in the Gaza Strip Sea.
• 6 fishermen were arrested in the northern Gaza Strip and a fishing boat was confiscated.

 

• Israeli forces continued their efforts to create Jewish majority in occupied East Jerusalem.
• Israeli forces forced two brothers to self-demolish their houses in Silwan

 

• Settlement activities continued in the West Bank.
• Israeli forces demolished 3 dwellings in Fasayel village, north of Jericho, rendering 21 individuals homeless, including 12 children.
• Israeli forces stopped paving an agricultural road in Jaloud village, southeast of Nablus.
• Settlers levelled 40 dunums, southeast of Nablus, to expand the borders of “Yesh Kodish” outpost.

 

• Israeli forces turned the West Bank into cantons and continued to impose the illegal closure on the Gaza Strip for the 9^th
• Dozens of temporary checkpoints were established in the West Bank and others were re-established to obstruct the movement of Palestinian civilians.
• 5 Palestinian civilians, including 2 children, were arrested at military checkpoints.
• A trader was arrested at Beit Hanoun “Erez” crossing in the northern Gaza Strip.

 

 

Summary

 

Israeli violations of international law and international humanitarian law in the oPt continued during the reporting period (01 – 07 December 2016).

 

Shooting:

 

Israeli forces have continued to commit crimes, inflicting civilian casualties. They have also continued to use excessive force against Palestinian civilians participating in peaceful protests in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, the majority of whom were youngsters. During the reporting period, Israeli forces wounded 2 Palestinian civilians in the West Bank and Gaza strip.

 

In the West Bank, Israeli forces stationed at Mazmouriyah checkpoint, east of Bethlehem, opened fire at worker Mousa Dababsah (28) from Yata, south of Hebron when he was on his way to his workplace in occupied Jerusalem.  as a result, he was wounded with a bullet to the left foot.

 

In the Gaza Strip, in the context of targeting Palestinian fishermen in the sea, on 01 December 2016, Israeli gunboats stationed off Khan Younis Shore in the southern Gaza Strip, heavily opened fire in the vicinity of Palestinian fishing boats within the allowed fishing area.

 

On 04 December 2016, Israeli gunboats stationed offshore, northwest of Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip, opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats.  They surrounded a fishing boat manned by two brother namely Shafiq (27) and Sa’adi al-Sultan.  The Israeli soldiers ordered them to take off their clothes, jump into the water and swim towards the gunboat.  They were then arrested and taken to an unknown destination.  Meanwhile, the boat and fishing net were confiscated.  On 06 December 2016, in a similar attack, Israeli forces arrested 4 fishermen and confiscated their boat.  The four fishermen were identified as Majed Baker (55); his son ‘Omran (32); Mohammed Baker (31) and Khalil (26).

 

On 05 December 2016, Israeli gunboats stationed off Rafah shore in the southern Gaza Strip opened fire at fishing boats sailing in the sea in the morning and afternoon.  However, no casualties were reported.

 

Incursions:

 

During the reporting period, Israeli forces conducted at least 49 military incursions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank and 10 others in occupied Jerusalem and its suburbs. During these incursions, Israeli forces arrested at least 51 Palestinian civilians, including 4 children. Sixteen of them, including 2 children, were arrested in occupied Jerusalem.

 

Creating Jewish majority in occupied East Jerusalem:

 

In the context of house demolitions, on 03 December 2016, Israeli forces forced two brothers namely Sa’id and Naser al-‘Abbasi to self-demolish their houses in Silwan village, south of occupied East Jerusalem’s Old City, upon a decision by the Israeli Municipality Court under the pretext of building on a “Greenland”.  The two aforementioned civilians built their houses two and a half years ago on an area of 300 square meters and intended to live in them with their families, comprised of 12 members; half of them are children.

 

Settlement activities and settlers’ attacks against Palestinian civilians and their property:

 

On 04 December 2016, Israeli forces prevented paving a 500-meter agircutural road in the eastern side of Jaloud village, southeast of Nablus.  The rehabilitation is part of a rehabilitation of agricultural roads project in the areas near settlements.  The project is funded by the Italian Civil Volunteer Group (GVC) in cooperation with the international French Relief.

 

On 06 December 2016, Israeli forces demolished 3 dwellings in Central Fasayel village, north of Jericho, rendering 21 individuals homeless, including 12 children.

 

In the same context, on 06 December 2016, settlers from “Yesh Kodish” outpost established oon Palestinian lands, southeast of Nablus, levelled an agricultural land belonging to heirs of late Ahmed Naser Haj Mohammed to expand the borders of the aforementioned outpost.  The 40-dunum land is located in the eastern side of Jaloud village,

 

Restrictions on movement:

 

Israel continued to impose a tight closure of the oPt, imposing severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem.

 

The illegal closure of the Gaza Strip, which has been steadily tightened since June 2007 has had a disastrous impact on the humanitarian and economic situation in the Gaza Strip.  The Israeli authorities impose measures to undermine the freedom of trade, including the basic needs for the Gaza Strip population and the agricultural and industrial products to be exported. For 9 consecutive years, Israel has tightened the land and naval closure to isolate the Gaza Strip from the West Bank, including occupied Jerusalem, and other countries around the world. This resulted in grave violations of the economic, social and cultural rights and a deterioration of living conditions for 2 million people.  The Israeli authorities have established Karm Abu Salem (Kerem Shaloum) as the sole crossing for imports and exports in order to exercise its control over the Gaza Strip’s economy.  They also aim at imposing a complete ban on the Gaza Strip’s exports. The Israeli closure raised the rate of poverty to 65%. Moreover, the rate of unemployment increased up to 47% and youth constitutes 65% of the unemployed persons.  Moreover, 80% of the Gaza Strip population depends on international aid to secure their minimum daily needs. These rates indicate the unprecedented economic deterioration in the Gaza Strip.

 

In the West Bank, Israeli forces continued to suffocate the Palestinian cities and village by imposing military checkpoints around and/or between them. This created “cantons” isolated from each other that hinders the movement of civilians. Moreover, the Palestinian civilians suffering aggravated because of the annexation wall and checkpoints erected on daily basis to catch Palestinians.

 

 

Details

 

1. Incursions into Palestinian Areas, and Attacks on Palestinian Civilians and Property in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip

 

Thursday, 01 December 2016

 

• At approximately 02:40, Israeli forces moved into Azoun ‘Etmah village, southeast of Qalqiliyah. They raided and searched 4 houses after which they arrested 5 civilians and took them to an unknown destination. The arrested civilians were identified as Fahed Ali Saleh Fawzi al-Sheikh (30), Mahdi Saleh Fawzi al-Sheikh (34), Alaa’ Ismail al-Sheikh (28) and the two brothers Anas (23) and Abed Jaser Othman Essa (23). Israeli forces claimed that the abovementioned civilians were arrested on grounds of smuggling Palestinian workers to work in Israel via their personal cars.

 

• At approximately 03:00, Israeli forces moved into Beit Ummer village, north of Hebron. They raided and searched a house belonging to Bassam Badawi Ekhleil (52) after locking the 10-member family in one room. Later, Israeli forces withdrew from the village, but no arrests were reported.

 

• At approximately 07:00, Israeli forces stationed at “Mazmuria” checkpoint adjacent to al-Khas and al-Nu’man villages, east of Bethlehem, opened fire at Mousa Mohammed Dababsah (28) from Yatta, south of Hebron, while going to his work in Jerusalem. As a result, he sustained a live bullet wound to the left foot. Mohammed Awad, Director of Emergency Medical Services in PRCS, said that Mousa was hit with a live bullet to the left foot. He added that the Israeli forces handed him to the PRCS ambulance at the checkpoint, where he received first aid and then transferred to Beit Jala Governmental Hospital to receive medical treatment. His medical condition was classified as stable.

 

• At approximately 19:30, Israeli gunboats stationed off Khan Yunis Shore, south of the Gaza strip, heavily opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats sailing within the allowed fishing area. As a result, fishermen were forced to flee for fear of being arrested or wounded, so no casualties were reported.

 

• Note: During the aforementioned day, Israeli forces conducted (3) incursions in the following areas and no arrests were reported: Surif, Sa’ir an al-Thaheriyah villages in Hebron.

 

Friday, 02 December 2016

 

• In the early morning, Israeli forces moved into Silwad village, northeast of Ramallah. They raided and searched a number of houses. They arrested Malek Maher Hamed (18), Taher Akram Hamed (18) and Muhanad Abdul Halim Shabrawi (17) and later withdrew taking them to an unknown destination.
• At approximately 02:30, Israeli forces moved into Beit Ummer village, north of Hebron. They raided and searched 2 houses and then handed summonses to 2 civilians in order to refer to the Israeli Intelligence in “Gush Etzion” settlement complex, south of Bethlehem. The abovementioned civilians were identified as Omer Ahmed Ayad Awad (32) and Mohammed Muhsem al-Za’aqiq (40). They also raided and searched a house belonging to Ibrahim Ali Aqel Ekhleil. They later withdrew from the village, and no arrests were reported.

 

Note: During the aforementioned day, Israeli forces conducted (4) incursions in the following areas and no arrests were reported: Rumanah village, west of Jenin; Ethna and Deir al-‘Asal villages and al-Aroub refugee camp in Hebron.

 

Saturday, 03 December 2016

 

• At approximately 01:30, Israeli forces moved into al-‘Aroub refugee camp, north of Hebron. They raided and searched a house belonging to Jaber Abdul Karim (55). They handed him a summons to refer to the Israeli Intelligence services in “Gush Etzion” settlement complex, south of Bethlehem.

 

• Note: During the aforementioned day, Israeli forces conducted (3) incursions in the following areas and no arrests were reported: Sa’ir and Kurmah villages in Hebron and Hawarah village, south of Nablus.

 

Sunday, 04 December 2016

 

• In the early morning, Israeli forces moved into al-Mazra’ah al-Qebliyah village, northwest of Ramallah. They raided and searched a number of houses. They arrested Mo’men Mohammed Shraiteh (18) and Ali Sufian Buyoud (18) and later withdrew taking them to an unknown destination.

 

• At approximately 03:00, Israeli forces moved into al-Aroub refugee camp, north of Hebron. They raided and searched a house belonging to Fathi Zuhdi Muhfouz (19) and then arrested him.

 

• At approximately 11:00, Israeli gunboats stationed northwest of al-Wahah shore, northwest of Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip, opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats. Three Israeli large gunboats surrounded a fishing boat belonging to Tawfiq Mustafa Ahmed al-Sultan (41). The boat was manned by the aforementioned civilian’s brothers; Shafiq (27) and Sa’di (31), form al-Salatin neighbourhood. They were sailing within 800 meters offshore. The navy soldiers ordered the fishermen to take off their clothes, jump into the water and swim towards the Israeli gunboat. They arrested the fishermen and confiscated their boat and 10 pieces of fishing net.
• Note: During the aforementioned day, Israeli forces conducted (4) incursions in the following areas and no arrests were reported: Eskaka village, east of Salfit, al-Samou’ and Bani Na’im villages in Hebron and Azoun village, east of Qalqiliyah .

 

Monday, 05 December 2016

 

• At approximately 02:00, Israeli forces moved into Beit Fajjar village, south of Bethlehem. They raided and searched a house belonging to Saher Nafeth Thawabtah (24) and then arrested him.

 

• At approximately 02:30, Israeli forces moved into Jales Mount area, east of Hebron. They raided and searched a number of houses and then arrested Atiyah al- Zaru al-Tamimi (42) and his son Kefah (20).

 

• At approximately 03:00, Israeli forces moved into Qabatiya village, south of Jenin. They raided and searched a number of houses and then arrested Loa’y Zayan Zakarnah (18), Mousa Abdul Salam Kamil (21) and Mahmud Abu Ein Abu al-Rub (20). At approximately 05:30, they withdrew taking them to an unknown destination

 

• At approximately 09:00, Israeli gunboats stationed off Rafah shore, in the southern Gaza Strip, opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats and chased them. At approximately 17:00, the shooting recurred. As a result, fishermen were forced to flee for fear of being arrested or wounded, so no casualties were reported.

 

• At approximately 12:30, Israeli forces moved into Deir Netham village, northwest of Ramallah. The soldiers fired live bullets, sound bombs and tear gas canisters at school students and other civilians. As a result, a number of them suffered tear gas inhalation. It should be noted that the Israeli forces have imposed a closure for two weeks at the entrances to the village and used cement cubes to close them. This was due to the fire broke out in “Halamish” settlement established on the lands of Deir Netham and al-Nabi Saleh villages.

 

• Note: During the aforementioned day, Israeli forces conducted (4) incursions in the following areas and no arrests were reported: Rummanah village, west of Jenin; Sa’ir village and al-Aroub refugee camp in Hebron and Azoun village, east of Qalqiliyah.

 

Tuesday, 06 December 2016

 

• At approximately 01:00, Israeli forces moved into Nablus. They raided and searched several houses and then arrested 4 civilians. The arrested civilians were identified as Sai’d Nabil Dweikat (30), Mohammed Mazen Duiekat (22), ‘Ahed Surhan Duilekat (25) and Muntaser Talal Duiekat (23).

 

• Around the same time, Israeli forces moved into al-Dheisheh refugee camp, south of Bethlehem. They raided and searched a house belonging to Abdullah Emad Raqban (24) and then arrested him.

 

• At approximately 02:00, Israeli forces moved into Jeet village, northeast of Qalqiliyah. They raided and searched a house belonging to Mohammed Ahmed Abu Baker (26) and then handed him a summons to refer to the Israeli Intelligence Services. At approximately 02:30, they withdrew from the village and no arrests were reported.

 

• Around the same time, Israeli forces moved into Dura, south of Hebron, and stationed in Karisah neighbourhood. They raided and searched a house belonging to Rezeq Jubran al-Rajoub (60) and arrested him. It should be noted that the abovementioned civilian was released only a week ago after serving a 23-month administrative detention.

 

• At approximately 01:30, Israeli forces move into Aydah refugee camp, north of Bethlehem. They raided and searched a house belonging to Mohammed Saleh al-Kurdi (18) and then arrested him.

 

• Around the same time, Israeli forces moved into Hebron and stationed in al-Jeldah neighbourhood. They raided and searched a house belonging to Basel Ali Sukafi (30) and then arrested him.

 

• At approximately 02:00, Israeli forces moved into al-Fawar refugee camp, south of Hebron. They raided and searched a house belonging to Rajeh Mahmud Abu ‘Ajamiyah (45) and then arrested him.

 

• At approximately 03:00, Israeli forces moved into al-Surrah village, south of Dura, southwest of Hebron, and then stationed at the village entrance leading to al-Thaheriyah village. They raided and searched a house belonging to Sa’id Saqer al-Sha’rawi (43), a Palestinian police officer. They then arrested the aforementioned civilian and his son Ramadan (23) and later withdrew taking them to an unknown destination.

 

• At approximately 17:30, Israeli forces move into al-Shurfah area in Taqou’a village, southeast of Bethlehem. They raided and searched a house belonging to Mohammed Khader Sabbah (12) and then arrested him.

 

• At approximately 06:00, Israeli gunboats stationed off al-Wahah shore, northwest of Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip, opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats. The gunboats surrounded a fishing boat sailing within 4 nautical miles. It was manned by Majed Fadel Hasan Baker (55); his son ‘Omran (32); Mohammed Ziyad Hasan Baker (31) and Khalil Jawhar Khalil Baker (26), all of them are from al-Shati’ refugee camp. The soldiers ordered the fishermen to take off their clothes, jump into the water and swim towards the Israeli gunboat. The soldiers arrested them and confiscated their boat and fishing nets.

 

• Note: During the aforementioned day, Israeli forces conducted (3) incursions in the following areas and no arrests were reported: Sa’ir, Beit Ummer and Karza villages in Hebron.

 

Wednesday, 07 December 2016

 

• At approximately 00:30, Israeli forces moved into Beit Jala. They raided and searched a house belonging to Amir Khalil ‘Afanah (19) and then arrested him.

 

• At approximately 01:00, Israeli forces moved into Sebastia village, northwest of Nablus. They raided and searched houses belonging to Mo’men Nadi ‘Azem (25), Ahmed Jamal ‘Azem (25) and Luqman Ahmed Mohammed al-Sha’er (23). They handed them summonses to refer to the Israeli Intelligence Services.

 

• At approximately 01:30, Israeli forces moved into ‘Azoun village, east of Qalqiliyah. They raided and searched a house belonging to Mohammed ‘Ali Rashed Redwan (24) and then arrested him.

 

• At approximately 02:00, Israeli forces moved into Marah Rabah village, west of Bethlehem. They raided and searched several houses after which they arrested Mohammed Maher al-Sheikh (20), Mahmud Ahmed al-Sheikh (22) and Mohammed Ahmed al-Sheikh (21).

 

• At approximately 03:00, Israeli forces moved into Bethlehem and stationed on al-Saf Street in the central city. They raided and searched a house belonging to former prisoner Saleh Walid al-Harimi (20). They then handed him a summons to refer to the Israeli Intelligence Services in “Gush Etzion” settlement complex, south of the city.

 

• Note: During the aforementioned day, Israeli forces conducted (3) incursions in the following areas and no arrests were reported: Ethna and al-Shyoukh villages in Hebron and Tal village in Nablus.

 

• Use of excessive force against peaceful demonstrations protesting settlement activities and the construction of the annexation wall

 

West Bank:

 

• Following the Friday prayer on Friday, 02 December 2016, dozens of Palestinian civilians and Israeli and international human rights defenders organized demonstrations in Bil’in and Ni’lin villages, west of Ramallah; al-Nabi Saleh village, northwest of the city and Kafer Qadoum village, northeast of Qalqiliyah, protesting against the annexation wall and settlement activities. Israeli forces forcibly dispersed the protests, firing live and metal bullets, tear gas canisters and sound bombs. They also chased the protesters into olive fields and houses.  As a result, many of the protesters suffered tear gas inhalation while others sustained bruises as Israeli soldiers beat them up. At approximately 15:15 on Saturday, 03 December 2016, a similar demonstration was organized in Kafer Qadoum village, but no arrests were reported.

 

Gaza Strip:

 

• At approximately 15:00 on Friday, 02 December 2016, Israeli forces stationed at the border fence between the Gaza Strip and Israel, east of al-Shuja’iya, east of Gaza City, fired live bullets and rubber-coated metal bullets at Palestinian young men, who were on their way to Nahal ‘Oz area, east of al-Shuja’iya, participating in activities held in solidarity with Jerusalem. As a result, Talal Nabil Ali Abu Namous (19) sustained a live bullet wound to the head. Moreover, due to the continuous shooting, civilians, who were in the area, were not able to transfer the wounded civilian and he was left bleeding. After half an hour, a PRCS ambulance transferred him to al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza to receive medical treatment. Medical sources classified his condition as moderate.

 

2. Continued closure of the oPt

 

Israel continued to impose a tight closure on the oPt, imposing severe restrictions on the movement of Palestinian civilians in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including occupied East Jerusalem.

 

Gaza Strip

 

Israeli forces continuously tighten the closure of the Gaza Strip and close all commercial crossings, making the Karm Abu Salem crossing the sole commercial crossing of the Gaza Strip, although it is not suitable for commercial purposes in terms of its operational capacity and distance from markets.

Israeli forces have continued to apply the policy, which is aimed to tighten the closure on all commercial crossings, by imposing total control over the flow of imports and exports.

 

Israeli forces have continued to impose a total ban on the delivery of raw materials to the Gaza Strip, except for very limited items and quantities. The limited quantities of raw materials allowed into Gaza do not meet the minimal needs of the civilian population of the Gaza Strip.

 

Israeli forces also continued to impose an almost total ban on the Gaza Strip exports, including agricultural and industrial products, except for light-weighted products such as flowers, strawberries, and spices. However, they lately allowed the exportation of some vegetables such as cucumber and tomatoes, furniture and fish.

 

Israel has continued to close the Beit Hanoun (Erez) crossing for the majority of Palestinian citizens from the Gaza Strip. Israel only allows the movement of a limited number of groups, with many hours of waiting in the majority of cases. Israel has continued to adopt a policy aimed at reducing the number of Palestinian patients allowed to move via the Beit Hanoun crossing to receive medical treatment in hospitals in Israel or in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Israel also continued applying the policy of making certain civilian traveling via the crossing interviewed by the Israeli intelligence service to be questioned, blackmailed or arrested

Israeli escalation in Gaza seeks to ‘change equation’ – but at what cost?

Posted on August 23, 2016

by Richard Edmondson

By Ben White

Late on Sunday night, the Israeli Air Force launched dozens of airstrikes against targets in the Gaza Strip – as many as 50, according to an official source – after a single rocket had struck Sderot earlier in the day, causing no damage or injuries.

The airstrikes, which primarily struck sites used by Hamas’s al-Qassam Brigades (AQB), constituted, in the words of one analyst, a “deliberate escalation” by Israeli authorities.

Since the August 2014 ceasefire that ended ‘Operation Protective Edge’, Hamas has not fired a single rocket out of the Gaza Strip into Israel. In May, AQB fired mortar rounds in response to Israeli forces’ efforts to locate cross-border tunnels – but that’s it.

Smaller groups, however, have fired some 40 rockets over the last two years, according to Israelisources, including 14 in 2016. None have resulted in casualties. This latest rocket launch was reportedly claimed by ISIS-affiliated group Ahfad al-Sahaba.

Israel has typically responded to each rocket with limited strikes on AQB facilities, claiming that Hamas is responsible for all attacks emanating from the Gaza Strip. A deadly such airstrike in March, which killed two Palestinian children, highlighted the – at best – irresponsibility of Israel’s approach, which apart from the human cost, has always risked “paving the way towards a new escalation.”

So what is behind the new developments? Some Israeli commentators have suggested that Israel seized an opportunity presented by the rocket launch to “deprive Hamas of operational assets.” There has also been speculation that the influence of hawkish Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman is behind the intensification in response.

One key question is whether this will now become the standard Israeli response to isolated projectile fire. Hamas spokesperson Ismail Ridwan said that the movement will not allow Israel to “impose new equations and change the rules of engagement” in the Gaza Strip, placing full responsibility for the “escalation and its repercussions” on the occupation.

Ridwan also called for Egypt to “rein in the Israeli occupation”, in Cairo’s capacity as the sponsor of the ceasefire agreement that ended ‘Operation Protective Edge’. Other Palestinian factions slammed the airstrikes, which they admit took them by surprise.

Israel’s unprecedentedly intensive series of airstrikes came a few days after Israeli occupation forces in the West Bank arrested Hamas’s representative on the Palestinian Central Elections Commission, the body charged with organising October’s municipal elections.

Israeli officials are worried that the Palestinian local elections scheduled for October will see breakthroughs for Hamas in West Bank municipalities, and have warned their Palestinian Authority “counterparts” of the risks in allowing the elections to go ahead.

It is clear why Israel has an interest in thwarting or undermining elections in which Hamas is a participant, not least because successful polls with Hamas’s involvement are deemed a necessary prerequisite to progress on the stuttering national unity front.

Hamas, for its part, decided to head to elections partly as a result of the challenges the movement is facing – and Israel seems determined to heighten the pressure. Numbers released in the last fortnight confirmed that Israel’s blockade on the Gaza Strip actually tightened during July, data that Palestinians in Gaza say “refutes Israel’s claims that it has eased the closure of the Gaza Strip.”

The blockade persists in spite of warnings by Israeli military officials that Gaza’s economic recovery is essential from the point of view of maintaining ‘calm’. On Sunday, AQB spokesperson Abu Obeida told a rally in Rafah that “the enemy’s [Israel] leadership keeps committing mistakes and repeats the same stupidities by maintaining the siege imposed on our people.”

Today, meanwhile, following the recent indictments of Gaza-based World Vision and UNDP employees, Lieberman has sought to revive the idea of linking reconstruction to disarmament.

For Hamas, an unrelenting blockade, intensified periodic airstrikes, and an inability to meaningfully participate in local elections, may mean that the pressure on the movement proves too great.

Veteran Israeli defense analyst Yossi Melman, writing in The Jerusalem Post on what he called the “massive Israeli attack”, acknowledged that “Hamas’s argument that Israel intends to ‘change the equation’ is correct.” His conclusion was stark: “The seeds for another war were sowed this week.”

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أردوغان يبيع… حماس تضيع… وغزة تغني: أمان ربي أمان

نصار إبراهيم

21 مليون دولار فقط! يا بلاش… هذا هو سعر شهداء «مرمرة» عند السلطان العثماني أردوغان… الذي أقام الدنيا ولم يقعدها إلى أن قعد بكامل وعيه في حضن نتنياهو…

المهمّ… ماذا سيقول أولئك الذين راهنوا وطبّلوا وزمّروا لبطولات أردوغان… حتى قبل أن تبدأ!

قبل ست سنوات أمسك أردوغان «بشنبه» وأقسم أنه لن يتصالح مع «إسرائيل» إلا إذا اعتذرت ورفعت الحصار عن غزة…!

اتفاق «المصالحة»، أو في الحقيقة اتفاق التنازلات التركية بالجملة لصالح «إسرائيل» مدعاة للسخرية والغيظ… فقد قدّم أردوغان لنتنياهو ما لم يكن يحلم به حتى بدون حكاية مرمرة… صفقات غاز… بواخر تركية إلى موانئ «إسرائيل»… التعهّد بالعمل للإفراج عن «الأسرى الإسرائيليين» عند المقاومة… علاقات اقتصادية مميّزة… أن تلتزم تركيا بمنع أية «نشاطات إرهابية» ضدّ «إسرائيل» من أراضيها… والأهمّ أن تقف تركيا إلى جانب «إسرائيل» في المحافل الدولية في حال تمّ تقديم جنودها الذين ارتكبوا مجزرة «مرمرة» لأيّ ملاحقة قانونية هذا وفق الرسالة المكتوبة التي بعث بها «الشجاع» أردوغان إلى نتنياهو وفق ما نقلته الصحف الإسرائيلية .

يعني بعد خمس سنوات من العنتريات كانت النتيجة:

المزيد من التطبيع بين تركيا و«إسرائيل»، التنازل عن شرط رفع الحصار الذي طالما أكد وأصرّ وأقسم أردوغان وهو ممسك بشنبه بأنه سيكون أحد الثوابت في أيّ اتفاق مع «إسرائيل»، وتمّت الاستعاضة عن ذلك بمنح غزة بعض المساعدات الإنسانية كإنشاء محطة تحلية للمياه وبناء مستشفى.

وماذا بعد…؟ لا شيء، لا قبل ولا بعد، هو الانحطاط الذي تعيشه الدول حين تضع مصيرها في يد حفنة من اللصوص، وهنا لا أتجنّى مطلقاً بوصف أردوغان باللصّ، فهذا ليس من باب الشتيمة… بل لأنه لص فعلاً… ولمن ينسى أذكره فقط بصورة الشاحنات التي حملت مصانع حلب الشهباء التي فككتها «عصابات ثورة أردوغان» وقامت بشحنها إلى تركيا جهاراً نهاراً.. وأيضاً قوافل صهاريج النفط السوري المسروق وهي تعمل ليلاً نهاراً بالتنسيق مع القتلة في داعش وعصابات زنكي ومراد وغيرهم… وتفرغها في تركيا.

والآن بعد أن ذاب الثلج وبان المرج.. وبعد أن تمخض الجبل فولد فأراً… ماذا سيقول لنا يا ترى عباقرة «الإسلام» السياسي وخاصة الفلسطينيين منهم الذين رفعوا أردوغان إلى مصاف أمير المؤمنين… حتى أصبحوا يحجون إليه ليتعلموا من مهاراته وحكمته… أيّ خيال سياسي وفكري فقير هذا؟

طيب يا سيد أردوغان ما دمت «براغماتياً وعقلانياً» لهذه الدرجة ونجحت في حلّ خلافاتك مع «إسرائيل»، لماذا لا تمارس سطوتك لتساعد في حلّ المشكلة بين فتح وحماس… أليسوا أوْلى بالمصالحة…؟

المضحك أنّ البعض لا يزال يبرّر لأردوغان فهلويته وتذاكيه… ويعترف بدوره الهامّ في مساعدة الشعب الفلسطيني…

بل وذهب أحمد يوسف القيادي في حركة حماس في مقابلته مع الميادين 26 حزيران 2016 إلى التساؤل الاستنكاري:

كيف سنطلب من أردوغان شيئاً في ظلّ تخاذل العرب…! يا سلام!

ولكن ماذا عن السؤال الحقيقي الحارق

من الذي طعن قلب العروبة دمشق في ظهرها حتى وصل نصل الخنجر إلى قلبها؟ من الذي خذل من يا سيد أحمد يوسف؟ من الذي حمل راية فلسطين وجعلها في مواجهة سورية… من الذي كان حصان طروادة في تدمير مخيم اليرموك… وجعله حاضنة لكل قاتل من داعش والنصرة وجيش الرحمن وجيش الإسلام وجيش السعدان!

يعني سورية لم تقدّم شيئاً للمقاومة أليس كذلك..! بينما «العصملي» أردوغان حرث البحر وفجر الصحراء غضباً… بل وها هو يجبر «إسرائيل» على دفع 21 مليون دولارا…!

بكلمة واحدة كفى إسفافاً… فهذا الأردوغان.. يلوب منذ أشهر وهو يتمنّى على «إسرائيل» المصالحة… ونتنياهو يتمنّع ويتشدّد ويذلّ أردوغان…

هذا هو أردوغان المتغطرس الذي يبرق ويرعد ويهدّد ويتوعّد على مدار ست سنوات بأنه سيقتحم سورية.. وسيقيم أحزمة آمنة في شمالها… وسيصلي في المسجد الأموي… ثم ما يلبث أن يلوذ بالصمت حين لا يستجيب الناتو لعنترياته…

وهو ذاته أردوغان الذي دفعته خفته ورعونته وغباؤه السياسي لإسقاط طائرة السو 24 الروسية… وبعدها راح يتبجّح بأنه لن يعتذر عن هذا العمل.. لكنه اليوم يرجو ويعتذر من بوتين أن يسامحه… ويبدو أنّ هذه الرسالة فاتحة رسائل كثيرة بذات المضمون من الاعتذارات في محاولة لترميم نتائج السياسات الرعناء التي تبنتها تركيا منذ بداية ما يسمّى «الربيع العربي»… لننتظر.

يعني خلصت الكذبة التي اسمها أردوغان حامي حمى الجماعات الإسلامية وزعيم «الأمة الإسلامية»… فهو لا يتعدّى كونه رئيساً لدولة في حلف الناتو.. يعني الحلف الذي يدعم ويحمي «إسرائيل»… وهو الذي يلعب دور رأس الحربة في تدمير سورية وفتح حدود تركيا للقتلة واللصوص ليدمّر أجمل حواضر العرب…

إنه الآن حائر ومرتبك ويبحث عن بصيص مخرج من ورطته في سورية… فقد وصلته رسالة الرئيس بشار الأسد بأوضح ما يكون: حلب ستكون مقبرة لأحلام العثمانيين الجدد… ومن يعِشْ يرَ!

أمان ربي أمان… فعلاً هذا هو العَجب العُجاب

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Gaza Despair, israel’s Culpability, Unfit to Print in The Jew York Times (NYT)

Gaza Despair, Israeli Culpability, Unfit to Print in The NY Times

By Barbara Erickson | TimesWarp | May 23, 2016

By Barbara Erickson | TimesWarp | May 23, 2016

Gaza made the front page of The New York Times recently, with an article highlighting the fears of residents who suspect Hamas of building tunnels under and near their homes. The topic was ready-made for the newspaper, fitting perfectly into the Israeli (and Times) spin on the besieged enclave.

According to the accepted narrative, the problems in Gaza are due to Hamas, and Israel is free from blame. Thus we find the tunnel story played prominently on the front page under the headline “As Hamas Tunnels Back Into Israel, Palestinians Are Afraid, Too.”

There is much cause for despair in Gaza—fishermen and farmers come under attack, drinking water is ever more scarce, patients are desperate for adequate medical care—but the Times has failed to highlight any of these issues, which are so clearly due to Israeli actions and policies.

The official Israeli line is that Hamas oppresses the residents under its control, and Israeli political leaders use this charge to help justify their airstrikes on Hamas sites and other actions, such as restrictions on the delivery of building materials to Gaza. The Times has been a willing partner in this effort.

So it is no surprise when the newspaper informs us that Hamas has rebuilt many of the tunnels it used during the assaults on Gaza in the summer of 2014, and this is causing anxiety for some Gaza residents who live near signs of underground construction work. They fear that Israel will bomb their neighborhoods to destroy the tunnels.

The story is just what the Israeli army press office ordered, and the Times willingly promotes this propaganda effort even as it shows little interest in even more urgent concerns that plague the residents of the strip. It had nothing to say, for instance, when Israel arrested 20 Gaza fishermen over less than a week this month and confiscated seven of their boats (here and here) even though they were fishing within the approved limit set by Israel.

Israeli harassment of the beleaguered fishermen has been a constant over the years: According to the Palestinian Center for Human Rights, Israeli forces detained 71 fishermen and confiscated 22 fishing boats in 2015, firing on fishing boats at least 139 times, wounding 24 fishermen and damaging 16 boats. The attacks have continued without letup this year.

The Times, however, has almost totally ignored the subject. The paper took notice briefly last month, when Israel announced new rules allowing Gaza boats to sail farther out to sea, and the story most certainly made the grade because it was a chance to show Israel in a benevolent light. The Times has been silent on the issue ever since.

Farmers with land near the border fence also face frequent attacks by Israeli soldiers who fire live ammunition at workers tending their fields, and Israel has destroyed crops and farm buildings, spraying fields of spinach and peas with herbicides and leveling land with bulldozers.

The Times has failed to report these incursions as well, although the United Nations documents them in weekly reports, and other news sources routinely tell of the assaults.

According to the UN, as of May 16, the Israeli military had made 30 incursions into Gaza this year. Its forces entered the enclave at least 56 times during 2015. These mini invasions—which include tanks, bulldozers and live fire—are breaches of the truce agreement made to end hostilities in 2014, but the Times has not seen fit to report them.

Instead, the newspaper prefers to raise the alarm about possible attacks from Gaza via the tunnels, ignoring the relevant context: the frequent shootings and other assaults by Israeli forces and the nine-year blockade, which finds not a single mention in the tunnel article.

Israel blocks the entry of needed medical supplies into Gaza, denies doctors the right to upgrade their skills in foreign countries and prevents many patients from leaving the enclave to receive the treatment they need. It has destroyed electrical equipment, wells and water treatment plants, and the lack of potable water has reached such a critical stage that only some 5 percent of the water in Gaza is safe to drink.

The Times, however, has shown no interest in exploring these crucial issues. It follows a prescribed narrative in deflecting blame from Israel and demonizing Hamas. The tunnel story fit this bill and thus merited a prime placement on page 1 above the fold.

Hamas does not call for war, but won’t tolerate israel’s incursions into Gaza

Hamas does not call for war, but won’t tolerate Israeli incursions into Gaza 

GAZA (Ma’an) — Deputy head of Hamas’ politburo Ismail Haniyeh said on Friday that while the movement is not calling for a new war in the Gaza Strip, it will not tolerate incursions by Israel or accept a buffer zone.

Haniyeh said during Friday prayers at the Abu Salim mosque in the central Gaza Strip district of Deir al-Balah that Israel’s recent incursions into the border areas in search of tunnels are responsible for the latest escalation of violence in the besieged coastal enclave.

“We do not call for a new war, but we will not allow these incursions or for new realities to be imposed on our people in Gaza. We call for lifting the siege. Enough of this historical injustice suffered by 2 million of our people.”

Israeli military incursions inside the besieged Gaza Strip and near the “buffer zone” have long been a near-daily occurrence, marked by Israeli bulldozers leveling lands inside Gaza territory while accompanied by Israeli military vehicles. Haniyeh said incursions inside Gaza territory are a grave violation of the Egypt-sponsored ceasefire reached in the summer of 2014.

Haniyah highlighted that the efforts underway by Egypt, Qatar, UN envoy Nikolay Mladenov, and Turkey to curb the aggression in the Gaza Strip.

“I hope that statements by the PA (Palestinian Authority) regarding limiting relations with the (Israeli) occupation are implemented on the ground, and that security coordination with occupation must be stopped,” Haniyeh added.

The PA has repeatedly threatened to put an end to the security coordination with Israel over the years. However, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas reiterated his commitment to security coordination with Israel in an interview in March, arguing that it was a major factor in curbing Palestinian attacks against Israeli targets.

The Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine’s (PFLP) military wing also released a statement Friday regarding the recent Israeli hostilities, saying it “will not stand idly by while Israel continues its crimes against Palestinian people.”“We affirm that this escalation by the (Israeli) occupation in Gaza is an attempt to test the patience of resistance. […] They have two choices: either to die or leave our lands.”

Israeli airstrikes continued Friday morning for third consecutive day, in response to alleged mortar rounds being fired by Hamas and other Palestinian resistance groups on Israeli army targets.

Israeli shelling east of Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip reportedly killed a Palestinian woman on Wednesday.

The Israeli army accused Palestinian resistance groups of launching mortar attacks in an attempt to disrupt the army’s “operational activity” in search for Hamas-built tunnels leading into Israel.

Israeli outlet Haaretz quoted Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon as saying: “We will not be deterred by these threats by Hamas and will continue operations in light of the violation of our sovereignty, until we find and expose every last tunnel.”

One such tunnel was allegedly discovered Thursday, the second of its kind to be uncovered since Israel’s devastating 2014 offensive on the Gaza Strip.

The Gaza Strip has been under a severe economic blockade imposed by Israel for decade. The blockade was imposed following the victory of Hamas in the 2006 Palestinian elections and the subsequent 2007 clashes between Fatah and Hamas, which left Hamas in control of the Gaze Strip and Fatah in control of the occupied West Bank.

Time for the civilised world to step in and save Gaza from israel’s illegal “Collective punishment”

Collective punishment of Gaza

Arab Digest Summary: Gaza still shattered following the last war in 2014. Pledges of aid not honoured. Another war? A cry for help from behind the blockade.

The situation in Gaza remains dire. The population is 1.8 million living in an area of 141 square miles (365 square kilometres), 25 miles long and 3.5 to 7.5 miles deep, one of the most densely populated areas in the world. According to a World Bank fact sheet (apparently dated from just after the war in 2014) unemployment is 45%; economic activity is almost entirely dependent on aid and remittances, and a dynamic private sector is impeded by restrictions imposed by Israel. War damage is put at roughly $3 billion, with severe consequences for water, sanitation, energy, housing, health, education and food.

According to a World Bank report of 18 April the Israeli blockade imposed on Gaza after Hamas seized power in 2007, “continues to weigh on the economy” and Egypt’s closure of its border crossing with Gaza, the main gateway for people moving in and out of the territory, has “further exacerbated the situation.”

Only 40% of aid pledged after the war has been disbursed. “20 months after the war, only 9 percent of totally damaged houses and 45 percent of partially damaged houses have been repaired. Over 14,800 families continue to be displaced. For these people in Gaza, there is no escape.”

Arab donors have proved particularly bad payers: Qatar pledged $1 billion and has delivered 15%, Saudi Arabia pledged $500 million and has delivered 10%, the UAE pledged $200 million and has delivered 15%, Kuwait pledged $200 million and has delivered nothing (but Palestinian sources reported on 18 April that the Palestinian authority had received funding from Kuwait to build three hundred homes in Gaza, and 12,000 other Gazans whose homes were damaged in the war would receive cash compensation). The USA, the EU, individual European nations and Turkey have delivered all or most of their pledges.

The Palestinian Authority is losing about $285 million each year due from taxes collected by Israel on their behalf under various agreements dating from the nineteen nineties, and Israel is also holding about $669 million, mostly pension contributions collected from Palestinians working in Israel and their employers.

A UN report of 11 April describes the “fraught conditions” of life in Gaza and concludes that without a lifting of the blockade and progress towards Palestinian reconciliation “coping capacities of exhausted and vulnerable households risk being depleted altogether.” According to another report of 4 April Israel has suspended cement deliveries following allegations that cement had been diverted “from its intended legitimate beneficiaries”.

The Palestinian Ma’an news agency reports that the Palestinian authority is considering holding a Cabinet meeting in Gaza. Earlier this month senior delegations from Fatah and Hamas met in Gaza “in the most high-ranking gathering to convene since a new round of reconciliation talks began in Qatar earlier this year.”

The newly issued annual report by the US State Department on “Human Rights Practices for 2015” includes a long section on the occupied territories; Gaza is included, concentrating almost exclusively on abuse by Hamas including disappearances and torture. According to the executive summary “The most significant human rights abuses were restrictions on civil liberties, particularly by Hamas in Gaza; excessive use of force by Israeli Security Forces (ISF) in a number of their interactions with Palestinian civilians, and arbitrary arrest and associated torture and abuse, often with impunity by multiple actors in the region… The IDF and the Egyptian government maintained severe restrictions on movement into and out of the Gaza Strip and largely limited the travel of Palestinians out of Gaza to humanitarian cases and some business travelers.”

The IDF announced on 18 April the discovery of a tunnel from Gaza into Israel, the first found since the 2014 war, 100 feet underground and several hundreds of yards long. According to Reuters Israel has, with US help, stepped up work on technologies for spotting the secret passages. Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel was investing considerable capital in countering tunnels and would respond strongly to any attempt to attack it.

Hamas reportedly said

What the enemy has discovered is only a drop in the sea from what the resistance has prepared to defend its people, to liberate the holy places, its prisoners and land.

The IDF said the tunnel was new, but Hamas said it was old. The Times of Israel comments that “the public mood veers between ‘we need a war’ to ‘we must avoid war at all cost’ (depending on whom you ask) in the pressure cooker known as the Gaza Strip.”

Not all is gloom; two separate Reuters reports yesterday 19 April cover a graffiti artist  who uses Arabic calligraphic design which “adds a certain beauty” and a semi-professional circus school which trains in a garage and performs in schools, hospitals and the streets.

The article below is published on the Consortium News website, “the first investigative news magazine on the Internet”. It is an emotional appeal for help addressed to President Obama by a journalist resident in Gaza.

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Gaza city in 2015. Photo by Mahmud Hams/AFP/Getty Images

 Obama’s Failed ‘Hope’ in Gaza

Eight years ago, President Obama offered “hope” for change in the world, but politics and pressures won out, with his failure nowhere more obvious than in Gaza, as Palestinian journalist Mohammed Omer explains in this open letter.

By Mohammed Omer, Consortium News 
April 17, 2016

To President Barack Obama

Dear Mr. President,

As president of the most powerful country on the planet; the loving and protective father of two children; and a man fully aware of the human struggles of so many in the down-trodden communities of many lands, including your own, your eyes must have been opened during the last three — of many — Israeli assaults on besieged Gaza, where I live with my wife and young son.

I recall being in the Netherlands when you were first elected president. Like so many millions around the world, I cheered loudly for you, believing that a fresh wind was blowing through the narrow halls of U.S. politics. I dared to hope that a brave man — a champion of good people who were neglected and abused — had arrived to stand up and ease the pain and injustice inflicted on so many, including my people in Palestine, long tormented and driven from their ancient land, deprived of their human dignity.

Children play on the ruins of demolished homes in Shejayeh, an area which was heavily hit by Israeli cannon shells and F-16 missiles during Israel’s 51-day war on Gaza in the summer of 2014, when more than 2,200 Palestinians were killed and around 100,000 became homeless. Photo by M. Omer

Sadly, however, I perhaps dared to believe too much. As I look around Gaza today and see only the aftermath of more Israeli cruelty and evidence of ever more bloodshed, pain, sadness and destruction, the words “Yes, we can” now drift away with the dust, carried by the winds of despair.

This despair has hung over our heads for at least the past 10 years, the result of Israel’s harsh collective punishment of the 1.9 million human beings who struggle to survive in Gaza. Half of them are children younger than your Sasha and Malia; many are babies, like mine, held in their parents’ arms.

Perhaps, being so far removed from it, you cannot empathize with the effects of collective punishment. Having studied law and worked closely in community projects, however, you surely have an intellectual and historical understanding. I think you know that Israel’s intentions extend beyond removing Hamas — or any other group that would resist an occupier’s expansion and invasion of their homes and leaders.

The U.S. Constitution does not call for the punishment of an entire population simply for voting for the “wrong party.” It and the Bill of Rights guarantee Americans the freedom to express themselves freely and the right to struggle and defend their inalienable rights. The American Revolution was an act of rebellion against oppression and the denial of “self-evident” rights and freedoms.

In Gaza, we are struggling against similar oppression. Israel increasingly confines and punishes us for our struggle, as we use whatever meager means we have to attain the same freedom and human dignity your forbearers fought for.

“Do Americans like us? Does Obama like us?”

What is the bond that binds U.S. politics and power to Israel’s ongoing cruel oppression? How can the U.S. justify its unconditional patronage of Israel escalating infliction of pain upon innocent others? What satisfaction and reward does Israel gain for punishing every aspect of human life for nearly two million good Palestinian people in Gaza, who just want their freedom again?

Three recent wars have whipped, beaten and left homeless many families who are still waiting for short- and long-term protection from cruelty. I met with Ahmed Al Kafarneh, an elderly man of dignity, living with his wife, son, daughter-in-law and three grandchildren. Before the 51-day war in 2014, he, like 100,000 other Palestinians, had built a beautiful home after 20 years of working in Israel — no easy task indeed. Now everything is gone, and he lives with his extended family in a rusty metal shipping container.

Mr. President, it is a cold and wet winter here — the coldest in years. Try to imagine yourself, Michelle, Sasha and Malia sitting on cold metal floors with rain dripping in from more holes in the container roof than you can count.

Are you not the same president who, when proclaiming Israel’s right to defend itself, vowed that you would do everything to protect your children? Does that same determination to protect not apply to our Palestinian children?

It seems you have forgotten our right — not only as Palestinians, but as human beings — to exist in freedom and safety from oppression and disproportionately heavy attacks from the Israeli military. In Gaza, our youngest generation knows only war, displacement, loss, trauma and pain. It faces even more obstacles in the path of “Yes we can” in the form of massive unemployment, repression and isolation caused by Israel’s U.S.-sanctioned economic blockade, denying an entire people free movement and a normal life of choices.

Does that not sound like slavery, Mr. President?

We are locked behind walls, contained like cattle, spied on by armed drones, with Israeli-army snipers patrolling barbed-wire fences, and placed on a “diet” meted out by occupiers and thieves. Is that not extremism? Would you not resist it?

A few days ago, I met with 13 brave and dedicated U.S. doctors who came here to assist the local hospitals — a rare occasion when American doctors get to meet face to face with our own courageous doctors and Hippocratic Oath colleagues. A 24-year-old Palestinian fine arts student paused when she heard of the delegation and asked, “Do Americans like us? Does Obama like us?”

This is why I am writing this open letter to you, Mr. President.

Human beings, of all generations, live here in Gaza, waiting for your replies to these questions. “Change we can believe in,” Mr.President — but it must include our freedom of choice.

Gaza is the size of Manhattan Island. We are human beings like you and your fellow Americans — but we are trapped behind walls and fences we have never lived behind before and don’t want to wake up to tomorrow. Our southern borders are now fenced off by Egypt, locking down Rafah crossing. To the west, our beaches — frequented by children, families and fishermen — are threatened by Israeli naval vessels armed with missiles and water cannons. They confine our fishing boats to 6 nautical miles offshore instead of the designated 20 nautical miles.

Are you aware that 73 Palestinian fishermen were fired upon and arrested in 2015? Or that 55 percent of Gazans suffer from clinical depression, that 43 percent are unemployed, 40 percent fall below the poverty line, and 60 percent are food insecure? Do you know how few hours of electricity we are allowed in 24 hours, with no power for 12 to 16 hours?

The same shortage applies to water, cooking gas and many other basic essentials. As you are served your meal this evening, remember we have half a million gas cylinders waiting to be filled before we can cook or boil water for washing and drinking (a human right).

This is all the more tragic because Gaza could be the perfect neighbor for Israel, living in peace and harmony and sharing mutually beneficial economic and trade relationships. We have many skilled workers and a well-educated young generation. Palestine has always been progressive. The only thing we need is a chance to grow, develop and contribute with dignity and equality.

We want to build bridges of understanding, instead of separation walls of bigotry and hatred. We don’t want Israel experimenting with its new hi-tech weapons on the children of Gaza. Your American-made missiles have been used to attack U.N. schools and shelters — the very schools which offer quality education and steer our children away from extremism. This is usually something to be applauded, not targeted.

You have not seen Khuza’a and the massive destruction that Israel’s war machine left behind. Its children’s feet are cold this frigid winter because water continues to drip from their shell-pocked ceilings onto their beds. You are welcome to visit us at any time, should you choose to place humanitarian considerations over political ones.

It is time for you, Mr. President, to provide the children and youth of Gaza with hope they can believe in. You can do it before you leave office, and all your promises, behind. You can reignite the enthusiasm we felt when you stepped up to address the world, and strengthen your legacy for promoting peace after you leave the Oval Office.

Meanwhile, you are among the very few people on earth who could influence Israel and Egypt to open borders and end the collective blockade. Is not a decade enough? Especially when we know that the ones who suffer from the siege are ordinary people, not political groups such as Hamas. If the aim is for people to look beyond Hamas, they must be given options for the future.

The children and parents of Gaza are waiting for a solution, and you can revitalize the positive energy that came with you and your speeches early in your presidency. Make all people proud — including Americans — of your long-lasting achievements.

Stand up for Gaza, as you always do for Israel, regardless of how badly they treat their fellow man (including yourself). We don’t want or need extremism in any form. We want stability, peace and to live in our homes without drones and tanks threatening us day and night. The young people of Gaza are seeking a better future.

Can we do this? Yes, we can! Step up Mr. President—please.

 

Arab days of shame (MUST READ!)

March 07, 2016

by Ghassan Kadi – Via The Saker

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) has finally had it its way. A meeting held last month of GCC and other Arab Foreign Ministers has condemned Iran for the attack on the Saudi Embassy incident, and the Lebanese Foreign Minister Basil; from the 8^th of March Coalition pro-Hezbollah camp, abstained from voting. As a result, Lebanon was punished by Saudi Arabia as the latter decided to renege on the $4bn aid promise to the Lebanese Army and Internal Security.

And then just a few weeks later, the Arab Interior Ministers convened in Tunis and declared Lebanon’s Hezbollah a terror organization (1&2). Lebanon’s Interior Minister Mashnouk, a 14^th of March Hariri man, also abstained from voting.

The debauched Saudi royals, the same lazy criminals who die from obesity and self-inflicted diabetes whilst they are starving and bombing Yemen, the same people who poured billions upon billions of dollars to kill Syrians in an attempt to create an Islamic state in lieu of its secular government, that scourge of a family that rules with an iron fist wreaking havoc and creating wars between Arabs and Muslims and never once fired a single bullet at Israel, they actually had the audacity to call the shots and had Hezbollah declared as a terrorist organization. Strange days indeed.

What is of significance here is the almost utter silence about this development in Western media. Try to Google this milestone event using any key words, and you will not find any references in the well-established highly-read mainstream Western news agencies. Interesting indeed.

What is even more interesting here as an observer is that quite often Western media go abuzz with what they believe is taking the Arab World by storm, but in reality, no one in the Arab World would be talking about it or least concerned.

The issues of Saudi military land intervention in Syria and their alleged ownership of nuclear weapons for example, are hardly ever discussed in the Levant and the whole Middle East. They are seen as some kind of bad-taste jokes. Such topics seem to only make news headlines in the West.

Back to the Tunis decision. The Arab states that did not vote in favour of the motion are Lebanon, Tunisia, Algeria and Iraq. I wonder if the readers are missing something here….Palestine, as represented by Abbas’s Palestinian Authority (PA), has in fact voted for declaring Hezbollah as a terror organization.

Whilst Hamas is not acknowledged as a representative of the Palestinian people, Ismail Haniyye, who is entirely in Qatar’s pocket, would probably also vote in favour had he been asked to vote. Mahmoud Zahhar, a prominent Hamas leader, has however condemned the decision. This is not surprising given that Zahar went against his rank when Hamas leaders went cahoots with Qatar against Syria. Zahhar had always been the voice of reason in Hamas. The Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the PFLP and the PFLP General Command have also condemned the decision, but Mahmoud Abbas is quite silent. He is probably feeling too sheepish to make any comments. Even if his heart is with Hezbollah, he cannot go against the Saudi dictates.

The Palestinian position is not taking keen observers by surprise. After all, earlier on, Hezbollah pioneered the tunnel technology and passed on the information to Hamas leaders in order to help with their fight against the Israelis in Gaza. When the “War On Syria” started and Hamas decided to align itself with Qatar against Syria and her people, Hamas passed on this technology to the terrorists. All the tunnels around greater Damascus, and especially in the Jobar region, were built by technology and information that was passed on to the terrorists by Hamas. So for Hamas a would-be vote against Hezbollah is not impossible to imagine.

Hezbollah is receiving quite a bit of support from progressive Arab parties, especially, and whilst its officials made quite a few verbal responses to the Saudis, it seems that Hezbollah is not trying to escalate the situation with the PA. In an Arabic article published on Al-Manar of the 3^rd of March 2016 (3) and titled: “The Palestinian Authority And The “Terrorist”

Decision Against Hezbollah), the author (Islam Al-Rawashda) opens his article by saying that it is not surprising to see the Saudis go after Hezbollah. In his next paragraph however, he is questioning how did the PA allow itself to join the “gang” and endorsed the decision against Hezbollah. Isn’t Hezbollah engaged in fighting Israel? Did it not liberate Arab land from occupation? Does is not support Palestine? These are the kind of questions he asked. But the official Hezbollah spokespeople seem to unwilling to engage in making anti-PA statements. Clearly, they don’t want to give their adversaries more ammunition and do not want to be seen standing against Palestinians; not even their corrupt pro-Saudi authority.

The schism inside the Arab World is reaching unprecedented levels. The pro-Western camp represented by Saudi Arabia and its followers has stooped to levels previously seen as unimaginable.

Even as Saudi Arabia is down on its knees financially, bogged down in a war it cannot win in Yemen and losing all control over the “War On Syria”, it still has a few billions stashed here and there to draw from and use to continue to buy friends.

And whilst it continues to spend billions on its terror campaigns and on destabilizing the region, whilst it is supporting all the fundamentalist Madrasas all over the globe, it withheld its promised gift to the Lebanese Army under the pretext that the Lebanese Government and Lebanese Army have become tools in the hand of Hezbollah and Iran.

As the Arab Saudi camp is becoming more audacious, audacious enough for the PA to vote against Hezbollah; the only army that disturbs Israel’s security, the only Arab organization that has taken back land from Israel militarily, the only Arab army that has actually threatened the depth of Israel, then no one should expect any good from other Arab pro-Saudi states that are distant geographically from Palestine. If the Palestinians themselves do not know who their enemies and friends are in standing up against Israel, why should the Moroccans?

And if the Palestinian people did not like what their government has done, why did they not take to the streets in protest? There are some reports of minor dissent, but nothing serious.

There is one word to describe the Palestinian reaction, and the word is “disgusting”, but in this literary context, I shall stick to the word “appalling”.

If we wind the clock back a bit, just a few years earlier, we can clearly remember how both the PA and Hamas have sided against the Syrian government. Here we ought to remember that had it not been for the Syrian government and its support to the different Palestinian organizations in the 1970’s onwards, they would have vanished.

After all, the official Hamas HQ was actually in Damascus for many years, and it was in Syria where Khaled Mashaal operated until he moved to the Five Star Hotels of Qatar and Istanbul.

Palestinians have a great cause, but for a major part, their leaders have been nothing but rascals, ungrateful rascals. And how can we forget what happened to Lebanon?

It was because virtually half of the Lebanese have supported the Palestinian cause that the already existing political/religious division in Lebanon expanded and took the country to Civil War in 1975. The Palestinians played a huge part in pouring oil over fire, and their only objectives were what they could get out of it, and did not give a damn about the destruction that was inflicted upon Lebanon as a result.

And the whole breakdown between Arafat and Assad father in 1976 onwards was based on Arafat’s insistence on the so-called “Palestinian Decision”. Assad tried in vain to convince him that the Arab-Israeli conflict is much bigger than what the Palestinians can handle. He tried to convince him that this matter is as important for Syria as it is for Palestine.

He reminded him that Palestine is the southern region of Syria, but to no avail. Arafat wanted to be the master of his decisions even if this screwed up the entire Arab World around him.

Half a century or so later, Palestinian leaders are not so much as dogmatic and indoctrinated as Arafat was. They are simply up for sale. The PA leaders have grown to love Saudi and other oil money, and Hamas leaders are up for sale and rent by any Sunni Muslim money. There is no difference between the two.

But as the Arab Saudi camp continues to stoop lower and lower, the resistance camp is growing more organized, more powerful, more successful and closer to victory.

Which day in history has marked the biggest day of shame for the Arabs? Arguably, it has always been said that Arab states reached their lowest point in history on June the 5^th 1967 during the Six-Days War. The 3^rd of March 2016 decree of the Arab interior ministers in Tunis is by far a much lower point, and one wonders if they are poised to stoop even lower. Shame on them.

1. http://www.arabnews.com/featured/news/889141

2. http://sputniknews.com/middleeast/20160303/1035689377/arab-states-hezbollah-terrorist-organization.html \

3. http://www.manar.com/page-29251-ar.html

 

RELATED VIDEO

Egypt collaborating with israel in trying to starve Gaza into submission

Israeli minister embarrassed after revealing security co-operation with Egypt

Close security ties usually kept quiet to spare Arab regime criticism from its people

An Israeli minister has broken one of the Middle East’s key unwritten rules by publicly praising his country’s close security co-operation with Egypt, most of whose citizens fiercely resent its ties to the “Zionist state”.

Yuval Steinitz, the energy minister, revealed on Saturday that Egypt’s decision to flood the underground supply tunnels run by Hamas from the Egyptian Sinai into Gaza had been to a “certain extent at Israel’s request”. Security co-operation with Egypt was “better than ever”, he added.

Gaza’s network of tunnels is used to transport anything from donkeys to RPG’s  Photo: AFP/Getty

His words were met with an immediate outcry from commentators and former ambassadors. “He said something that shouldn’t be said in so many words,” Eli Shaked, Israel’s former ambassador to Egypt, told The Daily Telegraph.

Mr Steinitz was forced to retract his comments and apologise for the “unintended impression” his words had given, though by then the damage was done.

His comments followed news reports that Egypt flooded ten of Hamas’s tunnels near the border last Friday, the latest in a long series of moves against the group, with which Cairo has had fluctuating relations.

This 65 foot deep tunnel was designed to smuggle Palestinian militants into Israel  Photo: AP

Since the coup led by current President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in July 2013, the Egyptian authorities have turned on it, cracking down on its supply lines and increasing security co-operation along the Israeli border to unprecedented levels.

This is no secret to the outside world, but it is a potential source of instability inside Egypt, where the Arab world’s hatred of Israel is widely shared.

“The security coordination between the two countries is one of the most sensitive issues there is for the security establishment,” the Israeli commentator Yossi Melman wrote in the Ma’ariv daily, adding that the comments reflected “the serious disease of uncontrollable talking” by Israeli officials.

Last week, a screening of an Israeli film in Cairo was cancelled by the Egyptian culture ministry in order to “prevent normalisation,” while this week, an Egyptian parliamentarian is demanding an investigation into how a book penned by an Israeli author on modern Arab society was allowed to feature in an international book fair in Cairo, Israeli daily Haaretz reported.

Mr Shaked said: “The relationship between Israel and Egypt is going very well. It may be words like these that can embarrass the Egyptian regime and el-Sisi in the eyes of the rest of the Arab world, and the Egyptian public opinion. It can put him under pressure.”