This Week in Palestine Aug. 16-22
By IMEMC News
Welcome to this Week in Palestine, a service of the International Middle East Media Center, www.imemc.org, for August 16th to the 22nd, 2014. This week, Egyptian mediated talks end with renewed Israeli attacks targeting the Gaza strip claiming the life of over 60 civilians.
The Nonviolence Report
Let’s begin our weekly report as usual with the nonviolent activities organized in the West Bank. Israeli troops attacked anti wall protests organized on Friday in West Bank village.
Protests were organized this Friday in the villages of Bil’in, Ni’lin and al Nabi Saleh, in central West Bank. In addition to the village of Al Ma’ssara in the southern part of the West Bank.
In Bil’in and Ni’lin, Israeli soldiers attacked the protesters as soon as they reached the gate of the wall that separates local farmers from their lands.
Troops stationed their attacked the villagers and their international and Israeli supporters with tear gas. Many protesters were treated for the effect of the tear gas inhalation.
At the nearby village of al Nabi Saleh soldiers stop the protest before leaving the village. Later soldiers stormed the village and fired tear gas into residents’ homes causing damage.
In Al-Ma’asara village, Israeli troops stopped villagers and their supporters at the entrance of the village and forced them back, however, no injuries were reported.
The Political Report
After nine days of ceasefire Israel this week renews its attacks on Gaza after Egyptian mediated talks failed to reach a deal between Israel and the resistance in the coastal region.
At least 60 Palestinians have been killed after the truce collapsed and the negotiating teams were called back from Cairo. After the negotiations reached a deadlock, Israel claimed that three rockets were fired from the Gaza Strip few hours before the extended cease-fire ended. Hamas and the other Palestinian resistance groups denied responsibility for the alleged rockets.
Few hours later, the Israeli airforce, launched a number of airstrikes that hit several residential areas in Gaza including the home of Mohammad Deif, the General Commander of Al-Qassam Brigade, the armed wing of Hamas, killing his wife and young son. Reports about the fate of Deif conflicted between surviving the fifth assassination attempt and his death.
The confusion was resolved after Abu Obaida, the spokesperson of Al-Qassam brigades, said in a televised speech that Deif “will enter Jerusalem leading an the army of liberation.” Abu Obaida also warned the local and International airline companies not to fly in or out of Ben Gurion International airport as the resistance groups will be attacking the airport frequently. He also warned the Israeli public of big assemblies and gatherings and asked the Israeli residents of the settlements close to the Gaza Strip to evacuate the area, and if they needed to be there, to stay in shelters.
Two days later Israel assassinated three Hamas leaders which lead some local observers to believe that Israel has received intelligence information during the five-day cease-fire and fabricated the launch of the three rockets from Gaza to end the truce and launch its attack against the Hamas leaders.
The resistance groups responded with barrages of rockets and mortar shells, most of which were either intercepted by the Iron Dome system or fell in open spaces, according to Israeli sources.
On Thursday the UN Security Council, expressed concern over the resumption of hostilities in Gaza, and called upon parties to resume negotiations to urgently reach what they called “a sustainable and lasting ceasefire.”
According to a Palestinian diplomat, the statement of the Security Council was approved by all the 15 members and is seen as a prelude for issuing a UN resolution in case the Palestinian and Israeli negotiating teams do not go back to Cairo for talks.
The West Bank and Gaza Report
The Israeli bombardment targeting Gaza continued this week. Up until the time of this report, more than 2095 Palestinians were killed and at least 10400 others injured due to Israeli attacks targeting the Gaza Strip.
On Tuesday of this week Nine days of temporary ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinian resistance In Gaza came to an end when Israeli forces attacked a home killing five people including the wife and child of a Hamas leader.
All week, Israeli attacks targeted farm lands, residents’ homes and fishing boats at the shoreline in Gaza City and Rafah in the south.
According to Palestinian sources Gaza doctors have been shocked by the severity of wounds coming in to the hospitals – they have found evidence of the Israeli military’s use of banned weapons like DIME weapons. DIME stands for Dense Inert Metal Explosive.
Since Israel began its attack on Gaza, on July 8th till the time of this report, the Palestinian health ministry announced that the death toll in Gaza have reached at least 2095 with more than 10400 others injured.
In the west Bank this week, Israeli forces conducted at least 63 military invasions into Palestinian communities. During these attacks, Israeli forces kidnapped at least 90 Palestinians, including 48 civilians in Jerusalem.
Moreover, soldiers opened fire at pro-Gaza protesters in different West Bank communities causing injuries. A Palestinian youth was injured on Thursday during clashes with invading Israeli soldiers at the village of Husan near the southern West Bank city of Bethlehem.
Another youth lost his arm after troops shot him in a pro Gaza protest in Bethlehem city on Friday. Protests were also organized in Nablus, Ramallah and Hebron cities.
Moreover, Israeli soldiers wired and detonated two Palestinian homes in Hebron city, in the southern part of the occupied West Bank on Monday, and sealed the home of a third Palestinian with concrete. A Palestinian home was also demolished in occupied East Jerusalem.
The homes belong to the families of ‘Amer Abu Aisha and Marwan al-Qawasma, who are actively sought by Israel, and the home of detainee Husam al-Qawasma. Tel Aviv is claiming the three are believed to be behind the alleged “abduction and killing of three Israeli settlers” last June.
Conclusion
And that’s all for today from This Week in Palestine. This was the Weekly report for August 16th to the 22nd 2014 from the Occupied Palestinian Territories. For more news and updates please visit our website at www.imemc.org. This week’s report has been brought to you by Samer Jaber, and Ghassan Bannoura.