13 feb 2018
audience with the likes of Daniel Pipes and other Israel Firsters on the American arena seems to make no difference.
What else would one conclude after examining Oren’s childish ranting that “because their appearance-including “blond-haired, freckled” children in “Western clothes”-made them seem less like “real” Palestinians?
Predictably, the brazenly racist comments by Oren, a deputy minister, drew accusations of racism from the Tamimi family-the latest twist in a case that has turned into a public relations disaster for the apartheid Jewish state.
Bassem Tamimi, Ahd’s father, called Oren’s remarks “silly, ignorant, and scandalously racist”
Ahd Tamimi, 15, was arrested on December 19 for “physically resisting” two Israeli occupation soldiers outside her West Bank home a few days earlier. She faces charges that carry up to 14 years in prison.
Oren claimed that the Tamimi family had a long history of leading protests against the brutal practices of the Israeli occupation army.
What is wrong with that? Resisting oppression is more than just a basic human right; it is an honorable national duty as well. In America, where Oren served as ambassador for several years, they still teach their school kids Patrick Henry’s famous slogan “give me freedom or give me death”! Does Oren think that Palestinians are children of a lesser God that they don’t deserve freedom and human rights?
Oren said his investigation looked into whether the protests were genuine or whether the family members were provocateurs, paid to send children to clash with soldiers.
"The Tamimi family and those claiming to be part of the Tamimi family have been provoking Israeli soldiers for many, many years now," he said. "The children were chosen on the basis of their appearance, to look Western, freckled, and blond-haired."
Well, I don’t want to dignify Oren’s repugnant drivels by commenting on them. However, I believe that Oren and like-minded Zionist supremacists should understand that a foreign military occupation is a real act of rape, and that all people, regardless of the color of their hair or skin, have the right to resist evil.
Hence, it would be a sign of mental illness or moral dishonesty or both to claim that it is these innocent and innocuous kids, resisting rather symbolically the hateful Israeli occupation that provoked the occupation soldiers not the other way around.
The kids would have been “provocateurs” had they stormed the Israeli army’s barracks in Israel proper, but not when they chose to put up a symbolic resistance to heavily armed crack-soldiers storming, savaging and raping their neighborhoods, schools and homes.
In fact, Oren’s twisted logic prompts us to borrow analogy from the Nazi era. We all know that many European Jews resisted the Nazis and were martyred by them just as Palestinians have been and are resisting Zionist occupiers and are martyred by them, nearly on a daily basis.
Now a question for Oren: How would you respond to a propaganda liar like you if he or she claimed that the Nazis had to send the Jews to Treblinka and Dachau because the Jews were paid to provoke the SS and Gestapo!?
Mr. Oren. I know that no matter how hard you try to obfuscate the ugly reality of your decades-old occupation of my country, you won’t succeed.
The brutal ugliness of your hateful, diabolic and satanic occupation transcends reality. It can only be matched by the brutal ugliness of your racist mindset and immorality.
What you lack is more than intellectual honesty and rectitude, you lack basic human decency.
- Khalid Amayreh is a veteran Palestinian journalist living in Dura
What else would one conclude after examining Oren’s childish ranting that “because their appearance-including “blond-haired, freckled” children in “Western clothes”-made them seem less like “real” Palestinians?
Predictably, the brazenly racist comments by Oren, a deputy minister, drew accusations of racism from the Tamimi family-the latest twist in a case that has turned into a public relations disaster for the apartheid Jewish state.
Bassem Tamimi, Ahd’s father, called Oren’s remarks “silly, ignorant, and scandalously racist”
Ahd Tamimi, 15, was arrested on December 19 for “physically resisting” two Israeli occupation soldiers outside her West Bank home a few days earlier. She faces charges that carry up to 14 years in prison.
Oren claimed that the Tamimi family had a long history of leading protests against the brutal practices of the Israeli occupation army.
What is wrong with that? Resisting oppression is more than just a basic human right; it is an honorable national duty as well. In America, where Oren served as ambassador for several years, they still teach their school kids Patrick Henry’s famous slogan “give me freedom or give me death”! Does Oren think that Palestinians are children of a lesser God that they don’t deserve freedom and human rights?
Oren said his investigation looked into whether the protests were genuine or whether the family members were provocateurs, paid to send children to clash with soldiers.
"The Tamimi family and those claiming to be part of the Tamimi family have been provoking Israeli soldiers for many, many years now," he said. "The children were chosen on the basis of their appearance, to look Western, freckled, and blond-haired."
Well, I don’t want to dignify Oren’s repugnant drivels by commenting on them. However, I believe that Oren and like-minded Zionist supremacists should understand that a foreign military occupation is a real act of rape, and that all people, regardless of the color of their hair or skin, have the right to resist evil.
Hence, it would be a sign of mental illness or moral dishonesty or both to claim that it is these innocent and innocuous kids, resisting rather symbolically the hateful Israeli occupation that provoked the occupation soldiers not the other way around.
The kids would have been “provocateurs” had they stormed the Israeli army’s barracks in Israel proper, but not when they chose to put up a symbolic resistance to heavily armed crack-soldiers storming, savaging and raping their neighborhoods, schools and homes.
In fact, Oren’s twisted logic prompts us to borrow analogy from the Nazi era. We all know that many European Jews resisted the Nazis and were martyred by them just as Palestinians have been and are resisting Zionist occupiers and are martyred by them, nearly on a daily basis.
Now a question for Oren: How would you respond to a propaganda liar like you if he or she claimed that the Nazis had to send the Jews to Treblinka and Dachau because the Jews were paid to provoke the SS and Gestapo!?
Mr. Oren. I know that no matter how hard you try to obfuscate the ugly reality of your decades-old occupation of my country, you won’t succeed.
The brutal ugliness of your hateful, diabolic and satanic occupation transcends reality. It can only be matched by the brutal ugliness of your racist mindset and immorality.
What you lack is more than intellectual honesty and rectitude, you lack basic human decency.
- Khalid Amayreh is a veteran Palestinian journalist living in Dura

The Ofer military occupation court decided, on Tuesday, to extend the detention of teenager Ahed Tamimi until next month. The court session was set for 11 March.
The military judge tried Tamimi in a closed session, and ordered all media and journalists to leave the courtroom.
Tamimi is being tried over 12 charges, including assault and incitement and obstructing the work of soldiers, in addition to “participating in violence.”
The 17-year-old, who comes from a leading Palestinian family known for its political activism and popular resistance, was filmed slapping an Israeli soldier trying to storm her family home in Nabi Saleh village.
Tamimi has been under arrest since 2 December, 2017, over the video.
On the same day, according to the PNN, Israeli forces detained Ahed’s mother, Nariman, while she was trying to visit her daughter.
The trial of Ahed and her mother Nariman has been postponed several times and their detention extended to today.
The military judge tried Tamimi in a closed session, and ordered all media and journalists to leave the courtroom.
Tamimi is being tried over 12 charges, including assault and incitement and obstructing the work of soldiers, in addition to “participating in violence.”
The 17-year-old, who comes from a leading Palestinian family known for its political activism and popular resistance, was filmed slapping an Israeli soldier trying to storm her family home in Nabi Saleh village.
Tamimi has been under arrest since 2 December, 2017, over the video.
On the same day, according to the PNN, Israeli forces detained Ahed’s mother, Nariman, while she was trying to visit her daughter.
The trial of Ahed and her mother Nariman has been postponed several times and their detention extended to today.
|
Palestinian children who had been detained by Israeli occupation forces say that they were beaten and humiliated inside Israeli prisons, according to Days of Palestine.
Defence for Children International – Palestine (DCIP) is concerned that Israeli military arrests are not only violent, but that children often lack proper legal representation during the court process, and that the impact of detention lasts well into adulthood. Fawzi al-Junaidi, the 16-year-old Palestinian boy whose detention, while blindfolded by a group of Israeli soldiers in occupied Al-Khalil, was captured in a photo that went viral, spoke to Al Jazeera about how he was treated in Israeli custody. |

Israeli soldiers, and members of the City Council in occupied Jerusalem, demolished two commercial structures, in the al-‘Isawiya town, and also cut and uprooted trees.
Mohammad Abu al-Hummus, a member of the Follow-Up Committee in al-Isawiya, said the soldiers surrounded the town, before invading it, and bulldozed the two structures.
He added that the two structures were used as small restaurants, proving pizza, cold and warm drinks; one of them was built ten years ago, and one since about two years. Both were built in the yard of the local mosque.
During the destruction of property, the Israeli bulldozers cut and uprooted several trees.
Abu al-Hummus stated that the ongoing illegal Israeli demolitions of homes and property are part of Israel’s collective punishment policies, and the attempt to remove the indigenous Palestinians.
He also said that the soldiers invaded the town, Monday, and fired many live rounds, rubber-coated steel bullets and gas bombs at Palestinian protesters.
Some of the bullets struck many homes in the town, causing damage and anxiety attacks among many residents, mainly the children.
It is worth mentioning that the army have been carrying out daily invasions into the town, and completely isolates it every night.
Mohammad Abu al-Hummus, a member of the Follow-Up Committee in al-Isawiya, said the soldiers surrounded the town, before invading it, and bulldozed the two structures.
He added that the two structures were used as small restaurants, proving pizza, cold and warm drinks; one of them was built ten years ago, and one since about two years. Both were built in the yard of the local mosque.
During the destruction of property, the Israeli bulldozers cut and uprooted several trees.
Abu al-Hummus stated that the ongoing illegal Israeli demolitions of homes and property are part of Israel’s collective punishment policies, and the attempt to remove the indigenous Palestinians.
He also said that the soldiers invaded the town, Monday, and fired many live rounds, rubber-coated steel bullets and gas bombs at Palestinian protesters.
Some of the bullets struck many homes in the town, causing damage and anxiety attacks among many residents, mainly the children.
It is worth mentioning that the army have been carrying out daily invasions into the town, and completely isolates it every night.

Sixty per cent of Palestinian children who were detained by Israeli occupation forces were verbally, physically or psychologically tortured, the Palestinian Prisoners’ Society (PPS) revealed on Sunday.
In a statement, the PPS said that Palestinian minors detained by the Israeli occupation were beaten, prevented from sleeping,and threatened by interrogators in order to confess.
The statement also said, according to Days of Palestine, that the Palestinian children were prevented from eating and drinking for long periods and were insulted. They were also subjected to hours of interrogations.
Accounts of three Palestinian minor prisoners, who are currently inside Israeli prisons, were included in the PPS’ report.
Mustafa al-Badan, 17, Faisal al-Shaer, 16, and Ahmed al-Shalaldeh, 15, told the PPS that they were tortured when they were investigated.
There are currently more than 6,500 Palestinians being held in the Israeli occupation’s jails, including 57 women and girls and 350 children.
In a statement, the PPS said that Palestinian minors detained by the Israeli occupation were beaten, prevented from sleeping,and threatened by interrogators in order to confess.
The statement also said, according to Days of Palestine, that the Palestinian children were prevented from eating and drinking for long periods and were insulted. They were also subjected to hours of interrogations.
Accounts of three Palestinian minor prisoners, who are currently inside Israeli prisons, were included in the PPS’ report.
Mustafa al-Badan, 17, Faisal al-Shaer, 16, and Ahmed al-Shalaldeh, 15, told the PPS that they were tortured when they were investigated.
There are currently more than 6,500 Palestinians being held in the Israeli occupation’s jails, including 57 women and girls and 350 children.

One of 30 minor girls held in Israeli jails, Ahed al-Tamimi is to appear on Tuesday before an Israeli military court for slapping two Israeli soldiers.
Assault and incitement are among 12 charges leveled against Ahed by Ofer court.
Ahed al-Tammi, 17, appeared in a video slapping two Israeli soldiers who were trying to break into her house during a protest in Nabi Saleh village in Ramallah.
Ofer court on Sunday decided to delay Ahed's trial until Tuesday to give the defense more time to study the case.
Since her arrest Ahed has been an icon of Palestinian popular resistance against the Israeli occupation.
Assault and incitement are among 12 charges leveled against Ahed by Ofer court.
Ahed al-Tammi, 17, appeared in a video slapping two Israeli soldiers who were trying to break into her house during a protest in Nabi Saleh village in Ramallah.
Ofer court on Sunday decided to delay Ahed's trial until Tuesday to give the defense more time to study the case.
Since her arrest Ahed has been an icon of Palestinian popular resistance against the Israeli occupation.
12 feb 2018

The family of Bothaina Shamasna, 48, the detained mother of a Palestinian who was killed by the Israeli army on October 12, 2015, has been holding a hunger strike for the seventh consecutive day, protesting being held under very difficult conditions, and torture inflicted on her and her child, Sara, 14.
Shamasna’s daughter, Fatima, said that her mother informed the family during her court session Sunday, that she declared hunger strike seven days ago, protesting being held in a very small cell, and the torture she was subjected to along with her detained daughter, Sarah, only 14 years of age.
Fatima added that her sister Sarah was transferred to an Israeli hospital, where she received treatment for four days, after being tortured by the soldiers during interrogation, especially when they hit her in her throat and neck.
She also said that her mother showed clear signs of torture, such as cuts and bruises, mainly on her arms and hands.
Representing the mother and her daughter, lawyer Ismael Taweel, said that the woman was abducted by the soldiers after her son’s funeral, and was interrogated for carrying a weapon during the ceremony, but the army released her later.
In January of this year, the soldiers abducted Raseela and her daughter Sara, from their home in Qotna town, west of Jerusalem.
Mohammad Shamasna, 23, was killed on October 12, 2015, when the army claimed he tried to snatch a weapon from a soldier, before an Israel settler shot and killed him.
Shamasna’s daughter, Fatima, said that her mother informed the family during her court session Sunday, that she declared hunger strike seven days ago, protesting being held in a very small cell, and the torture she was subjected to along with her detained daughter, Sarah, only 14 years of age.
Fatima added that her sister Sarah was transferred to an Israeli hospital, where she received treatment for four days, after being tortured by the soldiers during interrogation, especially when they hit her in her throat and neck.
She also said that her mother showed clear signs of torture, such as cuts and bruises, mainly on her arms and hands.
Representing the mother and her daughter, lawyer Ismael Taweel, said that the woman was abducted by the soldiers after her son’s funeral, and was interrogated for carrying a weapon during the ceremony, but the army released her later.
In January of this year, the soldiers abducted Raseela and her daughter Sara, from their home in Qotna town, west of Jerusalem.
Mohammad Shamasna, 23, was killed on October 12, 2015, when the army claimed he tried to snatch a weapon from a soldier, before an Israel settler shot and killed him.

The Palestinian Prisoners’ Society (PPS) has reported that Israeli soldiers abducted, on Monday at dawn, at least sixteen Palestinians, during massive military invasions and violent searches of homes, in several parts of the occupied West Bank.
The PPS office in Tulkarem, in northern West Bank, said dozens of soldiers invaded Beit Lid town, east of the city, and abducted Khaled Jaber Kawwa’.
The soldiers also invaded Burqin and Kafr Dan, west of the northern West Bank city of Jenin, and abducted former political prisoner Waseem ‘Aabed, from his home in Kafr Dan, in addition to Ziad Ahmad ‘Obeidi, from Burqin.
Several army vehicles also invaded al-Marah and ad-Dabbous neighborhoods, in Jenin city, and searched many homes.
In addition, the soldiers invaded Deir Istiya town, northwest of Salfit, in northwestern West Bank, and abducted Ashoush Daoud ‘Obeid, 26, and Ahmad Sobhi Abdullah, 19.
In Bethlehem, the soldiers invaded homes in Teqoua’ town, east of the city, and abducted Mousa Mohammad al-‘Amor, 17, Abdul-Rahman ‘Adel al-‘Amour, 24, Mahmoud Samir al-‘Amour, 16, Ibrahim Shakarna, and Ibrahim Yousef Abu Mfarreh, 22.
In related news, the soldiers searched many homes in Hebron city, in southern West Bank, and abducted Wajdi Rajabi, and Amir Nidal Fakhouri, 17.
The soldiers also invaded homes in Yatta town, south of Hebron, and installed roadblocks at Hebron’s northern and southern entrances, in addition to the main entrances of Sa’ir and Halhoul towns, before stopping and searching dozens of cars, and interrogated many Palestinians while inspecting their ID cards.
Also at dawn, the soldiers abducted four Palestinians, including a child and a young woman, from several parts of occupied Jerusalem, after invading and violently searching their homes.
Three of them have been identified as Ayyoub Abu Wahdan, Siraj Kashour, 23, and Sufian Nidal Natsha, 16.
In related news, the soldiers closed all roads leading to Hizma town, northeast of Jerusalem, and the al-‘Isawiya town, in the center of the city, and prevented the Palestinians from entering of leaving them.
The soldiers installed a large iron gate at the main entrance of Hizma, just a few days after they closed all its entrances with sand hills.
The two towns have been witnessing daily invasions by the soldiers, and constant confrontations with the locals over the past several months.
The PPS office in Tulkarem, in northern West Bank, said dozens of soldiers invaded Beit Lid town, east of the city, and abducted Khaled Jaber Kawwa’.
The soldiers also invaded Burqin and Kafr Dan, west of the northern West Bank city of Jenin, and abducted former political prisoner Waseem ‘Aabed, from his home in Kafr Dan, in addition to Ziad Ahmad ‘Obeidi, from Burqin.
Several army vehicles also invaded al-Marah and ad-Dabbous neighborhoods, in Jenin city, and searched many homes.
In addition, the soldiers invaded Deir Istiya town, northwest of Salfit, in northwestern West Bank, and abducted Ashoush Daoud ‘Obeid, 26, and Ahmad Sobhi Abdullah, 19.
In Bethlehem, the soldiers invaded homes in Teqoua’ town, east of the city, and abducted Mousa Mohammad al-‘Amor, 17, Abdul-Rahman ‘Adel al-‘Amour, 24, Mahmoud Samir al-‘Amour, 16, Ibrahim Shakarna, and Ibrahim Yousef Abu Mfarreh, 22.
In related news, the soldiers searched many homes in Hebron city, in southern West Bank, and abducted Wajdi Rajabi, and Amir Nidal Fakhouri, 17.
The soldiers also invaded homes in Yatta town, south of Hebron, and installed roadblocks at Hebron’s northern and southern entrances, in addition to the main entrances of Sa’ir and Halhoul towns, before stopping and searching dozens of cars, and interrogated many Palestinians while inspecting their ID cards.
Also at dawn, the soldiers abducted four Palestinians, including a child and a young woman, from several parts of occupied Jerusalem, after invading and violently searching their homes.
Three of them have been identified as Ayyoub Abu Wahdan, Siraj Kashour, 23, and Sufian Nidal Natsha, 16.
In related news, the soldiers closed all roads leading to Hizma town, northeast of Jerusalem, and the al-‘Isawiya town, in the center of the city, and prevented the Palestinians from entering of leaving them.
The soldiers installed a large iron gate at the main entrance of Hizma, just a few days after they closed all its entrances with sand hills.
The two towns have been witnessing daily invasions by the soldiers, and constant confrontations with the locals over the past several months.

An Israeli court in occupied Jerusalem ordered, Sunday, the release of a Palestinian child, after issuing a ruling forcing him under house arrest for five days, and a 500 Israeli shekels bail.
The child, identified as Sa’adi Syouri, 13 years of age, was taken prisoner by the soldiers, and was interrogated for several hours, after they accused him of throwing stones them.
Hours after interrogating the child, a court issued an order, releasing him under a 500 Shekels bail, and forcing him under house arrest for five days.
The child, identified as Sa’adi Syouri, 13 years of age, was taken prisoner by the soldiers, and was interrogated for several hours, after they accused him of throwing stones them.
Hours after interrogating the child, a court issued an order, releasing him under a 500 Shekels bail, and forcing him under house arrest for five days.

Israeli soldiers abducted, on Monday at dawn, four Palestinians, including a child and a young woman, from several parts of occupied Jerusalem, after invading and violently searching their homes.
The soldiers invaded Batn al-Hawa neighborhood, in Silwan town, south of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, and abducted Sufian Nidal Natsha, 16, and Ayyoub Abu Wahdan, the father of a political prisoner, identified as Ziad Abu Wahdan.
It is worth mentioning that Ayyoub works as a guard at the Al-Aqsa Mosque, and was abducted after the searching violently searched his home.
In addition, the soldiers abducted Siraj Kashour, 23, from Abu Dis town, southeast of Jerusalem, after violently searching his home.
I related news, the soldiers abducted a young woman, who remained unidentified at the time of this report, from Shu’fat refugee camp, in the center of Jerusalem.
It is worth mentioning that the soldiers searched many homes in Silwan, Abu Dis, Shu’fat, and many other communities in occupied Jerusalem, in addition to breaking into a Restaurant in al-Misrara neighborhood.
The soldiers invaded Batn al-Hawa neighborhood, in Silwan town, south of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, and abducted Sufian Nidal Natsha, 16, and Ayyoub Abu Wahdan, the father of a political prisoner, identified as Ziad Abu Wahdan.
It is worth mentioning that Ayyoub works as a guard at the Al-Aqsa Mosque, and was abducted after the searching violently searched his home.
In addition, the soldiers abducted Siraj Kashour, 23, from Abu Dis town, southeast of Jerusalem, after violently searching his home.
I related news, the soldiers abducted a young woman, who remained unidentified at the time of this report, from Shu’fat refugee camp, in the center of Jerusalem.
It is worth mentioning that the soldiers searched many homes in Silwan, Abu Dis, Shu’fat, and many other communities in occupied Jerusalem, in addition to breaking into a Restaurant in al-Misrara neighborhood.
11 feb 2018

Israeli soldiers abducted, on Sunday at dawn, twelve Palestinians, including one woman, from their homes, in several parts of the occupied West Bank.
Media sources in occupied Jerusalem, said the soldiers invaded and ransacked a home in the at-Tour neighborhood (Mount Of Olives), overlooking the Old City, and abducted a former political prisoner, identified as Jamal Za’tari, before moving him to an interrogation facility.
In addition, the Nablus office of the Palestinian Prisoners’ Society (PPS) said dozens of soldiers invaded Rafidia neighborhood and the Northern Mountain area, in the city, before breaking into many residential buildings, and homes, and violently searched them.
It said the soldiers abducted Mohammad Mreish, and his wife, Woroud Abdul-Hakim ‘Aasai, 36, in addition to Ali Salhab, and added that the soldiers also abducted Mohammad al-‘Aassi and ‘Odai al-‘Aassi, from the northern Mountain.
The soldiers also invaded and searched homes in Anabta town, east of the northern West Bank city of Tulkarem, and abducted Abdul-Karim Sa’id Barakat, and former political prisoner Soheib Bilal Anwar, after violently searching their homes.
Furthermore, the Bethlehem office of the PPS said many soldiers invaded Hindaza area, east of the city, before searching homes, and abducted Hussein Atef ‘Obeyyat, the son of Atef, who was assassinated by the army in 2002.
In Ramallah governorate, in central West Bank, the soldiers abducted three Palestinians, identified as Obaida Zaki Abu Salim, 18, Qaiss Sa’id Wahdan, 18, Waleed Hamza Ballout, 16.
In related news, the soldiers invaded and searched many homes in the towns of Yatta, Sammoa’, Halhoul and ath-Thaheriyya, and summoned many Palestinians for interrogation in Etzion military base and security center, north of Hebron.
Some of the Palestinians who were summoned for interrogation, after the soldiers searched their homes, have been identified as Khaled Jibreen Shehada, Mahmoud Rawashda, Abdul-Hakim Daghamin and Ayman al-Battat.
On Saturday evening, the soldiers invaded the al-‘Arqa village, southwest of Jenin, and installed a military roadblock at its main entrance, before stopping and searching dozens of cars, and interrogated many Palestinians while inspecting their ID cards.
Dozens of soldiers were also deployed in mountains surrounding the village and conducted extensive searches.
Media sources in occupied Jerusalem, said the soldiers invaded and ransacked a home in the at-Tour neighborhood (Mount Of Olives), overlooking the Old City, and abducted a former political prisoner, identified as Jamal Za’tari, before moving him to an interrogation facility.
In addition, the Nablus office of the Palestinian Prisoners’ Society (PPS) said dozens of soldiers invaded Rafidia neighborhood and the Northern Mountain area, in the city, before breaking into many residential buildings, and homes, and violently searched them.
It said the soldiers abducted Mohammad Mreish, and his wife, Woroud Abdul-Hakim ‘Aasai, 36, in addition to Ali Salhab, and added that the soldiers also abducted Mohammad al-‘Aassi and ‘Odai al-‘Aassi, from the northern Mountain.
The soldiers also invaded and searched homes in Anabta town, east of the northern West Bank city of Tulkarem, and abducted Abdul-Karim Sa’id Barakat, and former political prisoner Soheib Bilal Anwar, after violently searching their homes.
Furthermore, the Bethlehem office of the PPS said many soldiers invaded Hindaza area, east of the city, before searching homes, and abducted Hussein Atef ‘Obeyyat, the son of Atef, who was assassinated by the army in 2002.
In Ramallah governorate, in central West Bank, the soldiers abducted three Palestinians, identified as Obaida Zaki Abu Salim, 18, Qaiss Sa’id Wahdan, 18, Waleed Hamza Ballout, 16.
In related news, the soldiers invaded and searched many homes in the towns of Yatta, Sammoa’, Halhoul and ath-Thaheriyya, and summoned many Palestinians for interrogation in Etzion military base and security center, north of Hebron.
Some of the Palestinians who were summoned for interrogation, after the soldiers searched their homes, have been identified as Khaled Jibreen Shehada, Mahmoud Rawashda, Abdul-Hakim Daghamin and Ayman al-Battat.
On Saturday evening, the soldiers invaded the al-‘Arqa village, southwest of Jenin, and installed a military roadblock at its main entrance, before stopping and searching dozens of cars, and interrogated many Palestinians while inspecting their ID cards.
Dozens of soldiers were also deployed in mountains surrounding the village and conducted extensive searches.
10 feb 2018

When one approaches the family’s house of Palestinian prisoner Mahmoud Al-Arda, Mahmoud's features could be seen at every corner, and it feels like he is present at the family’s gatherings, where many prayers and wishes are made for his imminent release and freedom.
Palestinian elder Fathia Al-Arda, Mahmoud’s mother, who is known as the mother of prisoners, says: “There is no prison gate that I didn’t stand in front of, waiting to see my five children.” She holds her breath and sighs as she speaks, adding, “Praise be to Allah, we are almost done, 3 out of 5 of my kids were released.”
A Hero
Palestinian prisoner Mahmud Abdallah Ali, a 40-year-old resident of Arrabeh village, south of Jenin, was arrested while still a school student by Israeli forces who raided his house when he was 13.
He was released in 1996 as part of the agreements reached between the Palestinian National Authority and the Israeli occupation. He spent two and a half years out of four in Israeli jails then.
His mother notes, “I swear, I didn’t have enough of him. Our joy was not complete because the occupation suddenly stormed our house and kidnapped him again on charges of killing an Israeli police officer in the Badiya district of Nablus on 9 September 1996, thus transferring him to the Jalameh Interrogation Center, north of occupied Haifa, and later transferring him to several prisons including Shata, Beersheba, Nafha and Rimon.”
Mahmoud got introduced to Saleh Tahayneh from the town of Silat al-Harthiya, who managed to escape from prison, carrying out several attacks against the Israeli occupation. He was assassinated in his apartment in Ramallah in mysterious circumstances. Mahmoud worked alongside him in the military wing of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement, which was known as ‘Qasam’ then.
Family behind bars
The Israeli occupation forces captured five members of the Al-Arda family throughout the years of Al-Aqsa Intifada. Shaddad was arrested and released after serving four and a half years. Huda served a three and a half years sentence. She was released and married in the Gaza Strip.
Ahmed, who is known as ‘Shakir’ served twenty years behind bars. Radad has been serving a 20-year sentence and his family is awaiting his release a year later. Mahmoud, who was sentenced to life in prison, has served 25 years in jail.
The mother asserts her words by saying, “May God be satisfied with him and preserve him. Mahmoud was and still religious, Raouf was good at school and one of the best students. He was good towards his parents and he was the most passionate and kind-hearted among my kids.”
In his prison, Mahmoud finished a bachelor's degree in Islamic studies from the Al-Aqsa University. He received a degree in preaching, he is very inclined to education and science. He spends his time teaching prisoners, giving prisoners lessons and lectures. He wrote more than one pamphlet, such as Al-Rawhil, in which he spoke about the features of leading figures in the Muslim nation.
The mother can’t forget when an Israeli officer came to the family’s house and said to her: “He will be back in 10 minutes; we just want to chat with him.” Since then, Mahmoud did not return to his home and the ten minutes extended to 25 years.
She adds, “Mahmoud has a high morale, and he is distinguished by his social relations with the prisoners. He is educated and follows up with the ongoing events. He is active and flexible with all prisoners around him.”
His mother has only one hope: To see her son Mahmoud before she dies and to live with him this joy and to see her grandchildren.
Palestinian elder Fathia Al-Arda, Mahmoud’s mother, who is known as the mother of prisoners, says: “There is no prison gate that I didn’t stand in front of, waiting to see my five children.” She holds her breath and sighs as she speaks, adding, “Praise be to Allah, we are almost done, 3 out of 5 of my kids were released.”
A Hero
Palestinian prisoner Mahmud Abdallah Ali, a 40-year-old resident of Arrabeh village, south of Jenin, was arrested while still a school student by Israeli forces who raided his house when he was 13.
He was released in 1996 as part of the agreements reached between the Palestinian National Authority and the Israeli occupation. He spent two and a half years out of four in Israeli jails then.
His mother notes, “I swear, I didn’t have enough of him. Our joy was not complete because the occupation suddenly stormed our house and kidnapped him again on charges of killing an Israeli police officer in the Badiya district of Nablus on 9 September 1996, thus transferring him to the Jalameh Interrogation Center, north of occupied Haifa, and later transferring him to several prisons including Shata, Beersheba, Nafha and Rimon.”
Mahmoud got introduced to Saleh Tahayneh from the town of Silat al-Harthiya, who managed to escape from prison, carrying out several attacks against the Israeli occupation. He was assassinated in his apartment in Ramallah in mysterious circumstances. Mahmoud worked alongside him in the military wing of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad movement, which was known as ‘Qasam’ then.
Family behind bars
The Israeli occupation forces captured five members of the Al-Arda family throughout the years of Al-Aqsa Intifada. Shaddad was arrested and released after serving four and a half years. Huda served a three and a half years sentence. She was released and married in the Gaza Strip.
Ahmed, who is known as ‘Shakir’ served twenty years behind bars. Radad has been serving a 20-year sentence and his family is awaiting his release a year later. Mahmoud, who was sentenced to life in prison, has served 25 years in jail.
The mother asserts her words by saying, “May God be satisfied with him and preserve him. Mahmoud was and still religious, Raouf was good at school and one of the best students. He was good towards his parents and he was the most passionate and kind-hearted among my kids.”
In his prison, Mahmoud finished a bachelor's degree in Islamic studies from the Al-Aqsa University. He received a degree in preaching, he is very inclined to education and science. He spends his time teaching prisoners, giving prisoners lessons and lectures. He wrote more than one pamphlet, such as Al-Rawhil, in which he spoke about the features of leading figures in the Muslim nation.
The mother can’t forget when an Israeli officer came to the family’s house and said to her: “He will be back in 10 minutes; we just want to chat with him.” Since then, Mahmoud did not return to his home and the ten minutes extended to 25 years.
She adds, “Mahmoud has a high morale, and he is distinguished by his social relations with the prisoners. He is educated and follows up with the ongoing events. He is active and flexible with all prisoners around him.”
His mother has only one hope: To see her son Mahmoud before she dies and to live with him this joy and to see her grandchildren.

The Israeli human rights center B'Tselem on Saturday said that the Israeli army in January 2018 deliberately killed five Palestinians, four of whom were children, without justification.
B'Tselem revealed in a report that on 3rd January the Israeli soldiers shot Mus'ab al-Soufi, 16, a resident of Deir Nizam village in Ramallah, in the neck and killed him.
On 11th January, according to the human rights center, the Israeli soldiers shot the 17-year-old Ali Qino directly in the head in Iraq Burin village in Nablus. On the same day, Amir Abu Musaed, 15, was killed in a similar incident during a demonstration near the border fence east of Deir al-Balah city in the central Gaza Strip.
Both Ahmad Salim, 28, and Laith Abu Naim, 16, were killed in Qalqilya and Ramallah, respectively, after being targeted with live bullets to the head for no apparent reason.
Based on B'Tselem's investigation, the Israeli soldiers opened fire at those Palestinians, particularly in the upper parts of their bodies, during peaceful demonstrations and stone-throwing protests, which means that they were not posing any threat to the soldiers' lives.
The report underlined that such practices make open-fire instructions meaningless because the purpose of these instructions is to limit the use of live ammunition for killing. They also reflect Israel's blatant disregard for the lives of Palestinian civilians, it added.
B'Tselem revealed in a report that on 3rd January the Israeli soldiers shot Mus'ab al-Soufi, 16, a resident of Deir Nizam village in Ramallah, in the neck and killed him.
On 11th January, according to the human rights center, the Israeli soldiers shot the 17-year-old Ali Qino directly in the head in Iraq Burin village in Nablus. On the same day, Amir Abu Musaed, 15, was killed in a similar incident during a demonstration near the border fence east of Deir al-Balah city in the central Gaza Strip.
Both Ahmad Salim, 28, and Laith Abu Naim, 16, were killed in Qalqilya and Ramallah, respectively, after being targeted with live bullets to the head for no apparent reason.
Based on B'Tselem's investigation, the Israeli soldiers opened fire at those Palestinians, particularly in the upper parts of their bodies, during peaceful demonstrations and stone-throwing protests, which means that they were not posing any threat to the soldiers' lives.
The report underlined that such practices make open-fire instructions meaningless because the purpose of these instructions is to limit the use of live ammunition for killing. They also reflect Israel's blatant disregard for the lives of Palestinian civilians, it added.
9 feb 2018

Karam Abu Awwad 4 days
The Palestinian health ministry said that a four-day-old baby on Thursday joined the convoy of victims who had died as a result of their need for vital medicines unavailable in Gaza hospitals.
According to a statement by the ministry, four-day-old Karam Abu Awwad, from Beit Lahia, died due to the absence of a special respiratory medicine called “Calfactant” that helps premature infants to breathe normally.
In this regard, the nursery department at al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza has appealed to the competent authorities to urgently provide Gaza hospitals with medicines needed for newborns, especially the Calfactant.
This type of medication is one of many vital medicines that became out of stock in Gaza.
The same hospital had already seen the death of five premature infants after failure to provide them with this drug.
The Palestinian health ministry said that a four-day-old baby on Thursday joined the convoy of victims who had died as a result of their need for vital medicines unavailable in Gaza hospitals.
According to a statement by the ministry, four-day-old Karam Abu Awwad, from Beit Lahia, died due to the absence of a special respiratory medicine called “Calfactant” that helps premature infants to breathe normally.
In this regard, the nursery department at al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza has appealed to the competent authorities to urgently provide Gaza hospitals with medicines needed for newborns, especially the Calfactant.
This type of medication is one of many vital medicines that became out of stock in Gaza.
The same hospital had already seen the death of five premature infants after failure to provide them with this drug.