28 oct 2016
The Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) erected Friday afternoon a number of checkpoints at the entrances to al-Khalil to the south of West Bank.
Eyewitnesses affirmed that several Palestinian vehicles were stopped and searched at an Israeli military checkpoint near Halhul Bridge in the city.
Two Iron Gates were also closed while another military checkpoint was erected to the west of the city, the sources added.
Israeli forces were also deployed in large numbers in different areas in the city which led to the outbreak of violent clashes after Friday prayers.
Meanwhile, Israeli settlers stormed Einbos town, south of Nablus, under the protection of Israeli forces in total provocation to local farmers who were harvesting their olive trees in the area.
Along the same line, Israeli forces arrested a local farmer from his agricultural land in Qusin town, west of the city, and forced several others to leave their lands.
Eyewitnesses affirmed that several Palestinian vehicles were stopped and searched at an Israeli military checkpoint near Halhul Bridge in the city.
Two Iron Gates were also closed while another military checkpoint was erected to the west of the city, the sources added.
Israeli forces were also deployed in large numbers in different areas in the city which led to the outbreak of violent clashes after Friday prayers.
Meanwhile, Israeli settlers stormed Einbos town, south of Nablus, under the protection of Israeli forces in total provocation to local farmers who were harvesting their olive trees in the area.
Along the same line, Israeli forces arrested a local farmer from his agricultural land in Qusin town, west of the city, and forced several others to leave their lands.
The Israeli occupation army on Thursday evening closed an agricultural road in Beit Dajan town, east of Nablus.
Eyewitnesses told the Palestinian Information Center (PIC) that an Israeli bulldozer escorted by soldiers entered the eastern part of the town and blocked an agricultural road with mounds of dirt and rocks.
They added that local activists along with the chief of the town rushed to the area where the roadblock was created to protest the Israeli step.
The road had been established by the town council with funds from the Land Research Center.
Eyewitnesses told the Palestinian Information Center (PIC) that an Israeli bulldozer escorted by soldiers entered the eastern part of the town and blocked an agricultural road with mounds of dirt and rocks.
They added that local activists along with the chief of the town rushed to the area where the roadblock was created to protest the Israeli step.
The road had been established by the town council with funds from the Land Research Center.
27 oct 2016
The Israeli occupation authority (IOA) on Thursday morning decided to reduce the number of cargo trucks allowed to enter the besieged Gaza Strip through the Karam Abu Salem crossing to 340 vehicles per day.
In press remarks to the Palestinian Information Center (PIC), Ra’ed Abul-Fotouh, head of the civil authority that coordinates the entry of goods to Gaza, said the Israeli authorities informed the Palestinian side of its intention to decrease the number of trucks crossing into Gaza every day, without providing an explanation for its decision.
350 cargo trucks used to enter Gaza through the crossing almost every day, but now 250 trucks carrying different goods and 90 others laden with cement shipments will be allowed in, according to Abul-Fotouh.
The Karam Abu Salem crossing is the only portal for the access of vital goods and supplies to the Gaza. It is closed every Friday and Saturday as well as during Jewish holidays and festivals.
For his part, the Popular Committee against the Siege warned of the Israeli decision to decrease the cargo trucks entering Gaza, describing it as “a serious development and a measure that would worsen the already tight blockade.”
In press remarks to the Palestinian Information Center (PIC), Ra’ed Abul-Fotouh, head of the civil authority that coordinates the entry of goods to Gaza, said the Israeli authorities informed the Palestinian side of its intention to decrease the number of trucks crossing into Gaza every day, without providing an explanation for its decision.
350 cargo trucks used to enter Gaza through the crossing almost every day, but now 250 trucks carrying different goods and 90 others laden with cement shipments will be allowed in, according to Abul-Fotouh.
The Karam Abu Salem crossing is the only portal for the access of vital goods and supplies to the Gaza. It is closed every Friday and Saturday as well as during Jewish holidays and festivals.
For his part, the Popular Committee against the Siege warned of the Israeli decision to decrease the cargo trucks entering Gaza, describing it as “a serious development and a measure that would worsen the already tight blockade.”
The Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) decided on Thursday morning to reopen the entrance of the village of Beit Einun in the southern West Bank province of al-Khalil.
According to the PIC reporter, Israeli forces reopened the Iron Gate to the village after being closed for eight months under the pretext of alleged anti-occupation attacks.
The eight-month closure had led to periodic blockade of Palestinian neighboring villages, towns, checkpoints, and entire districts.
Israel’s response to alleged anti-occupation attacks, such as punitive home demolitions, the sealing of entire villages, mass detention campaigns, and withholding the bodies of Palestinians slain while committing attacks, has been condemned by rights groups, who have said the measures amount to “collective punishment” and represent a clear violation of the international law.
According to the PIC reporter, Israeli forces reopened the Iron Gate to the village after being closed for eight months under the pretext of alleged anti-occupation attacks.
The eight-month closure had led to periodic blockade of Palestinian neighboring villages, towns, checkpoints, and entire districts.
Israel’s response to alleged anti-occupation attacks, such as punitive home demolitions, the sealing of entire villages, mass detention campaigns, and withholding the bodies of Palestinians slain while committing attacks, has been condemned by rights groups, who have said the measures amount to “collective punishment” and represent a clear violation of the international law.
25 oct 2016
The Israeli occupation authority (IOA) has agreed to expand the fishing zone off the coast of the Gaza Strip from six to nine nautical miles as of next November.
Mohamed al-Maqadma, spokesman for the Palestinian general authority of civil affairs, told the Palestinian Information Center (PIC), that the IOA would increase the fishing zone for one renewable month.
Maqadma added that the fishermen would be able to sail up to nine nautical miles at sea as of the first of November.
Under the 1993 Oslo accords, the Palestinians are supposed to be allowed to fish within a range of 20 nautical miles off the shores of Gaza, but this agreement has not been honored by Israel for 15 years.
The Palestinian fishermen are also exposed to gunfire attack and detention by the Israeli navy almost every day.
Mohamed al-Maqadma, spokesman for the Palestinian general authority of civil affairs, told the Palestinian Information Center (PIC), that the IOA would increase the fishing zone for one renewable month.
Maqadma added that the fishermen would be able to sail up to nine nautical miles at sea as of the first of November.
Under the 1993 Oslo accords, the Palestinians are supposed to be allowed to fish within a range of 20 nautical miles off the shores of Gaza, but this agreement has not been honored by Israel for 15 years.
The Palestinian fishermen are also exposed to gunfire attack and detention by the Israeli navy almost every day.
Coordinator of the 'Miles of Smiles' convoys Isam Yousef called Tuesday on Egyptian authorities to facilitate the passage of humanitarian relief convoys into Gaza Strip via Rafah border crossing.
The difficult humanitarian situation in Gaza Strip, caused by the Israeli decade-long siege, needs an urgent international support, he said.
'Miles of Smiles' convoys have managed to reach Gaza Strip more than once in coordination with Egyptian authorities, he pointed out.
Yousef appreciated the Egyptian decision to open Rafah crossing over the past week, saying that such a step has helped to alleviate the suffering of the people of Gaza.
He expressed hope that the Egyptian authorities would facilitate the reconstruction of Gaza Strip as it was agreed upon during donor countries conference in Cairo in 2014.
The difficult humanitarian situation in Gaza Strip, caused by the Israeli decade-long siege, needs an urgent international support, he said.
'Miles of Smiles' convoys have managed to reach Gaza Strip more than once in coordination with Egyptian authorities, he pointed out.
Yousef appreciated the Egyptian decision to open Rafah crossing over the past week, saying that such a step has helped to alleviate the suffering of the people of Gaza.
He expressed hope that the Egyptian authorities would facilitate the reconstruction of Gaza Strip as it was agreed upon during donor countries conference in Cairo in 2014.
23 oct 2016
The Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) closed Sunday evening all entrances to Deir Jarir village northeast of Ramallah and declared it a closed military zone.
Local sources affirmed that Israeli forces restricted the people’s movement in both directions which led to the outbreak of violent clashes.
The sources pointed out that Israeli forces deployed in large numbers throughout the town and erected a number of military checkpoints northeast of Ramallah.
Similar measures were taken in Silwad and Nabi Salah villages in Ramallah, restricting the locals’ movement.
Local sources affirmed that Israeli forces restricted the people’s movement in both directions which led to the outbreak of violent clashes.
The sources pointed out that Israeli forces deployed in large numbers throughout the town and erected a number of military checkpoints northeast of Ramallah.
Similar measures were taken in Silwad and Nabi Salah villages in Ramallah, restricting the locals’ movement.
The Israeli occupation army on Saturday evening slapped a total closure on the West Bank and Gaza, which will last until Monday night, ahead of the Jewish holiday of Sukkot.
Tens of thousands of Palestinian workers will not be able to enter/exit the occupied territories as a result of the measure, which will be in place from midnight Saturday until midnight Monday.
Similar closures have been placed on the West Bank in the past during Jewish holidays, particularly Yom Kippur and Passover. Those holidays are often associated with increased terrorism and break-ins by Israeli fanatic settlers at Islamic holy sites, particularly the al-Aqsa Mosque.
The crossings on the Gaza border have also been closed off for the holiday period.
During such holidays the occupation army seals off border crossings into Gaza and partially opens the Karem Abu Salem and Beit Hanoun crossings. Hundreds of fixed and makeshift checkpoints have also been pitched to block Palestinians’ movement in and out.
Sukkot is a week-long Jewish festival which falls shortly after Yom Kippur. Sukkot in Israel is a time of vacation – the first and last days are national holidays.
Tens of thousands of Palestinian workers will not be able to enter/exit the occupied territories as a result of the measure, which will be in place from midnight Saturday until midnight Monday.
Similar closures have been placed on the West Bank in the past during Jewish holidays, particularly Yom Kippur and Passover. Those holidays are often associated with increased terrorism and break-ins by Israeli fanatic settlers at Islamic holy sites, particularly the al-Aqsa Mosque.
The crossings on the Gaza border have also been closed off for the holiday period.
During such holidays the occupation army seals off border crossings into Gaza and partially opens the Karem Abu Salem and Beit Hanoun crossings. Hundreds of fixed and makeshift checkpoints have also been pitched to block Palestinians’ movement in and out.
Sukkot is a week-long Jewish festival which falls shortly after Yom Kippur. Sukkot in Israel is a time of vacation – the first and last days are national holidays.
21 oct 2016
A marathon race staged by Jewish settlers on Friday morning led to road closures and obstructed the movement of Palestinians between the north and south of the West Bank.
According to local sources, the Israeli occupation forces closed most of the main roads connecting the northern and central towns of the West Bank with the province of Ramallah and al-Bireh as a security measure to protect the participating settlers.
As a result, these closures forced many West Bankers to use longer bypass roads to reach their destinations.
Earlier, the Israeli army announced that these road closures would start at 6:30 am and end at 11:30 am in order to secure Road 60 (Ramallah-Nablus road), where the race took place.
A large number of Israeli troops had been deployed during the race along this arterial road and other nearby main roads.
Later in the afternoon, the Israeli army closed, with no known reason, the entrance to Sebastia town, north of Nablus, and embarked on intercepting Palestinian cars and photographing their license plates.
According to local sources, the Israeli occupation forces closed most of the main roads connecting the northern and central towns of the West Bank with the province of Ramallah and al-Bireh as a security measure to protect the participating settlers.
As a result, these closures forced many West Bankers to use longer bypass roads to reach their destinations.
Earlier, the Israeli army announced that these road closures would start at 6:30 am and end at 11:30 am in order to secure Road 60 (Ramallah-Nablus road), where the race took place.
A large number of Israeli troops had been deployed during the race along this arterial road and other nearby main roads.
Later in the afternoon, the Israeli army closed, with no known reason, the entrance to Sebastia town, north of Nablus, and embarked on intercepting Palestinian cars and photographing their license plates.
Egyptian authorities opened on Friday the Rafah crossing between the besieged Gaza Strip and Egypt for the fifth consecutive day to allow passage for humanitarian cases and stranded people.
The border crossing authority reported that 678 Palestinians left Gaza on Thursday.
The Egyptian authorities closed early on Friday the crossing after allowing the passage of seven buses.
One of the buses was carrying holders of Egyptian passports while two others were carrying passengers who coordinated their departure with the Egyptian authorities.
A number of ambulances carrying Gazan patients were also allowed entry into Egypt.
Meanwhile, 228 stranded Palestinians arrived into Gaza Strip.
Egyptian authorities denied entry for 46 Palestinians for unknown reasons.
On Wednesday, 624 Palestinian left Gaza, while 337 Palestinians arrived into the Strip. 48 Passengers’ travel was denied.
The border crossing authority reported that 678 Palestinians left Gaza on Thursday.
The Egyptian authorities closed early on Friday the crossing after allowing the passage of seven buses.
One of the buses was carrying holders of Egyptian passports while two others were carrying passengers who coordinated their departure with the Egyptian authorities.
A number of ambulances carrying Gazan patients were also allowed entry into Egypt.
Meanwhile, 228 stranded Palestinians arrived into Gaza Strip.
Egyptian authorities denied entry for 46 Palestinians for unknown reasons.
On Wednesday, 624 Palestinian left Gaza, while 337 Palestinians arrived into the Strip. 48 Passengers’ travel was denied.
20 oct 2016
The tough Israeli blockade has started to affect chicken business in the blockaded Gaza Strip as a large number of people have decided to forego selling poultry meat.
Poultry sales have gone sharply down in Gaza for the second month running while experts have warned of an unabated crisis rocking the poultry market due to the unstable weather conditions that have recently swept the region.
Heavy losses have been inflicted on the poultry business with chicken meat being sold at no more than nine shekels a kilogram. Farmers reportedly spend up to eight shekels to raise just one chicken.
Speaking to a PIC news reporter, Palestinian citizen Muhammad Abu Tabaq, an owner of a poultry farm, said: “I was hit hard by the volatile weather shifts. My family and I have had low spirits as a large number of hens—our sole source of income—have died.”
“I am afraid of losing my farm due to the frequent power cuts and the solar crisis,” he stated.
He added that he has been forced to sell chicken at six shekels a kilogram (a dollar and a half) due to the decline in the purchasing power.
Poultry dealer Suhail Nahal attributed the sharp nosedive in poultry prices to the degeneration of Gazans’ purchasing power and the poor socio-economic conditions in the besieged coastal territory.
“Most of the poor families tend to buy frozen poultry at a lower price than fresh poultry,” said Suhail.
Stricken by poverty and unemployment, Palestinian families embarked on small poultry projects to feed their children, using a room in their homes or a corner in their rooftops to rear chicken and put them up for sale at very low prices.
Head of the Department of Animal Production at the Ministry of Agriculture, Taher Abu Hamad, also told the PIC that urgent measures have to be taken to make up for such heavy losses.
He recommended recourse to water-spraying poultry roofs and walls in case of a sudden upsurge in the average temperature. He further suggested noshing poultry with vitamin C so as to curtail thermal shock.
He added that the Ministry of Agriculture will keep in touch with poultry farmers so as to caution them against any projected weather fluctuations both in the summer and winter seasons.
The Gaza Strip is in need of about two million mature chickens reared in nearly 1,400 farms, along with hundreds of tons of frozen chopped chicken imported from the 1948 occupied Palestinian territories.
The crisis in poultry business is another red alert that has been declared in Gaza, mostly inhabited by small artisans, farmers, fishermen, and traders. A one-decade-long blockade imposed by the Israeli occupation has made life in the enclave a hell on earth.
Poultry sales have gone sharply down in Gaza for the second month running while experts have warned of an unabated crisis rocking the poultry market due to the unstable weather conditions that have recently swept the region.
Heavy losses have been inflicted on the poultry business with chicken meat being sold at no more than nine shekels a kilogram. Farmers reportedly spend up to eight shekels to raise just one chicken.
Speaking to a PIC news reporter, Palestinian citizen Muhammad Abu Tabaq, an owner of a poultry farm, said: “I was hit hard by the volatile weather shifts. My family and I have had low spirits as a large number of hens—our sole source of income—have died.”
“I am afraid of losing my farm due to the frequent power cuts and the solar crisis,” he stated.
He added that he has been forced to sell chicken at six shekels a kilogram (a dollar and a half) due to the decline in the purchasing power.
Poultry dealer Suhail Nahal attributed the sharp nosedive in poultry prices to the degeneration of Gazans’ purchasing power and the poor socio-economic conditions in the besieged coastal territory.
“Most of the poor families tend to buy frozen poultry at a lower price than fresh poultry,” said Suhail.
Stricken by poverty and unemployment, Palestinian families embarked on small poultry projects to feed their children, using a room in their homes or a corner in their rooftops to rear chicken and put them up for sale at very low prices.
Head of the Department of Animal Production at the Ministry of Agriculture, Taher Abu Hamad, also told the PIC that urgent measures have to be taken to make up for such heavy losses.
He recommended recourse to water-spraying poultry roofs and walls in case of a sudden upsurge in the average temperature. He further suggested noshing poultry with vitamin C so as to curtail thermal shock.
He added that the Ministry of Agriculture will keep in touch with poultry farmers so as to caution them against any projected weather fluctuations both in the summer and winter seasons.
The Gaza Strip is in need of about two million mature chickens reared in nearly 1,400 farms, along with hundreds of tons of frozen chopped chicken imported from the 1948 occupied Palestinian territories.
The crisis in poultry business is another red alert that has been declared in Gaza, mostly inhabited by small artisans, farmers, fishermen, and traders. A one-decade-long blockade imposed by the Israeli occupation has made life in the enclave a hell on earth.
Director the International Committee of the Red Cross office in Gaza Strip Mamadou Sue called Wednesday on the Egyptian authorities to facilitate the travel of Palestinian travelers via Rafah border crossing.
During a press conference following his visit to Rafah crossing, Mamadou Sue described the humanitarian cases at the crossing as “painful.”
"I met several patients who waited for long years before being allowed to travel for medical treatment, and students banned from travelling abroad although they possess valid passports and entry visas to western countries," he said.
"We call on Egyptian authorities to facilitate the patients and students’ access out," he urged.
It is a matter of life and death, he said, expressing hope that Rafah crossing will be permanently open.
The Egyptian authorities reopened on Wednesday the Rafah border-crossing on both sides so as to allow humanitarian cases’ access out of and into the blockaded Gaza Strip.
The Egyptian authorities closed the Rafah border crossing with Gaza on October 25, 2014, leaving thousands of Gazans, mostly humanitarian cases, stranded on both sides of the Gaza-Egypt borders.
The Egyptian blockade, along with a decade-long blockade imposed by the Israeli occupation authorities on the coastal enclave, have made life horrendous in the besieged territory.
During a press conference following his visit to Rafah crossing, Mamadou Sue described the humanitarian cases at the crossing as “painful.”
"I met several patients who waited for long years before being allowed to travel for medical treatment, and students banned from travelling abroad although they possess valid passports and entry visas to western countries," he said.
"We call on Egyptian authorities to facilitate the patients and students’ access out," he urged.
It is a matter of life and death, he said, expressing hope that Rafah crossing will be permanently open.
The Egyptian authorities reopened on Wednesday the Rafah border-crossing on both sides so as to allow humanitarian cases’ access out of and into the blockaded Gaza Strip.
The Egyptian authorities closed the Rafah border crossing with Gaza on October 25, 2014, leaving thousands of Gazans, mostly humanitarian cases, stranded on both sides of the Gaza-Egypt borders.
The Egyptian blockade, along with a decade-long blockade imposed by the Israeli occupation authorities on the coastal enclave, have made life horrendous in the besieged territory.
