4 nov 2016
The Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) closed Friday evening the entrance to Beit Umar town as part of its military restrictions against al-Khalil city south of West Bank.
Israeli forces also erected a military checkpoint near Ras Joura town north of al-Khalil.
Several vehicles were stopped and searched at the checkpoint.
A second checkpoint was erected at the entrance to Seir town.
Israeli forces also erected a military checkpoint near Ras Joura town north of al-Khalil.
Several vehicles were stopped and searched at the checkpoint.
A second checkpoint was erected at the entrance to Seir town.
The Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) closed Friday afternoon the entrances to Palestinian towns in al-Khalil and Ramallah.
Local sources affirmed that Israeli forces closed all main entrances to Dura town, west of al-Khalil, with concrete blocks.
Two other neighboring towns’ entrances were closed following an alleged anti-occupation attack against Israeli forces in the area.
In Ramallah, Israeli soldiers blocked the entrances to both towns of al-Jania and Silwad.
Palestinian residents’ movement was denied in both directions.
Local sources affirmed that Israeli forces closed all main entrances to Dura town, west of al-Khalil, with concrete blocks.
Two other neighboring towns’ entrances were closed following an alleged anti-occupation attack against Israeli forces in the area.
In Ramallah, Israeli soldiers blocked the entrances to both towns of al-Jania and Silwad.
Palestinian residents’ movement was denied in both directions.
2 nov 2016
The Israeli Occupation Authorities (IOA) have indefinitely suspended on Wednesday an earlier decision to expand Gaza fishing zone to nine miles.
Nizar Ayyash, the head of the fishermen association of the Gaza Strip, affirmed that Israel decided to indefinitely suspend its earlier decision to expand the northern coastal fishing zone from the current six nautical mile limit, to nine nautical miles starting from November.
He pointed out that the Israeli decision was taken without prior notice or justified reasons.
Earlier last month, Israel declared intention to temporarily expand the designated fishing zone off the northern coast of the besieged Gaza Strip to nine miles for the duration of the month of November.
The extension could be effective for another month, according to Israeli authorities.
As part of Israel's blockade off the coastal enclave since 2007, Palestinian fishermen have been required to work within a limited "designated fishing zone."
The fishing zone was technically set to 20 nautical miles according to the Oslo Accords signed between Israel and the PA in the early 1990s.
Nizar Ayyash, the head of the fishermen association of the Gaza Strip, affirmed that Israel decided to indefinitely suspend its earlier decision to expand the northern coastal fishing zone from the current six nautical mile limit, to nine nautical miles starting from November.
He pointed out that the Israeli decision was taken without prior notice or justified reasons.
Earlier last month, Israel declared intention to temporarily expand the designated fishing zone off the northern coast of the besieged Gaza Strip to nine miles for the duration of the month of November.
The extension could be effective for another month, according to Israeli authorities.
As part of Israel's blockade off the coastal enclave since 2007, Palestinian fishermen have been required to work within a limited "designated fishing zone."
The fishing zone was technically set to 20 nautical miles according to the Oslo Accords signed between Israel and the PA in the early 1990s.
31 oct 2016
Chief of the Palestinian fishermen Nizar Ayyash has affirmed that Israel’s decision to expand the fishing zone from six to nine nautical miles will not be of much benefit to Gaza fishermen, saying that the fish abound within 12 nautical miles.
“At least, the fishing space should be 12 nautical miles in order for the fishermen to be able to reach the coral reef where there are abundant fish in terms of quantity and quality,”
“The areas of nine or 11 nautical miles are sandy where there are a few numbers of fish as is the case with the seven miles,” he added.
However, he expressed hope that the fishing zone would be expanded to nine nautical miles along the coast of the Gaza Strip and for a longer period.
He also stressed the need for an end to Israel’s daily violations against the fishermen in Gaza, including gunfire attacks and arrests.
The Israeli occupation authority recently declared its intention to expand the designated fishing zone off the coast of Gaza for the upcoming fishing season to nine nautical miles instead of six.
The decision will go into effect on November 1 and expire about two months later.
“At least, the fishing space should be 12 nautical miles in order for the fishermen to be able to reach the coral reef where there are abundant fish in terms of quantity and quality,”
“The areas of nine or 11 nautical miles are sandy where there are a few numbers of fish as is the case with the seven miles,” he added.
However, he expressed hope that the fishing zone would be expanded to nine nautical miles along the coast of the Gaza Strip and for a longer period.
He also stressed the need for an end to Israel’s daily violations against the fishermen in Gaza, including gunfire attacks and arrests.
The Israeli occupation authority recently declared its intention to expand the designated fishing zone off the coast of Gaza for the upcoming fishing season to nine nautical miles instead of six.
The decision will go into effect on November 1 and expire about two months later.
The Palestinian ministry of interior affairs in Gaza said it had no information if there were Egyptian intentions to open the Rafah border crossing regularly during the coming period.
“The Egyptian authorities have not informed us of any new arrangements to open the Rafah crossing,” spokesman for the ministry Iyad al-Bazm told Quds Press on Sunday.
“The talk about new arrangements to open the Rafah crossing and improve its condition is only heard from media outlets,” Bazm added.
He expressed hope to see the Rafah crossing opened permanently for the travel of passengers.
News reports talked recently about Egyptian intentions to improve the movement of passengers at the crossing and open it for several days every month.
The Egyptian authorities recently opened the Rafah crossing for seven days for the travel of passengers in both directions and closed it again last Monday, 24 October.
“The Egyptian authorities have not informed us of any new arrangements to open the Rafah crossing,” spokesman for the ministry Iyad al-Bazm told Quds Press on Sunday.
“The talk about new arrangements to open the Rafah crossing and improve its condition is only heard from media outlets,” Bazm added.
He expressed hope to see the Rafah crossing opened permanently for the travel of passengers.
News reports talked recently about Egyptian intentions to improve the movement of passengers at the crossing and open it for several days every month.
The Egyptian authorities recently opened the Rafah crossing for seven days for the travel of passengers in both directions and closed it again last Monday, 24 October.
Several Palestinian civilians were kidnapped by the Israeli occupation forces (IOF) on Monday in a mass abduction sweep launched across the West Bank.
Ex-prisoners Ribhi Khazana, Ibrahim Nasser Hamad, and Malek Hamed, along with citizen Tayseer Maher Shaker and Luay Fares, a nurse, were kidnapped by the IOF from Ramallah’s town of Silwad.
Another Palestinian civilian, identified as Jihad Nidhal Alyan, was kidnapped by the IOF from Al-Jalazoun camp, in Ramallah.
The campaign also targeted Mootaz and Abdul Fatah Nayef Muslameh from Al-Khalil’s town of Beit Awa.
The occupation troops further kidnapped Hani Maher Kayed and Malek Midhat Kayed from Sebastiya, in Nablus.
At predawn time, over seven IOF jeeps rolled into Merka town, in southern Jenin, and cordoned off residential alleys before they closed off the main entrance to the town for hours.
The IOF sealed off the Merka-Qabatiya access-road and the Jenin-Nablus thoroughfare with two military checkpoints, blocking Palestinians’ movement inside and out.
The IOF wreaked havoc on civilian homes in Merka’s outer edges and subjected the inhabitants to intensive questioning, before they backtracked on the daybreak.
Overnight, the Israeli military forces also stormed Qalqilya’s eastern town of Azzoun, in the northern West Bank, and showered the area with sound bombs and stun grenades. Fire broke out across olive groves as a result. Civil defense crews showed up at the scene and put out the fire.
The IOF rummaged into the home of Nassar Mohamed Nassar in the town and cracked down on the family members before they locked them up in one room and ravaged the house.
The occupation troops reportedly closed off all access roads out of and into the camp, resulting in traffic jam.
Ex-prisoners Ribhi Khazana, Ibrahim Nasser Hamad, and Malek Hamed, along with citizen Tayseer Maher Shaker and Luay Fares, a nurse, were kidnapped by the IOF from Ramallah’s town of Silwad.
Another Palestinian civilian, identified as Jihad Nidhal Alyan, was kidnapped by the IOF from Al-Jalazoun camp, in Ramallah.
The campaign also targeted Mootaz and Abdul Fatah Nayef Muslameh from Al-Khalil’s town of Beit Awa.
The occupation troops further kidnapped Hani Maher Kayed and Malek Midhat Kayed from Sebastiya, in Nablus.
At predawn time, over seven IOF jeeps rolled into Merka town, in southern Jenin, and cordoned off residential alleys before they closed off the main entrance to the town for hours.
The IOF sealed off the Merka-Qabatiya access-road and the Jenin-Nablus thoroughfare with two military checkpoints, blocking Palestinians’ movement inside and out.
The IOF wreaked havoc on civilian homes in Merka’s outer edges and subjected the inhabitants to intensive questioning, before they backtracked on the daybreak.
Overnight, the Israeli military forces also stormed Qalqilya’s eastern town of Azzoun, in the northern West Bank, and showered the area with sound bombs and stun grenades. Fire broke out across olive groves as a result. Civil defense crews showed up at the scene and put out the fire.
The IOF rummaged into the home of Nassar Mohamed Nassar in the town and cracked down on the family members before they locked them up in one room and ravaged the house.
The occupation troops reportedly closed off all access roads out of and into the camp, resulting in traffic jam.
The Israeli occupation army on Sunday night imposed a tight siege on Beit Ummar town, north of al-Khalil, after a local young man allegedly wounded three soldiers in a vehicular attack.
Local activist Mohamed Awad said that the Israeli army closed all entrances to Beit Ummar and deployed dozens of its soldiers in the area following the car-ramming attack.
Awad added that the army also obstructed the movement of Palestinian vehicles on the road between Jerusalem and al-Khalil, which led to heavy traffic congestion.
A news reporter from the Palestinian Information Center (PIC) affirmed earlier that a large number of Israeli troops rushed to the attack scene, and closed the Jerusalem-al-Khalil road leading to the town’s main entrance.
He said that violent clashes broke out between local young men and Israeli soldiers at the main entrance to the town.
A military watchtower at the entrance also went on fire when young men attacked it with Molotov cocktails during the events.
These developments started after Israeli border soldiers killed a young man from the town as he was driving his car on the road, claiming that he hit and wounded three of them.
Local activist Mohamed Awad said that the Israeli army closed all entrances to Beit Ummar and deployed dozens of its soldiers in the area following the car-ramming attack.
Awad added that the army also obstructed the movement of Palestinian vehicles on the road between Jerusalem and al-Khalil, which led to heavy traffic congestion.
A news reporter from the Palestinian Information Center (PIC) affirmed earlier that a large number of Israeli troops rushed to the attack scene, and closed the Jerusalem-al-Khalil road leading to the town’s main entrance.
He said that violent clashes broke out between local young men and Israeli soldiers at the main entrance to the town.
A military watchtower at the entrance also went on fire when young men attacked it with Molotov cocktails during the events.
These developments started after Israeli border soldiers killed a young man from the town as he was driving his car on the road, claiming that he hit and wounded three of them.
30 oct 2016
Member of Hamas’s political bureau Khalil al-Hayya has expressed his belief that there are Egyptian intentions to alleviate the blockade on the Gaza Strip after it reflected that through allowing many passengers to travel through the Rafah border crossing recently.
Hayya made his remarks during a memorial service held for three martyrs from al-Qassam Brigades of Hamas on Saturday evening in Khan Younis town, south of Gaza.
The Hamas official also expressed his Movement’s hope that there would be more Egyptian steps to ease the siege on Gaza in light of Israel’s restrictions on the entry of cargo trucks.
The Egyptian authorities recently opened the Rafah crossing for seven days, which enabled a large number of passengers to travel from and to Gaza.
Hayya made his remarks during a memorial service held for three martyrs from al-Qassam Brigades of Hamas on Saturday evening in Khan Younis town, south of Gaza.
The Hamas official also expressed his Movement’s hope that there would be more Egyptian steps to ease the siege on Gaza in light of Israel’s restrictions on the entry of cargo trucks.
The Egyptian authorities recently opened the Rafah crossing for seven days, which enabled a large number of passengers to travel from and to Gaza.
The Israeli occupation army on Saturday night declared Sa’ir town, northeast of al-Khalil city, a closed military zone following a drive-by shooting attack on an Israeli car on Road 60.
Local sources told the Palestinian Information Center (PIC) that Israeli troops blocked all entrances to Sa’ir town and set up one checkpoint to search passing vehicles and identify passengers.
These road closures and movement restrictions have taken place last night a few hours after settlers aboard a car came under gunfire attack from another speeding car on Road 60 near one of Gush Etzion settlements.
In another incident, Israeli soldiers on the same day kidnapped 21-year-old Basem Za’arir, the son of a Palestinian lawmaker, at a military checkpoint near Samua town, south of al-Khalil. The reason for his detention is still unknown.
Local sources told the Palestinian Information Center (PIC) that Israeli troops blocked all entrances to Sa’ir town and set up one checkpoint to search passing vehicles and identify passengers.
These road closures and movement restrictions have taken place last night a few hours after settlers aboard a car came under gunfire attack from another speeding car on Road 60 near one of Gush Etzion settlements.
In another incident, Israeli soldiers on the same day kidnapped 21-year-old Basem Za’arir, the son of a Palestinian lawmaker, at a military checkpoint near Samua town, south of al-Khalil. The reason for his detention is still unknown.
