Pulse of Palestine News Check-Up: 26th April 2019
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News Topics:
Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF)
Prisoners
- 22.04.19 Israel issues 75 Administrative Detention Orders Against Palestinian Prisoners
- 23.04.19 A Palestinian hunger strike: ‘Bury me in my mother’s grave’
West Bank
- 18.04.19 Israeli Forces Shoot, Injure Palestinian Student near Bethlehem (VIDEO)
- 19.04.19 Israeli Undercover Forces Arrest 2 Palestinian Minors in Shufat Refugee Camp (VIDEO)
- 20.04.19 Israeli Forces Shoot, Injure Palestinian at Checkpoint near Nablus
- 20.04.19 Israeli Forces Shut Down Palestinian Soccer Tournament in East Jerusalem (VIDEO)
- 21.04.19 Palestinian Students Suffocate from Israeli Tear-Gas in Hebron
- 24.04.19 Israeli Forces Injure over 20 Palestinians in Nablus (VIDEO)
- 26.04.19 Israeli Army Demolishes Home of Slain Palestinian Teenager (VIDEO)
Gaza
- 19.04.19 Israel Bans Gaza Christians from Visiting Holy Sites for Easter
- 19.04.19 Israel Demolishes Palestinian Home in Hebron (VIDEO)
- 20.04.19 Hamas Denies Forming New Government in Gaza
- 23.03.19 Palestinian teen says was shot while held by Israeli troops
- 25.04.19 Notre Dame of Gaza: our mosques and churches are also burning
- 25.04.19 Israeli Army Opens Fire at Palestinian Farmers in Southern Gaza
- 26.05.19 Israeli Forces Detain Palestinian Man Escorting Ill Wife at Beit Hanoun
Settlers and Settlements
- 19.04.19 Jewish Settlers Attack Palestinian Family in Hebron
- 20.04.19 Settler rams Palestinian woman with truck, killing her
- 22.04.19 Israeli Minister, Settlers Storm Al-Aqsa Compound
- 22.04.19 Israeli Forces Detain 10 Palestinians, Including Minors
- 24.04.19 Netanyahu announces settlement in Golan Heights will be named after Donald Trump
Boycott, Divestment & Sanctions
- 26.04.19 US judge strikes down Texas anti-BDS law
Domestic Affairs
- 26.04.19 Foreign Ministry: All Palestinians in Sri Lanka Are Well
Foreign Affairs
Arab League
- 22.04.19 Arab League Vows $100m per Month to Palestinian Authority
France
- 23.04.19 French Ambassador to US Says Israel Becoming an ‘Apartheid State’
United States
- 19.04.19 USAID to lay off 85% of local employees on Palestinian projects
- 23.04.19 Israeli government ‘racist,’ says US presidential candidate Sanders
- 25.04.19 Two-state solution didn’t work, Jared Kushner says, signalling possible support for Israeli annexation
EU
- 17.04.19 Why aren’t Europeans calling Israel an apartheid state?
Israel
- 18.04.19 Israeli President Officially Tasks Netanyahu with Forming New Government
- 23.04.19 Yair Netanyahu says Palestine does not exist because there is no ‘P’ in Arabic
- 25.04.19 Israeli hospitals admit segregated Palestinian mothers from Jewish ones
- 18.04.19 Saudi Journalist: ‘Palestinian Issue Must Be Eliminated’
Arts, Culture and Sport
- 24.04.19 Running for the Right to Thrive: The Palestine Marathon as a window into the Israeli occupation
Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF)
Prisoners
22.04.19: Israel Issues 75 Administrative Detention Orders against Palestinian Prisoners
‘Israeli authorities issued 75 administrative detention orders against a number of Palestinian prisoners held in various Israeli prisons, during the month of April.
The Palestinian Prisoners and Former Prisoners’ Affairs Committee said, on Monday, that some of the orders are renewed administrative detention orders, while others were orders issued for the first time against Palestinians.’
Read the rest of the article at Palestine Chronicle
23.04.19: A Palestinian hunger strike: ‘Bury me in my mother’s grave’
‘Injustice and abuse have forced many Palestinian prisoners into desperate and dangerous hunger strikes. One of the many ways in which Israel seeks to oppress and control the Palestinian population is by imprisoning those who lead the resistance to its occupation and settler colonialist project.
In Palestine, a Palestinian prisoner in an Israeli jail is referred to as “aseer”, or captive, because he or she is not a criminal. What lands Palestinians in Israeli prisons are acts of resistance – from writing a poem about the struggle against the occupation to carrying out an attack against Israeli soldiers in the occupied Palestinian land.’
Read the rest of the article at Al Jazeera
17.04.19 Calls to pressure Israel to release 22 Palestinian journalists
Journalist Support Committee (JSC) has called for putting international pressure on Israel in order to release 22 Palestinian journalists from its jails, Al-Resalah newspaper reported yesterday.
The JSC issued a report as part of a package of activities to mark Palestine Prisoners Day today, stating that there are 22 Palestinian journalists currently in Israeli jails, including three females.
Read the rest of the article at Middle East Monitor
The West Bank
18.04.19 Israeli Forces Shoot, Injure Palestinian Student near Bethlehem (VIDEO)
‘A Palestinian student was shot and injured with Israeli live fire, on Thursday afternoon, in Tuqu village, southeast of the southern occupied West Bank district of Bethlehem.
According to local sources, following funeral processions of a Palestinian teacher, clashes broke out among Israeli forces and Palestinian students, during which soldiers fired live ammunition, rubber-coated bullets, and tear-gas bombs.’
Read the rest of the article Palestine Chronicle
19.04.19 Israeli Undercover Forces Arrest 2 Palestinian Minors in Shufat Refugee Camp (VIDEO)
‘The Israeli police released, on Wednesday, video footage showing Israeli undercover forces detaining two Palestinian minors from the Shufat refugee camp, in occupied East Jerusalem. The Israeli police said, in a statement, that Israeli undercover forces detained Palestinian minors, earlier this week, from Shufat refugee camp after they reportedly threw Molotov cocktails at an Israeli police station.’
Read the rest of the article at Palestine Chronicle
19.04.19 Israel Imposes Week-Long General Closure on West Bank, Gaza ahead of Passover
‘Israeli authorities declared that a week-long general closure of the occupied West Bank and the besieged Gaza Strip will commence on Friday ahead of the Jewish holiday of Passover, also known as Pesach.
The general closure will commence on Friday, April 19th and will last until midnight on Saturday, April 27th, as Israelis celebrate the Passover holiday.’
Read the rest of the article at Palestine Chronicle
19.04.19 Israel Demolishes Palestinian Home in Hebron (VIDEO)
‘Israeli forces demolished the house of Palestinian prisoner Arafat Irfaiya, 19, in the Wadi al-Harya in southern Hebron (Al-Khalil), on predawn Friday, Ma’an reports.
Spokesperson of the Israeli army said that its forces demolished two apartments in Hebron, belonging to Irfaiya’s family, who is accused of killing a Jewish settler in Jerusalem two months ago.’
20.04.19 Israeli Forces Shoot, Injure Palestinian at Checkpoint near Nablus
‘Israeli forces shot and injured a Palestinian, on Saturday, claiming that he attempted to carry out a stabbing attack against Israeli soldiers deployed at the Zaatara checkpoint south of the northern occupied West Bank district of Nablus.’
Read the rest of the article at Palestine Chronicle
20.04.19 Israeli Forces Shut Down Palestinian Soccer Tournament in East Jerusalem (VIDEO)
Israeli police forces shut down a Palestinian soccer tournament in the Beit Safafa neighborhood, in the central occupied West Bank district of Jerusalem, reportedly for being held under the auspices of the Palestinian Authority (PA).
Read the rest of the article at Palestine Chronicle
21.04.19 Palestinian Students Suffocate from Israeli Tear-Gas in Hebron
‘Dozens of young Palestinian students and school staff suffered from severe tear-gas inhalation in the southern occupied West Bank district of Hebron (Al-Khalil), on Sunday, after Israeli forces attacked their school.
According to local sources, Israeli forces surrounded the Hebron Elementary School and heavily fired tear-gas bombs towards the students and teachers on their way to school, resulting in dozens suffering from tear-gas inhalation.’
Read the rest of the article at Palestine Chronicle
22.04.19 Israeli Forces Detain 10 Palestinians, Including Minors
‘Israeli forces detained at least 10 Palestinians, including minors, across the occupied East Jerusalem, on predawn Monday, Ma’an Agency reports.According to Palestine Prisoner’s Society (PPS), Israeli forces detained four Palestinians in the southern West Bank district of Bethlehem. They were identified as Anan Ahmad Rabeh, 18, Yazan Khaled Ayesh, 16, Feras Amer al-Jaadi, 28, and Muad Hassan Oweineh.’
Read the rest of the article at Palestine Chronicle
24.04.19 Israeli Forces Injure over 20 Palestinians in Nablus (VIDEO)
‘Israeli forces injured over 20 Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian Red Crescent said Wednesday. In a news release, it said Israeli forces wounded five people with rubber bullets while six others were given medical care after suffering from tear gas, including a two-month-old child. According to eyewitnesses, a brawl occurred between Palestinians and Israeli troops near Joseph’s Tomb in the West Bank city of Nablus after hundreds of extremist Jewish settlers, protected by Israeli soldiers, broke into Joseph’s Tomb archeological site.’
Read the rest of the article at Palestine Chronicle
26.04.19 Israeli Army Demolishes Home of Slain Palestinian Teenager (VIDEO)
‘Israeli forces on Wednesday destroyed the family home of a Palestinian teenager who was suspected of carrying out a deadly stabbing and shooting attack in the occupied West Bank last month.
Omar Abu Laila, 19, who was on the run, was found in a house in the village of Abwein, north of Ramallah. He was killed on March 20 after he opened fire at Israeli forces who had come to arrest him two days after the attack.’
Read the rest of the article at Palestine Chronicle
Gaza
19.04.19 Israel Bans Gaza Christians from Visiting Holy Sites for Easter
Israeli occupation authorities refused to issue travel permits for hundreds of Palestinian Christians from Gaza who planned to visit holy sites in Jerusalem and Bethlehem during Passover, Safa news agency reported yesterday.
Reporting Israeli newspaper Haaretz, Safa said that Israel allowed only 200 Christians from Gaza, who are over 55 years old, to travel to Jordan only and did not issue permits for those wishing to visit the Church of Nativity in occupied Bethlehem or the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in occupied Jerusalem.
Read the rest of the article at Palestine Chronicle
20.04.19 Hamas Denies Forming New Government in Gaza
‘Hamas has denied that it had formed a new government or administrative committee in the Gaza Strip, in response to Fatah’s formation of a new government in Ramallah.
In a statement, Hamas’ chief in Gaza Yahya Al-Sinwar said:
“Commenting on the false news reported by different mass media, we stress that there has been no new government or administrative committee.”’
23.04.19 Palestinian teen says was shot while held by Israeli troops
‘A hospitalised Palestinian teen has said he was shot twice in his thighs by Israeli soldiers while he was handcuffed and blindfolded – the latest in what a leading rights group portrayed as a series of unjustified shootings of Palestinians by Israeli soldiers.
Israel’s military said on Monday it was investigating last week’s incident, which it said took place as young Palestinians were throwing stones at Israeli soldiers.’
25.04.19 Notre Dame of Gaza: our mosques and churches are also burning
‘But the very media that covered the news of the Notre Dame fire seemed oblivious to the obliteration of everything we hold sacred in Palestine as, day after day, Israeli war machinery continues to blow up, bulldoze and desecrate. It is as if our religions are not worthy of respect, despite the fact that Christianity was born in Palestine. It was there that Jesus roamed the hills and valleys of our historic homeland teaching people about peace, love and justice.’
25.04.19 Israeli Army Opens Fire at Palestinian Farmers in Southern Gaza
‘Israeli forces opened fire targeting Palestinian farmers in the southern besieged Gaza Strip, on Thursday morning.
Witnesses told Ma’an that Israeli forces deployed in military watchtowers at the Sufa military site in southeastern Gaza Strip opened fire at Palestinian farmers working in their lands in the area. No injuries were reported.’
Settlers and Settlements
19.04.19 Jewish Settlers Attack Palestinian Family in Hebron
‘Jewish settlers attacked a Palestinian family on al-Shuhada Street, in Hebron (Al-Khalil), in the southern occupied West Bank, on late Thursday.
Local sources told Ma’an that Jewish settlers stormed the Al-Shuhada Street in the center of Hebron City and broke into a Palestinian home, identified as belonging to Ishaq Ramadan.
Ishaq Ramadan said that after the Israeli settlers broke into his home and attacked him along with his family with pepper-spray.’
20.04.19 Settler rams Palestinian woman with truck, killing her
‘A Palestinian woman was killed, earlier Thursday morning, near her home in Teqoua [Tuqu‘] town, southeast of Bethlehem in the occupied West Bank, after being rammed by the car of an illegal colonialist settler. During protests during the woman’s funeral, the soldiers shot and seriously injured a Palestinian teen while handcuffed, when he reportedly attempted to escape. The slain Palestinian woman has been identified as Fatima Suleiman, 42. According to eyewitnesses, the assailant was driving a large truck when he struck the woman’s car, throwing her out of the vehicle, and then rammed and killed her, before fleeing the scene. The slain Palestinian woman was a teacher at the Rashayda School.’
Read the rest of the article at Mondoweiss
22.04.19 Israeli Minister, Settlers Storm Al-Aqsa Compound
‘The Israeli Minister of Agriculture, Uri Ariel, raided the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem on Monday, the third day of the Jewish holiday of Passover, along with dozens of Jewish settlers.
Head of the public relations office at the Islamic Endowment Department, Firas al-Dibs, said that Ariel, along with at least 170 Jewish settlers, raided the Al-Aqsa compound via the Moroccans Gate under armed security by Israeli forces.’
24.04.19 Netanyahu announces settlement in Golan Heights will be named after Donald Trump
‘Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said today he plans to name a settlement in the Golan Heights after President Donald Trump, one month after Trump recognized the Syrian territory captured during the June 1967 war as part of Israel.
Netanyahu was visiting the Golan with family this afternoon, touring the Saar stream, Mt. Hermon, Nimrod’s Fortress and he rode ATVs at Merom Golan.
In a video message Netanyahu said,
“I’m here on the beautiful Golan Heights. All Israelis were deeply moved when President Trump made his historic decision to recognize Israel’s sovereignty over the Golan Heights. Therefore, after the Passover holiday, I intend to bring to the government a resolution calling for a new community on the Golan Heights named after President Donald J. Trump.”’
Boycott Divestment Sanctions
26.04.19 US judge strikes down Texas anti-BDS law
‘A US federal judge has struck down a controversial Texas anti-boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) law, saying it violates freedom of speech under the country’s first amendment of the constitution.
The judge, Robert Pitman, delivered an injunction to strike down Texas’ law late on Thursday, saying in his opinion that it forces “public debate through coercion rather than persuasion”.’
Read the rest of the article at Middle East Eye
Domestic Affairs
21.04.19 Foreign Ministry: All Palestinians in Sri Lanka Are Well
‘The Foreign and Expatriates Ministry confirmed, on Sunday, that all Palestinians in Sri Lanka are safe, following a series of bombings in Sri Lanka’s capital of Colombo.’
Read the rest of the article at Palestine Chronicle
Foreign Affairs
Arab League
22.04.19 Arab League Vows $100m per Month to Palestinian Authority
‘The Arab League has pledged $100 million per month to the Palestinian Authority to make up for funds withheld by Israel.’
Read the rest of the article at Palestine Chronicle
France
23.04.19 French Ambassador to US Says Israel Becoming an ‘Apartheid State’
‘French Ambassador to the United States, Gerard Araud, has said that Israel is an apartheid state, in candid comments during an interview with The Atlantic as he prepares to step down from his role in Washington.’
Read the rest of the article at Palestine Chronicle
United States
19.04.19 USAID to lay off 85% of local employees on Palestinian projects
In the latest blow dealt by the American government to the Palestinians, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), which was responsible for millions of dollars of aid projects in the occupied Palestinian territory, will be laying off some 85% of its local staff in the coming weeks. USAID is expected to reduce its number of local staff from 100 employees to 14, NPR said, quoting an anonymous USAID worker who said they had “begun to take steps to reduce our staffing footprint.”
Read the rest of the article at Mondoweiss
23.04.19 Israeli government ‘racist,’ says US presidential candidate Sanders
‘Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders has said US bring people together in Middle East and “not just support one country, which is now run by a right-wing, dare I say, racist government.”
Sanders, who is Jewish, said Monday at a CNN town hall in New Hampshire that he believes the United States should “deal with the Middle East on a level-playing-field basis,” and not express support for just one country.
He referred to the Israeli occupation state and the upcoming government, which would be formed by the right wingers.’
25.04.19 Two-state solution didn’t work, Jared Kushner says, signaling possible support for Israeli annexation
‘The Trump administration’s lead Middle East negotiator, Jared Kushner commented on his forthcoming plan two days ago at a Time Magazine forum in New York. It’ll come out after Netanyahu’s “great victory” and after Ramadan.
“We were getting ready at the end of last year, and then obviously they called for Israeli elections. Prime Minister Netanyahu had a great victory, and he’s in the middle of forming his coalition. Once that’s done, we’ll probably be in the middle of Ramadan. So we’ll wait till after Ramadan and then we’ll put our plan out….”‘
EU
17.04.19 Why aren’t Europeans calling Israel an apartheid state?
‘Apartheid is alive and well and thriving in occupied Palestine.
Palestinians know this. South Africans know this. Many Israelis have accepted this as part of their political debate. Americans are coming to terms with this, with new voices in Congress and NGOs like Jewish Voice for Peace unafraid of speaking this truth.
Only in Europe is there a steadfast denial of Israeli apartheid over Palestinians despite overwhelming evidence underlining it.’
Read the rest of the article at Al Jazeera
Israel
18.04.19 Israeli President Officially Tasks Netanyahu with Forming New Government
‘Israel’s president on Wednesday nominated Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to head the next government after he won the backing of a majority of members of parliament following an April 9 election, Reuters reports.
In office for the past decade, Netanyahu won a fifth term despite an announcement by Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit in February that he intends to charge the prime minister in three corruption cases. Netanyahu has denied any wrongdoing.’
Read the rest of the article Palestine Chronicle
25.04.19 Israeli hospitals admit segregated Palestinian mothers from Jewish ones
‘Three of Israel’s major hospitals have admitted for the first time that they segregated Palestinian mothers from Jewish ones in maternity wards.
According to a report in Haaretz on Thursday, the hospitals admitted the segregation had taken place in February during a lawsuit filed in front of Israel’s District Court by four Palestinian mothers.
Hadassah University Hospital on Mount Scopus in occupied East Jerusalem, Haemek Hospital in Afula and Soroka Medical Center in Beersheba in Israel, have admitted that they practiced the segregation policy “on request” from Jewish mothers.’
Read the rest of the article at Middle East Eye
23.04.19 Yair Netanyahu says Palestine does not exist because there is no ‘P’ in Arabic
‘Yair Netanyahu, the son of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, attracted controversy once again on Tuesday by using a dubious academic theory to promote the claim that Palestine does not exist.
Taking to Twitter, the 27-year-old said “there is no such thing” as Palestine because the letter “P” does not appear in the Arabic alphabet.
His theory quickly attracted ridicule on social media, as users noted that the Arabic word for Palestine is “falasteen”.’
Read the rest of the article at Middle East Monitor
18.04.19 Saudi Journalist: ‘Palestinian Issue Must Be Eliminated’
‘A prominent Saudi journalist has said that achieving peace with Israel is more important than the status of Jerusalem and that the Palestinian issue must be “eliminated”.
Abdul Hameed Al-Ghabin – an influential political analyst and writer – said in an interview with Saudi Arabian TV that, “Palestinians who do not accept [being] part of the State of Israel should be deported to Jordan and Palestinians in other countries should be naturalised, including Palestinians in the Gulf countries, with compensation.”’
Read the rest of the article at Palestine Chronicle
Arts, Culture and Sport
24.04.19 Running for the Right to Thrive: The Palestine Marathon as a window into the Israeli occupation
‘I never intended to run a marathon, but when I realized that I would be on hand for the 2019 Palestine Marathon, I registered. I did so in solidarity with the goals of the aptly named Right to Movement, the global running community founded in 2013 to organize the first annual marathon there.’
Read the rest of the article at Mondoweiss