Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas met with Israeli Premier Ehud Olmert in the West Bank city of Jericho this week and the Israeli army continued to attack Palestinians killing eight in the West Bank and Gaza strip, these stories and more coming up stay tuned.

Nonviolent Resistance in Palestine

Let's begin our weekly report with nonviolent action in the West Bank cities of Ramallah and Bethlehem against the wall and settlements.

Bethlehem

About 100 Palestinian villagers, joined by international and Israeli peace activists, on Friday morning marched to the site of land scheduled for annexation for the purposes of the illegal wall, located in the village of Um Salamonah, south of the central West Bank City of Bethlehem. Protesters carried placards condemning illegal land-annexation and commemorating the victims of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki massacres. As protestors arrived at the location of the Wall, soldiers attacked them with batons and rifle buts. While no injuries were reported, one Israeli peace activist was kidnapped and taken to an unknown location.

One of the organizers of the event, Sami Awad, the director of the Holy Land Trust, a Palestinian NGO that promotes non-violent resistance, told IMEMC that soldiers verbally abused demonstrators, shouting that this was Israeli and Jewish land.



The protest moved on Friday midday to Al Walaja village, when the protestors arrived at the village, Friday prayers were held on the land scheduled for confiscation and the Israeli army did not intervene in the subsequent demonstration. The protest ended peacefully with activists promising to return the following week.

Bil'in

Residents of the West Bank village of Bil’in, along with Israeli and international peace activists, on Friday conducted their weekly non-violent demonstration against the illegal annexation of village land for the construction of the illegal Israeli wall. Demonstrators attempted to march to the site of the Wall’s construction but were met with an Israeli barrier and showered with sound-bombs, tear gas and rubber-coated steel bullets.

Eight were injured in the Israeli attack, including two internationals, two paramedics and five children. Two internationals and three Palestinians were also arrested. In addition to attacks are arrests, the vehicle of an al-Jazeera camera crew was also damaged by Israeli soldiers.



Political report

In political developments this week, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas met with Israeli Premier Ehud Olmert in the West Bank city of Jericho on Monday. Elsewhere, reports of renewed dialogue between Fatah and Hamas have been rejected by high-ranking Fatah officials. IMEMC’s Kate Orwell has more.

Israeli Premier Ehud Olmert on Monday met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in the Palestinian city of Jericho to discuss a broad vision of the future outline of a Palestinian state.

After the meeting, Olmert expressed hope that negotiations over the actual shape of a future state would commence soon, while Abbas on Tuesday declared that Palestinian life would improve as a direct consequence of the talks.

Palestinian officials stated that Olmert assured Israel would commence with the removal of a number of checkpoints and roadblocks that currently litter the West Bank and seriously impede freedom of movement for residents of the region.

At the meeting, Abbas is thought to have pressed for the release of further Palestinian prisoners, reportedly including the senior Fatah leader Marwan Barghouthi. No Israeli statement on this issue has, however, been forthcoming.

Israeli media reported this week that Olmert is to consider a land swap deal as a part of future peace negotiations. The deal would see the Israeli state transfer lands equivalent to 100% of the territories occupied in 1967, in exchange for Israeli settlement blocs amounting to 5% of the West Bank’s total area.

The new proposal was presented to Olmert by Israeli President Shimon Peres and reportedly includes a timetable for final status negotiations.

While Olmert’s office denied any knowledge of the existence of such a proposal, the report was later confirmed by aides close to Israeli President Peres.

In spite of the recent round of renewed negotiations, Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak on Friday dismissed the possibility of an imminent peace deal with the Palestinian people as a ‘fantasy’, stating that Israel would not withdraw from the West Bank until rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip ended, a process that, in Barak’s view would take three to five years.

Barak stated that, despite Olmert’s pledge, he would refuse to approve the removal of West Bank roadblocks, adding the key to a peaceful settlement laid not with Israeli measures, but with the capability of Palestinian President Abbas and Prime Minister Salam Fayyad to successfully implement their plans for the future of the Palestinian territories.

In related news, the majority of resistance fighters with links to the Fatah movement in the West Bank have disarmed in the hope of aiding a political solution, according to a senior Palestinian security official. The statement comes one month after Israel announced an amnesty offer to members of the al-Aqsa brigades, the armed wing of Fatah, promising that they would be removed from Israel’s so-called ‘wanted list’ if they surrendered their weapons to Palestinian Authority officials and pledged to renounce violence.

According to the official, approximately 300 members of the al-Aqsa brigades have taken up Israel’s offer.

In other news, the Hamas movement has claimed that secret talks with their Fatah rivals have resumed. Dr. Ahmad Yousef, advisor to deposed Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh - who is still acting as a prime minister of the government in Gaza, stated that talks have resumed with the mediation of independent figures.
Speaking to the Palestinian Media Network, Yousef stated that Palestinian factions, in addition to Arab representatives, are making efforts to bridge the gap between Hamas and Fatah, adding that these talks aim to re-establish some degree of Palestinian unity between the two factions and between the Gaza Strip and West Bank.

The Fatah movement, for its part, was quick to dismiss such reports with Nabil Amro, media advisor to President Abbas, not only denying reports of renewed negotiation, but stating that Hamas must relinquish control over Gaza before the Fatah movement would renew talks.

Likewise, Palestinian President Abbas on Wednesday branded Hamas’ seizure of the Gaza Strip as damaging to the dream of a future Palestinian state and reiterated his refusal to launch negotiations with the group.
Speaking at a press conference after a meeting with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, Abbas accused the Hamas movement of indirectly aiding the enemies of Palestine and its people, suggesting that their takeover of the Gaza Strip gave fuel to those who reject the concept of a sovereign Palestinian state.

Abbas also reiterated his refusal to open negotiations, stating that the actions of Hamas in the Gaza Strip must be reversed before dialogue can be renewed.

While both Abbas and the Israeli administration seem determined to exclude Hamas from the political process, Yossi Beilin, former deputy foreign minister of Israel, stated on Thursday that Israel must reach an agreement with Hamas if a lasting peace is to be achieved, adding that any talks should focus on the cessation of Qassam rocket fire, in exchange for the opening of border crossings and the removal of restrictions on the import and export of various goods to and from the Gaza region.

For IMEMC.org, this is Kate Orwell.


The Israeli attacks

The West Bank

During the week, the Israeli army conducted at least 29 military invasions into Palestinian communities in the West Bank. During those invasions, Israeli troops killed two Palestinians and kidnapped 49 others, including a child. Thus, the number of Palestinians kidnapped by the Israeli army in the West Bank since the beginning of this year has mounted to 1,702. IMEMC's John Smith has more:

One Palestinian was killed, and at least 9 others injured near Jaffa Gate in the Old City of Jerusalem on Friday afternoon. The dead man is yet to be identified and Israeli authorities have closed off the area. Israeli sources have claimed that the man was killed after trying to steal a weapon from a security guard in Jerusalem's Old City.

Palestinian medical sources in Ramallah, in the northern part of the West Bank, reported on Monday that one youth died of wounds sustained three days ago when Israeli soldiers stationed at a roadblock near the city fired several rounds of live ammunition at him. Eyewitnesses reported that Al Maloukh was stopped at a roadblock, soon after which Israeli soldiers opened fire at point-blank range.

An Israeli military court on Thursday released a soldier involved in last week’s kidnapping and shooting rampage in the south Hebron hills. The company of the soldier in question stands accused of illegally accosting and binding an innocent Taxi driver, and of shooting and seriously wounding a Palestinian bystander. The soldier was allowed to return to his unit while a military enquiry reviews the case. The officer of the unit has been remanded in custody for a further five days.

The Israeli Jerusalem municipality and police demolished a Palestinian home located in the Wadi Al Joze neighborhood in Jerusalem on Wednesday. The house, which was under construction, belonged to Abdullah Al Jabi. The municipality said that the house was built without documents, documents that have never been issued to those Palestinians living in the occupied city since 1967. There are approximately five illegal Jewish settlement posts around the city of Jerusalem that are deemed by the Israeli government as illegal. These posts have never been demolished and are receive round-the-clock protection from the Israeli military.

In other news, Israeli settlers set fire to the Al Kayyal mosque in the old city of Hebron on Tuesday night. The Al Kayyal and Al Hesba mosques have been closed by the Israeli authorities since the massacre at the Ibrahimic mosque in 1994 in order to expand the "Ibraham Abeno" settlement and the Jewish neighborhood in the area. Earlier this week, Israeli settlers reportedly attacked and set fire to a mosque in the city centre.

For IMEMC.org this John Smith.

The Gaza Strip

The Israeli military this week continued to attack the Gaza strip, killing five in different air strikes and border shootings. IMEMC's Bill McGrath has more:

One Palestinian civilian was shot and killed by the Israeli army near the Kitsofem crossing, located near the central Gaza strip, at the borders with Israel on Thursday afternoon. Palestinian medical sources reported that the man suffered from learning difficulties. Witnesses stated that the victim approached the gate of the crossing, at which point Israeli troops stationed at a nearby military post opened fire and killed him.

In other news, Israeli troops killed two members of the Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, during a gun battle east of Gaza City on Wednesday morning, medical sources reported. Palestinian sources later identified the two men as Fadi Iraiq, 23, and Mohammad Batniji, 19. According to local residents, both men were members of the Qassam brigades.

Elsewhere in the Gaza Strip, a member of the executive force, the Hamas-affiliated security body, was killed by Israeli army fire near the Eretz crossing, located at the northern borders between the Gaza strip and Israel, on Wednesday afternoon. Palestinian medical sources identified the victim as Akram Abu Amsha, 22. Eyewitnesses stated that executive force members were helping Palestinians entering the Gaza strip from the crossing and managing traffic when Israeli tanks stationed at a nearby army post opened fire at the officers, killing Abu Amsha immediately.

The Israeli army carried out an extra-judicial assassination attempt in the southern Gaza Strip town of Rafah on Saturday night. The attack killed 2 Palestinian civilians and wounded 12 others, including a child, and 3 members of the al-Quds Brigades (the armed wing of Islamic Jihad).

For IMEMC.org this is Bill McGrath.


Stranded Palestinians return to Gaza through alternative crossing

The last batch of 6,000 stranded Palestinians crossed back into Gaza on Thursday after having been stranded at the Egyptian side of the Gaza-Egypt border since Israel ordered the closure of the Rafah terminal on June 10.

The closure of the Rafah crossing terminal was justified by the Hamas takeover of the Gaza Strip in mid June, Israel claimed.

For more than two months, suffering, pressure and frustration have mounted amongst those stranded. Approximately 28 people have died and hundreds others have suffered acutely in need of medical attention.

Among those stranded were students and visitors who had made their way back to Gaza but were unable to cross.

Arab and international bodies have called for the reopening of the Rafah terminal, yet Israel has repeatedly refused, citing Hamas’ rise to power in the Gaza Strip as justification for this illegal act.

Israel still rejects the Hamas victory in 2006’s legislative elections that brought the Islamist group to power.

To deal with the Humanitarian crisis at the border, the Egyptian authorities provided the needed assistance to the stranded Palestinians and facilitated their return to Gaza through a commercial crossing between Israel and Egypt called Al-Auja. The alternative crossing was agreed upon by the Palestinian authority.

We are joined live now by our correspondent Rami Almeghari, who has been stuck at the border.



The civil unrest

Civil unrest continued throughout the Palestinian territories this week, with an attack against a Hamas member in Nablus and the arrest of a doctor in Gaza City. IMEMC’s Jane Sahouri has more.

A Palestinian court in the southern West Bank city of Bethlehem on Thursday ordered the release of Yasser Abed Al Majeed, a Hamas member, due to a lack of evidence. Despite this, local security forces loyal to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas of Fatah refused to release the man.

Abed Al Majeed and 12 others were arrested by Palestinian security forces in Bethlehem after being accused of attempting to form an executive force division in the city.

In addition to this, the Attorney-General of Bethlehem also refused on Thursday to attend a hearing scheduled for a further two members of Hamas. The Attorney-General apparently feared that the court would also order their release. For this reason, the judge had no option but to postpone his ruling until next Sunday.

The Hamas-affiliated executive force on Thursday arrested Dr. Jom'a Al Saqa, the director of the public relation office at Al Shifa hospital in Gaza city. Islam Shahwan, spokesperson for the executive force, stated that the man was arrested on account of criminal charges rather than political reasons.

Workers at the Al Shifa hospital had accused the executive force of assaulting them based on decisions made by the deposed Palestinian government headed by Hamas. Shahwan stated that his force did not assault anyone at the hospital and that the executive force will continue to enforce law and order in the Gaza strip.

Palestinian sources reported that Palestinian Security forces in the West Bank have transferred one Hamas prisoner to an Israeli hospital inside the Green Line. The transfer was completed after the man’s health deteriorated due to repeated interrogation and torture. The man currently lies in a critical condition.

In Nablus city, Hamas member Awny Al Obwah, 31, was shot by unknown gunmen on Monday night and sustained critical wounds to his stomach. Awny was walking with his wife while a number of gunmen drove past in a car and opened fire at him. Awny was transferred to a local hospital in Nablus for medical treatment.

For IMEMC.org, this is Jane Sahouri

Conclusion

And that’s just some of the news this week in Palestine. For constant updates, check out our website, www.IMEMC.org. Thanks for joining us from Occupied Bethlehem, this is David Johnson.