Conflict..

Israeli soldiers kill two Palestinians AlJazeera 1/31/2006 Two Palestinians have been killed in a shootout with Israeli soldiers in the northern West Bank, sources on both sides say. Aljazeera''s correspondent quoted the Islamic Jihad as announcing the deaths of two of its activists, including a leader of al-Quds Brigades in the West Bank, Nidal Abu Saada, in a military operation launched by Israeli soldiers on Tuesday in Araba village, south of Jenin. Four other Palestinians were injured during clashes after 20 Israeli military vehicles stormed into the village and laid siege to a building. An Israeli army spokeswoman said that Tuesday''s incident in which the two Palestinian fighters were killed also caused an unknown number of Israeli casualties. more.. IOF Assassinates 2 Citizens, Wounds 4 others in Jenin, Demolishes 2 Houses in Bethlehem WAFA 1/31/2006 JENIN, January 31, 2006 (WAFA)- Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) assassinated Tuesday two citizens and arrested four others in attack on the Arraba village south of the West Bank (WB) city of Jenin. Witnesses said that Israeli soldiers supported by more than 30 vehicles assaulted Arraba, besieged the Mustafa Sbeitany''s house east of the village, opened fire on resident and instantly killed Nidal Abu Saada and Ahmed Tubassi. In a press release, Ministry of Interior condemned the assassination of Abu Saada and Tubassi, saying that the Israeli assaults would not neither serve security nor stability. more.. Qassams strike Sderot, Gaza YNetNews 2/1/2006 Rocket lands in city street, injuring one resident lightly. Palestinian sources report electricity cut off in large parts of northern Gaza after two Qassams aimed at Israel land in Palestinian territory, strike main electrical pole; IDF: Islamic Jihad behind Qassam launchings --Following a relatively short lull in rocket attacks on Israel, a Qassam rocket landed in Sderot Tuesday evening. One resident sustained light injuries in the attack and was treated on the spot by Magen David Adom paramedics. The rocket landed in one of the city’s streets and caused damage to a parking car. Residents said the attack caused a massive explosion and stirred panic throughout the city. more.. Resident, reporter injured south of Jenin International Middle East Media Center 1/31/2006 One Palestinian resident and one journalist were injured in Araba town, south of the West Bank city of Jenin during clashes which erupted after the under-cover units of the Israeli army assassinated leader of the Islamic Jihad in the town. The Palestinian Maan News Agency reported that resident Ali Ahmad Jardan, 22, was shot injured in his hand by a robber-coated bullet fired by the army. Also, Mohammad Turkman, a cameraman working with Reuters was moderately injured; both were transferred to the Jenin governmental hospital. The agency added that dozens of armed fighters, members of several Palestinian factions, marched in Arraba and chanted slogans against the occupation and the assassination carried out by the Israeli army in Arraba, on Tuesday. more.. High Court delays evacuation of West Bank outpost Ha''aretz 1/31/2006 Supreme Court Justice Elyakim Rubinstein issued an injunction before dawn Wednesday delaying the planned evacuation of the West Bank outpost of Amona, Yesha Council head Benzi Lieberman said. The announcement was made just hours before security forces were scheduled to raze nine permanent structures in Amona. Rubinstein will hold a hearing on the matter in his office on Wednesday at 8 A. M. local time. Ze''ev Hever, the leader of the West Bank settlement of Amana.... presented the High Court with a compromise which he says is acceptable to the settlers as well as to Attorney General Menachem Mazuz and Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz. more.. Settlers storm army base YNetNews 1/31/2006 Some 200 settlers break into army base to protest planned evacuation of Amona outpost, set for Thursday. IDF claims settlers damaged military vehicles. Meanwhile, Soldiers struggle to force invaders out -- About 200 settlers stormed an IDF base near the settlement of Ofra in the Benyamin regional council on Tuesday to protest the planned evacuation of the illegal settlement of Amona, set for Thursday. Settlers damaged military vehicles in the base and clashed with soldiers who tried to pull them out, the army said. Overnight settlers attacked soldiers in a jeep near the base, puncturing the jeep’s tires with knives and hurling stones at troops. more.. 22 wanted Palestinians nabbed YNetNews 1/31/2006 In "unusual" [farce - Ed. ] series of detentions in West Bank, IDF soldiers arrest members of Hamas, Islamic Jihad, PFLP, Fatah -- IDF soldiers detained 22 wanted Palestinians in the West Bank Monday night. The unusual series of arrests was aimed at causing damage to terror groups. The arrested Palestinians were members of Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Fatah and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). A Hamas member was arrested in the village of Qarawat Bani Zaid, northwest of Ramallah. Two other members of the organization were detained in the village of Jilazun, north of Ramallah, and another Hamas member was captured northwest of Ramallah. more.. Israeli Army invades Bethlehem, arrests four family members International Middle East Media Center 1/31/2006 Israeli troops invaded, on Tuesday afternoon, Aida refugee camp in the West Bank city of Bethlehem, and arrested four members of the Abu Aker family. Soldiers invaded the camp, surrounded the Abu Aker''s house, fired gas bombs and rounds of live ammunition, and arrested four members of the family, eyewitnesses reported. Clashes erupted between the army and youth in the camp. One 40 year old man was injured by bullet shrapnel fired by the military at people who were apparently throwing stones at the military invaders. more.. Israeli Army arrests three, including Imam of Mosque International Middle East Media Center 1/31/2006 Tuesday at dawn, the Israeli army invaded several villages in and around the West Bank city of Salfit; three were arrested including an Imam of Bani Zaid Mosque. Troops arrested Bilal Kader from Salfit, and Rakia Arrar and Sheikh Yousef Mohammad -- Imam of the local mosque in Bani Zaid, local sources reported. Soldiers broke into several houses in the area and searched them. An army source said the arrests were supposedly ''wanted'' by the Israeli military. [end] more.. Army invades Al Walaja village near Bethlehem, demolishes one house International Middle East Media Center 1/31/2006 The Israeli army and police force invaded the village of AL Walaja near of the West Bank city of Bethlehem and demolished one house Tuesday afternoon. According to a British national staying in the village, the army stormed the village and bulldozers demolished the house of Monther Hamad. He also added that soldiers and police officers forced the evacuation of the house of Mohamed Faraj before demolishing it. No reports of any clashes or resistance to the army are reported, but a number of international activists from various non-governmental organizations and associations arrived on the scene. [end] more.. Video - Haredim ransack Forensics Institute YNetNews 1/31/2006 (VIDEO) Dozens of ultra-Orthodox men riot in Institute for Forensic Medicine in Tel Aviv in protest of autopsy carried out on body of haredi woman -- (VIDEO) Staff from the Institute for Forensic Medicine in Abu Kabir sifted through the damage caused to their workplace by rioting ultra-Orthodox youths protesting the autopsy performed an a haredi woman’s body. But staff members vowed not to me intimidated by "pure vandalism. " "Even in the institute''s darkest days, there wasn''t an event this big. They wrecked the entire hall, broke expensive equipment, and destroyed (institute director) Yehuda Hiss'' room.... " more.. Israel jails Dane for conspiring with Hezbollah to visit as a tourist and gather military information Ha''aretz 2/1/2006 Tel Aviv District Court yesterday sentenced a Danish citizen accused of conspiring with Hezbollah to 33 months in jail, in accordance with a plea bargain Iyad al-Ashwah had made with the prosecution. Ashwah, 40, was born in Lebanon and returned there in 2004 to visit his relatives. While there, his brother allegedly put him in contact with a Hezbollah member, who suggested Ashwah assist the organization by arriving in Israel as a tourist, collecting information on military bases and handing over names of people in Israel who would potentially cooperate with Hezbollah. more.. Israeli court sentences Nablus resident to 22 years in jail International Middle East Media Center 1/31/2006 Tuesday morning, an Israeli military court sentenced a resident from the West Bank city of Nablus to 22 years in Jail. Imad Meazuz Okubeh was accused of being the head of "a terrorist organization", and being behind several resistance attacks on Israel. Okubeh was arrested two years ago during an invasion of the city of Nablus, local sources reported. [end] more.. Hebron settlers evacuate market buildings voluntarily Ha''aretz 1/31/2006 Settlers who illegally commandeered Palestinian shops in Hebron''s wholesale market completed their evacuation of the site on overnight Monday in accordance with a deal made with the state under which they would voluntarily leave their homes and be permitted to return legally later on, Israel Radio reported. Israel Defense Forces officers and representatives of Jewish settlers in Hebron who oversaw the evacuation confirmed that the settlers had cleared the market. The settlers were given until Thursday to return to the site to retrieve their belongings. Attorney General Menachem Mazuz on Monday afternoon denied reports on a deal permitting settlers to return to their homes in the market legally at a later date. more.. Mazuz denies deal between IDF and Hebron settlers Ha''aretz 1/31/2006 Attorney General Menachem Mazuz made clear yesterday that there is no compromise deal between the Israel Defense Forces and Hebron settlers, contrary to reports. An agreement had ostensibly been reached that the squatters would voluntarily vacate the stores in the wholesale market, and the IDF would in a few months stop leasing the market to the Hebron Municipality and instead sign a rental contract with the settlers, who would be able to reoccupy the stores... "the attorney general wishes to make clear that the voluntary evacuation, to whatever degree, is not dependent upon any compromise or concession by the state, nor has the state made any commitment to reoccupy the buildings in question. "... [However,] the state had also informed the court that the appropriate authorities would examine the possibility of terminating the Hebron Municipality''s protected tenancy in the wholesale market... [and] leasing the stores to settlers will be considered at a later date. more.. Israel''s shooting of young girl highlights international hypocrisy, say Palestinians The Guardian 1/30/2006 As the votes were counted in the Palestinian election and the scale of Hamas''s landslide became apparent to the world, Aya al-Astal drifted away from her home and wandered towards the fence along the border between the Gaza strip and Israel. The nine-year-old girl''s parents realised she was gone as they watched the election results on television. They do not know precisely what happened, but the Israeli army later said Aya was behaving in a suspicious manner reminiscent of a terrorist - she got too close to the border fence - and so a soldier fired several bullets into the child, hitting her in the neck and blowing open her stomach. Aya was the second child killed by the Israeli army last week. more.. Occupation Continues Arrest Raids in W. Bank International Press Center 1/30/2006 GAZA, Palestine, January 30,2006 (IPC+Agencies) - - Israeli Occupation intensified its violent today morning and Sunday overnight its military offensive in sporadic areas of the west bank ; storming into Al Azza refugee camp of Bethlehem in which a resident was rounded up and arrested four others in Nablus. In Al Azza refugee camp, north Bethlehem, a resident Ferass Ibraheim Al Nashash ,28, was arrested by the Israeli troops. Local sources reported that tens of patrolling soldiers advanced deep into the camp at dawn Monday, cordoned the house of Al Nashash , thoroughly searching and messing it before arresting him. more.. Undercover army units invade Kofer Kalil village, one resident arrested International Middle East Media Center 1/30/2006 Israeli undercover army troops invaded Kofer Kalil village near the West Bank city of Nablus on Monday at dawn, one resident was arrested. Haiel Amir, 22, was arrested after a gun fight erupted between an armed resistance group and Israeli Special Forces attempting to invade the village in a white car, eyewitnesses reported. The detainee is accused of being affiliated with the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, the armed wing of Fateh. Following the initial confrontation, approximately ten military vehicles arrived on the scene accompanied by two military bulldozers. Israeli soldiers surrounded and shot at the Amir''s house. more.. Army invades Bethlehem, arrests one resident International Middle East Media Center 1/30/2006 Israeli soldiers invaded on Monday morning Al Azza refugee camp in the West Bank city of Bethlehem, and arrested one resident. A local source in the camp reported that troops arrested Ibrahim Al Nashash, 28, during a search to the residents'' houses in the camp, and took him to an unknown destination. Army claimed that the residents in a member of Hamas. Also, soldiers broke into dozens of homes in the camp and searched them; damage to the houses and belongings was reported. [end] more.. Israel orders evacuation of West Bank settlement ReliefWeb 1/29/2006 JERUSALEM, Jan 29, 2006 (AFP) - Israel has ordered the evacuation of a wildcat settlement outpost on a hilltop just north of the Palestinian city of Ramallah in the West Bank, a military source said on Sunday. The Jewish inhabitants of the Amona settlement are to voluntarily leave their nine houses by Thursday or else they will be forcefully evacuated, the source said. Israeli public radio said about 1,000 border guards, backed up by 3,000 police and 3,000 soldiers have been mobilized for the operation, which is to begin Wednesday. more.. Palestinian Groups Clash in Gaza Palestine Chronicle 1/29/2006 Eight people were injured in several gun battles in Khan Younis - in what were the first armed clashes between Hamas and Fatah since the elections. -- GAZA CITY (BBC NEWS) - Rival groups have clashed in the Gaza Strip, two days after the Islamic militant group Hamas swept to victory in Palestinian polls. The worst trouble flared up in Khan Younis. Several were wounded when Hamas activists exchanged fire with members of Fatah - which lost the election. Fatah activists also rallied against their own leaders, blaming them for the defeat and setting cars on fire. Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas has said Hamas should form a new cabinet. more.. IDF and Hebron settlers holding secret talks on evacuation of market area Ha''aretz 1/29/2006 While Acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is warning settlers in the Hebron market that security forces may evacuate them by force, Haaretz has learned that the Israel Defense Forces and Hebron settlers have been holding secret talks aimed at reaching a compromise deal. The talks are being held with the authorization of Olmert and Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz. The settlers have until Monday morning to respond to a compromise deal proffered by the IDF. Settler leaders were to convene Sunday night to discuss the offer..... High Court: Green light to Amona evacuation: The High Court of Justice on Sunday afternoon rejected a petition filed by settlers against the demolition of nine structures in the illegal West Bank settlement of Amona. more.. Fatah activists, PA police storm parliament buildings Ha''aretz 1/29/2006 Dozens of Fatah activists and Palestinian Authority police officers briefly took over the parliament buildings in Ramallah and Gaza City yesterday, pledging loyalty to PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas while calling for the resignation of the Fatah Central Committee, which they blamed for Fatah''s election defeat. The protesters took over the parliament for about 20 minutes, shouting demands from the roof before descending peacefully. Meanwhile, at least 12 Palestinians, including eight police officers, were injured in clashes over the weekend. more.. Soldiers arrest ten youth west of Ramallah International Middle East Media Center 1/29/2006 Israeli soldiers arrested, on Sunday at dawn, ten youth from Betillo village, west of Ramallah in the West Bank, after invading it and searching dozens of homes. A local source in the village reported that all of the arrested youth are 17-18 years old. The arrestees were identified as Ibrahim Mofleh, Othman Fayez, Aseed Ziyada, Mohammad Taiseer Darweesh, Qassam Taiseer Darweesh, Salah Wafeeq Bazar, Fadi Ibrahim Ziyada, Basel Abdul-Mohsen Radwan, Ismat Suleiman Rayyan, and Jad Anwar Ali Salem. An Israeli military source reported that the ten youth were arrested after repeated shootings took place in addition to several incidents were youth hurled stones at settlers vehicles in the area. more.. Army girds for violence in Amona face-off Ha''aretz 1/31/2006 The overall military commander of the West Bank has voiced concern that violence during this week''s planned evacuation of the illegal West Bank outpost of Amona could exceed that faced by security officials during last summer''s volatile disengagement from the Gaza Strip. GOC Central Command Major General Yair Naveh said security forces were preparing for similar opposition in Amona. Gaza settlers holed up in homes and synagogues and threw objects at the forces that were evacuating them. "Will there be violence of the level of the disengagement? I am afraid there will be more," Naveh told Israel Radio late Monday. "Are we preparing for extreme situations? The answer is yes. ? more.. OCHA Weekly Briefing Notes 18 - 24 Jan 2006 ReliefWeb/OCHA 1/30/2006 24 Jan 2006 -- Of note this period: A Palestinian man from Nablus carried out a suicide bombing in Tel Aviv injuring 28 Israelis. High numbers of flying checkpoints (103) were observed throughout the West Bank particularly in Qalqiliya and Hebron governorates. 1. Physical Protection (1) Casualties - 18 January: A 14-year-old Palestinian was shot and injured after clashes between IDF soldiers and Palestinian stone throwers during an IDF search campaign in Kafr Qallil (Nablus). / 18 January: Two Palestinians and two IDF soldiers were injured during an exchange of fire between IDF soldiers and Palestinian militants during an IDF search campaign in Jenin camp (Jenin)... more.. Israeli Court Sentences Detainees to Different Terms of Imprisonment WAFA 1/30/2006 TULKAREM, January 30, 2006, (WAFA) -Salem Israeli military court sentenced on Monday two detainees to different terms imprisonment and postponed the detention of eight others in the West Bank (WB)city of Tulkarem. The court sentenced Usama Abed Rabbu of Tulkarem refugee camp to ten years and Nabil Khateeb to 38 months. The court also postponed the detention of Issam Aref from Iktaba , Majdi Otaily, Bilal Khalil, Raid Taha, Rami Abu Assal of Anabta , Moumen Al-haj, Imad Samara and Subhi Shinar of Allar town until the second month. more.. Two Qassam Brigades fighters injured in Gaza International Middle East Media Center 1/30/2006 A Palestinian medical source in Gaza reported on Monday at night that two fighters of the Al Qassam brigades, the military wing of Hamas, were injured after unknown gunmen opened fire at them. The source added that one of the fighters is the leader of the brigades in Khan Younis, while the second is his assistant; the two suffered moderate-to-sever wounds. A local source in Khan Younis reported that unknown gunmen opened fire at the vehicle of the two fighters while driving in Abasan Al Sagheera town in Khan Younis, and sped away. more.. Palestinian medics: IDF troops kill girl near Gaza Strip border fence Ha''aretz 1/27/2006 Israel Defense Forces soldiers shot dead a 9-year-old Palestinian girl on Thursday in the Gaza Strip near the border with Israel, Palestinian medics said. The IDF said troops spotted a Palestinian carrying a large bag near the border fence. Suspecting that it contained explosives, the troops called on the person to stop and fired warning shots in the air. After the person did not heed the calls and moved closer to the border, the soldiers fired again and shot the person dead, an IDF statement said. more.. ICAHD: Khallet Zacharia Village Receives Multiple Demolition Orders WAFA 1/26/2006 TAL AVIV, January 26, 2006 (WAFA)- The Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions (ICAHD) said Thursday that Khallet Zacharia village received multiple demolition orders and experienced serious problems during closure. In a press release, ICAHD said it investigated on January 19, the plight of this Palestinian village that marooned inside a triangle of Israeli colonies (Alon Shvut, Rosh Tzurim, and Kfar Etzion, with Bat Ayin also nearby) that threatened it by demolishing orders. "In December, 11 demolition orders were received, as was a stop work order on the uncompleted school which the village has been building. The three village wells also have outstanding demolition orders on them," the press release added. more.. Hebron''s Jewish enclave to be declared closed military area Friday Ha''aretz 1/27/2006 The Israel Defense Forces plan to declare the Jewish section of Hebron aclosed military area Friday morning, in preparation for the evacuation of nine Jewish families from the city''s wholesale market, Hebron settlers said Thursday. The settlers, who believe the evacuation is slated to take place sometime next week, are planning a major solidarity conference Tuesday against the planned move. Politicians, rabbis and academics are among those expected to attend the gathering. more.. Resistance fires homemade shell at a settlement, east of Gaza International Middle East Media Center 1/27/2006 Salah Ed Deen Brigades, the military wing of the Popular Resistance Committees, and Nabeel Mas''oud Brigades, which belongs to the Al Aqsa brigades, fired two homemade shells at Nativ Hash''ara settlement, east of the Gaza Strip. The two factions said that the firing of the homemade shells comes in retaliation to the death of a Palestinian child, who was killed by Israel military fire in Gaza on Thursday evening. more.. Hamas, Fatah activists clash YNetNews 1/26/2006 Palestinian Authority policemen separate fighting rival activists who exchange stones, curses; some13 people injured, windows broken in melee -- A scuffle broke out between Hamas and Fatah supporters in Ramallah on Thursday as a Hamas activist hung a flag of the Islamic group from the building of the Palestinian parliament. Palestinian Authority policemen separated the fighting rival activists who exchanged stones and curses. About 13 people were injured and windows were broken in the melee. more.. Palestinians: IDF shot dead 7-year-old girl YNetNews 1/26/2006 Palestinians claim IDF killed seven year-old girl near Gaza security fence; army denies charges. Qassam rocket fired at Israel earlier in response to shooting -- Palestinian sources reported Thursday that a seven-year-old girl was shot dead by IDF forces near the security fence in northern Gaza, close to the Kissufim border crossing. According to reports, the girl''s name is Aya el-Satal. The IDF has confirmed an incident took place in the area, but refused to confirm a girl was involved. Army sources stated forces spotted a figure carrying a large bag on its back, traveling near the fence at a distance from any Palestinian community. The soldiers fired warning shots at the figure, and when it continued to approach the fence – shot and hit it. more.. Olmert orders speedier construction of separation fence Ha''aretz 1/26/2006 Acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert ordered faster construction of the West Bank separation fence on Wednesday, after chairing his first government-level discussion on the matter, a senior official said. "He made it very clear that the fence has to be completed as quickly as possible," the official said. The decision, which followed hints by Olmert that he could set Israel''s borders unilaterally should he win March 28 elections and peace talks remain stalled, drew censure from Palestinians.... Olmert recommended rerouting the fence so as to enclose the northern Jerusalem neighborhood of Ramot within the city limits while placing the nearby village of Beit Ichsa on the Palestinian side of the fence. more.. IOF Denies PM Access to Jerusalem WAFA 1/25/2006 EAST JERUSALEM, January 25, 2006 (WAFA)- Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) banned, Wednesday at az-Zaeem checkpoint, Prime Minister Ahmed Qurei from reaching Jerusalem to inspect the voting ballots. In the meantime, the IOF restricted the movement of the voters in the West Bank cities of Tubas and Nablus, WAFA reporter said. In Tubas, Israeli soldiers at the military checkpoint of Tayaseer east of the city delayed al-Aghwar citizens to cast their votes. In Nablus, WAFA reporter said that Israeli soldiers also delayed the arrival of voters to ballot centers by erecting a checkpoint near Sayrifi Park northeast of the city. [end] more.. Israel Navy building fence off Gaza coast Globes 1/25/2006 “Defense News”: The underwater fence is designed to prevent penetration by boats. -- “Defense News” reports that the Israel Navy is building a marine fence off the coast of the Gaza Strip. The fence is part of a project for strengthening Israel’s coastal defense system against infiltration by terrorists and smugglers. The magazine said the fence, which consisted of an above water and below water barrier, was designed to prevent penetration by boats. Some of it resembles a floating grid. It is fixed in place at a depth of 3-10 meters, starts one kilometer from the beach, and extends from there in the direction of the sea. more.. IOF Arrests 5 Citizens in Tulkarem WAFA 1/25/2006 TULKAREM, January 25, 2006 (WAFA)- Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) arrested Wednesday five citizens in the West Bank (WB) city of Tulkarem, witnesses said. They told WAFA that Israeli soldiers thrust earlier into the villages of Saida and Allar in Tulkarem governate, launched a house-to-house search campaign and arrested Mohammed Younis and Salam abu Sada, from Allar village and Mostafa Ajaj, his brother Joma'' and Thaer abed al-Ghani from Saida. [end] more.. Army arrests 11 residents in the West Bank International Middle East Media Center 1/25/2006 Israeli army radio reported, on Wednesday morning, that soldiers arrested 11 residents from several areas in the West Bank. According to the source, two were arrested in Nablus city, two were arrested in Bethlehem, and seven residents were arrested in Tulkarem city. The arrests were carried out despite an Israeli statement which claimed that the army will halt its operations in the Palestinian territories during the Palestinian legislative council elections which started earlier on Wednesday. [end] more.. Army arrests seven residents in Tulkarem International Middle East Media Center 1/25/2006 Israeli troops invaded, on Wednesday morning, the West Bank city of Tulkarem and several surrounding villages, and arrested seven residents. Soldiers supported by several armored vehicles, invaded the city and a number of its surrounding villages, and broke into dozens of homes. In the nearby village of Allar, troops arrested Mohammad Abdul Aziz, 22, Salam Abu Sa''ada, 18, and took them to unknown destination. Meanwhile, in Saida village, north of Tulkarem, soldiers arrested Jom''a Ajaj, 22, and Tha''er Abdul Aziz, 19. Amy claims that the arrested residents are members of the Islamic Jihad. [end] more.. Rightists arrested in Jerusalem YNetNews 1/25/2006 ''Jerusalem is ours, Amman is yours'' -- Baruch Marzel, Itamar Ben Gvir, four more far right activists arrive at Jaffa Gate in Jerusalem to protest the PA elections; police detain the six for questioning. Knesset Members Arieh Eldad and Effie Eitam banned from entering Jaffa Gate voting station -- Jerusalem Police have detained six far Right activists, headed by National Jewish Front leader Baruch Marzel and Itamar Ben Gvir, for causing disturbances near the Jaffa Gate in east Jerusalem to protest Palestinian voting in the capital. Police officials said the group of rightists was detained after attempting to confront police officers. At the same time, Knesset Members and National Union party members Effie Eitam and Arieh Eldad arrived at the Jaffa Gate with the intention of of entering a Palestinian polling station near the gate. more.. New al-Aqsa missile targets Israel YNetNews 1/25/2006 Terror group says it developed new missile capable of reaching all of Israel’s major population centers, if fired from West Bank -- The al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, an armed group affiliated with Fatah, says it has developed a new type of missile with a range of 27 kilometers, or 16 miles. The group says its military industry unit has developed a new generation of what it calls an “Al-Aqsa 207 missile,” The Media Line has learned. While the previous Al-Aqsa 107 missiles had a range of 17 kilometers, or 11 miles, the upgraded 207 rockets will extend to 27 kilometers, the group said, putting in range all of Israel’s major population centers, if fired from the West Bank. more.. Settlers leave illegal Amona outpost YNetNews 1/25/2006 Pinchas Wallersten, head of Binyamin Regional Council, says his people sealed permanent houses in outpost, instructed inhabitants to leave, in bid to prevent clashes, reach compromise with State; in addition, settlers expected to file High Court petition against evacuation -- Yesha Council officials sealed the permanent houses in the illegal West Bank outpost of Amona Tuesday night and left the site in a bid to reach a compromise with the defense establishment over the evacuation of the permanent constructions in the outpost. Simultaneously, the settlers plan on filing a petition twith the High Court of Justice against the evacuation. more.. Olmert to propose two changes to separation fence route Ha''aretz 1/26/2006 Acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert soon will present for government approval two changes to the route of the separation fence: removing the Palestinian village Beit Iksa, near the western entrance to Jerusalem, from "the Israeli" side of the fence, and splitting the route in the area encompassing Ariel. Olmert held a meeting about the fence yesterday in which Defense Ministry Director General Kobi Toren estimated that construction would be completed by the end of the first quarter of 2007. Olmert accepted the recommendation to remove Beit Iksa from the seam-line area. more.. Fatah leader in West Bank shot dead The Guardian 1/24/2006 Today Fatah gunmen shot to death Abu Ahmed Hassouna, 44, a party leader in Nablus after he told them to stop shooting at campaign posters on his house, relatives said. -- Palestinian gunmen linked to the ruling Fatah movement killed one of their own party''s leaders today, increasing tensions ahead of tomorrow''s Palestinian elections. Candidates were banned from campaigning today for a cooling-off period before the election. But the murder raised doubts about the latest pledges by armed groups in the West Bank and Gaza not to commit violence during the vote. Opinion polls have shown Fatah and Hamas in a close race ahead of the election and both sides have said they might form a coalition government. more.. IDF nabs top Hamas, Jihad men in predawn W. Bank arrest raids Ha''aretz 1/24/2006 Israel Defense Forces troops arrested eight wanted Palestinians in a series of predawn raids in the West Bank on Tuesday, despite Israel''s decision to reduce to a minimum military operations in Palestinian territories ahead of Wednesday''s legislative elections. The arrested included several senior militants, including Abdallah Arrar, a Hamas militant suspected of masterminding the abduction and murder of Sasson Nuriel in 2005. Mahmoud Abu Rob, the Islamic Jihad commander in the southern Jenin area, was also arrested Tuesday. more.. Militants pledge to ensure smooth Palestinian vote ReliefWeb 1/24/2006 GAZA, Jan 24 (Reuters) - Militant groups pledged on the eve of Palestinian elections to prevent any attempt to disrupt voting in the poll, which could usher the powerful Hamas movement into government for the first time. In election-related violence, gunmen shot dead a Palestinian who tried to prevent them from removing campaign posters of a candidate from Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas''s Fatah party in the West Bank city of Nablus, residents said on Tuesday. Hamas, running in its first parliamentary election, is expected to make a strong showing and pose the most serious electoral challenge yet to the mainstream Fatah. more.. Israeli forces arrest 24 from West Bank Cities in pre-dawn invasions International Middle East Media Center 1/23/2006 Israeli forces arrested 24 Palestinians throughout the West Bank cities Monday morning, the Ma''an News Agency reported. Israeli forces arrested five Palestinians affiliated with the Islamic Jihad movement in Jenin area. Troops also arrested seven Palestinians affiliated with Hamas in the northwestern West Bank cities of Tulkarem and Qalqilia. In Ramallah, Israeli forces arrested nine Palestinians and took them to unknown destinations. Additionally Two residents from Bethlehem and another from Hebron were arrested. In a predawn invasion to the northern city of Tulkarem and its refugee camp aermy broke into several homes and arrested three residents. more.. Mofaz to IDF troops: Zero tolerance when facing Jewish rioters in Hebron, Amona Ha''aretz 1/24/2006 Israel Defense Forces soldiers must have zero tolerance when facing Jewish rioters in next week''s evacuation of the illegal West Bank outpost in Amona and the wholesale market in Hebron, Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz said on Tuesday. Mofaz told IDF soldiers set to participate in the evacuations, "we must act with zero tolerance against rioters. Nobody has the right to raise a hand against you. "Right-wing demonstrators on Tuesday blocked the Geha highway near Tel Aviv to protest the planned evacuations. Police reopened the road to traffic and detained 13 protesters for questioning. more.. Senior Hamas member arrested YNetNews 1/24/2006 Abdullah Arar detained on suspicion of planning abduction of Israeli citizen Sasson Nuriel, assisting group that carried out murder. Senior Islamic Jihad member who planned to carry out terror attack in Israel arrested in Kabatiya; Palestinian woman who expressed willingness to carry out suicide bombing arrested in Jenin -- A special Border Guard unit operating in Ramallah Monday night detained senior Hamas member Abdulla Arar on suspicion of involvement in the kidnapping and murder of Israeli citizen Sasson Nuriel in Septmeber 2005. more.. Army arrests eight residents from Jenin, including three women International Middle East Media Center 1/24/2006 The Israeli army invaded on Tuesday morning to several areas in West Bank city of Jenin, eight residents including three women. Troops stormed Jenin refugee camp in the city and conducted wide-scaled search there and arrested Somayah E''badi , Maha Arda , Feriyal Safori and her husband Mo''tasem Habaiba, all were taken to unknown distention, eyewitnesses said. Meanwhile, another force entered the near by village of Anien searched several houses and arrested Mohamed Mansour 21 after searching his house. In the early hours of Tuesday morning, Israeli army troops invaded the northern West Bank town of Qabatiya near Jenin and arrested three residents. more.. Rocket barrage directed at Sderot YNetNews 1/23/2006 Red Dawn alert system identifies three Qassams fired at southern town; rockets apparently land in open areas, no injuries reported. Elsewhere, Palestinian shot to death near Ramallah -- Three Qassam rockets were fired at the southern town of Sderot Monday evening but left no injuries or damages after apparently landing in open areas near the community. The "Red Dawn" alert system identified the launching of the rockets. Police and sappers were dispatched to the area in an attempt to pin-point the landing sites. more.. State Comptroller: State failing to protect communities around Gaza Strip Ha''aretz 1/23/2006 State Comptroller Micah Lindenstrauss on Sunday leveled harsh criticism at the failure of the defense establishment to provide communities surrounding Gaza with proper protection against rocket attacks since the Israeli pullout from the Strip last September. The State Comptroller on Sunday issued its first report on the state''s preparedness for implementing the disengagement from the Gaza Strip. The report slammed the slowness and inefficiency with which the state has acted to reinforce homes in the western Negev region to defend them against Palestinian rocket strikes. more.. 13-year-old Palestinian killed by IDF fire Ha''aretz 1/25/2006 A 13-year-old Palestinian was killed Monday night when he was shot by soldiers lying in ambush near the access road to his village. According to his relatives, Munadel Abu Aalia left his home in Al-Mughar, near Ramallah, around 8 P. M. and went out to the access road along with two friends. They had apparently planned to block the road and throw stones at Israeli cars passing on the nearby Allon Road. About half an hour later, one of his friends knocked on the family''s door and told them that an IDF force had opened fire on them and Munadel was seriously wounded. An hour later, the Palestinian Red Crescent informed the family that he had died of his wounds. more.. Tensions high in Nablus YNetNews 1/24/2006 PA anarchy: Fatah member murdered, officials fear incident could hamper elections -- The Palestinian elections in Nablus may be in danger after a Fatah election activist was murdered in the city Monday night, Palestinian Authority officials said Tuesday. Yusuf Hassouna, 25, was shot during a quarrel with other Fatah members. His family announced that he will not be buried until his death is avenged, or until the murderers turn themselves in. "The murder of a Fatah member by other Fatah members will lead to tension and violence," a member of the Fatah''s al-Aqsa Martyrs'' Brigades told Ynet. more.. Druze charged with aiding Hizbullah YNetNews 1/24/2006 Northern Israel man forced to provide Hizbullah with information after crossing into Lebanon -- Police and the Shin Bet have been investigating over the last month an incident involving a young resident of the northern Druze village of Ein el-Asad who apparently crossed the border to Lebanon, where he was forced to deliver information to Hizbullah. The 23-year old youngster, Jamil Abu-Salah, was returned to Israel at the end of December along with Ali Hassan Avaro, who was indicted last week over charges of entering an enemy state, keeping contact with a foreign agent and delivering information to the enemy. more.. Halutz: Outpost to be cleared next week YNetNews 1/24/2006 Chief of Staff Dan Halutz says troops prepared to remove illegal West Bank outpost of Amona next week; at this time, no date for operation to clear Jewish residents from Hebron market -- The illegal West Bank outpost of Amona will be cleared next week, IDF Chief of Staff Dan Halutz informed the Knesset''s Security and Foreign Affairs Committee Tuesday. According to Halutz, the evacuation will follow similar procedures to those introduced during the Gaza and northern West Bank disengagement. At this time, it is unclear when the Hebron market will be cleared of its Jewish residents. more.. IDF to pull rapid-response teams out of northern border communities Ha''aretz 1/24/2006 Starting on Sunday, the Israel Defense Forces with withdraw the rapid-response teams it has maintained in Israeli communities along the Lebanese border. Residents harshly criticized the decision to remove the soldiers from their communities. "No one spoke with us," Eitan Davidi, chairman of the Moshav Margalit local council, said. "This is a difficult decision. [The removal of the soldiers] is abandonment and it borders on stupidity and criminal negligence. If, God forbid, a terror cells infiltrates one of the communities, what will they say then? ''We made a mistake''? We want what we deserve. We will not remain quiet. " more.. IDF officer: Balata easier than Hebron YNetNews 1/24/2006 Paratrooper commander in Hebron says serving in Palestinian refugee camp was easier than dealing with settlers in Hebron; Defense minister, chief of staff tour Judea Brigade ahead of evacuations -- As the army prepares to clear the Amona outpost and illegally occupied buildings in Hebron, Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz and Chief of Staff Dan Halutz visited the Judea Brigade, and closely examined the IDF''s activity in the region, as well as plans for the future. "We are in the midst of a very complex operation with mixed emotions, in a manner that is new to us," the commander of Paratrooper Battalion 101 Lieutenant Colonel Eliezer Toledano told Mofaz. "Sometimes we have to deal with things we don''t want to deal with," he added. more.. Highway blocked in protest of outpost evacuations YNetNews 1/24/2006 Police arrest 17 right-wing activists for blocking Highway 4 in protest of expected dismantling of illegal West Bank outposts; forces arrived quickly due to prior intelligence, police believe campaign just beginning -- Some 17 protesters blocked Highway 4 near Ramat Gan and burned tires in protest over the expected evacuation of outposts in the West Bank. Earlier, Chief of Staff Dan Halutz announced that the Amona and surrounding outposts will be cleared in a similar manner in which the disengagement from Gaza took place last summer. more.. Palestinian youth, 13, killed by IDF gunfire near Ramallah Ha''aretz 1/24/2006 A 13-year-old Palestinian youth was killed Monday evening by Israel Defense Forces gunfire in a West Bank village adjacent to Ramallah. An initial report indicated soldiers opened fire in the direction of two children building a stone barrier across a road. Soldiers said they opened fire when they noticed two figures laying a suspicious object on the road. IDF troops shots and critically wounded one of the youths in his chest. The youth was pronounced dead on the scene by an IDF doctor after medics failed to resuscitate him. The boy has been identified as Mundal Abu-Aliya. The other youth fled the scene when soldiers opened fire. Palestinian witnesses said two other youths were also wounded in the incident. more.. IAF missile strike in Gaza City kills one militant, wounds six Ha''aretz 1/22/2006 Israel Air Force aircraft fired missiles at a car in the Gaza Strip on Sunday afternoon in a strike on Palestinian militants, killing one of them and wounding six others. The militants were spotted by the Israel Defense Forces making their way from Gaza City''s Zeitoun neighborhood toward the Karni crossing between Israel and the Gaza Strip. Mahmoud Abad Al A''al, a member of the Palestinian Popular Resistance Committees umbrella group, was killed and six others were wounded in the air strike. more.. Israel suspends operations ahead of Palestinian election ReliefWeb 1/23/2006 Ramallah/Tel Aviv_(dpa) _ Two days before the Palestinian parliamentary elections, Israel announced Monday that it was suspending all military operations against militants in the Palestinian areas until after the vote. The exception would be operations against immediate threats, where there could be no postponements, an army spokeswoman told Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa. The army also promised to relax procedures at road blocks and to allow members of the Palestinian security forces to patrol armed in Palestinians city centres.... Israel plans to increase forces in the territories ahead of the elections, in order to speed up checks at checkpoints and to protect settlements from possible attacks. more.. Israeli Troops Intensify Arrest Raids in W. Bank Ahead Elections'' Day International Press Center 1/23/2006 WEST BANK, Palestine, January 23, 2006 (IPC+Agencies) - - Israeli occupation forces rounded up 24 residents throughout the West Bank today morning, Israeli radio reported. The radio said that IOF troops arrested five residents, believed to be affiliated to Islamic Jihad Movement in Jenin district. Seven others were arrested for political affiliation with Hams in Tulkarem and Qulqelia. Meanwhile, IOF arrested nine residents from Rammallah, two from Bethlehem and another from Hebron. In a fresh morning''s raid into Tulkarem and its refugee camp, the Israeli troops conducted a thorough house-house search seeking out "wanted residents ". more.. Lawless in Gaza: leaders try to end chaos by taking guns off the street The Guardian 1/23/2006 Shooting and kidnapping in Fatah, Hamas violence [sic - no Hamas violence is reported in the article - Ed. ]· Jobless militias behind wave of bloody feuding -- Palestinian leaders yesterday tried to end the political and clan violence that has plagued Gaza since the Israeli withdrawal by ordering their followers to keep guns off the streets during this week''s elections. The growing lawlessness, fuelled by the proliferation of weapons turned inward now there are no Israelis to fight, has resulted in a string of shootings, kidnappings of foreigners and inter-family feuds that have left a score of people dead. more.. Palestinian security moves into top gear for vote ReliefWeb 1/22/2006 GAZA CITY, Jan 22, 2006 (AFP) - Palestinian security forces were set to declare a maximum state of alert ahead of Wednesday''s parliamentary elections as a civilian was killed in an Israeli airstrike on northern Gaza. As the Palestinians were gearing up for crunch general elections in three days time, the Israeli airforce launched a strike near Gaza City, in what a militant faction claimed was a failed assassination attempt. An army spokesman said troops had launched "an aerial strike" against gunmen near the Karni crossing with Israel. The radical Popular Resistance Committees, however, said one of its leaders had been targeted, but instead, the raid had killed a 22-year-old passerby. more.. Army invades a village near Jenin, arrests 5 International Middle East Media Center 1/22/2006 IMEMC & Agencies - Monday, 23 January 2006, 18:40 -- In a predawn invasion Israeli forces arrested attorney Dirar Sadi from Silat Harifiya northwest of the West Bank city of Jenin Monday morning after breaking into his house and took him to Salem Military Camp. Army also arrested four residents from the village affiliated with the Islamic Jihad movement. [end] more.. IDF kills one Palestinian, wounds two near Gaza security fence Ha''aretz 1/22/2006 Israel Defense Forces soldiers opened fire at three Palestinians who were making their way towards the security fence surrounding the Gaza Strip on Saturday near Kibbutz Nir Am, killing one and wounding two others. The three Palestinians were seen crawling towards the fence en route to what the IDF believes was an attempt to carry out a terrorist attack nearby. It remains unclear whether the Palestinians were armed. Palestinian medics said the three men had come from a refugee camp in the central Gaza Strip but did not know whether they were militants. more.. Israel Refuses To Re-Open " Karni" Commercial Terminal as Losses cost at$2 Million International Press Center 1/21/2006 GAZA, Palestine, January 21, 2006 (IPC + Agencies) - - Palestinian officials said that the Israeli side refused during a meeting held between Israeli and Palestinian officials to reopen Karni Border Crossing between Israel and Gaza Strip, allegdly justifies the closure for security reason. Local sources said that Palestinian and Israeli officials held Friday talks over the issue of Karni Crossing''s ongoing closure, however Israel refused the Palestinian''s demand; claiming that the IOF authorities received threats of committing military operations by militants in the crossing. more.. Israeli army to avoid West Bank towns for poll - source ReliefWeb 1/23/2006 JERUSALEM, Jan 23 (Reuters) - Israeli troops will stay away from Palestinian towns in the West Bank for the next three days to avoid interfering in a Jan. 25 Palestinian parliamentary election, an Israeli military source said on Monday. The source confirmed a report on Israel Radio and the Maariv daily that the army would avoid staging military raids "except in cases of ticking bombs" or an intelligence tip of an imminent attack, and would avoid entry into Palestinian cities. "The Israeli army will reduce its activity (in the West Bank) except for urgent cases," the source said. Israeli and Palestinian security officials have named a team to coordinate activities through the balloting, Israeli radio said. more.. Child killed, another injured by military fire near Ramallah International Middle East Media Center 1/24/2006 Israeli soldiers fired, on Monday evening, at several children in Al Mogheer village, near the West Bank city of Ramallah killing a nine-year old child, and injuring another. Troops transferred the injured child to an Israeli hospital via helicopter. An Israeli military source claimed that soldiers initially thought that the children were fighters placing an explosive charge on a road close to Shilo settlement, near Ramallah. A Palestinian security source accused the settlers of firing at the children while they were playing near the main road which leads to the settlement. more.. IOF Wounds 2 Teenagers in GS WAFA 1/22/2006 BUREIJ, January 22, 2006 (WAFA)- Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) wounded Sunday two teenagers in Bureij refugee camp in the middle of the Gaza Strip (GS). Security sources said Sari Rabay''a 17, wounded by a bullet in his back and Maher Hassanat in this foot, when Israeli soldiers opened fire at a group of citizens. The IOF arrested 6 other citizens. Meanwhile, Israeli navy opened fire at the shores of Rafah in the south of GS, but no casualties were reported. [end] more.. PNIC: Five filled, 13 wounded and 79 arrests by 49th week of ceasefire ReliefWeb 1/21/2006 GAZA, Palestine, January 21, 2006 (IPC) -... the State Information Service (SIS) revealed that Israeli forces have killed five Palestinian and wounded 13 others as well as committing 607 violations of the ceasefire declared on 8 February, 2005 after Sharm Al Sheikh summit. The report, released by the SIS'' Palestinian National Information Center (PNIC) asserted that between January 10 and January 16, 2006 Israeli forces shot five Palestinians dead, injured 13 arrested 79 and carried out many violations varying between house shelling, raids, incursions, land bulldozing and curbing of free movement. PNIC showed that Israeli forces committed 74 shooting incidents and 28 arrest campaigns in which 79 residents were arrested during 103 raids, as well as establishing 50 mobile roadblocks and closing roads and military checkpoints 296 times. more.. Six residents arrested near Gaza borders International Middle East Media Center 1/21/2006 Israeli soldiers arrested on Saturday six Palestinian residents near the border fence separating the Gaza Strip from Israel. An Israeli military source claimed that the six residents were attempting to cross into Israel. The source added that the six were not armed, adding that soldiers arrested 30 Palestinians near the border fence area since Israel implemented the disengagement plan August 2005. [end] more.. 22 injured in Tel Aviv suicide bombing The Guardian 1/20/2006 A Palestinian suicide bomber killed himself and injured 22 others yesterday when he detonated his explosives in a busy restaurant in Tel Aviv, six days before Palestinian elections. There could have been more casualties but the explosives appeared to detonate away from the restaurant''s customers, leading police to speculate that the blast occurred prematurely. Police said the bomber posed as a peddler selling disposable razor blades when he entered a small kebab restaurant in Tel Aviv''s old bus station district. Yehiel Ohana, who works in a nearby store, said the bomber aroused his suspicions because of his unsteady gait. more.. Mofaz: Iran financed bus station attack Ha''aretz 1/20/2006 Thirty-one people were wounded yesterday in a suicide bombing near the old central bus station in Tel Aviv. An Islamic Jihad cell in Nablus claimed responsibility, but Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz accused Iran of funding the attack and Islamic Jihad headquarters in Damascus of ordering it. Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas condemned the attack, calling it a "despicable act of terror that was carried out outside the Palestinian consensus. "One of the wounded is in serious condition, but his life is not in danger. Five are in moderate condition, and the rest were either lightly wounded or suffering from shock. Twenty-one of the injured were still hospitalized as of last night. more.. Resident killed by military fire, north of Hebron International Middle East Media Center 1/19/2006 Israeli soldiers shot dead one resident near Telem settlement, west of Hebron in the West Bank; one resident was arrested. An Israeli army source claimed that Ziad Ali Al Zhour, 20, a resident of Beit Kahil town, north of Hebron, was shot dead as he was attempting to hurl a Molotov cocktail at Israeli military jeeps or settlers vehicles. Soldiers abducted the body of Al Zhour and rejected to hand it to the Red Crescent Society in Hebron. Also, soldiers arrested a second resident who was with Al Zhour. Soldiers claimed that the two residents were involved in throwing the cocktails, and that several cocktails bombs were found near the body of Al Zhour. [end] more.. A Plan to Transfer Arabs of Unrecognized Villages in Negev WAFA 1/19/2006 BEER SHIVA, January 19, 2006 (WAFA) - The Regional Council of the Unrecognized Villages in Negev south of Israel revealed Wednesday that Israeli government plans to transfer Arabs living in those villages into other areas in Israel. In a statement faxed WAFA, the Council said that the plan to transfer 40,000 Arabs, launched by the Israeli National Security Council, and was supervised and endorsed by the current Israeli Cabinet. "The plan aims at uprooting the Arabs from their land, indulging them into tiny areas as refugees. It also aims at stealing the land from its owners by force", the statement of the council added. more.. U.S. Jews unwittingly buy homes in Arab Jerusalem Ha''aretz 1/20/2006 A luxury housing project in southeast Jerusalem with panoramic views of the Temple Mount is being marketed only to wealthy American Jews seeking a second home in Jerusalem. But real estate experts in the capital say that the developers are intentionally unloading the project on eager, but ignorant, overseas buyers who do not necessarily understand the city''s geography, the political implications of such a move, or the fact that landowners in the area have appealed to the Supreme Court in a last-ditch effort to stop the project. Apartments in Nof Zion, in the Jabel Mukaber area of East Jerusalem, are fetching hundreds of thousands of dollars from overseas buyers. The project''s Web site describes the location as being near the "Israeli Arab village of Jabel Mukaber" and "just a 10-minute drive to the city center. " more.. Settler rams Palestinian youth with car International Middle East Media Center 1/20/2006 Palestinian sources in Nablus report that a settler rammed a Palestinian youth with his car near Huwwara village, south of Nablus, and fled the scene. The Maan News Agency reported that Khader Odah, 18, was hanging posters for a candidate for the legislative elections when the settler noticed him and speeded his car against him. Odah suffered moderate injuries and was transferred to Rafidia Hospital in Nablus. A medical source in the hospital reported that Odah suffered severe fractures to several parts of his body. [end] more.. New settlements expansion in East J''lem funded by US Israelis International Middle East Media Center 1/20/2006 According to the Israeli online daily Haaretz, an Israeli construction company is attracting dozens of wealthy American Israelis to purchase apartments in Nof Zion Israeli illegal outpost in the southeast of East Jerusalem, the outpost was constructed on lands of Jabal Al Mukabber Palestinian neighborhood. Hundreds of thousands of dollars, poured from buyers to this project with its first stage slated for completion by October 2007. The project will include 400 spacious apartments facing the Old City a five-star hotel, a shopping center, a country club and synagogues in addition to other facilities. more.. Amona, Hebron evacuations due to begin last week of January Ha''aretz 1/20/2006 Security forces are tentatively planning to begin evacuating West Bank settlers from the illegal Amona outpost and the Palestinian wholesale market in Hebron between January 29 and January 31, Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz decided Thursday in a meeting with army and police officials. Some 4,000 security personnel -about 1,500 police and Border Policemen and four Israel Defense Forces battalions - will first evacuate the nine permanent residences in Amona, near the settlement of Ofra. The same forces will then head to Hebron, where settlers rioted for several days to protest the evacuation of eight Jewish families that have been squatting in the market. more.. Abbas: Attack aimed to derail PA elections YNetNews 1/19/2006 Palestinian leader condemns Tel Aviv bombing, says perpetrators must be punished -- Palestinian Authority chairman Mahmoud Abbas described Thursday’s suicide bombing attack in Tel Aviv as an “act of sabotage aimed at undermining the elections, and not just the elections, but also Palestinian security. ” Abbas condemned the attack, saying "the perpetrators should be punished. They meant to harm the elections and the Palestinian Authority. They breach law and order. ” Samir Halayla, the chairman of the Palestinian Cabinet, said the attack harms Palestinian interests and was aimed at torpedoing the January 25 parliamentary elections. more.. PNIC: Three killed, 38 wounded and 66 arrests by 48th week of ceasefire ReliefWeb/Palestinian National Authority 1/20/2006 GAZA, Palestine, January 16, 2006 (IPC) - A report prepared by the State Information Service (SIS) revealed that Israeli forces have killed three Palestinian and wounded 38 others as well as committing 735 violations of the ceasefire declared on 8 February after Sharm Al Sheikh summit. The report... asserted that... Israeli forces shot three Palestinian dead, injured 38 arrested dozens and carried out many violations varying between house shelling, raids, incursions, land bulldozing and curbing of free movement. PNIC showed that Israeli forces committed 74 shooting incidents and 28 arrest campaigns in which 66 residents were arrested during 130 raids, as well as establishing 115 mobile roadblocks and closing roads and military checkpoints 301 times. more.. Israel, PA row over Karni crossing YNetNews 1/20/2006 Israel offers to open Kerem Hashalom crossing as alternative to Karni crossing, which was closed last week over terror warnings; Palestinian Authority turns down Israel offer, demands Karni be reopned; Israel says offer meant to allow aid, goods in and out of Gaza -- The Ministry of Defense is keen on opening the Kerem Hashalom crossing on Monday but the Palestinian Authority is opposing the move which is intended to facilitate the flow of humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip and allow Palestinian products into Israel. The IDF decided to close the Karni crossing last week after alerts that terror groups are digging a tunnel under the crossing to carry out a terror attacks. more.. Israeli Arab accused of aiding Hizbullah YNetNews 1/19/2006 22-year-old man from Kfar Mazra skipped furlough last April, crossed border into Lebanon undetected, and gave information to Hizbullah activists before returning home eight months later -- Crossing the border: The Haifa District Court handed down an indictment Thursday against a 22-year-old man from the Arab village of Mazara, near the northern coastal town of Nahariya, on charges he entered Lebanese territory eight months ago, and passed on military information and infrastructure details to Hizbullah members. According to security officials, he remained in Lebanon for eight months, and was arrested last month. more.. Official: Attack worth 20,000 dollars YNetNews 1/20/2006 Major-General (Res. ) Eiland says Palestinian terrorists tempted by payouts from abroad -- Privatization of terror: Palestinian terrorists are often tempted by large payouts from foreign elements interested in ongoing terror attacks, Major-General Giora Eiland (Res. ) charged during a conference at Tel Aviv University Thursday. "When a Palestinian receives USD 20,000 dollars for a successful attack, this is a strong enough motive to recruit dozens of people," Eiland said. more.. Taibeh residents who planned train attack given 7, 15 years in prison Ha''aretz 1/19/2006 The Tel Aviv District Court on Thursday sentenced two Taibeh residents to prison for planning to smuggle explosive devices into Israel with the intention of bombing an Israel Railways train. Mujahad Dukan and Ameen Zivati were convicted of conspiring to aid an enemy during wartime and establishing contact with foreign agents. Dukan was sentenced to 15 years in jail and Zivati received seven years. A member of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs'' Brigade, the military wing of the Palestinian Authority''s ruling Fatah movement, approached Dukan in the summer of 2005 and asked him to smuggle into Israel three explosive devices to be used in an attack against Israel Railways. more.. Army re-arrests two residents, several hours after releasing them International Middle East Media Center 1/20/2006 Only several hours after releasing them, Israeli soldiers arrested, on Thursday afternoon, two residents from Ein Al Bida village, east of the West Bank city of Tubas. The brothers Suleiman and Hisham Foqaha''e were arrested in Wednesday morning during an invasion to the village, local sources reported. The two brothers were released shortly after being detained by the army but their ID cards were not been given back to them, soldiers told them to return in the afternoon to collect their ID''s, but when they came back, soldiers hit them with their batons and arrested them. [end] more.. Tel Aviv Bombing Injures 16, Palestinian Authority Angry Palestine Chronicle/Islam Online 1/20/2006 RAMALLAH, West Bank - A Tel Aviv bombing attack, reportedly claimed by the Islamic Jihad, wounded some 16 Israelis on Thursday, January 19, drawing immediate rebuke from the Palestinian Authority. A Palestinian from Balata refugee camp near Nablus identified as Sami Antar blew himself at near the old central bus station in southern Tel Aviv wounding at least 16 people, reported Agence France-Presse (AFP). Israeli police said that the bomber was the only person killed in the explosion. "We have not taken away any bodies except that of the suicide bomber," Tel Aviv police chief David Tsur told Israeli television. more.. Army invades Nablus, storms houses International Middle East Media Center 1/19/2006 Israeli army forces invaded, on Thursday at dawn, the West Bank city of Nablus and took positions in the city center. Soldiers stormed the Hannoun housing building, forced the residents out and searched it, local sources reported. [end] more.. IOF Arrests 16 Citizens in WB WAFA 1/19/2006 HEBRON, January 19, 2006 (WAFA)- Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) arrested Thursday 16 citizens in the West Bank (WB) cities of Hebron, Tubas, Jenin and Bethlehem. Eyewitnesses told WAFA that Israeli soldiers stormed Soreef and Sa''ir, Al-Sora and Karma towns and villages and Al-Fawwar refugee camp in Hebron Governorate, south the WB and launched a wide scale search campaign and arrested ten citizens. In Tubas, Israeli soldiers swept into the village of Ein al-Baida , north the city, launched a search campaign, forced the citizens out and arrested three brothers, witnesses said. more.. Two arrested in Jenin International Middle East Media Center 1/19/2006 Israeli army troops invaded, on Thursday morning, the West Bank city of Jenin, and arrested two residents, local sources reported. Assem Abu Al Haiga, 20, and Mustafa Abu Al Haiga, were arrested after troops stormed the several houses residents in an wide scale search they carried in the city. Soldiers also invaded the Jenin camp, and searched several houses, damage was reported. more.. Hebron settlers refusing IDF compromise deal Palestine Monitor/Ha''aretz 1/18/2006 "Evacuate the market," the army said, "and we will make a commitment to you that, within a few months, the stores will return to your hands. "-- Israel Defense Forces officials are telling Jewish leaders in the West Bank city of Hebron that if they evacuate the wholesale market where eight Jewish families have been squatting for the past four years, the settlers will be able to return to the area and live there legally within a few months. The settlers have so far rejected the compromise proposal. In the midst of a week in which hundreds of settlers rioted in Hebron to protest the evacuation and police cracked down on the Jewish neighborhoods in the West Bank city, the army has been conducting covert negotiations with leaders of the Jewish community there in an effort to prevent the settlers'' forcible evacuation. more.. AG Mazuz to security forces: Enforce rule of law on settlers Ha''aretz 1/19/2006 Interim Prime Minister Ehud Olmert on Wednesday ordered Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz to devise a plan for the complete evacuation of 20 illegal settlement outposts in the West Bank, and warned that violations of law by settlers would not be tolerated. In a special debate on the issue, Olmert described illegal acts by settlers as "the undermining of the rule of law... that has become a way of life. ""Until now, we have not used the necessary force to deal with this show of violence," he said. Olmert also warned that the market in Hebron would be evacuated by force if settlers refused to leave voluntarily. more.. Israeli Bulldozers Raze 7 Buildings in Negev WAFA 1/18/2006 NEGEV, January 18, 2006 (WAFA) - Israeli bulldozers, backed by massive number of Israeli police and special units, razed Tuesday seven buildings in different areas of Negev south of Israel. The Regional Council of the Unrecognized Villages in Israel revealed that the Israeli police handed the dwellers of Wady al-Ne''''am over 40 warrants of demolishing the buildings including a mosque. Head of the Regional Council Mr. Hussein al-Rafay''''a said that such Israeli acts threat more than 35000 houses which are listed to be demolished. more.. Jenin: 2 IDF troops injured in gun battles YNetNews 1/18/2006 Two IDF soldiers injured in West Bank town of Jenin early Wednesday during operation to apprehend wanted Palestinian terror suspects. Probe into recent terror attack at IDF checkpoint south of Tul Karm reveals attack carried out by two suicide bomber, not one as previously thought -- Two IDF soldiers were injured in the West Bank town of Jenin early Wednesday during an operation to apprehend wanted Palestinian terrorist suspects in the area. One soldier sustained moderate injuries while another was lightly wounded. One terror suspect, a member of Tanzim, was also injured in the incident. more.. Report: Israeli soldier killed by resistance fire International Middle East Media Center 1/18/2006 Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, the armed wing of Fatah, claimed responsibility for the killing of an Israeli soldier on Wednesday, Maan News Agency reported. The agency added that the soldier was killed near the buffer zone east of Beit Hanoun in the northern Gaza Strip. The group issued a statement on Wednesday confirming that one of its snipers killed the soldier adding that Israeli soldiers and ambulances arrived at the scene after the shooting. The statement concluded that this operation came in response to the latest Israeli assassination of an Al Qassam leader yesterday in Tulkarem. [end] more.. 3 Palestinians 2 soldiers wounded in army invasions in W. Bank International Middle East Media Center 1/18/2006 Three Palestinians were wounded and at least 14 Palestinians were arrested and two Israeli soldiers were wounded in Israeli army invasions in different parts of the West Bank, Palestinian media sources reported. In the northern West Bank city of Jenin, two Palestinian resistance men and two Israeli army troops were wounded in clashes that erupted when Israeli soldiers invaded city on Wednesday morning. Troops entered the city with at least 40 military vehicles, and arrested several Palestinians including the two wounded men. Israeli army source described the wounds of the soldiers as medium and light, but provided no information about the Palestinian wounded. more.. Five residents arrested in Aida refugee camp, in Bethlehem International Middle East Media Center 1/18/2006 Israeli army arrested, on Wednesday at dawn, five residents from Aida refugee camp in the West Bank city of Bethlehem. Several army jeeps stormed the camp, searched several houses and arrested five residents. No clashes were reported. [end] more.. Army arrests five residents from Tulkarem International Middle East Media Center 1/18/2006 Israeli troops invaded, on Wednesday morning, the villages of Allar and Saida north of West Bank city of Tulkarem, and arrested five residents. Soldiers searched several houses in the village and arrested Khaled Taqatqa, 18, who is said to be Hamas activist, and Adnan Darwish, 35, who is said to be Islamic Jihad member. Also, Israeli army force stormed the near by village of Saida, and arrested two residents. The two were identified as Ahmad Al Ashqar, 24, who said to be Fateh member and Mohamed Al Ashqar, 26, who said to be Islamic Jihad member,. Palestinian security forces reported that Israeli army also arrested, on Tuesday at night, Husam Abu Tamam, 19, from Qalqilia. [end] more.. Army invades a refugee camp near Ramallah arrests four International Middle East Media Center 1/18/2006 Israeli military forces invaded, on Wednesday morning, Al Ama''are Refugee Camp south west of the West Bank city of Ramallah, and arrested four residents, the Maan News Agency reported. Israeli forces surrounded the house for several hours and arrested four residents after threatening to detonate their homes with explosives, if they fail to leave then. The arrestees were identified as Mousa Abu Raddama, Hamza Tarefe, Fadi Abu Etta, Zakaria Tarere, all are said to be members of Al Aqsa Brigades, the armed wing of Fateh. Soldiers claimed uncovering weapons inside the house. Soldiers claimed uncovering weapons inside the house. [end] more.. Army arrests four residents, injures one in Surif International Middle East Media Center 1/18/2006 The Israeli army invaded, Wednesday at dawn, the village of Surif, north of the West Bank city of Hebron; four residents were arrested and one injured. Troops stormed the village, searched several houses and fried at the residents houses. Ameen Ghnamat, 24, was arrested after soldiers searched his family house. He was also injured during the arrest; soldiers took him away and their family did not know the level of his injury, his mother reported. Three other residents were arrested during the invasion; they were identified as Zakaria Al Gaba''e, Ala'' Ehmedat and Mohamed Al Gaba''e. [end] more.. 3 more rockets fired at Israel YNetNews 1/19/2006 Two rockets land in Zikim area; no injuries reported in latest strike -- Three Qassam rockets were fired at Israel early Wednesday evening from the Gaza Strip, security sources confirmed. Two of the rockets landed in the Zikim area. No injuries or damages were reported. The third rocket fell short of reaching Israel and landed in the northern Gaza Strip. Overall, 13 Qassams were fired at Israel since Friday. On Tuesday, an IDF system to detect Qassam fire and alert Sderot residents detected two rockets fired at Israel. The "Red Dawn" systemalso detected a rocket Monday evening. All Qassams landed in the western Negev causing no injuries or damage. more.. Settlers: We''re treated like Hamas YNetNews 1/18/2006 Protesters in West Bank town of Hebron slam ''disgraceful conduct'' by police -- About one hundred Hebron settlers gathered Wednesday opposite the local police station to protest what they called "the Hebron district police''s disgraceful conduct in recent days," in a demonstration marking the end of yet another tense day in town. The demonstration was held with a police permit and went by relatively peacefully. The demonstrators gathered to protest the series of arrests and indictments served against settlers and activists who arrived in Hebron to resist the planned evacuation of Jews from Palestinian-owned stores they occupied in the town''s marketplace. more.. Israeli Occupation Arrest 14 in W. Bank International Press Center 1/18/2006 WEST BANK, Palestine, January 18, 2006 (IPC+Agencies) - - Israeli occupation in several arrest raids throughout the West Bank arrested fourteen residents;four in Jenin, five in Bethlehem and five in Tulkarem. Four residents were arrested toady morning in Jenin refugee camp, North West Bank after wounding one in a wide-scale incursion into Jenin. Security sources said that large Israeli troops stormed into Jenin backed by military jeeps and special units under a volley of velocity gunshots.... A taxi driver Jameel Al khateib was violently abused by the soldiers who used him as a human shield. more.. Resistance shells Sofa east of Gaza strip International Middle East Media Center 1/18/2006 In a press release, the Al Naser Salah Ed Deen brigades, the military wing of the Popular Resistance Committees, claimed responsibility for firing two homemade shells at the Sofa Crossing, east of Rafah city, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip. The brigades stated in their press released that the firing of the shells comes in retaliation to the assignation of a Hamas leader in the West Bank city of Tulkarem on Tuesday morning, and the continuous attacks the Israeli army is conducting against the Palestinians. more.. Army bars residents from opening farm road near Qalqilia International Middle East Media Center 1/18/2006 The Israeli Army stopped on Wednesday the opening of farming road in Jensafot village, east of the West Bank city of Qalqilia. Troops stopped the Palestinian bulldozers working in the northern area of the village, and barred them from opening a new road that will be used to facilitate the access of local farmers to their land. Army source claimed calming that the road will be too close to the settlers'' road that leads to Emanuel Israeli settlement which was built on the village land. more..