Conflict..

Palestinian fighters clash in Gaza AlJazeera 6/1/2006 At least 10 people have been killed in clashes since March -- A gun battle between members of rival Palestinian factions Hamas and Fatah has erupted in the southern Gaza Strip, wounding three Fatah members, witnesses and medics say. The clash in the town of Khan Yunus early on Thursday disrupted a tenuous peace that had been in place since Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president and Fatah leader, and the Hamas-led government of Ismail Haniya, began talks last week to try to end violence in Gaza. Fatah and Hamas traded blame over who began Thursday''s gun battle. Fatah sources said its fighters were ambushed by Hamas men. Hamas said one of its fighters opened fire after his home came under attack. more.. Israel arrest operation in Nablus targets the wives and mothers of "wanted" Palestinians Ma''an News 5/31/2006 Nablus-Ma''an-The Israeli forces stepped up their military campaign in the city of Nablus on Wednesday morning. Six Palestinian citizens, including wives and mothers of "wanted" men belonging to the Fatah-affiliated Al-Aqsa Brigades in Balata refugee camp in the east of Nablus, were arrested by Israeli forces early on Wednesday. The Ma''an correspondent reported that, according to Palestinian sources, the Israeli forces broke into several houses in the camp and arrested the wife of Najih Abu Shahin, who is wanted due to his affiliation to the Al-Aqsa Brigades, and the 51-year old mother of two wanted brothers, Khalil and Farid Abu Leil. Israeli forces also arrested Laila Abu Munif (17) and her brother Imad (22) after breaking into their house in Balata refugee camp. more.. Medics: Three hurt in clash between Palestinian gunmen in Gaza Ha''aretz 6/1/2006 A gunbattle between militants from the rival Palestinian factions Hamas and Fatah erupted in the southern Gaza Strip on Thursday, lightly wounding three Fatah members, witnesses and medics said. The clash in the town of Khan Younis disrupted a tenuous peace that had been in place since Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas, Fatah''s leader, and Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh''s Hamas-led government began talks last week to try to end violence in Gaza. Fatah and Hamas traded blame over who began the gunbattle. Fatah sources said its gunmen were ambushed by Hamas militants. Hamas said one of its gunmen opened fire after his home came under attack. more.. Palestinians: IDF missile fired at car in Gaza YNet News 5/31/2006 Palestinian medics, residents say Israeli Air Force missile fired at car but missed its target; security officials say explosion may have been detonated by terrorists on training exercise; IDF denies launching strike -- Just six hours after four Qassam rockets were fired at the western Negev Wednesday, an explosion rocked Gaza City, causing no casualties, medics said, amid conflicting accounts over the cause of the blast. Palestinian medics and residents said an Israeli missile was fired at a car but missed its target. Palestinian security officials said the explosion may have been detonated by terrorists on a training exercise. Witnesses said the rocket was fired from a helicopter in the central part of the city toward a vehicle traveling in the Tel el-Hawa neighborhood... more.. Undercover Israeli forces arrest two Palestinian civilians in Jericho Ma''an News 5/31/2006 Jericho-Ma''an-Israeli Special Forces, disguised as Palestinian civilians, arrested two Palestinian citizens in Jericho''s market on Wednesday afternoon. The Ma''an correspondent reported that undercover Israeli troops wearing Arab civilian clothes ("must''arabeen") entered the city in two civilian cars before breaking into an electronic equipment shop and arresting the owner of the shop, Zakariya At-Tahhat, 30, and Jadallah Swirkah, 28, who works in the Palestinian Intelligence. The correspondent added that a number of military vehicles broke into the city through the different entrances of the city in order to protect the Israeli Special Forces. [end] more.. Strangle-hold around Salfit tightened Ma''an News 5/31/2006 Salfit-Ma''an-The Israeli forces have set up a number of temporary military barriers at the entrances to the city of Salfit and surrounding villages and towns, subjecting all vehicles to inspection and preventing citizens from passing through the barriers. The Ma''an correspondent reported that, according to Palestinian sources, the Israeli forces had set up a number of temporary barriers, including one at the southern entrance to the city of Salfit, and others at the entrances to the towns and villages of Jama''en, Burdah, Bidya, Qarawat Bani Hassan and also between the villages of Farkhah and Qarawat Bani Zeid. It was also reported that the Israeli forces were preventing citizens and vehicles from passing. [end] more.. Palestinian shot during violent confrontation with bailiffs Ha''aretz 5/31/2006 A Palestinian in East Jerusalem sustained moderate to serious wounds Wednesday when he was shot in the stomach after stabbing a representative from an Israeli collection agency. Two officials from the agency had arrived at an apartment in the Wadi Juz area on Wednesday morning to carry out an order to seize property due to non-payment of debt. They became involved in an argument with the apartment''s residents, and soon dozens of passers-by gathered at the scene. At some point, the apartment''s residents attacked the two collection agency representatives, hitting one in the head and stabbing the other in the hand. One of the two officials pulled out a gun and shot the man in the stomach. [end] more.. Part of three houses in the Hebron governorate demolished by Israeli authorities Ma''an News 5/31/2006 Hebron-Ma''an-Israeli bulldozers demolished on Wednesday part of three houses in Am Lasfah, a village east of the Yatta, south-east of Hebron. In conversation with Ma''an, the Am Lasfah Village Council head, Jabir Hmidat, reported that the Israeli forces, backed up by one vehicle belonging to the Israeli Civil Administration, five military vehicles belonging to the border guards, and one bulldozer, raided the village and then started to destroy the annexes belonging to citizens'' houses. The Israeli authorities claimed that the structures did not have licenses. Hmidat mentioned that the Israeli forces destroyed residential buildings, including kitchens and bathrooms that belonged to Ismail Awad and Muhammad Atiyah. more.. Israeli forces and police open fire on Palestinians in Jerusalem while collecting taxes Palestine News Network 5/31/2006 Israeli forces shot young Palestinian men in the Wadi Joz neighborhood of East Jerusalem Wednesday. According to eyewitnesses, the officers came to the house escorted by the police to collect taxes from residents in the District. Upon entering a house, the Israeli forces demanded taxes due in a provocative manner, leading to a verbal altercation. Dozens of neighbors joined in to calm the situation. The witnesses added that the Israeli officer fired bullets at citizens, which led to the injury of the owner of the house and another man who owns an electrical appliance repair shot. He is hospitalized with injuries in the abdomen. He denied Israeli Radio claims that the young man stabbed the tax man. [end] more.. Arrests in Hebron, including 15 year old tenth grader Palestine News Network 5/31/2006 Israeli forces took several Palestinians from the western and southern Hebron District. Israeli soldiers claimed to find a mortar shell while searching a number of homes in Bani Naim Village east of Hebron in the southern West Bank. Official sources in the Palestinian Prisoner Society in Hebron reported that Israeli forces stationed at Junction Crossing west of Hebron, connecting Hebron to the Gaza Strip, made the arrests yesterday evening. The crossing is closed to Palestinians who cannot travel between the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Nonetheless, Israeli soldiers took 15 year old Raj Al Battat Mohammad to an unknown location. The tenth grader was on his way to visit his brother, a political prisoner in the Israeli Askelon jail. more.. Near-miss'' for Israeli minister AlJazeera 5/31/2006 The rocket damaged the house of Peretz''s neighbours -- Palestinian fighters firing rockets from the Gaza Strip hit a house near the home of the Israeli defence minister, according to Israeli media. The roof of a house about 100 metres from Amir Peretz''s home in the town of Sderot was damaged on Wednesday by one of three rockets that Islamic Jihad members said they fired into southern Israel. The makeshift rockets are very inaccurate. The Israeli army said only that the rockets had landed in a residential area in Sderot. The attack was started a day after Israeli commandos, mounting the first ground raid in the Gaza Strip since Israel''s withdrawal last year, killed three members of an Islamic Jihad rocket squad and a policeman who came to their aid. more.. Palestinian Monitoring Group Daily Situation Report, 28 - 29 May 2006 (PDF) Palestine Media Center 5/30/2006 JENIN: Closure of Road: The Israeli army continues to close with dirt barricades the unpaved detour road leading to the town of ‘Arraba east of the settlement of Dotan. Checkpoint: The Israeli army continues to close Tayasir checkpoint east of the town of Tubas, denying civilian access to the Northern Jordan Valley, except for holders of IDs issued in the Northern Jordan Valley and commercial trucks. The Israeli army also continues to install a surveillancecamera in order to observe the area surrounding the checkpoint. Wall Gates: Passage through the Wall gates is restricted to civilians granted special Israeli permits. Flying Checkpoints: At 17:00, the Israeli army set up 2 flying checkpoints, one at the southern entrance to the city of Jenin and the other on the junction to the town of ‘Arraba... more.. IDF, police expect violent response at outpost evacuations Ha''aretz 6/1/2006 The evacuation of three West Bank outposts, presumably within a few weeks, is likely to turn particularly violent, police and Israel Defense Forces officials believe. Senior military and police officers told Haaretz Wednesday they would not be surprised if some settlers were to resort to the use of arms in an effort to thwart the evacuation. The warning from the officers pertains to the outposts known as Skali Farm (near Elon Moreh), Arusi Farm (Bracha B) and Hill 725 (near Yitzhar). "It''s not that they are digging defensive trenches and waiting there for us with weapons, but there will be people with arms there," a security source said. "In the heat of the struggle, individuals among them could certainly try to fire on the soldiers. This is not a notion that they shy away or recoil from. " more.. Marzel: Don''t let Peretz sleep YNet News 5/31/2006 Extreme right-wing activist sends letter to residents of southern town advising them to not let their neighbor, Defense Minister Amir Peretz, sleep until rocket fire from Gaza Strip stops -- In a letter addressed to Sderot residents on Tuesday, extreme right-wing activist Baruch Marzel advised them on how best to stop Qassam fire from the Gaza Strip. Marzel told residents of the town, which suffers direct Qassam hits on a daily basis, to prevent Defense Minister Amir Peretz from sleeping by holding loud demonstrations outside his house in the Negev town until the Israel Defense Forces halts the attacks. "Time has come to stop being quiet. Sderot residents are invited to come to Amir Peretz'' house and not allow him to sleep so long as Sderot residents are unable to live in peace," the letter read. more.. Officer accused of strangling pullout protestor YNet News 5/31/2006 Border Guard officer accused of assaulting protestor during settlers'' demonstration at Kissufim checkpoint in July 2005; according to indictment, ''officer held plaintiff by his neck with two hands, squeezed his throat, chocked him'' -- The Police Investigation Unit has filed an indictment against Yaniv Reuveni, a 28-year-old Border Guard officer from the southern town of Kiryat Gat. The officer was accused of attacking a Gush Katif resident during the evacuation of Gaza Strip settlements as part of the disengagement, Ynet learned Wednesday. According to the indictment, which accuses the officer of assault, was filed at the Be''er Sheva Magistrate''s Court, on July 11 the plaintiff Elad Cohen participated in an anti-disengagement demonstration held at the Kissufim junction. more.. Police nab 3 Yitzhar settlers, detain rabbi YNet News 5/31/2006 Police arrest three Yitzhar settlers on suspicion they assaulted policemen at settlement earlier Wednesday, detain head of local yeshiva for questioning. Locals charge police were irresponsible to enter community after ''inflaming tensions'' with residents in recent months -- Police arrested three settlers of Yitzhar on Wednesday on suspicion of attacking policemen in the West Bank settlement earlier in the day. Police said the three were arrested after being identified by police officers who suffered a hail of stones upon entering the settlement. The men have been remanded for interrogation. Rabbi Hoshaya Harari, head of one of the settlement''s yeshivas, was also detained for questioning. more.. Farmer injured while working on his farm Ma''an News 5/31/2006 Jenin-Ma''an-Sa''ad Daraghmah (26) from Toubas was injured by an explosion while working on his farm in Tayasir, east of Toubas. Daraghmah''s family said that he must have stepped on an explosive device while he was working on his farm, which led to him being injured on his hands and legs. [end] more.. Israeli Troops Infiltrate into Gaza, Shoot Reporters and Medics Palestine Media Center 5/30/2006 IOF Kill 8 Palestinians in West Bank, Gaza Strip in 24 Hours -- Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) overnight Tuesday carried out the first Israeli military incursion deep into Gaza since August 2005, killed eight Palestinians during the last 24 hours, three of them extra-judicially, and attacked, shot and wounded reporters and medics while on routine duty in the Gaza Strip and West Bank. An IOF undercover unit infiltrated about three kilometres into the coastal area of the northern Gaza Strip, backed by naval and helicopter support, ambushed a group of Palestinian anti-Israeli occupation activists, and engaged the group in a five-hour battle, killing three of them. A member of the Force 17 presidential guard who rushed to the scene with medics for help was also killed. more.. Seven Palestinians and one Egyptian killed by Israeli forces on Tuesday morning Ma''an News 5/30/2006 Jenin, Nablus and Gaza-Ma''an-Three Palestinians in the northern West Bank were killed by Israel forces early on Tuesday morning, and four in the northern Gaza Strip. In Qabatya, a town near Jenin, eyewitnesses reported that the Israeli Special Forces besieged a group of Palestinian fighters in the Ad-Dajani district; clashes broke out between the Israeli forces and the fighters which led to the killing of the Palestinian youth, Tariq Zakarnah (24), who is affiliated to the Islamic Jihad-affiliated Al Quds Brigades, and also to the injury of a number of the Palestinian fighters including the leader of the group, Muhammad Abu Ar-Rub, who escaped with injuries. It is also reported that five Palestinian civilians from Qabatya were arrested, including one woman. About 50 Israeli military vehicles invaded the town... more.. Four houses in north Jerusalem demolished due to proximity to separation wall and for being "unlicensed" Ma''an News 5/29/2006 Jerusalem-Ma''an-The Israeli army authorities delivered on Monday four house demolition notices in the "Semiramis" region in the north of Jerusalem. Army sources claimed that the reason for the demolition of these four houses is their proximity to the separation wall while the Israeli municipality claimed that these four buildings were unlicensed. The Ma''an correspondent added that the decision to demolish these buildings came after the Supreme Court rejected on 25 March 2006 appeals from the four families against the decision to destroy their homes. [end] more.. IDF to step up special forces activity in N. Gaza Ha''aretz 5/31/2006 The Israel Defense Forces are planning to step up ground operations by special forces in the northern Gaza Strip. Senior officers told Haaretz Tuesday night that special forces operations against Qassam rocket-launching cells have proven fairly effective, while the international community thus far has been understanding of this practice. In one such operation Tuesday, an Israeli special forces unit killed four Palestinian members of a Qassam-launching cell in northern Gaza as they were preparing to fire a rocket at Ashkelon. The IDF said that small special forces teams have been operating in northern Gaza for about two months, but it finally decided to publicize it Tuesday, because the results of Tuesday''s operation were impossible to hide. more.. Video - IDF hints at future ground operations in Gaza YNet News 5/30/2006 IDF eager to maintain ''feeling of being persecuted'' among Gaza terrorists in a bid to halt Qassam fire; Senior southern command officer speaks to Ynet about army''s pool of options in fight against Qassam fire -- (VIDEO) - The Israel Defense Forces said Tuesday that ground operations inside the Gaza Strip against Palestinian gunmen will continue, after a special commando unit backed by helicopters killed four Islamic Jihad terrorists preparing to fire Qassams into Israel. A senior Southern Command officer told Ynet Tuesday, that the successful ground operation instills a feeling among gunmen that they are being constantly persecuted by the IDF.... "Once they understand we are on the ground, in addition to artillery fire and aerial operations, their sense of being prosecuted intensifies. " more.. Collateral damage: Entire Gaza family By Gideon Levy, Ha''aretz 5/31/2006 The entire family of Hamdi Aman, a 28-year-old Palestinian from Gaza who spent his youth in Tel Aviv''s Carmel market, was hit in the assassination of Islamic Jihad operative Mohammed Dahdouh in Gaza a week and a half ago. Aman''s 7-year-old son Muhand was killed; Naima, his wife, 27, was killed; his mother Hanan, 46, was killed. His three and a half year old daughter Mariya is lying in the pediatric intensive care unit at Sheba Medical Center, Tel Hashomer, permanently paralyzed and on a respirator. Aman is not allowed to be with her. His youngest son, Muaman, 2, was lightly wounded by shrapnel in his back, and Aman himself was hit by shrapnel throughout his body. His uncle Nahed, 33, a father to two toddlers, is fully paralyzed and in critical condition.... The IDF Spokesman''s Office also told Haaretz... 10 days after the assassination, that the IDF is "continuing to investigate in order to check the report that three Palestinians were killed as a result of the attack on Dahdouh''s car. " more.. Israel kills three in West Bank raids AlJazeera 5/30/2006 Israeli troops have killed three Palestinian resistance fighters in pre-dawn raids across the occupied West Bank. In Nablus a man wanted by Israel was killed and another was wounded during an army raid on Balata refugee camp on Tuesday, medics said. In the northern West Bank village of Qabatia, an Israeli secret services unit exchanged fire with a group of fighters, killing a member of Islamic Jihad and wounding three others, witnesses said. An Israeli army spokeswoman confirmed the two operations, saying troops reported shooting three during clashes. In Anabta, close to the central West Bank town of Tulkarm, a Palestinian wanted by Israel was shot dead and three bystanders were injured in crossfire in an olive grove, witnesses said. more.. Palestinian gunmen kill couple they accused of aiding Israel Ha''aretz 5/30/2006 Palestinian gunmen said they shot dead a man and a woman accused of collaborating with Israel in the West Bank on Tuesday. Abu Ala, a local commander of the Al Aqsa Martyrs'' Brigades in Nablus, said the two were killed in separate shootings in the city. Gunmen killed Jafal Abu Tzrur, 24, in a refugee camp and the woman, 27, outside a hospital. Abu Ala said the two were lovers. "We carried out the death penalty after we were sure they were both collaborators with Israeli military intelligence," Abu Ala told Reuters. He said the couple passed on information that enabled Israel Defense Forces soldiers to kill three Al Aqsa militants in the Balata refugee camp in March. more.. Al Aqsa Brigades shoot dead a Palestinian youth in Balata refugee camp; they claim he was an Israeli collaborator Ma''an News 5/30/2006 Nablus-Ma''an-The Al Aqsa Brigades, the military wing affiliated to the Fatah Movement, shot dead a Palestinian youth in Balata refugee camp in Nablus on Tuesday afternoon, claiming that he had been collaborating with the Israeli occupation. Palestinian security sources confirmed to Ma''an that the Brigades shot the youth, Jafal Mahmoud Abu As-Surour (24) claiming he had been collaborating with the Israeli occupation and providing Israel with information that facilitated the Israeli assassination of a number of the Al Aqsa Brigades leaders and members in Balata and Nablus city. [end] more.. Two houses demolished in Brouqin, near Salfit; curfew imposed Ma''an News 5/30/2006 Salfit-Ma''an-Israeli troops raided on Tuesday morning the village of Brouqin, west of Salfit in the West Bank, and imposed a curfew on some parts of the village before demolishing two houses in the village. The Ma''an correspondent reported that about 30 Israeli military vehicles and two bulldozers raided the village and prevented the citizens from leaving their houses. The raid focused on the Al Baq''aan and Ash-Shayab regions where they started to demolish two houses, one belonging to Muwaffaq Abdul-Rahman and the other belonging to Abdul-Aziz Khatir. The reason given by the Israeli forces for the demolition of the two houses was that they were built without licenses and they are close to the separation wall and the border with Ariel, an illegal Israeli settlement established on the lands of the villages of Marda, Kufl Haris and Salfit. more.. Israeli Forces forcibly enter homes, arrest 4 Ma''an News 5/29/2006 Hebron-Ma''an-Israeli Forces arrested four Palestinians from Hebron early on Monday morning, after forcibly breaking into and entering their homes. The Ma''an correspondent reported that, according to Palestinian sources, the Israeli Forces arrested Shadi Maswadah (19), Rashid Rashad Maswadah (26), Ahmad Azidat (23) and Khalid Azidat (25). The sources added that the Israeli Forces took the arrested men to an unknown destination. [end] more.. On Hill 725, settlers believe they''ve won on the ''awareness'' front Ha''aretz 5/31/2006 Many settlers have a near-worshipful attitude toward the Albert family, a sort of local nobility whose sons are dispersed among outposts and settlements. Boaz Albert established the outpost on Hill 725 ? (south of Yitzhar? ) five years ago, one of 12 outposts for which evacuation orders were recently renewed by the defense minister. Boaz''s parents founded Kibbutz Alumim, and half a year before the evacuation of Sinai, they joined the first Atzmona, the one in the Rafah Salient that was ultimately removed from there. The Alberts were also among the founders of the second Atzmona, in Gush Katif, which was evacuated in the disengagement. The father, Haim, ran the famous nursery there, the settlement bloc''s showcase. more.. 7 killed by IDF in Gaza, West Bank operations Ha''aretz 5/31/2006 A special forces unit yesterday attacked Islamic Jihad militants launching Qassam rockets from deep inside the Gaza Strip. Three members of the cell were killed. Israel Air Force helicopters shot and killed a fourth Palestinian who belonged to Fatah''s Force 17. Meanwhile in operations in the West Bank, a Fatah activist was killed near Nablus and an Islamic Jihad member was killed near Jenin. The Israel Defense Forces had no injuries. The Gaza incident began near midnight on Monday. A special unit that had apparently been waiting for some time spotted the Palestinians moving between Beit Lahia and the ruins of the the Dugit settlement in northern Gaza. Soldiers opened fire, killing three Islamic Jihad militants. more.. Report: 3 killed in Gaza operation YNet News 5/30/2006 For first time since disengagement, special IDF unit enters heart of Palestinian territory in northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Lahiya, hits group of terrorists planning to fire Qassam rockets at Israel; Palestinians say three killed, eight wounded by IAF missile -- Ground operation inside Gaza Strip: For the first time since the disengagement, a special IDF unit entered Palestinian territories in the northern Gaza Strip town of Beit Lahiya Monday night, hitting a group of terrorists planning to fire Qassam rockets at Israel. Simultaneously, an IAF helicopter fired a missile at other gunmen in the area. Eyewitnesses reported that three Palestinians were killed and eight were wounded, but only one casualty arrived at the hospital so far. There were no injuries among the IDF soldiers. more.. Defense Minister: Gaza raids against Qassam fire will go on Ha''aretz 5/30/2006 Defense Minister Amir Peretz vowed Tuesday that Israel Defense Forces operations against Qassam launch cells in the Gaza Strip would continue by air, sea, and land in order to prevent further rocket fire at Israel. Earlier in the day, IDF troops killed at least seven armed Palestinians in a number of raids early Tuesday in the territories, with the intention of countering Qassam fire in Gaza and arresting wanted militants in the West Bank. Special forces units, operating in a rare IDF ground operation deep inside the northern Strip, killed at least three members of an Islamic Jihad Qassam crew setting up to fire rockets into Israel in the pre-dawn hours. The clash was followed by Israel Air Force helicopter missile strikes in the same area, which killed at least one armed man... more.. Brigades launch projectiles at Israeli towns on Tuesday Ma''an News 5/30/2006 Gaza-Ma''an-The Abu Ali Mustafa Brigades, the military wing affiliated to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, launched two homemade projectiles into the Israeli town of Azata on Tuesday afternoon. In a statement, the Abu Ali Mustafa Brigades said that the launching operation was in response to the Israeli aggressions against Palestinian civilians, journalists and children in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Meanwhile, the Al Quds Brigades, the military wing affiliated to the Islamic Jihad Movement, launched one homemade projectile into the Israeli town of Askhelon on Tuesday afternoon. [end] more.. 3 arrested, including 2 brothers, in Qalqilia Ma''an News 5/30/2006 Qalqilia-Ma''an-Israeli Forces raided the At Tabbal region in the south of Qalqilia and arrested three Palestinians, claiming that they are affiliated to the Al Aqsa Brigades. They were taken to an unidentified location. The Ma''an correspondent reported that Israeli Forces, reinforced with military vehicles, surrounded an orchard near the city. They fired at it randomly before arresting brothers Fadi and Abdul Latif Daod and Muhammad Sasa''a (21). The Daod brothers work in the Palestinian Security Forces. [end] more.. Sources: 3 Palestinians killed in Gaza blast YNet News 5/26/2006 Palestinians in north Gaza say three members of same family killed after IDF shell dud brought by teens into their Beit Lahiya home explodes for unknown reason; earlier Palestinian farmer killed by IDF artillery fire -- Palestinian sources reported Friday that three members of the same family were killed during an explosion that took place in their north Gaza home. According to reports, two teens found an IDF shell outside their Beit Lahiya home and proceeded to carry it into the house. For some unknown reason the dud exploded, killing the teens and another family member; seven other people were injured in the explosion. more.. Israel kills four in Gaza clash AlJazeera 5/30/2006 Four Palestinian resistance fighters have been killed by a missile fired from an Israeli helicopter during a cross-border clash in northern Gaza, Palestinian officials say. Six civilians were also wounded in Monday''s clash, including two ambulance staff and two radio reporters. The Israeli army confirmed the incident and said that troops had spotted militants preparing to launch rockets at Israeli targets. "The force spotted the militants and a gun battle followed in which an air force helicopter was also involved," a Israeli army spokeswoman said. There were no casualties among the Israeli force, she added.... In violence earlier on Monday, Israeli soldiers shot dead a Palestinian fighter along the Gaza-Israel border, Palestinian and Israeli officials said. more.. IDF says most Hezbollah border posts destroyed in Sunday clash Ha''aretz 5/29/2006 Israel destroyed most of the military positions of the Lebanese Hezbollah along the northern border, in the heaviest fighting since it withdrew its troops from southern Lebanon six years ago, the IDF''s northern division commander said Monday. The Sunday rocket and artillery exchanges killed two Hezbollah guerrillas and wounded two Israeli soldiers. The cross-border fighting began when Hezbollah fired Katyusha rockets from Lebanon at Israel''s northern Galilee region, hitting an air force base, then attacked Israeli outposts along the border. "Our main effort was to destroy the frontline that Hezbollah has built in the last six years," Colonel Gal Hirsch said, adding the pro-Iranian group had established dozens of frontline outposts along the border with Israel. more.. Tel Aviv within range of new Iran-supplied Hezbollah rocket By Ze''ev Schiff, Ha''aretz 5/29/2006 Iran has equipped the Lebanese-based radical Islamic group Hezbollah with long-range rockets capable of hitting targets up to 200 kilometers away, putting all of Israel''s major urban centers - including the southern city of Be''er Sheva - within striking distance. The solid-fuel rockets lack an independent guidance system and their accuracy is questionable but they can still cause considerable damage. According to intelligence estimates, the rockets are meant to strike non-specific areas, such as towns and cities, and carry a warhead estimated to weigh 600 kilograms. This latest development doubles the range of weapons previously in Hezbollah''s arsenal. In this latest transfer of military technology, Iran is seeking to improve its strategic options against Israel rather than better Hezbollah''s capabilities. more.. IDF officer: Next time we’ll hit harder YNet News 5/29/2006 Galilee commander says if army didn’t make its message loud in clear with shelling in Lebanon Sunday, it will hit even harder next time; Hizbullah clears ruins of targeted bases. Monday morning calm along border, but tensions running high -- Galilee commander says if army didn’t make its message loud and clear with shelling in Lebanon Sunday, it will hit even harder next time; Hizbullah clears ruins of targeted bases. On the day after the drama in the north, the IDF is assessing damages on the other side of the border and hoping that their message was delivered. “We hope that the operation’s message was understood loud and clear on the other side... ” more.. Nablus raided by Israeli forces from all directions; all entrances to the city closed off Ma''an News 5/29/2006 Nablus-Ma''an-Israeli troops raided the city of Nablus from all directions on Monday. Palestinian sources and eyewitnesses reported that the Israeli forces raided the city early on Monday morning, focusing on the Rafidia district and As-Sikkah Street. The raids were carried out amid gunfire and the launching of sonic bombs at the citizens. The sources added that clashes took place in Balata Refugee Camp between the Israeli forces and a number of citizens; explosions were heard in the area but no injuries were reported. Early on Monday morning, the Israeli forces closed all the military barriers that surround the city of Nablus. Palestinian security sources reported that the Israeli forces closed the barriers of Beit Eiba, Huwwara and Za''atara, adding that later the Israeli forces partially reopened these barriers. more.. Two dead in Lebanon border clash AlJazeera 5/28/2006 Clashes between Israeli soldiers and Palestinian fighters in Lebanon following a rocket attack on Israel have left at least two people dead. United Nations peacekeepers in the region have managed in the past few hours to negotiate a cease-fire despite sporadic gunfire, officials said. Local reports said the two dead were a fighter from Lebanon''s Hezbollah group and a Palestinian fighter. The clashes began at dawn on Sunday, after Palestinian fighters fired rockets at northern Israel and Israeli aeroplanes responded with air strikes on Palestinian bases near the Lebanese capital, Beirut. Witnesses saw black smoke rising from a military base outside Beirut and another in the eastern Bekaa Valley, both run by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command (PFLP-GC) which is based in Damascus. more.. Defense officials: 486 km of fence to be completed by Jan. ''07 Ha''aretz 5/27/2006 By the beginning of 2007, 486 kilometers of the separation fence will be completed, defense establishment representatives told Justice Minister Haim Ramon at a meeting late last week. This constitutes 93 percent of the 523-kilometer fence route (not including some 300 kilometers that are awaiting legal rulings). Defense officials had previously pledged to complete 95 percent of the route by year''s end. Sources in Ramon''s bureau said the fence will be built in such a manner as to prevent suicide bombers from entering sovereign Israeli territory, including East Jerusalem. However, construction will hold off for now on 20 kilometers of the route in the Gush Etzion region, which have yet to receive final legal authorization. more.. Seven killed and 23 injured in different Israeli aggressions last week: report ReliefWeb/Palestinian National Authority 5/27/2006 GAZA, Palestine, May 27, 2006 (IPC) - A statistical report documenting the Israeli violations against the Palestinian people asserted that Israeli occupation forces killed seven Palestinians and injured 23 others in one week throughout the different Palestinian provinces, committing 744 violations of the ceasefire declared on February 2005. The report, prepared by the Palestinian National Information Center (PNIC), asserted that Israel has continued using its war machine against the unarmed Palestinian population, in addition to violating their human rights and inflicting maximum damages upon them. These violations included shooting incidents, bombarding neighborhoods, incursions, establishing military roadblocks and frequent closures of towns and villages. more.. Mortar shell lands near IDF base YNet News 5/29/2006 Army fires more than 450 shells at northern Gaza Strip Monday, but fire continues; another shell, rocket land in open areas -- The Palestinians fire at the western Negev continued Monday night, as a mortar shell landed near the Nahal Oz army base, causing damage. Simultaneously, another shell and a Qassam rocket fell in an open area in the western Negev. There were no reports of injuries in all incidents. The rocket fire from the Gaza Strip toward Israel continued as the IDF launched an enhanced move Monday in terms of artillery fire at territories in the northern Strip. The IDF fired more than 450 shells at areas in the northern Gaza Strip in one day, using artillery batteries. more.. Brit admits to aiding Hamas YNet News 5/29/2006 British citizen of Pakistani origin arrested by Shin Bet on suspicion of aiding Hamas through his work for UK charity in Gaza -- Iyaz Ali, a British citizen of Pakistani origin, arrested by the Shin Bet three weeks ago, admitted to having aided Hamas through his work for a British Islamic aid organization in Ramallah and Gaza. Ali, 36, is a humanitarian aid worker for the Islamic Relief Worldwide organization (IRW). According to the Shin Bet, Ali funneled sums of money to Hamas operative and charities in the Gaza Strip through his work for the IRW. Ali, who was appointed as project manager in Gaza last December, told interrogators that he had transferred aid to Hamas charities al-Wafa and al-Salah, banned in Israel for backing a terror group and inciting against the Jewish State. more.. Video - Officer: Bullets flew between our legs YNet News 5/29/2006 (VIDEO) Sunday''s tough battle on northern border provides unfolding dramas in worst fighting since IDF left Lebanon. Army commander: ''My soldiers operated in best possible way'' -- VIDEO - The fighting that took place Sunday between the IDF and Hizbullah has been categorized as the worst and most significant since Israel left Lebanon. IDF officers said after the ceasefire that their hope is that the message got across, but that if Hizbullah decides to attack again the Israelis are ready with an adequate retaliation. Meanwhile, officials at the northern border took the time to summarize the events of the last 24 hours. "They had snipers fire at us from all directions. I saw the bullets hit the asphalt, and ricochet on us; I knew I had to evacuate the infantry force from there... " more.. Brigades launch home-made projectiles Ma''an News 5/29/2006 Gaza-Ma''an-The Al Asifah Forces, affiliated to the Fatah Movement and the Al Aqsa Brigades, the military wing affiliated to Fatah, launched three home-made projectiles into Sderot early on Monday morning. In a statement, the Brigades confirmed that the launch was in response to the Israeli Forces'' massacres of Palestinians. The stated that they will continue their resistance until the end of the Israeli occupation. [end] more.. IDF stops would-be suicide bomber en route to Israel from West Bank Ha''aretz 5/29/2006 Israel Defense Forces soldiers on Monday foiled two separate attempts to carry out terrorist attacks, one in the West Bank including a would-be suicide bomber, and, a short time, later a second in the Gaza Strip. In the West Bank, troops spotted two suspicious Palestinians near the settlement of Yitzhar, south of the city of Nablus. The two suspects began fleeing when the soldiers called on them to stop, throwing away a bag as they ran. The soldiers caught up with them a short time later. The bag was found to contain an explosives belt, which was safely detonated by IDF explosives experts. more.. Report: Senior PA security official says civil war ''inevitable'' Ha''aretz 5/28/2006 Palestinian security forces loyal to Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas are planning an offensive against Hamas'' military wing, heightening the specter of a factional civil war in the territories, [Rupert Murdoch''s] Sunday Times reported. "Time is running out for Hamas," a Fatah security official told the London daily. "We''ll choose the right time and place for the military showdown. But after that there will be no more of Hamas''s militias. " "Civil war is inevitable," the official said. The official also accused Hamas of plotting to remove Abbas from power, citing intelligence data. "I read our daily intelligence reports about Hamas and know very well that these people are planning to overthrow our president by force," the official told the paper. -- See original report: Abbas loyalists threaten Hamas with civil war more.. Militants open fire, hurl bombs at IDF patrol in Nablus Ha''aretz 5/28/2006 Palestinian militants opened fire and hurled bombs at Israel Defense Forces troops in the West Bank city of Nablus Saturday night. The troops returned fire and none of them were hurt. During the Nablus operation the IDF arrested two wanted militants - a Fatah member and a Palestinian Front for the Liberation of Palestine operative. Troops also encountered fire near the West Bank village of Atzira a-Shimaliya, north of Nablus. There were no casualties and no damage was reported in the incident. [end] more.. Katyusha rockets return to northern border, bringing back memories Ha''aretz 5/28/2006 Kiryat Shmona resident Moshe Ohana has been invited to two weddings in the city on Sunday, but he doesn''t know if he will attend. "In Tel Aviv, the biggest dilemma people face when going to a wedding is what to wear. Here the dilemma is which one of the parents will get to go at all. On a day like this, one of us has to stay with the children. We can''t leave them with a baby-sitter," says Ohana. Ohana stands beside block 820 in the Eshkol neighborhood. This structure, like many others in the neighborhood, knows suffering. Four Katyusha rockets have hit this very building over the years, killing one of its inhabitants, Vadim Shuchmann. more.. Islamic Jihad vows revenge for killing of official in Lebanon Ha''aretz 5/27/2006 Islamic Jihad, blaming Israeli intelligence, vowed to retaliate against a car bombing in southern Lebanon on Friday that killed a leader of the organization and his brother. Mahmoud Majzoub, a member of the group''s policy-making Shura Council body and its leader in Sidon, 40 kilometers (24 miles) south of Beirut, was walking with his brother Nidal near the central square of this coastal city, when a parked car was detonated by remote control, security officials said. Mahmoud Majzoub survived the explosion but died during surgery. His brother Nidal was instantly killed, said the security officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to release the information, more.. Israeli shellings kill Palestinians AlJazeera 5/26/2006 Israeli artillery fire have killed four Palestinians in the northern Gaza Strip, security sources and medics say. While three Palestinians died in the latest shelling on Friday, a farmer was killed by a shell earlier during the day. Medics at Kamel Adwan hospital said that the three died when the shelling hit a house. But some security sources told Al Jazeera that the shell had landed near a house in Beit Lahia and was dragged into the building by three young men, after which it went off and killed them. The Israeli army said it was checking the report of the shelling. Five more Palestinians were wounded in the shelling, medics said, adding that the dead men were in their 20s. Palestinian security sources said none of them were known to be affiliated to armed groups. more.. Gazans killed dismantling shells BBC 5/26/2006 The teenagers were going to sell the explosives, relatives said -- Three Palestinians have been killed in Gaza after attempting to dismantle unexploded Israeli shells found outside their home, relatives say. One of the shells went off when it was taken into the house, destroying the basement of the house and killing the three teenagers. Five other people were wounded in the explosion in Beit Lahiya. Medics had previously said the deaths were caused when an Israeli artillery shell hit a house. Israel had denied firing artillery at the time and suggested explosives at the house may have gone off prematurely. In another incident, a farmer died when Israeli shells hit his fields near Jabaliya refugee camp. more.. Palestinian dies of wounds sustained during Israeli shelling of Gaza Strip Ma''an News 5/26/2006 Gaza-Ma''an-Palestinian citizen Omar Abu Wardah, 54, died of the wound he sustained on Friday when the Israeli artillery shelled the area of Beit Lahia in the northern Gaza Strip. Abu Wardah was seriously injured when the Israeli artillery shelled his home. He was then transported to the Awdah hospital where he subsequently died. Another two Palestinians were injured in the shelling, Tariq Mahmoud Shehadah, 14, whose condition is described as critical, and another citizen whose condition is described as stable. [end] more.. Palestinian old man injured in Beit Lahia north of the Gaza Strip Ma''an News 5/26/2006 Gaza- Ma''an- Palestinian citizen seriously wounded when the Israeli artillery targeted the area of Beit Lahia north of the Gaza Strip Friday. Ma''an correspondent reported that Omar Abu Wardah 54 years was seriously injured when he was hit by splinters of the projectiles shelled the are of Beit Lahia , Abu Wardah was standing near his home when he was injured. The man was transported to Awdah hospital; medical sources said that he is suffering of dangerous wounds. [end] more.. Four unarmed Palestinians arrested near Israel border in the Gaza Strip Ma''an News 5/26/2006 Gaza-Ma''an-Israeli forces arrested four unarmed Palestinian men near the fence that separates the Gaza Strip and Israel in the north of the Gaza Strip early on Friday morning. Israeli sources said that the Israeli army arrested the Palestinians transported them to an unnamed destination. [end] more.. Palestinian man murdered child YNet News 5/28/2006 Anwar Ahdush carefully planned murder, lured eight year-old Lipaz Himi to stairwell where he raped, murdered her. Victim''s mother: My girl was raped and murdered on Independence Day only because she is Jewish -- Cleared for publication: Lipaz Himi, the eight year-old girl whose body was found several weeks ago in a Beit Shemesh market, was raped and murdered by a Palestinian, the police investigation revealed. Police officials said that the 35-year-old Palestinian, Anwar Ahdush, carefully planned the murder, adding that the murder was a criminally, rather than nationalistically, motivated crime. more.. Gaza: Hamas-Fatah shootout kills Palestinian policeman YNet News 5/25/2006 Gunfight between Palestinian security forces and newly established Hamas militia leaves one police officer dead, four others wounded in latest outbreak of internal Palestinian fighting -- A gunfight between Palestinian security forces and the newly established Hamas militia Thursday afternoon left one police officer dead and four others wounded in the latest outbreak of internal Palestinian fighting, doctors and witnesses said. The death brought to at least 10 the number of people killed in internal violence over the past month. Both Hamas and the security force accused each other of sparking the shootout. The fight in Gaza City occurred when a group of police riding in a car on their way back from the funeral of a top security commander clashed with the new militia, security officials said. more.. Nine Palestinians, including three women and one child, killed this week International Middle East Media Center 5/25/2006 Israeli soldiers killed during this week nine Palestinian residents, including three women and one child, in several military attacks carried out in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Among the casualties, one Palestinian fighter who was extra judicially assassinated; one child,his mother and grandmother were killed in the attack, the Palestinian Center for Human Rights reported. On Saturday 20/5/2006, Israeli air force fired missiles at a vehicle of one of the fighters, of the Al Quds Brigades, the military wing of the Islamic Jihad, in Gaza city, and assassinated him. The three civilians who were killed in the strike were walking by the vehicle of the fighters when the army fired the missiles. The center added that the Israeli army confirmed the strike but ignored the civilian casualties in its report. more.. Israeli military says it is expanding four settlements in Qaliqilia area Palestine News Network 5/25/2006 One week ago heavily guarded Israeli bulldozers dredged the lands of Amatin Village, 15 kilometers east of Qalqiliya in the area known as Jabal Abu Suwayd. Farmer Al Haji Suleiman Ghanem, who owns 80 square dunams of land planted with olive trees, has lived in the area since the 1950s. His family relies on olive oil production. However, farmer Ghanem told PNN Thursday, “The occupation army prevented me from entering my land on Saturday. ”He added, “The dredging includes building roads and imposing iron columns, and I do not know what is their purpose, however it seems to be that they are taking my land for a settlement. ”An Israeli military spokesperson says they are expanding four settlements in the northwestern West Bank area... more.. Armed clashes in Jenin, raids in Bethlehem; 11 arrested Ma''an News 5/25/2006 Bethlehem-Jenin-Ma''an-Israeli forces arrested 11 Palestinian citizens in many towns and cities in the West Bank on Thursday morning. According to Israeli sources, the Israeli soldiers arrested four Palestinians in Jenin area claiming they are Jihad activists. The sources said that armed Palestinian men shot at the Israeli patrols when they entered the city of Jenin to carry out the arrest. Palestinian security sources said that the forces raided Jenin refugee camp and clashes between armed Palestinians and the Israeli forces erupted both in the city of Jenin and in the refugee camp. The Ma''an correspondent reported that the Israeli forces broke into many houses and clashes and gunfire were heard in the city but no casualties were reported. Four citizens were arrested. more.. Erekat slams Israeli decision to allow Jews to enter al-Aqsa mosque China View 5/25/2006 RAMALLAH, May 25 (Xinhua) -- Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat Thursday denounced a decision of Israeli police to allow extremist Jews to enter the al-Aqsa mosque in East Jerusalem. Guards of the Temple Mount, a Jewish group, has recently got permission from Israeli police to enter the al-Aqsa mosque in East Jerusalem. "This dangerous development comes in the context of Israeli aggression and assassinations which aim to inflame the region and worsen the situation," Erekat told reporters in the West Bank city of Ramallah. He said that the Palestinian National Authority will hold contacts with the international quartet to stop the Israeli escalation. Meanwhile, The Fatah movement called on the Palestinians, basically Jerusalem residents, to travel to the al-Aqsa mosque and defend it. [end] more.. Qabalan, town south-east of Nablus, placed under curfew Ma''an News 5/25/2006 Nablus-Ma''an-Israeli forces broke into the town of Qabalan, south east of the city of Nablus, on Thursday morning, and imposed a curfew on the town. Local sources said that confrontations erupted between the citizens and the Israeli forces and at least one Palestinian was injured as a result of tear gas used by the Israeli soldiers. The sources added that the forces entered the village from many sides and announced the curfew through loudspeakers. The soldiers also used gas and sonic bombs intensively to disperse the demonstrators. [end] more.. Four arrests in Nablus on Thursday morning, including the wife of a "wanted" Palestinian, and reports of a roadside bomb Ma''an News 5/25/2006 Jenin-Ma''an-Israeli forces arrested the wife of a "wanted" Palestinian and three other citizens in the city of Nablus on Thursday morning after carrying out a raid of the old city of Nablus. The Ma''an reporter said that the Israeli forces broke into the house of Fadi Qafishah early in Thursday morning for the third time this month and arrested his wife, Samiah Istaitiyeh. Three other citizens were arrested in different parts of the city of Nablus. It was also reported that the Al Aqsa Brigades, the main military wing affiliated to Fatah, detonated a roadside bomb in Nablus when an Israeli military jeep passed next to it. The Brigades reported that the jeep received a direct hit. This was not confirmed by other sources. [end] more.. Five new temporary checkpoints set up between Salfit and northern villages Ma''an News 5/25/2006 Salfit-Ma''an-Israeli forces erected five temporary checkpoints in the Salfit area on Wednesday evening. The barriers were set up on the road between Salfit and the villages north of the city with one kilometer between them. This caused great obstruction to people''s movement in the area in general. One citizen reported being stopped five times at the barriers and as a result, delayed for a long time. [end] more.. Israeli forces raid Nablus at dawn again today, taking three Palestinians to unknown locations Palestine News Network 5/25/2006 At dawn during the daily raids, Israeli forces took Samia Kafishah from the Old City of Nablus to an unknown location. Her 27 year old husband, Fadi, was imprisoned in the past. Eyewitnesses told PNN that Israeli soldiers broke into the woman’s home and took her directly to a military jeep. In Balata Refugee Camp, Israeli forces took two young men to unknown locations, including 25 year old Ziad Abu Adis and 22 year old Abdul Rahman Al Hefnawi. Eyewitnesses said Israeli soldiers took a young man as a human shield during the raid in Balata Camp under the pretext of looking for brothers in the same neighborhood. Some members of the armed resistance returned military fire during the invasion, and as Israeli forces withdrew a large explosion was heard emanating from the city center. more.. An-Nasser Salah Addin Brigades launch projectile at Yameet, north of Gaza Ma''an News 5/25/2006 Khan Younis- Ma''an-The An-Nasser Salah Addin Brigades, the military wing affiliated to the Palestinian Resistance Committees, have claimed responsibility for the launching of a homemade projectile at Yameet, an Israeli town north of the Gaza Strip on Wednesday. In a statement issued Wednesday evening, the Brigades said that the launching was in retaliation for the Israeli crimes, the latest being the incidents in Ramallah in which four Palestinians were killed and dozens injured. [end] more.. Al Aqsa Brigades launched five projectiles at Sderot on Thursday morning Ma''an News 5/25/2006 Gaza-Ma''an-The Al Aqsa Brigades, the main military wing affiliated to Fatah, have claimed responsibility for the launching of five homemade projectiles at the Israeli town of Sderot on Thursday morning. In a statement issued on Thursday, the Brigades said that the launching of the projectiles was a reaction to the Israeli killings and crimes against the Palestinian people. [end] more.. Israeli forces imprison families; forbid driving in Nablus invasion International Middle East Media Center 5/25/2006 Palestinians in southern Nablus were held under curfew while dozens were imprisoned in small rooms since Wednesday. Early this morning Israeli forces finally left. Lawyer Zayed Omran reported that Israeli soldiers invaded his home at six in the evening yesterday and forced his 20 member family, including women and children, to stay in one room, while the soldiers occupied the rest of the house, turning it into a military installation. His family was without water or medication for his elderly diabetic family members..... Israeli forces have also imposed a ban on driving in the town under the pretext that youth threw stones at invading Israeli military vehicles. more.. Israeli forces invade, impose curfew on Qabalan, southeast of Nablus International Middle East Media Center 5/25/2006 Israeli forces invaded the town of Qabalan, south east of the city of Nablus, on Thursday morning, and imposed a curfew on the town. Local sources said that confrontations erupted between the citizens and the Israeli forces and at least one Palestinian was injured as a result of tear gas used by the Israeli soldiers. The sources added that the forces entered the village from many sides and announced the curfew through loudspeakers. The soldiers also used gas and sonic bombs intensively to disperse the demonstrators. [end] more.. Army annexes five Dunams of Assira Al Shamalia village lands near Nablus International Middle East Media Center 5/25/2006 The Israeli army annexed five Dunams of Assira Al Shamalia village lands, near the West Bank city of Nablus, Thursday. The orders were signed by the Israeli Army Central Command office and stated that the lands will be annexed for the use of the Israeli army from January 2006 to December 2007, the municipality of the village said. Also the orders stated that the owners of the lands should go to the District LIason Office near Nablus for compensation, the municipality said. [end] more.. Army installs new military watch tower at Al Arop refugee camp in Hebron International Middle East Media Center 5/25/2006 The israeli army have installed a new military watch tower at Al Arop refugee camp in the West Bank city of Hebron, Thursday morning. The watch tower''s installation was completed today,and was built on land belonging to Ibrahem Tokar from the nearby village of Beit Omer, residents reported. The army has now put the camp under total siege, soldiers are searching anyone passing the tower checking ID cards, the residents added. [end] more.. Army arrest resident from Beita village and turns a house into a military post International Middle East Media Center 5/25/2006 The Israeli army invaded the village of Beita south of the West Bank city of Nablus, arrested two residents and turned a house into a military post, Thursday morning. Ihssan Adly, 50, who works as a Palestinian Authority national security officer, was arrested along with his son after troops searched their home, both were taken to unknown locations, the family reported. Soldiers took over a house in the village, detaining the family in one room before using the roof as a military post, local sources reported. [end] more.. Army installs a military checkpoint at Tamon village entrance International Middle East Media Center 5/25/2006 The Israeli army installed a military checkpoint at the entrance of Tammon village east of the West Bank city of Tubas, Thursday morning. Soldiers stopped residents and cars, searched them and checked the Id cards of the passengers, several residents were detained at the checkpoint, local sources said. Troops chased cars that tried to bypass the checkpoint on nearby farm road, the sources added. [end] more.. Army arrest three residents at a random military checkpoint north of Nablus International Middle East Media Center 5/25/2006 The Israeli army arrested three residents at a random military checkpoint north of the West Bank city of Nablus, late on Wednesday night. Of those known from the three was Hussam Thaher, 29 from Sida village the two are from Alar village near Tulkarem, but their names have not been released, all were taken to unknown destinations, eyewitnesses reported. [end] more.. Four residents arrested from Borqen village in Jenin International Middle East Media Center 5/25/2006 The Israeli army arrested four residents from the village of Borqen in the West Bank city of Jenin, Thursday at dawn. The arrestees were identified as Mostafa Sobeh, 20, Majdi Massad, 20, Rajee Amodi, 27, Qaisser Abu Ghanem, 30. All were taken to unknown destinations, villagers said. More than 20 army vehicles invaded the village and soldiers conducted house-to-house searches before arresting the four, the villagers added. more.. IDF shells Gaza Strip launch areas following Qassam hits Ha''aretz 5/25/2006 The Israel Defense Forces directed heavy artillery fire at Qassam rocket launch areas in the northern Gaza Strip on Thursday morning. The IDF Spokeswoman said that by Thursday noon some 150 shells were fired at the Gaza Strip, Israel Radio reported. The shelling came in retaliation for two Qassam rockets that hit open areas in the western Negev before dawn Thursday. No casualties or damage were reported. In routine overnight arrest raids in the West Bank, the IDF arrested 11 wanted Palestinian militants. Troops encountered gunfire during a raid in the town of Qabatiyah south of the city of Jenin. No casualties or damage were reported in the incident. more.. Father and son arrested in Nablus on Thursday morning Ma''an News 5/25/2006 Nablus-Ma''an-Israeli forces arrested a Palestinian preventative security officer and his son from their village of Bita, south of Nablus, on Thursday morning. Palestinian source said that many Israeli military vehicles raided the village and arrested Ihsann Adaily, 46, and his son Wadah, 25, after breaking into their house. The Israeli forces took the two men to an unknown destination. [end] more.. Ignoring Military Incursions Palestine Monitor 5/25/2006 Four Palestinians killed and seventy injured during Israeli military incursion into Ramallah. -- Four Palestinians were killed after being fired upon with live bullets in the central square in Ramallah on Wednesday during an Israeli military incursion. One Palestinian died after being hit in the head by an exploding bullet, another after being struck in the chest by a high velocity bullet. Another seventy Palestinians were injured, fifteen severely, and five arrested. The dead include one Palestinian police officer, and the rest unarmed youths.... At approximately 2:30 pm on Wednesday, Israeli military jeeps accompanying the undercover Duvdevan unit entered Manara square on Ramallah''s main street as part of a supposed arrest operation. more.. Housing Min. seeks NIS 32m to guard Jews in E. Jerusalem Ha''aretz 5/26/2006 The Housing Ministry has requested NIS 32 million in the 2006 budget to provide security for the residents of Jewish enclaves in the heavily Palestinian neighborhoods of East Jerusalem. The budget request appears despite the fact that former housing minister Isaac Herzog (Labor) announced last year that his ministry would cease allocating funds for this purpose. Herzog had said that he was adopting the recommendation of a public committee that he appointed to investigate this practice. The committee, headed by reserve major general and former Labor MK Ori Orr, recommended that responsibility for financing these guards be transferred to the Public Security Ministry. Peace Now Secretary General Yariv Oppenheimer was furious yesterday over the ministry''s failure to keep this promise. more.. Four Palestinians killed in Israeli raid AlJazeera 5/25/2006 Four Palestinians have been killed in an Israeli arrest raid in the centre of the West Bank city of Ramallah. Israeli troops and Palestinian militia members exchanged gunfire after Israeli armoured vehicles entered the centre of the city. At least 50 other Palestinians were wounded by live gunfire and others by rubber bullets, the director of Ramallah''s hospital said. Mohammed al-Shubaki, a leading member of the Islamic Jihad group, was arrested during the Israeli operation. The Israeli killings in the West Bank came on the eve ofPalestinian cross-party crisis talks in Ramallah designed to put a lid on factional violence. And Mahmud al-Zahar. the Palestinian foreign minister, accused Israel of seeking to scuttle Thursday''s talks by escalating the violence in the Palestinian territories. more.. Hamas suspected as bomb attack kills Gaza security commander The Guardian 5/25/2006 Victim was loyal to Palestinian president · Shots exchanged as body taken to morgue -- A security force commander loyal to the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, was killed in an attack on his car in the Gaza Strip yesterday, sharpening tensions between Hamas and Fatah that have now claimed 10 lives this month and prompted warnings of civil war. Nabil Hodhod, the commander for the central region of the Gaza Strip for the elite Preventive Security Service, was killed by an explosion that was suspected to be either a hand grenade thrown into his vehicle or a bomb planted under it. Two of his colleagues were wounded.... Shooting broke out at Gaza City''s Shifa hospital between Hamas and Fatah gunmen after Mr Hodhod''s body was taken to the morgue there. more.. Hamas fighters on high alert as members'' targeted Ma''an News 5/24/2006 Khan Younis-Ma''an-The Al Qassam Brigades have called upon its'' fighters to stay on alert to frustrate what it said was, " the conspiracy which has been cooked up against its members. "This declaration came after one of its members, Salim Qadeeh, was killed in Khan Younis on Wednesday. The Brigades issued a statement in which they said that current events against members of the Brigades are part of the Israeli American conspiracy against Hamas. Some Palestinian factions are working with them try to weaken Hamas steadfastness. The statement said that those who committed these crimes will be chased and punished. more.. Despite High Court ban, settlers occupy Matityahu East homes Palestine Monitor/Ha''aretz 5/24/2006 At least two settler families moved Tuesday into apartments in a neighborhood of the West Bank settlement of Upper Modi''in that was built illegally on land belonging to the neighboring Palestinian village of Bil''in. The move is in flagrant disregard of a Supreme Court injunction forbidding the occupation, transfer of ownership, or use of structures in the Matityahu East neigborhood. Palestinian farmers reported Tuesday afternoon that they had witnessed from their fields two families in the neighborhood unloading their belongings from moving trucks.... Attorney Michael Sfard, who represents Bil''in residents, called the police, who arrived after he threatened to a file motion charging the them with contempt of court unless they stopped the settlers. But the arrival of police did not deter the settlers from moving in. more.. Army forbids a farmer to build his family house, bulldozers demolish it International Middle East Media Center 5/24/2006 Several Israeli army vehicles, accompanied by three bulldozers / drills, invaded the village of Funduq near the northern West Bank city of Qalqilia at the early hours of Wednesday morning. Within minutes, bulldozers started to demolish one house and several agricultural structures between the villages of Funduq and Hajja, local sources reported. The house was under construction and planned to house a family. The owner, Salim Odeh said he had spent most of his savings to build this house for his family. He added that he stopped building after receiving a demolition order and fulfilled all the requirements to get a permit for the house, but he was told there is no way to “legalize” it and his appeal against the demolition order was subsequently rejected by the Israeli court. more.. Army bulldozers demolish several buildings and barns in Al Fonduq village International Middle East Media Center 5/24/2006 Israeli army bulldozers demolished several buildings and farm sheds in Al Fonduq village, near the West Bank city of Qalqilia. The bulldozers demolished a house belonging to Salem Abas from the village, and also demolished a wall around farmland that belongs to Hakam Abu Tabikh, local sources reported. Barns under construction were leveled by the army during the invasion. The army has destroyed more than 30 buildings in the village since April 2005, claiming that they were constructed without building permits. Since 1967, no permits have ever been issued by Israel to Palestinians who wished to build on their land. Local residents point to illegal Israeli settlement expansion onto Palestinian land as the reason for the ongoing demolitions in the area. [end] more.. One killed from Al Qassam in southern Gaza Strip this morning Palestine News Network 5/25/2006 A member of Al Qassam Brigades, the armed resistance wing of the Hamas political party, was killed this morning after being kidnapped at dawn east of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip. Two others were injured. According to preliminary details of the incident and narrated by young people who survived the incident and eyewitnesses, a car was attacked at dawn. Three young men from Al Qassam were inside after having attended early prayers in the area Mosque. Unknown persons attacked the people in car, striking them with steel bars and then abducting them at gunpoint. After about half an hour during which they were subjected to beatings, the three youths were forced to stand up against a wall. The unknown persons then opened fire, injuring two in the legs and abdomen. more.. Hamas condemns attack on its members outside mosque Ma''an News 5/24/2006 Gaza-Ma''an-The Hamas movement has condemned the killing of Salim Qadeeh and the injury of two other Izzedine Al Qassam members in Abasan, east of Khan Younis, by unknown armed men on Wednesday morning. Musheer Al Masri, Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) member described those who are shooting at the Palestinians as "night bats" which target Hamas members in the mosques. This is what happened this morning, when the three were kidnapped and beaten after they left the mosque. One was killed and two were injured after they were shot. Al Masri accused what he called, "the death squad" which works for the Preventative Security of being responsible for this and many other crimes. He called for the Interior Ministry and Preventative Security apparatuses to expose these "criminals", who he said are working for the Israelis. more.. Hamas fighters abducted in Gaza AlJazeera 5/24/2006 Unknown gunmen have kidnapped three Hamas fighters and shot them in the legs, killing one of the men. The men were carried off into a car as they left a mosque at dawn after morning prayers in the town of Khan Yunus, officials and witnesses said on Wednesday. They were then beaten and shot in the legs before being dumped at a petrol station. One of the injured men later died in hospital, medical sources said. Although no one has claimed responsibility for the incident, one Hamas official blamed rival Fatah gunmen loyal to Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian president. Bitter struggle: The two sides have been engaged in a power struggle since Hamas won elections in the Palestinian territories earlier this year. more.. Twelve arrests across the West Bank Ma''an News 5/24/2006 Qalqilia-Ma''an-Israeli forces arrested two Palestinian brothers who were traveling to work from their village of Nabi Ilia on Wednesday. Raed Mohammad Radwan, 28, and his brother Jihad, 23, were arrested by Israeli forces Wednesday morning and taken away to an unknown destination. Another twelve Palestinians were arrested in several cities, towns and villages in the West Bank under the Israeli ''charge'' of being "wanted. [end] more.. Palestinian run over by Israeli miltary jeep near Jenin Ma''an News 5/24/2006 Jenin-Ma''an-Palestinian citizen Mohannnad Zaki Abu Bakir, 29, was injured when an Israeli military jeep ran over him while he was riding his motorcycle on the main road near the town of Yabad, south west of Jenin. Abu Bakir was transported to the government hospital in the city and is said to be suffering from moderate wounds and bruises. [end] more.. Israeli Forces raid Qabatia,Yamoun and Kofrdan, arrest 1 Ma''an News 5/24/2006 Jenin-Ma''an–Israeli Forces arrested a Palestinian resident of Qabatia, south of Jenin, in the north of the West Bank early on Wednesday morning. Israeli Forces raided the town and broke into many homes in the town. They arrested Ala''a Zakarnah (22) and took him to unknown location. Israeli Forces said that Zakarnah was an Islamic Jihad activist and that they found an M16 machine gun at his home during the search. The Forces also raided the villages of Yamoun and Kofrdan, west of the city and launched a search campaign in the villages. [end] more.. Army arrests two children and imposes curfew in Howwara town International Middle East Media Center 5/24/2006 The Israeli army arrested two children at midday during an invasion to the town of Howwara south of the West Bank city of Rammallah, on Wednesday. Yunis Damidi, 16, and Sanad Isma''el, 15, were arrested when troops entered the town and provoked students leaving school, local sources saidNo clashes occurred but the soldiers arrested the two children anyway, and imposed a curfew on the town. [end] more.. Israeli Forces arrest Al Aqsa activist Ma''an News 5/24/2006 Jericho-Ma''an-Israeli Forces arrested Al Aqsa Brigades'' activist Tariq Zay''youd (31) after surrounding him in his house. The Ma''an reporter said that more than twenty Israeli military vehicles forcibly entered Jericho and surrounded the eastern neighborhood of the city. They launched a search campaign during which they broke into many houses. They exploded sonic bombs and used police dogs during the raid on Jericho. [end] more.. Brigades launch RPG Ma''an News 5/24/2006 Gaza-Ma''an-The Al Aqsa Brigades, the military wing affiliated to the Fatah movement and the Abu Ali Mustapha Brigades, the military wing affiliated to the PFLP, launched an RPG at an Israeli military tower in Johr Ad''deek in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday. In a joint statement, the Brigades said that they hit the tower directly. A second Israeli military patrol was attacked by the brigade in the same area. The statement added that this operation is in retaliation for the Israeli crimes and killing of Palestinian people. [end] more.. Army invades Mithlon village, south of Jenin International Middle East Media Center 5/24/2006 The Israeli army invaded the village of Mithlon, south of the West Bank city of Jenin, Wednesday morning. Troops stormed the villagers'' homes and the municipality building, then forced all municipal workers out and removed the Palestinian flag from the building, local sources reported. The soldiers then took up positions near the local school and fired tear gas at the students in their classrooms, eyewitnesses said. [end] more.. Settlers continue to install barbed wire around annexed Palestinian land in Tubas International Middle East Media Center 5/24/2006 The Israeli settlers from Rotem settlement continued to install barbed wire around annexed Palestinian land belonging to Tubas West Bank city residents, Wednesday morning. The settlers are increasing the number of the olive trees planted on the stolen lands and guard dogs are being let loose in order to keep the original owners off of the land, residents said. The lands were annexed by the Rotem settlers two years ago who started plant olive trees, the residents added. [end] more.. Army arrests two residents from Hebron and takes over a house in Dora village International Middle East Media Center 5/24/2006 The Israeli army arrested two residents from the West Bank city of Hebron and took over a house to use as a military post in the nearby village of Dora, Wednesday morning. Mohamed Al Dowik, 19, and Rami Alamah, 25, were arrested when troops conducted a wide-scale search campaign in the city, then both were taken to unknown locations, local sources reported. Troops took over the house of Maher Ghanem, from the nearby village of Dora and turned it into a military post. All family members are still locked in one room of the house are not allowed to enter the other rooms or leave the house, eyewitnesses said. [end] more.. One killed and two injured by unknown gunmen in east Khan-Younis International Middle East Media Center 5/24/2006 Mohamed Kadih, 22, died of wounds he sustained on Wednesday at dawn when unknown gunmen fired at him in east Khan Younis in the Gaza strip. Also, Salah Kadih and Na''el Kadih were injured in similar incidents. All were taken to Al Nasser hospital in the city, medical sources reported. According to local residents, unknown masked men abducted the three,; they were found injured near a gas station in the town of Khan-Younis. [end] more.. Army invades Qabatia village and arrests one resident International Middle East Media Center 5/24/2006 Ala Zakarna, was arrested when troops invaded Qabatia, south of the West Bank city of Jenin, Wednesday at dawn. Troops invaded the town, searched several homes and interrogated residents before taking Zakarna to an unknown location, eyewitnesses reported. The West Bank area of Jenin has recently witnessed an increase of army activity in which the army has installed military checkpoints and inspected cars and persons passing along the main streets linking the city of Jenin with the surrounding towns and villages. [end] more.. Army arrest several residents from Nablus during the ongoing military operation International Middle East Media Center 5/24/2006 Israeli troops arrested three residents during an ongoing military operation in the West Bank city of Nablus, Wednesday morning. In the old city of Nablus, troops stormed residents'' homes and searched th