Conflict..

Kidnapped British family freed in Gaza The Guardian 12/31/2005 The British family held hostage for three days after being kidnapped in Gaza were freed last night after 18 hours of secret negotiations. Following their release, shortly after 8pm, a previously unknown faction calling itself Brigades of the Mujahideen - Jerusalem, said they were responsible for the seizure of Kate Burton, 24, her father Hugh, 73, and mother Helen, 55. In a video released to media, a masked gunman read out a message standing next to Ms Burton, who appeared with her hands behind her back. "We have decided to pardon the three Britons as a gesture of goodwill in return for a seriousness in answering our demands," the gunman said. more.. Rafah border crossing reopens as PA police end standoff Ha'aretz 12/31/2005 The Gaza Strip's border with Egypt reopened on Friday after the Palestinian Authority negotiated an end to an armed blockade by policemen angered at the death of a colleague in a clan clash, officials said. A spokesman for European Union security monitors at the main border crossing of Rafah said operations resumed at 3:15 P. M. The monitors had been temporarily withdrawn shortly after the standoff began on Friday morning. Several hours after the reopening of the border crossing, a 14-year-old boy died after being shot in the head in renewed clashes outside a police station in Gaza. more.. Army shells areas in the northern Gaza Strip International Middle East Media Center 12/31/2005 Israeli artillery shelled several Palestinian areas in the northern part of the Gaza Strip; army claims that the shelled areas are uninhibited and are used by the resistance as launching pads for Qassam shells. A Palestinian official reported that soldiers fired at least 15 shells at several areas in the northern Gaza Strip. The official stated that tanks based at the northern borders also fired shells at Beit Hanoun, Jabalia and Beit Lahia; most of the shells detonated close to Palestinian security basis. The attacks are part of the Israeli offensive which was called “Blue Skies” which aims to reoccupy areas in the northern part of the Gaza Strip. more.. IDF, police forces dismantle three illegal outposts in West Bank Ha'aretz 12/30/2005 Israel Defense Forces troops dismantled three West Bank outposts early Friday that had been erected by settler youths earlier this week. An military spokeswoman said troops and police officers removed two makeshift outposts near Ramallah and another one outside the settlements of Shvut Rachel and Beit El before dawn. "The IDF will continue to act to enforce law and order in the West Bank," the IDF spokeswoman said. Settlers erected fourteen new outposts this week, each occupied by several dozen youths. more.. Settlers: We'll continue to erect outposts YNetNews 12/30/2005 IDF, police, Civil Authority evacuate three illegal outposts Thursday night; settlers say they will continue to establish settlements throughout Hanukkah holiday -- Settlers pledged Friday to continue establishing illegal outposts throughout the Hanukkah holiday, after IDF forces, police and Civil Authority evacuated three illegal settlements Thursday in the West Bank. The three outposts established near Shvut Rachel, Beit El and Kiryat Arba were evacuated without any disturbances. Equipment, including barrels, tents and rolls of jute were dismantled by IDF troops. more.. Mofaz: Al-Qaeda trying to infiltrate YNetNews 12/30/2005 Defense minister says global terror network aims to set up cells in Israel, unsuccessfully thus far; addressing Qassam threat, Mofaz says IDF operations to curb rocket fire will bear fruit -- Al-Qaeda is attempting to infiltrate Israel and establish terror cells in the country, unsuccessfully so far, Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz revealed Friday while touring the southern town of Ashkelon. "Al-Qaeda attempted to act in Israel in recent years, without success," Mofaz said. more.. Al Qaeda Establishing Base in Gaza Forward 12/30/2005 Experts Blame Iraq Invasion, Israeli Pullout -- WASHINGTON — Al Qaeda operatives are establishing a base in Gaza for launching attacks against Israel and neighboring pro-American Arab regimes, current and former Israeli security officials say. Officials in Jerusalem and Washington are following this development with concern, Israeli and American sources said. They see the move as part of Al Qaeda's long-term plan to attack U.S. interests in the region. Using Gaza as a base of operations, Al Qaeda would be able to launch attacks against Israel, as well as against Egypt and Saudi Arabia, Israeli and American terrorism experts say. more.. Islamic Jihad claims Thursday's West Bank suicide bombing Ha'aretz 12/30/2005 The Islamic Jihad militant group claimed responsibility Friday for a suicide bombing in the West Bank that killed one soldier and two other Palestinians. Islamic Jihad activists in the West Bank village of Atil, near Tul Karm, announced on loudspeakers that their bomber, Sohieb Ibrahim Yassin, 19, carried out Thursday's attack. Army sources said the suicide bomber who killed an Israel Defense Forces officer and two Palestinians at an army checkpoint near Tul Karm Thursday was apparently planning to blow himself up at one of the many children's events taking place in Tel Aviv during this week's Hanukkah holiday. more.. Mofaz: Significant drop in terror from Gaza since disengagement Ha'aretz 12/30/2005 Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz on Friday said the number of casualties in terror attacks that originated from the Gaza Strip dropped significantly since the disengagement, and while 61 suicide bombings emerged from Gaza in 2002, year 2005 saw only 5 such attacks. Speaking on a visit to the southern city of Ashkelon, Mofaz also said that al-Qaeda has been trying to gain a foothold in Jordan and Egypt and continuously works to establish terror cells inside Israel, but that these attempts have all failed so far. more.. IOF Wounds Citizen in Jenin, Arrests 5 Boys in Tulkarem WAFA 12/30/2005 JENIN, December 30, 2005 (WAFA) - Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) wounded on Friday a citizen in the West Bank city of Jenin, medical sources said. The sources reported that the Israeli troops which stormed Jenin city and camp of refugees today opened fire at houses and citizens, wounding Mahmoud Abdullah. Last Night, Nidal Abu al-Haijaa was wounded with a bullet, when Israeli soldiers stormed Tammoun village west of Jenin. more.. Eight residents arrested in Atteel International Middle East Media Center 12/30/2005 Israeli soldiers supported by ten armored vehicles and jeeps, invaded Atteel village, north of the West Bank city of Tulkarem and arrested eight residents. A local source in Atteel reported that soldiers surrounded the village, before invading it, and broke into dozens of homes and searched them. The source stated that soldiers arrested Sameer Abu Al Haija, Moawiya Al Shalabi, Sa’id Abu Khazna, Mohammad Rizya, two brothers from the family of Abu Hasna, and two other brothers from the family of Abu Khaleel; most of the arrestees are students, and are said to be members of the Islamic Jihad. more.. Palestinian Cops Seize Gaza-Egypt Crossing The Guardian 12/31/2005 GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip (AP) - Palestinian policemen went on a rampage over the killing of a colleague and seized the Gaza-Egypt border crossing for several hours Friday, forcing European monitors to flee in the latest sign of growing mayhem in the coastal strip.... About 100 policemen stormed the Rafah border terminal in the morning, firing in the air and taking up positions at the crossing, security officials and witnesses said. The unarmed European observers - responsible for enforcing terms of the Israeli-Palestinian agreement that opened the border last month - took refuge in a nearby Israeli military base, forcing the terminal to halt operations. more.. 3 kidnapped Britons freed by Palestinian gunmen By Amira Hass, Ha'aretz 12/31/2005 A British aid worker and her parents were whisked out of the Gaza Strip by British diplomats early Saturday, hours after being freed from captivity by Palestinian gunmen who abducted the family two days earlier. Kate Burton, 25, a worker with the Al-Mezan human rights group in Gaza, was seized at gunpoint Wednesday with her parents, Hugh and Helen, in the southern town of Rafah. The parents had come to Gaza on vacation to visit their daughter, officials said. The kidnapping was the latest in a string of abductions of foreigners that have underlined the inability of Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas to impose order in the coastal strip since Israel's withdrawal in September. more.. Gazan killed in clashes; crossing reopens YNetNews 12/30/2005 Clashes between Palestinian police and family members responsible for death of police officer erupt Friday resulting in death of Palestinian youth; angry PA police officers take over Rafah crossing Friday morning; European monitors escape -- A Palestinian youth was killed in Gaza Friday after renewed clashes broke out between Palestinian police and members of the family responsible for the death of an officer. It is not yet clear whether the youth killed was a family member or a passerby. more.. Israeli Arab shot near Hebron YNetNews 12/30/2005 Police, IDF investigating shooting attack south of Mount Hebron where Israeli Arab was moderately injured; initial investiagtion reveals attack was carried out due to dispute between families in the area -- A 39-year-old Israeli Arab was shot and moderately injured Friday near the Yatir checkpoint south of Mount Hebron. He was treated by Magen David Adom rescue teams and was transported to Soroka Hospital in Be'er Sheba. An initial police investigation reveals that the shooting attack was carried out due to a dispute between families in the Hirbat Carmel area. more.. Video - IDF presents: Female reserve unit YNetNews 12/30/2005 Unusual scene: Dozens of female soldiers gather at IDF base as army prepares to set up new unit comprised entirely of female reserve troops -- (VIDEO) Woman power: Anyone who happened to be visiting the IDF's northern Eliyakim base would have been witness to an unusual scene – the first training session ahead of the creation of an army reserve unit comprised entirely of female soldiers. more.. Gaza border reopens after protest BBC 12/30/2005 The Rafah crossing point between Egypt and the Gaza Strip has been reopened hours after a protest by Palestinian police officers forced it to close. The police, backed by gunmen from the Fatah party, had stormed the crossing, blocking access and forcing European Union monitors to leave. The monitors have now returned to the reopened border. The police were protesting at what they see as a lack of government support for their policing efforts in Gaza. On Wednesday, a UK human rights worker and her parents were kidnapped a short distance away. more.. Gaza militants prepare to fight as truce nears end ReliefWeb 12/30/2005 GAZA, Dec 30 (Reuters) - Crawling beneath bushes and planting bombs for practice attacks, Palestinian militants trained in the Gaza Strip on Thursday to resume fighting when a truce with Israel expires at year's end. Most Palestinian armed factions agreed to halt attacks on Israel until the end of 2005 and follow a "period of calm" at the behest of President Mahmoud Abbas, but many say they want to resume the uprising fully after Dec. 31. Gunmen training in Gaza came from Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, part of Abbas's Fatah, as well as the Popular Resistance Committees, an umbrella group that never backed the truce. more.. Israeli checkpoint bombing kills four AlJazeera 12/29/2005 A bomber has blown himself up at a military checkpoint in the northern West Bank, killing an Israeli army officer and two Palestinian bystanders. An Israeli army spokesman said three other Israeli soldiers were wounded, one seriously, in the attackon Thursday at the checkpoint near Tulkarem which had been set up to prevent the bomber from crossing into Israel and causing much greater carnage. "We know that in addition to the soldier and bomber, two Palestinian civilians were also killed," the spokesman said. The Palestinian victims were the driver of the taxi that the bomber had been travelling in and another passenger. more.. Deputy PM Olmert: No limitations in Sharon's war on Qassams Ha'aretz 12/29/2005 Deputy Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, dismissing contentions that Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's hands were tied in fighting Qassam rocket fire from the Gaza Strip, said Thursday that there were no limits to Sharon's freedom of action, and that the disengagement had increased the military's flexibility of response. The Israel Defense Forces shelled six Qassam rocket launch sites in the northern Gaza Strip before dawn Thursday morning, hours after senior military sources told Haaretz that despite the beefed-up Israeli response, the Qassam rocket fire is unlikely to stop. more.. Frantic search for aid worker and parents as gang fails to make contact The Guardian 12/30/2005 Relatives voice concerns over safety of missing trio · Growing anarchy in area after Israeli withdrawal -- Palestinian investigators and British consular officials were last night urgently trying to make contact with the Palestinian group who abducted a British aid worker and her parents in the Gaza Strip, more than 24 hours after they disappeared. Unlike previous kidnappings of westerners in Gaza, usually resolved within hours, the kidnappers made no contact with the authorities to make demands or arrange for the release of Kate Burton, 25, and her parents Hugh and Helen. more.. Israeli Settlers Start Wave of West Bank Outposts MIFTAH 12/28/2005 Efrat, West Bank - Jewish settlers set up 13 makeshift outposts in the occupied West Bank on Tuesday in a show of strength ahead of Israeli elections that could swing on the growing debate over the territory. Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has vowed to keep major West Bank settlements but has said that some isolated communities may one day have to be dismantled as a way of ending decades of conflict with the Palestinians. more.. Mock Air Raids on Gaza Continued, 2 Citizens Arrested in WB WAFA 12/29/2005 GAZA, December 29, 2005 (WAFA)- Israeli F 16 jet- fighters resumed night mock air raids on the Gaza Strip, causing global damages to windows and shops as well as spreading a state of panic and fear among children and women.. Meanwhile, Israeli warplanes and artilleries continued, for the third running day their "Blue Skies" wide scale attack at the North of the Gaza Strip. Two missiles were dropped near Palestinian security police, west of Beit Lahiya town and a third missile on Al-Berak area opposite to Balsam hospital. more.. J'lem: Israeli stabbed, moderately injured YNetNews 12/29/2005 Initial investigation reveals man was stabbed by Palestinian while waiting at bus stop; stabber flees scene; large police forces launch search -- A Palestinian stabbed an Israeli at the Atarot industrial zone, near Jerusalem. The Israeli sustained moderate injuries to the neck in the stabbing, which police believe was a terror attack. According to the initial investigation, the Palestinian lunged at the Israeli as he was waiting at a bus stop. more.. PA fears large scale IDF response to suicide attack Ha'aretz 12/30/2005 Security sources reported the Palestinian Authority fears a large scale Israel Defense Forces retaliation in Tul Karm following Thursday's suicide attack in which an IDF officer and two Palestinians were killed. The sources said the PA and its Fatah party closed its offices in Tul Karm early ahead of a possible IDF response. Palestinian police officers that were uniformed before the attack reportedly changed to civilian clothes. The three victims were killed Thursday morning when a suicide bomber blew himself up at an IDF checkpoint set up in the West Bank in response to warnings of an impending terrorist attack. more.. Mofaz orders police, IDF, Shin Bet probe of felled olive trees Ha'aretz 12/30/2005 Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz on Thursday called for the establishment of a panel to investigate the felling of olive trees owned by Palestinians in the West Bank. The team will be comprised of officials from the police, Israel Defense Forces and Shin Bet security service. The announcement comes in the wake of several incidents over the past month in which more than a thousand olive trees were cut down, mainly from areas near Jewish settlements adjacent to the northern West Bank city of Nablus. more.. Suicide bomber was planning attack at kids' Hanukkah party Ha'aretz 12/30/2005 The suicide bomber who killed an Israel Defense Forces officer and two Palestinians at an army checkpoint near Tul Karm yesterday was apparently planning to blow himself up at one of the many children's events taking place in Tel Aviv during this week's Hanukkah holiday, army sources said. Had the bomber not been stopped at the checkpoint, the attack would have been far more deadly, said the sources. Three soldiers and seven Palestinians were wounded in the bombing. more.. IDF shells northern Gaza as it imposes buffer zone Ha'aretz 12/29/2005 The Israel Defense Forces shelled two Qassam rocket launch sites in the northern Gaza Srip before dawn Thursday morning, hours after senior military sources told Haaretz on Wednesday night that despite the beefed-up Israeli response, the Qassam rocket fire is unlikely to stop. According to the sources, until now, the defense establishment has had trouble when it comes to deterring Islamic Jihad, which is responsible for most of the rocket fire. Unlike Hamas, the sources said, Islamic Jihad is not in the habit of considering the consequences of its actions on the lives of the Palestinian population. more.. Video: IDF bombards northern Gaza YNetNews 12/29/2005 Air Force hits six northern Gaza access roads leading to Qassam rocket launching sites overnight; earlier, army launches operation 'Blue Skies', bombards targets in newly established buffer zone -- (VIDEO) Operation “Blue Skies” underway: The Air Force struck at six northern Gaza access roads leading to Qassam rocket launching sites early Thursday. Army officials said the raids were meant to hamper ongoing rocket attacks on Israeli targets. more.. Gunmen fire at Abbas' Gaza home as PA policeman is killed Ha'aretz 12/29/2005 GAZA - Gunmen fired at the Gaza house of Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas on Thursday. Palestinian police later said that the shooting was not the result of fighting and that the gunfire had died down. A Palestinian official said Abbas was in Jordan. Police said shooting erupted near Abbas's home during the funeral for a policeman who was killed in clashes earlier on Thursday. The police officer and a civilian were killed during a shootout that erupted between two rival families. more.. Al Qaeda claims missile attack on Israel YNetNews 12/29/2005 Al Qaeda in Iraq says in Islamic website statement it had launched missiles at Israel from Lebanon. ‘The lion sons of al Qaeda launched... A new attack on the Jewish state by launching 10 missiles... From the Muslims' lands in Lebanon on selected targets in the north of the Jewish state,’ statement says -- Al Qaeda in Iraq said it had launched missiles at Israel from Lebanon as part of a "new attack" on the Jewish state, a statement posted on the Web said on Thursday. more.. Iraq al Qaeda claims Tuesday's missile attack on northern Israel Ha'aretz 12/29/2005 Sources in the Israel Defense Forces said it was difficult to determine the announcement's reliability. -- Al Qaeda in Iraq said it had launched missiles at Israel from Lebanon as part of a "new attack" on the Jewish state, a statement posted on the Web said on Thursday. "The lion sons of al Qaeda launched... a new attack on the Jewish state by launching 10 missiles... from the Muslims' lands in Lebanon on selected targets in the north of the Jewish state," said the statement, attributed to al Qaeda and posted on an Islamist Web site. It did not give the date of the attack. more.. Army seals the southern entrance of Jenin International Middle East Media Center 12/29/2005 The Israeli army sealed, on Thursday, the southern entrance of the West Bank city of Jenin, and installed four military checkpoints at Jenin-Nablus road and Arraba road junction, south of Jenin, local sources reported. Troops installed several checkpoints in Jinat area and Al Shouhada' area, south of the city, and barred the residents and vehicles from crossing. Also several military armored vehicles closed the entrance of Borqeen village, near Jenin, and stopped dozens of residents. [end] more.. Army invades Jenin International Middle East Media Center 12/29/2005 The Israeli army invaded, on Thursday, the West Bank city of Jenin, local sources reported. Troops entered the city backed up by several military armored vehicles, and closed the road between the city and the West Bank city of Nablus. Also, soldiers searched several vehicles, which led to a traffic jam, the source added. No arrests were reported. [end] more.. Three residents, including a child, injured in Beit Lahia, Jabalia International Middle East Media Center 12/29/2005 An Israeli helicopter fired a missile, on Wednesday evening, at a group of residents in Beit Lahia, in the northern part of the Gaza Strip, one resident was injured. One child and two residents were also injured in a previous shelling carried out by the army Beit Lahia and the Jabalia refugee camp. The Palestinian News Agency, WAFA, reported that a military helicopter fired at least one missile at residents near Al Shaima’ school, in Beit Lahia, injuring one resident. The injured resident was transferred to Kamal Adwan Hospital, in Beit Lahia. In a Separate incident, one child was moderately injured when a military apache fired a missile at an area in Beit Lahia, in the northern part of the Gaza Strip. more.. PNIC: Five Killed, 32 Wounded and 98 Arrested by 46th Week of Ceasefire International Press Center 12/29/2005 GAZA, Palestine, December 29, 2005 (IPC) - - A report prepared by the State Information Service (SIS) revealed that Israeli forces have killed five Palestinians among were one extra-judicially assassinated and wounded 32 others as well as committing 746 violations of the ceasefire declared on 8 February after Sharm Al Sheikh summit. The report, released by the SIS' Palestinian National Information Center (PNIC) asserted that between December 20 and December 26, 2005 Israeli forces shot 5 Palestinians dead, injured 32, arrested 98 others, and carried out many violations varying between house shelling, raids, incursions, land bulldozing and curbing of free movement. PNIC showed that Israeli forces committed 87 shooting incidents and 32 arrest campaigns in which 98 residents were arrested during 55 raids, as well as establishing 121 mobile roadblocks and closing roads and military checkpoints 244 times. more.. Army arrests two in Hebron International Middle East Media Center 12/29/2005 Israeli soldiers arrested two residents from the West Bank city of Hebron; one of the residents is from Al Fawwar refugee camp, in Hebron, while the other is from Al Thahiriyya village south of the city, local sources reported on Thursday. Troops stationed at a military checkpoint near Doura village arrested on late Wednesday night Ayyoub Abu Awad, 30, from Al Fawwar refugee camp in the city. more.. Israel bombards Gaza buffer zone AlJazeera 12/28/2005 The Israeli army bombarded an uninhabited area of the northern Gaza Strip with artillery as a deadline expired for Palestinians to leave a new security zone, witnesses and the army said. An army spokeswoman confirmed that troops on Wednesday had opened fire in open fields in the so-called "no-go zone" after a missile was fired from the area shortly before the 1600 GMT deadline came into effect. "It's in direct response to that," said the spokeswoman, describing the artillery fire as "slightly larger scale" than previous bouts of firing. more.. Israel air raids target Palestinians in Lebanon, Gaza Middle East Online 12/28/2005 Israeli warplanes on Wednesday bombed Palestinian militant targets near Beirut and in the Gaza Strip in response to a series of rocket attacks in the north and south of the Jewish state. At least two members of the PFLP-GC, a radical pro-Syrian faction headed by the veteran Ahmed Jibril, were wounded in the air strikes to the south of the Lebanese capital although there were no reported casualties in Gaza. Both were injured in a missile strike "which blew a hole in a concrete armoured protection wall in Noueyma," south of Beirut, Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command spokesman Anur Raja said. more.. New outposts for Hanukkah holidays Palestine Monitor 12/28/2005 Israeli army radio broadcast today that the Israeli right-wing activist group called ‘Teens of the Hill’ set up 8 new outposts in West Bank and intends to build a total of 25 by the end of the Hanukkah holidays on 2 January 2006. According to the Israeli publication Yediot Ahronot, these settlers want to set themselves up near existing settlements to help their expansion. The newspaper said the group vow to put up a better fight than that in Gush Katif, and quoted one of the activists as saying “If Sharon wants withdrawal from the West Bank, he should remove the Palestinians, not the Israelis. ” more.. Palestinian resistance shells a military post east of Beit Hanoun International Middle East Media Center 12/28/2005 Palestinian resistance fired, on Wednesday, three RBJ shells at a military post east of Beit Hanoun area in the Gaza strip. The Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, the military wing of Fateh, clamed responsibility for the attack in a press release that was circulated in the strip. The brigades also stated in the press release that its activists shelled the army post with two RBJ shells hitting an armored personal carrier and third one at military jeep. No injures but damage to the post were reported. [end] more.. Army invades Ertas village near Bethlehem International Middle East Media Center 12/28/2005 Israeli Army units with invaded the village of Ertas south of the West Bank city of Bethlehem. Troops broke into several homes in the village and searched them. Among the owner of the attacked homes, the following names were reported; Maher Jaber, Mahmoud Shahin, Jamal Ayish, Jameel Ayish, Ahmad Rabaiah Mohamed Jaber and Mahmoud Shahin, no arrests were made or damage to the houses, local sources reported. more.. PMG Special Report: Israeli and Palestinian Attacks in the Gaza Strip, 12 - 19 December 2005 (PDF) Palestine Media Center 12/21/2005 Between 08:00 12 December and 08:00 19 December, the Israeli military carried out 96 separate airand ground attacks against Palestinian targets in the Gaza Strip, including firing 45 missiles from F16combat aircraft, 5 missiles from UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles), over 95 tank shells, and opening firewith live ammunition on 25 separate occasions. 1 The majority of these attacks occurred in the NorthernGaza Governorate. 2 During the same period, Palestinian individuals carried out a total of 24 attacksagainst Israeli targets, including firing 31 unidentified mortars towards the Green Line. more.. PA forces step up search for three Britons abducted in Gaza Ha'aretz 12/29/2005 Palestinian security forces set up roadblocks throughout the southern Gaza Strip on Thursday as they stepped up a search for three British citizens abducted by Palestinian gunmen, the latest in a wave of kidnappings of foreigners in the chaotic area. Kate Burton, a 25-year-old worker at the Palestinian rights group Al Mezan, was showing her visiting parents around the chaotic southern border town of Rafah when they were kidnapped by gunmen on Wednesday afternoon. Around seven kidnappers, armed with automatic rifles, intercepted a car the three Britons were traveling in, pulled them out and pushed them into a white vehicle that sped away. more.. Three Britons kidnapped in Gaza amid poll tensions The Guardian 12/29/2005 Tense negotiations were under way last night to try to secure the release of a British human rights worker and her parents, who were abducted in the Gaza Strip. The 25-year-old woman, identified as Kate Burton, was showing her parents around the town of Rafah near the Egyptian border when they were bundled into a car and driven off. Foreigners have frequently been kidnapped in Gaza, but they have never been harmed or held for more than a couple of hours. Police sources said officials were in touch with the kidnappers in the hope of securing an early release. more.. It's a Katyusha that doesn't make a lot of noise - but hits hard Ha'aretz 12/29/2005 ... Ella and David Goldfeld walk among the ruins of their kitchen and living room, still amazed that they have survived without a scratch. In the stairwell, the neighbors are analyzing the performance of the Katyusha. "It's quieter but more destructive than the old kind," says one man authoritatively. "Notice the small entry hole in the roof. It's a Katyusha that doesn't make a lot of noise but causes more damage," another adds.... "The major general doesn't give answers," adds Yossi Hamo. "What could he say to my wife this morning? She's afraid to leave the house. " more.. Analysis / Collision course in the north By Amos Harel, Ha'aretz 12/29/2005 Iran's potential to create a nuclear bomb and Palestinian Qassams top the political agenda, and too little time is being spent on another threat. Under certain circumstances it might have greater impact on the elections in Israel: Katyusha rockets coming from Lebanon. The bombardment of Kiryat Shmona and Shlomi on Tuesday are worrying reminders. The launchers were assumed to be Palestinian (and the Israel Air Force retaliated by attacking a base of Ahmed Jibril's Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine) but there is almost no doubt that the real perpetrator was Hezbollah. more.. Towns in north hit by rocket fire from Lebanon Ha'aretz 12/28/2005 At least four Katyusha rockets were fired from Lebanon late Tuesday night at Israeli communities on the northern border, causing a direct hit on a house in Kiryat Shmona and damaging two others in the town. A barrage of three Katyushas landed in Kiryat Shmona, and three residents were treated for shock. The rockets also wounded a dog in one of three homes hit in the attack. The rocket fire caused a power outage in the area. Power was restored after half an hour. Municipal officials used megaphones to call on the residents to get into bomb shelters or sealed rooms. more.. Israel attacks base in Lebanon AlJazeera 12/28/2005 The Israeli air force has said it carried out an air strike against a training base belonging to a Palestinian resistance group in Lebanon, hours after a northern Israeli town was hit by rocket fire. The army said the base, south of Beirut, belonged to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, a small group that has waged a decades-long fight against the Jewish state. "This is in response to the firing of projectile rockets last night toward Israeli communities," the army said early on Wednesday. It said it viewed such attacks with "extreme severity" and held Lebanon responsible. more.. Settler youths erect 14 illegal outposts in W. Bank Ha'aretz 12/28/2005 Hundreds of settler youths erected 14 illegal outposts in the West Bank yesterday as part of a campaign to show their strength after Israel's withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, a spokeswoman for the group said. Datya Yitzhaki, a spokeswoman for the Land of Israel Faithful, said that a total of 25 new outposts, all of which would eventually become permanent communities, would be standing by the end of the Hanukkah holiday..... "We intend to expand and build on these; we will build on what has been destroyed and show that settlement activity will resume," she said. more.. IAF hits Brigades offices in Gaza Ha'aretz 12/28/2005 The Israel Air Force fired missiles at Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades offices in the northern Gaza Strip yesterday and attacked a bridge near the Gaza town of Beit Hanun in response to ongoing Qassam rocket fire. There were no injuries. Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz said yesterday that at this stage, the army does not plan to launch a ground operation in the Gaza Strip. The Israel Defense Forces said the bridge that was attacked had been used by Qassam-launching cells to reach the evacuated settlements of Elei Sinai, Dugit and Nisanit and fire rockets toward Ashkelon. The IAF also attacked six roads in the region. more.. Army shells Gaza, demands the residents to evacuate International Middle East Media Center 12/28/2005 Israeli war jets shelled several areas, on Wednesday shortly after midnight, in Al Nusseirat refugee camp, in the central Gaza strip, and demanded the residents of the northern Gaza strip to evacuate their homes before shelling them. The Israeli army demanded the residents of Beit Hanoun, in the northern part of the Gaza Strip to evacuate their homes within two hours. Army planes dropped leaflets calling the residents to evacuate, “or bare the consequences of not evacuating”. Several loud explosions, which shook dozens of homes, were heard in the northern part of the Gaza strip. more.. Jihad rejects Abbas call to halt attacks AlJazeera 12/28/2005 Palestinian resistance group Islamic Jihad has rejected a call from Mahmoud Abbas to halt rocket attacks on Israeli towns, dealing a new blow to the Palestinian president. Abbas had travelled to Gaza on Tuesday for talks with resistance groups to urged them to halt rocket attacks on Israeli towns. Saeb Erikat, a top Palestinian negotiator and participant in the meeting, said Abbas urged all Palestinian groups to honour a ceasefire reached with Israel in February. "We demand everyone be committed to the truce," Erikat said. "We consider the truce of high national interest. " more.. IAF attacks Palestinian militant base in Lebanon Ha'aretz 12/28/2005 The Israel Air Forces attacked before dawn on Wednesday a Palestinian militant training base south of Beirut, in retaliation for the barrage of rockets fired from Lebanon at Israel late Tuesday night. The attack targeted a training base operated by the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command, a small, Syrian-backed group that has been waging a decades long fight against the Jewish state. There was no immediate information on casualties or damage. The strike was the deepest in Lebanon since June 2004. more.. Rockets from Lebanon hit Israel BBC 12/28/2005 At least four rockets fired from Lebanese territory have hit Israeli towns close to the border without causing casualties. Three of the Katyusha rockets slammed into Kiryat Shmona, directly hitting one house and knocking out electricity, while a fourth hit the town of Shlomi. Israeli army sources blamed Lebanon's Hezbollah group but there was no confirmation from the militants. The border zone has been tense since Israel left south Lebanon in 2000. more.. Israeli Occupation Forces Wound Two Citizens and Arrest Three Others in Nablus City International Press Center 12/28/2005 WEST BANK, December 27, 2005 (IPC + WAFA) - - Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) wounded Today two citizens and arrested three others in West Bank (WB) city of Nablus. Local sources said that the IOF soldiers stationed at a military spot on Jirzeem mountain, southern Nablus city opened heavy fire towards Balata refugee camp and wounded Citizens Abdullah Abu Leil and Osama Selah. They were taken to Hospital. Eyewitnesses said that IOF soldiers moved into Baita Town south -east Nablus, opened fire arbitrarily and carried out a widespread search campaign into several houses, arresting two citizens and leading them to an unknown place. more.. Israeli warplanes hit Gaza AlJazeera 12/27/2005 Israeli occupation forces have launched numerous air strikes in Gaza, saying it is in response to Palestinian rocket fire. Aljazeera's correspondent in Gaza reported that Israeli warplanes launched five air strikes inside the Gaza Strip in the early hours of Tuesday morning. The first attack targeted an uninhabited area while the second hit an office of Fatah in the city of Bait Lahiya, north of the Gaza Strip, causing serious damage. The third strike struck east of the Gaza Strip, the fourth targeted the northern Salah al-Din street while the fifth one hit the city of Bait Hanun causing infrastructural damage. No casualties were reported. more.. West Bank settlers to build 25 new outposts YNetNews 12/27/2005 West Bank youngsters plan on building new outposts alongside established settlements during Hanukkah holiday. ‘If Sharon is thinking about implementing a second disengagement here, he should implement it on the Arabs,’ one organizer tells Ynet -- Ynet exclusive: After settler youths set up six illegal outposts throughout the West Bank during the Sukkot holiday, they now plan on erecting 25 more during the Hanukkah, 15 of which will apparently be set up within the next 24 hours, Ynet has learned Tuesday. more.. Settlers build new West Bank outposts AlJazeera 12/27/2005 Jewish settlers have set up 13 makeshift outposts in the West Bank in a campaign to show their strength after Israel's withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, a settler spokeswoman says. Israel is meant to remove dozens of settler outposts in the occupied West Bank not formally authorised by the government under a US-backed plan for peace with the Palestinians, but has failed to do so. Datya Yitzhaki, a former Gaza settler and spokeswoman for the settler group called the Land of Israel Faithful, said on Tuesday, hundreds of youths had begun building wooden and stone houses and pitched tents at sites close to a dozen older settlements. more.. Israel to notify Gaza Strip residents before strikes Ha'aretz 12/27/2005 The Israel Defense Forces intends to drop flyers from IAF planes warning residents before striking Gaza Strip targets as it begins enforcing a buffer zone to prevent Qassam rocket fire into its territory. The notices will be scattered around areas from which militants launch Qassam rockets into Israel. They will call on Palestinian police officers to evacuate the northern Gaza Strip, and will state that the responsibility for potential civilian casualties in Israel Air Force strikes lies with the Qassam launchers. more.. Palestinian ministry denies receiving Israeli warning to evacuate posts ReliefWeb 12/27/2005 GAZA, Dec 27, 2005 (Xinhua via COMTEX) -- The Palestinian Interior Ministry denied on Tuesday that it had received Israel's warning to evacuate Palestinian security forces posts in the northern Gaza Strip where Israel decided to set up a buffer zone to halt rocket attacks. Interior Ministry spokesman Tawfik Abu Khousa told reporters that the ministry had not received any Israeli warnings, adding that the ministry had issued firm instructions to Palestinian security forces and police to stay in their outposts and not to leave under any circumstances. more.. Two Molotov Cocktail bombs hurled at Israeli jeep in Tulkarem International Middle East Media Center 12/27/2005 A Palestinian resistance group hurled ,on Sunday at night, two Cocktail Molotov bombs at Israeli jeep near Anabta village in the West Bank city of Tulkarem, no injures were reported. Also, resident Ala Al Zoubidi, 18, from Anabta village, was shot an injured while allegedly trying to throw a Cocktail Molotov bomb at an army vehicle invading the village, local sources reported. [end] more.. Gunmen take over governor’s office in Gaza International Middle East Media Center 12/27/2005 A group of gunmen broke into and took over, on Tuesday morning, the governor’s office in northern Gaza, took positions inside the building, and demanded employment. Twenty-to-thirty gunmen, members of the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, the military wing of Fateh, broke into the building and situated themselves inside it and on its balconies and rooftop, a Palestinian security source in Gaza reported. Several similar incidents took place in Gaza recently, in addition to incident of abduction against foreigners and Palestinian officials in an attempt to pressure the Palestinian Authority to give the fighter jobs and fold them into the security devices. more.. Israeli warplanes enforce Gaza buffer zone ReliefWeb 12/27/2005 GAZA, Dec 27 (Reuters) - Israeli helicopter gunships hit targets in the Gaza Strip early on Tuesday as Israel followed through on a threat to enforce a buffer zone in the northern Gaza Strip to stop militant rocket fire into Israel. Helicopter gunships slammed missiles into two offices in Gaza which the army said were used by the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, an armed group in President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah faction, to recruit members and plan attacks. Later, a warplane dropped a bomb on a road in northern Gaza, blasting a massive crater into the ground. more.. IOF Arrests a Disabled Person in Bethlehem WAFA 12/27/2005 BETHLEHEM, December 27, 2005 (WAFA)-Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) arrested Tuesday a disabled citizen in the West Bank (WB) city of Bethlehem, sources said. WAFA correspondent revealed that Emad al-Hathoa 46, disabled person, was arrested when he protested against the Israeli bulldozers demolition of his land for the sake of establishing the Apartheid Wall in the area of Beit Jala. He added that Israeli soldiers led Emad to an unknown place. Meanwhile, Israeli military court "Salem" ruled two Palestinian detainees for different periods, while extended the detention of eight others. more.. Army confiscates 231 Dunams in Hebron Area International Middle East Media Center 12/27/2005 Israeli army issued three military orders to confiscate 231 Dunams from the West Bank cities and villages of Al Thahiriyya, Al -Sammou' and Yatta, south and south west of Hebron on Monday. Abdul-Hadi Hantash Palestinian, an expert of maps and settlements at the Palestinian Authority, said that Israeli army issued three military orders numbered T/185/05, T/186/05 and T/187/05 to grab 231 Dunams of the Palestinian farmlands in the south of the of Al Thahiriyya, Yatta and Al- Sammou' village for the construction of the Separation Wall. more.. Israel hits back to halt Palestinian rocket attacks The Guardian 12/28/2005 Army shells Gaza after missile lands near nursery · Stay home to avoid being targeted, residents told -- The Israeli armed forces shelled and bombed the Gaza Strip yesterday in an effort to prevent the firing of Qassam rockets at Israel. This week Israel intends to declare a large part of northern Gaza "a security zone" where residents are told to stay indoors or risk being shot or bombed on suspicion of firing rockets. Palestinian factions have continued to fire the rockets since Israel's withdrawal from Gaza in August, in what they say is retaliation for acts of Israeli violence in the West Bank. more.. Katyusha rockets fired at northern town YNetNews 12/28/2005 House in Kiryat Shmona sustains a direct hit -- Residents of Kiryat Shmona report damage to local houses, helicopters dispatched to locate origin of fire; explosions heard in western Galilee community of Shlomi; IDF estimate Palestinian group behind attack -- Six Katyusha rockets were fired at the northern town of Kiryat Shmona Tuesday evening, three landing in town and another three in an open field. One of the rockets hit the staircase of a three-storey building, lightly injuring two people. more.. Tenders issued for 228 West Bank dwellings Ha'aretz 12/27/2005 The Housing and Construction Ministry yesterday released tenders for the construction of 228 housing units in the West Bank: 150 units in Beitar Illit and 78 units in the Givat Hazait neighborhood in Efrat. The bureaucratic process for building these homes began five years ago, under the previous government, said Ra'anan Gissin, an adviser to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. He said the houses would be within the boundaries of existing settlements that are part of the major blocs Israel wants to retain. "This was planned a long time ago," Gissin said. "These are the large settlement blocs, they will be strengthened. " more.. Army invades Nablus, search several houses International Middle East Media Center 12/27/2005 The Israeli army invaded, on Monday at dawn, the West Bank city of Nablus and conducted wide scale search in the city. Troops searched several houses including the house of Hassan Al-Shakhshiri and turned it into a military post. Troops broke into the homes of Qadri family and Ahmad Abu Ie'mah and detained the families until morning, local sources reported. Soldiers searched several shops in the city, damage was reported, army troops searched the house of Zouhier Jadallah, in an attempt to arrest him but he was not at home. Soldiers detained the family through the night outdoors. more.. Israel fires missiles into Gaza AlJazeera 12/27/2005 Israeli helicopter gunships fired three missiles at targets in Gaza City and in the northern Gaza Strip, witnesses said, as Israel began enforcing a buffer zone to prevent rocket fire into its territory. Palestinian witnesses early on Tuesday said one missile hit an unknown target in Gaza City and another slammed into an office belonging to the Fatah faction in northern Gaza. The third hit an empty field, they said. There were no reports of casualties. The Israeli army said it fired two missiles at buildings used by the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, a militia within Fatah faction. more.. Rocket lands near kindergarten YNetNews 12/26/2005 Chanukah miracle? Qassam rocket fired at Israeli kibbutz Monday afternoon lands near preschool during party; no injuries reported, but local residents upset at government inaction -- A Chanukah party attended by kindergarten children and their parents in kibbutz Sa'ad was disrupted Monday after the activation of the "Red Dawn" alert system was followed by an exploding Qassam rocket nearby. No injuries were reported in the latest rocket attack. Another Qassam landed Monday afternoon south of Ashkelon. more.. Palestinian: Settlers uprooted 120 trees YNetNews 12/26/2005 Police launch investigation into cutting of 120 olive trees in West Bank Palestinian village. Residents claim settlers were behind crime; police say villagers may have caused damage to get compensations -- The police forensics unit and investigators set out for the West Bank village of Borin Monday, after villagers claimed Jewish settlers cut down 120 olive trees in an orchard belonging to local farmers. Police officials visited Borin in a bid to asses and document the damage caused to the orchard, and to collect testimonies from the residents. more.. IDF raises alert on northern border fearing abductions Ha'aretz 12/26/2005 The Israel Defense Forces announced this week that it was resuming a level of high alert along Israel's northern border with Lebanon, following intelligence reports that the Lebanese militant organization Hezbollah has plans to abduct IDF soldiers. According to the intelligence report, Hezbollah leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah is planning to kidnap IDF soldiers to avenge the imprisonment of Lebanese militants in Israel. Among the militants imprisoned in Israel is Samir Kuntar, who murdered several members of a single Naharia family. more.. Four Gazans hurt when PA forces open fire at former settlement Ha'aretz 12/26/2005 Armed Palestinian guards at a greenhouse in the abandoned Gaza settlement of Netzer Hazani opened fire at a group of Palestinian laborers who approached the structure Monday, wounding four people, hospital officials said. The laborers approached the greenhouse overnight Monday after hearing rumors that the business' owner planned to fire workers, officials said. Amed al-Masri, general director of the company that operates about 2,700 greenhouses in Gaza, said there were no plans to dismiss workers and accused unknown elements of trying to sabotage the buildings. more.. Army shells the northern Gaza Strip; homemade shells hit Sderot, Ashkelon International Middle East Media Center 12/26/2005 An Israeli military source reported that Israeli artillery fired several bombs at areas in the northern part of the Gaza Strip, after claiming the Palestinian resistance intended to fire homemade shells from these areas. The source stated that two homemade shells were fired, on Monday at noon, at the Israeli Negev town of Sderot, no injuries were reported. 30 minutes later, two homemade shells were fired at Ashkelon; one shell landed south of Ashkelon, while the other shell hit a kibbutz in the area, no injuries were reported. more.. Gaza infighting gets serious International Middle East Media Center 12/26/2005 Security sources announced today that members of Hamas placed explosives in front of the home of police captain Abu Wael Saada from the Jala’ neighborhood in Gaza City late last night. The sources reported the explosion resulted in the destruction of the front door. Immediately afterwards, an exchange of fire took place between the Saada family and Hamas operatives. Palestinian Police, security forces, and explosive experts, arrived at the scene, and confirmed that the house had incurred damage, no injuries were reported. more.. Israel Enforces Off-limit Zone and Closure on Palestinian Territories. International Press Center 12/26/2005 GAZA, Palestine, December 26, 2005 (IPC + Agencies) - - The Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has approved on enforcing a new off-limit zone in the northern area of Gaza Strip to prevent the firing of rockets - A decision rejected by the Palestinian National Authority and factions, and considered it as a grave step that represents a re-occupation of Gaza Strip. Israeli sources said that the no-go zone will be 1. 5 miles deep and run along the northern and eastern edges of the Gaza Strip. Deputy Defense Minister Zeev Boim said the no-go zone was part of Israel's stepped up response to the rocket fire. more.. Prime Minister Ariel Sharon ordered senior defense officials yesterday to use all means at their disposal to stop the launching of Qassam rockets from the Gaza Strip at communities in the Negev. Ha'aretz 12/26/2005 Prime Minister Ariel Sharon ordered senior defense officials yesterday to use all means at their disposal to stop the launching of Qassam rockets from the Gaza Strip at communities in the Negev. "I issued an unequivocal directive to the heads of the defense establishment that there are no restrictions on the means used to strike at the terrorists, members of the terror organizations, their equipment and their hideouts," Sharon said at yesterday's weekly cabinet meeting. more.. Southerners still without fence YNetNews 12/25/2005 Residents upset over failure to complete security fence; State abandoned us, official says -- Southern Israel residents say they feel abandoned by the government, which has thus far failed to construct the promised West Bank security fence in their region. The State of Israel is abandoning us as long as the security fence has not been completed,” read a letter sent to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon by Omer regional council head Pini Badash. more.. IDF to boost artillery fire YNetNews 12/25/2005 Army to target sources of Qassam rocket fire as opposed to empty fields, targeted killing of terrorists to continue, following consultations between PM Sharon, security officials -- Tougher approach? Prime Minister Ariel Sharon held a meeting with security chiefs Sunday to discuss the ongoing Qassam attacks from Gaza and ordered a series of steps to deal with the rockets. These include a continuation of targeted killings, the de facto imposition of an 'aerial siege' on areas of northern Gaza, and a go-ahead to the IDF to target sources of Qassam fire with artillery shells. more.. Israel Imposes Closure on OPT WAFA 12/25/2005 TEL AVIV, December 25, 2005 (WAFA) - Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) imposed tight closure on Palestinian territories throughout the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah. Israeli Minister Shaul Mofaz said today that the closure will continue throughout Hanukkah due to the holiday events. Israel has also been delaying the opening of the convoy passage between Gaza and the West Bank, in spite of pressure by the U.S. to begin the convoy trial. The planned date for the trial was December 15, 2005. [end] more.. Two Palestinian policemen wounded by Hamas gunfire Ha'aretz 12/25/2005 A Hamas gunman opened fire on Palestinian policemen on Saturday evening, moderately wounding two officers, officials said. The shooting threatened to raise tensions between the Islamic group and the Palestinian Authority, and come just a month before Hamas and the ruling Fatah Party compete in parliamentary elections. Officials said the policemen stopped a group of armed Hamas members at a routine checkpoint in Gaza City. When they demanded the gunmen hand over their weapons, they opened fire and fled. more.. IAF fires three missiles at Gaza Strip buffer zone Ha'aretz 12/27/2005 Israel Air Forces helicopters fired three missiles at targets in Gaza City and in the northern Gaza Strip early on Tuesday as Israel began enforcing a buffer zone to prevent rocket fire into its territory, witnesses said. Palestinian witnesses said one missile hit an unknown target in Gaza City and another slammed into an office belonging to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's Fatah faction in northern Gaza. The third hit an empty field, they said. There were no immediate reports of casualties. more.. Expand J'lem beyond the Green Line, panel urges Ha'aretz 12/27/2005 The Jerusalem committee of the Zionist Council in Israel recommended yesterday that an emphasis be placed on developing Jerusalem beyond the Green Line, toward the north, south and east. "The west can wait," Prof. Shlomo Hasson, head of the Floersheimer Institute for Policy Studies and a member of the Jerusalem committee, said at a press conference yesterday. Ma'aleh Adumim Mayor Benny Kashriel and two of the top researchers at the Jerusalem Institute for Israel Studies, Dr. Yisrael Kimche and Dr. Maya Hoshen, called for the hasty construction of the area known as E-1, between Jerusalem and the West Bank settlement of Ma'aleh Adumim. more.. Army invades Bethlehem, one arrested International Middle East Media Center 12/27/2005 The Israeli Army invaded on Monday at dawn Aida refugee camp in the West Bank city of Bethlehem, and arrested one resident. Troops surrounded and invaded the house of Khader Odeh, 23 conducted a thorough search. Troops found nothing in the house, but arrested Odeh and took him to unknown destination, eyewitnesses reported. Troops also interrogated Odeh wife about a weapon allegedly hidden in their house, witnesses added. [end] more.. Israel to build new settler homes BBC 12/26/2005 Israel has announced plans to build 228 new homes in Jewish settlements in the West Bank, just outside Jerusalem. The move appears to breach commitments by Israel to freeze settlement activity in occupied territory, under the US-backed "road map" peace plan. A spokesman said the building would take place in settlements - Beitar Illit and Efrat - that Israel intends to keep under any peace deal. Palestinian officials condemned the move and urged the US to intervene. more.. Israel expands West Bank settlements AlJazeera 12/26/2005 Israel has said it will build more than 200 new homes in Jewish West Bank settlements. The latest settlement construction was revealed in newspaper advertisements published on Monday seeking bids from building contractors, and would violate Israel's commitments under the US-backed road map peace plan. The plans include a total of 228 housing units in the settlements of Beitar Illit and Efrat. Both communities are just outside Jerusalem. The road map calls for a freeze on all settlement construction in the West Bank, which the Palestinians claim as part of a future independent state. Since accepting the plan in June 2003, Israel has continued to expand settlements. more.. Fatah: We have better missiles YNetNews 12/26/2005 Disturbing announcement: Senior al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades figure says group possesses longer range missile that could hit southern Israel communities previously immune to rocket threat -- The military wing of the Fatah ruling party, the al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades, claimed Monday it possesses"Grad" missiles with a range of 25 kilometers (about 15 miles. ) If until today Sderot residents have become used to Qassam fire on a daily basis, it seems residents of Ofakim, Netivot and Kiryat Gat will now also be within range of rocket fire from the Gaza Strip. more.. IDF, Shin Bet set up joint team to hunt for Hebron terror cell Ha'aretz 12/26/2005 The Israel Defense Forces and Shin Bet security service recently set up a special joint investigative team in an effort to capture the Hamas cell responsible for murdering six Israelis in the southern West Bank over the past six months. The relatively rare measure was taken due to the difficulties they have had in tracking down the cell of shooters. The cell is responsible for three terrorist attacks along West Bank roads: the murder of two teenage boys at a hitchhiking stop outside the settlement of Beit Hagai near Hebron; the murder of two young women and a boy at a hitchhiking stop in Gush Etzion; and the murder of a Beit Hagai resident near the settlement 10 days ago. more.. Report: Givati commanders beat, kicked soldiers during training Ha'aretz 12/26/2005 Commanders in one company of the Givati infantry brigade beat and kicked their soldiers during the recruits' advanced training program, even breaking sticks on their bodies as punishment, Israel Radio reported Monday. In one incident, a soldier smiled during inspection and his commanders beat and kicked him. In another case, a soldier talked when it was prohibited, and him commanders took him to the toilets where they kicked him until he collapsed, the report said. more.. IOF Arrests 3 Citizens in WB WAFA 12/26/2005 HEBRON, December 26, 2005 (WAFA)- Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) arrested Monday three citizens in the West Bank (WB) cities of Hebron, Bethlehem and Nablus. WAFA reporter said that Israeli soldiers broke into Nidal Salah's house in Hebron city, launched a search campaign, ravaged its contents and arrested Nidal, leading him into an unknown location. IOF also installed number of military checkpoints at Al-Birka area in Yatta town, south WB and held citizens' vehicles and searched them. more.. Israeli Occupation Forces Assault Nablus City. International Press Center 12/26/2005 WEST BANK, December 26, 2005 (IPC ) - - The Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) broke into Nablus City north of West Bank today dawn and carried out a widespread search campaign in several neighborhoods. IPC correspondents said that the IOF raided houses belong to the Citizens Hussein Sheikh-shear, Ahmed Abu Nema, and another several houses belong to Qadry, Joma'a and Abu Sharekh families in various neighborhoods of the City, transforming all the previous citizens houses into military caserns and watch points. more.. Israel plans Gaza 'aerial siege' BBC 12/23/2005 Israel says it will impose an "aerial siege" along its border with Gaza to stop militants firing rockets from a new Israeli-declared buffer zone. Deputy Defence Minister Zeev Boim said Israel would give Palestinian police a map of the zone and drop explanatory leaflets over the area to warn people. Palestinian militants have stepped up their rocket attacks since Israel withdrew from Gaza in September. Israel's decision followed an attack on Thursday that wounded four soldiers. more.. Palestinians: We'll continue attacks YNetNews 12/23/2005 Palestinian activists unimpressed with Israeli threats to boost military operations in Strip in response to ongoing rocket attacks, vow to carry on with rocket launching; PA official says Israeli 'escalation' impedes efforts to counter firing -- Regardless of the military actions Israel will take in Gaza, the Qassam fire will not stop, members of the Palestinian armed factions said Friday in response to Israel's threats it will enhance operations in the strip. more.. Five injured in Qabatia International Middle East Media Center 12/23/2005 On Thursday evening, Israeli soldiers invaded Qabatia town, near Jenin, and clashed with dozens of residents; five residents were injured. The injured residents were identified as Osama Ibrahim, Bilal Kamil, Ahmad Abu Al Rob, and Ahmad Zakarna. Also, troops used several homes as military posts and monitoring towers. more.. Soldiers invaded Anza village, south of Jenin International Middle East Media Center 12/23/2005 Israeli soldiers invaded, on Friday at dawn, the village of Anza west of the West Bank city of Jenin. A local source in the village reported that soldiers, supported by armored vehicles, invaded the village, broke into dozens of homes and searched them. [end] more.. AL Aqsa Brigades: “Truce had officially ended as army resumed violations” International Middle East Media Center 12/23/2005 Ahmad Abu Ras, one of the prominent leaders of the Al Aqsa Brigades, the military wing of Fateh movement, said that the Palestinian resistance sees itself unbound to the truce after the army resumed its assassination policy and escalated its military assaults. Abu Ras, from Balata refugee camp in Nablus, said that Israel sent a clear message to the Palestinians after it invaded Jenin and Nablus, and assassinated resistance fighters there. more.. Israel to enforce off-limits zone in northern Gaza Strip Ha'aretz 12/24/2005 Defense officials: IDF should target civilian areas in Gaza -- Israel will enforce a new off-limits zone in the Gaza Strip with artillery, helicopter and gunboat fire, its latest response to rocket attacks on Israeli towns, defense officials said. If enforced, the aerial barrage would mark some of Israel's toughest military action in Gaza since it withdrew from the coastal strip in September. Deputy Defense Minister Zeev Boim said the no-go zone was part of Israel's stepped up response to the rocket fire. more.. Israel to step up assassinations of Jihad men International Middle East Media Center 12/23/2005 The Israeli army decided to step up assassination of Islamic Jihad resistance group in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, Israeli sources reported on Friday. This comes after the group claimed responsibility for firing some home-made shells at Israeli targets from the Gaza Strip on Thursday. The army has already imposed an "aerial siege" on the northern part of the Gaza Strip to prevent Palestinians from reaching the ruins of three settlements which Israel evacuated in September as part of the unilateral disengagement plan. more.. Troops invade the West Bank city of Tubas International Middle East Media Center 12/23/2005 Israeli soldiers invaded, on Friday at dawn, the West Bank city of Tubas after closing its entrances. A local source in Tubas reported that soldiers closed several roads in the city and barred the residents from crossing, in addition to barring them from entering or leaving it; no arrests were reported. Also, soldiers installed a roadblock at the entrance of Tammoun village, near Tubas, and barred the residents from crossing. more.. Israel threatens to cut Gaza power AlJazeera 12/22/2005 Israel has threatened to cut power supplies to the Gaza Strip as more rockets were fired from the territory after troops killed three Palestinian fighters. Zeev Boim, the deputy defence minister, confirmed on Thursday that the idea of severing electricity supplies to Gaza has recently been discussed in the wake of the rocket attacks. All of Gaza's electricity is supplied by Israel. "A serious escalation in violence on the part of the Palestinians could bring about this measure in the future, although I hope not," Boim told Israeli radio. more.. Army shells on Beit Hanoun International Middle East Media Center 12/22/2005 Israeli artillery resumed its shelling of Beit Hanoun northern part of the Gaza Strip, the Maan News Agency reported. The shells landed and detonated in open areas close to Beit Hanoun. An Israeli military source said that the shelling came in response to homemade shells which were fired at Israeli targets. According to the source, one Qassam homemade shell landed south of the Israeli city of Ashkelon, no injuries were reported. more.. 3 Palestinians killed in Nablus ambush: witnesses say army could have arrested instead Palestine Monitor 12/22/2005 In the early hours of Thursday 22 December, several Israeli army units and armored vehicles invaded the district of Jeened in Nablus, the biggest Palestinian town in the West Bank. Three men, Bashar Hanani, Ahmad Jayousi and Anas El Shikh, were shot in the head and chest at close range by Israeli snipers, in what looks like a shoot-to-kill policy. The Israeli army arrived at 2am, blocking off the area and occupying about 10 buildings next to the construction site where the men were taking refuge. The men, all in their twenties and carrying no automatic weapons, were shot in the head and chest while trying to escape. Witnesses say they heard no exchange of fire. more.. Mofaz orders air strikes in Gaza YNetNews 12/22/2005 Israel air force to continue strikes in Gaza, defense minister orders Thursday; security officials instruct military to target Qassam launching sites with artillery fire, sabotage bridges, infrastructure; however, no ground operation planned in meantime -- Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz ordered the IAF on Thursday to continue air strikes deep into Palestinian territory in Gaza in response to ongoing Qassam attacks on Israel in recent days. The decision to carry on with the strikes was taken during a meeting Mofaz held with senior officials to evaluate the escalation in the security situation. more.. Rocket hits IDF base; 5 troops hurt YNetNews 12/22/2005 Qassam fire continues: Five IDF soldiers sustain light, moderate injuries after Qassam rocket lands in military base south of Ashkelon; army responds with artillery fire, one Palestinian reportedly killed -- Four IDF soldiers sustained light wounds and another soldier suffered light to moderate injuries after a Qassam rocket landed in a military base south of Ashkelon Thursday morning. The troops were hurt by shrapnel and will be taken to hospital for treatment. more.. One resident killed, one injured, in Gaza shelling International Middle East Media Center 12/22/2005 Israeli soldiers shelled with heavy artillery several areas in Tal Al Za’atar neighborhood, east of the Jabalia refugee camp, in the northern part of the Gaza Strip; one resident was killed, while another resident was moderate injured. Dr. Moawiya Hassanen, head of the Emergency Unitat the Palestinian Ministry of Health identified the killed resident as Ibrahim Ahmad Al Na’na’, 21 years old. Dr. Hassanen added that Al Na’na died of his wounds while he was being transferred to the Kamal Adwan hospital, in Beit Lahia. more.. Israel plans to create “security strips” in Gaza International Middle East Media Center 12/22/2005 An Israeli source reported, on Thursday at night, that Israel is planning to create “security strips” in the Gaza Strip, in a move which is said to aid the army in stopping the firing of homemade shells at Israeli targets. One security strip would be placed in the northern part of the Gaza Strip, while the other will be installed in the southern part. Israeli Defense minister, Shaul Mofaz, gave the green-light for the army to continue strikes in Gaza, and to strike deep into the Gaza. more.. Sheetrit: Gaza must be bombed YNetNews 12/22/2005 Transportation minister visits Ynet forum, says IDF has duty to launch attack on Gaza in response to recent Qassam rocket attacks; Peres demands PA take strong action against rocket launchers -- The Gaza Strip must be attacked in retaliation to the recent Qassam rocket attacks aimed at the southern town of Ashkelon and neighboring bases, Transportation Minister Meir Sheetrit said Thursday. more.. Anger grows over Gaza kidnappings AlJazeera 12/22/2005 Students were relieved and parents up in arms after two foreign teachers were kidnapped and then released by armed gunmen north of Gaza City. After an eight-hour kidnap ordeal, Hendrik Taatgen, who is Ductch, and Brian Ambrosio, and Australian, were swept into the Palestinian presidential compound on Wednesday afternoon to be met by reporters and schoolchildren. The two men, the principal and vice-principal of a private international school, were the victims of the latest in a string of kidnappings to sweep Gaza.... Rabah Muhanna, a political leader in the PFLP, denied that his party was involved in the kidnapping, saying the gunmen were young men masquerading as PFLP who wanted a piece of the PA pay-off pie. more.. 'Messiah's spokesman' threatens to kill PM YNetNews 12/22/2005 Tiberias resident detained on suspicion of distributing letters stating he plans to kill Sharon; says he would murder PM without delay if instructed to do so by Messiah -- A Tiberias resident, who defines himself as the Messiah's spokesman, was arrested Thursday on suspicion he distributed letters stating that he plans to murder Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. The suspect, 37-year-old Meir Baranes, said in one of the letters that "if I should receive an instruction from the Messiah to kill Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, I would do it immediately. " more.. IDF: No solution to Qassam fire YNetNews 12/22/2005 Military officials admit there is no substantial solution to rocket fire except for existing protective equipment and artillery fire aimed at Qassam-launching areas; Engineering Corps head tells Ynet 'IDF knows how to provide best possible defense' -- There is no real solution to the recent Qassam fire and at present protective gear and artillery fire is the best solution, IDF officials said Thursday, after a rocket landed in a military base south of Ashkelon, injuring five soldiers. more.. Palestinians shot dead in Nablus BBC 12/22/2005 Three Palestinians have been shot and killed by Israeli troops in the West Bank city of Nablus, Palestinian medical sources say. The men were shot dead as they tried to flee a building that had been sealed off by Israeli troops, witnesses said. Meanwhile five Israeli soldiers were slightly wounded by a Qassam rocket fired from the Gaza Strip at their base in southern Israel, the army said. A Palestinian man was killed when the army responded by firing shells. Palestinian medical officials said Ibrahim Naana, 21, had been killed by shrapnel after a shell landed east of the Jabaliya refugee camp. more.. Three militants killed in Nablus raid, Mofaz okays new measures to curb Qassam fire in northern Gaza Ha'aretz 12/23/2005 Thursday morning, IDF troops killed three Palestinian militants in a raid in the West Bank city of Nablus, Israel Radio reported.... In the Nablus raid, witnesses identified one of the gunmen killed as Bashar Khalani, Nablus commander of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. -- Following a meeting with senior security officials, Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz on Thursday evening approved a series of new measures aimed at curbing Qassam fire from the northern Gaza Strip. According to the plans, Israel Defense Forces artillery would prevent Palestinians from entering the evacuated settlements of Dugit and Elei Sinai, where the debris is used for hideaways for rocket launching units. more.. Troops kill 3 terror suspects in Nablus YNetNews 12/22/2005 Paratroopers, counter-terror forces raid Nablus compound Thursday morning, call on wanted suspects to surrender; three Palestinian suspects killed in shootout, including Popular Front’s regional commander -- Three wanted Palestinian suspects were killed in a gunfight with paratroopers and forces belonging to the elite YAMAM counter-terrorism unit in the West Bank town of Nablus Thursday morning. more.. Army invades Allar, Qaffin, arrest four International Middle East Media Center 12/22/2005 Israeli soldiers invaded, on Thursday at dawn, the West Bank villages of Allar and Qaffin north of Tulkarem and arrested four residents, the Palestinian Wafa News Agency reported. Israeli armored vehicles invaded the two villages, searched a number of houses and arrested Iyad Ma'ruf Taqatqa, 31, Yaser Fathi Tu'ma, 23, Salaam Mufeed Sharar,17, and Muntaser Nawwaf Balan,18, and took them all to unknown destination. Several residents were arrested recently by the army, in the two villages, after invading them. [end] more.. Soldiers invade Hebron; two residents arrested International Middle East Media Center 12/22/2005 Israeli soldiers arrested two Palestinian residents in the West Bank city of Hebron, and the nearby village of Al Thahiriyya, after invading them conducting military searches, a Palestinian security source reported. The Hebron office of the Palestinian Prisoners Society reported that soldiers arrested residents Sameer Mohammad Al Jabareen, 27, from Al Thahiryya village, and resident Ismail Omar Bader, 33, from Hebron. The father of Bader said that soldiers, supported by armored vehicles, invaded the city, broke into a Car Gallery, in Al Bassa area, and arrested his son who works there. more.. Soldiers invade Qataia, near Jenin International Middle East Media Center 12/22/2005 Israeli soldiers invaded, on Thursday at dawn, Qabatia town, near the West Bank city of Jenin, broke into a home and used it as a monitoring tower. A Local source in the town reported that soldiers broke into the home of Mihbah Nazzal, searched it, and topped it using it as a monitoring tower. Soldiers used the home as a military posts after forcing the family in one room; snipers were seen taking positions on top of the attacked home. more.. Citizen Killed, another Wounded, 14 Others Arrested WAFA 12/22/2005 BEIT HANOUN, December22, 2005, (WAFA)- Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) killed Thursday a citizen, wounded another and arrested fourteen in the West Bank (WB) and the Gaza Strip (GS), medical and security sources said. In GS city of Beit Hanoun, medics said that Ibrahim al-Na'na',21 was killed as Israeli artillery shelled areas north of the GS, adding that Israeli soldiers fired more than 25 heavy shells, wounding a citizen with a shrapnels. Security sources told WAFA that Israeli soldiers, backed by military vehicles, thrust into the villages of Beit Reema and Deir Ghsana in WB city of Ramallah a mid shooting , arrested seven citizens and led them into an undisclosed place. more.. Kidnapped teachers released in Gaza City The Guardian 12/21/2005 Two foreign teachers kidnapped by Palestinian militants early today have been released unharmed. Gunmen abducted Hendrik Taatgen, a Dutch headteacher, and his Australian deputy, Brian Ambrosio. The pair were kidnapped as they drove to work at a private American school north of Gaza City, Palestinian security officials said. Armed men stopped the teachers' blue Honda Civic around a mile from the school, forced them out of their car, bundled them into another vehicle and drove off, witnesses said. more.. IDF kills Hamas commander YNetNews 12/21/2005 Senior Hamas member killed in Jenin responsible for death of IDF soldier; Border Guard policeman lightly hurt in operation, army dog killed -- An elite Border Guard unit shot and killed one of Hamas’ commanders in the West Bank town of Jenin wanted by security forces for killing an IDF soldier in November. Ziad Suleiman Khalil Moussa, 28, of Marka near Jenin, was located in Jenin Wednesday afternoon and killed in exchanges of fire between Border Guard policemen and Palestinian gunmen in the West Bank town. more.. Katz: Bomb Strip, make Gazans flee YNetNews 12/21/2005 While IDF continues to mull reaction to rocket strikes, agriculture minister wants to see Gazans flee to Sinai -- Extreme solution? Israel should bomb the Gaza Strip and force residents in some areas to flee to the Sinai desert in Egypt, Agriculture Minister Yisrael Katz (Likud) proposed in response to ongoing Qassam rocket attacks from Gaza. Meanwhile, IDF officials continue to deliberate on the proper reaction to the persistent rocket strikes. more.. Five Palestinians arrested in several areas in the West Bank International Middle East Media Center 12/21/2005 Israeli soldiers arrested, on Wednesday morning, five residents from several West Bank areas. The five residents are said to be members of Hamas and the Islamic Jihad. Four residents were arrested in Qibia and Betonia villages, near Ramallah, while the fifth was arrested in Yatta village, near Hebron. On Wednesday morning, Palestinian fighters exchanged fire with an Israeli army vehicle during an invasion to the West Bank city of Nablus. Army source reported that soldiers invaded the city in order to arrest wanted resistance fighter. more.. Israeli Occupation Forces Confiscate 85 Dunums of Agricultural Lands in West Bank. International Press Center 12/21/2005 WEST BANK, Palestine, December 21, 2005 (IPC) - - The Israeli Occupation Authorities decided on confiscating 85 Dunums of agricultural lands in Al-Khaddar Town in Bethlehem Province. Israeli sources alleged that the IOF decided to seize the Palestinian lands for military reasons and for establishing Al-Khaddar crossing point, asserting that the implementation of the decision will be fulfilled within a week. It is worthy mentioning that the IOF annexed earlier large areas of agricultural lands in the vicinity of the Tunnel military checkpoint to Israeli control in Bait Gala and Al-Khaddar villages. more.. IDF probes soldier's shooting injury YNetNews 12/21/2005 IDF investigates soldier's injury by gun shots to chest, in a bid to establish whether incident is suicide or accident -- Game gone bad or attempted suicide? An IDF soldier was seriously injured Wednesday by gun shots to his chest at an army base in southern Israel. The soldier was evacuated to the Soroka Medical Center in Beer Sheva for medical treatment; the circumstances of his injury remain unclear. more.. Mofaz expects Gaza terror wave YNetNews 12/21/2005 Defense minister instructs IDF commanders in South to prepare for return of terror -- Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz has instructed the IDF to prepare for an expected terror wave from the Gaza Strip, Israel’s leading newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported Wednesday. During a meeting with IDF Southern Command officials Tuesday, Mofaz ordered forces around Gaza to prepare for a renewed, extensive terror campaign. more.. Palestinian sources: Hamas man killed by IDF in Jenin raid Ha'aretz 12/21/2005 IDF girds for terror escalation, warns it may cut power to Gaza -- Israel Defense Forces troops killed a militant from the Hamas terrorist organization during an arrest raid in the West Bank on Wednesday, a Palestinian security source said. Palestinian gunmen and Israel Defense Forces soldiers exchanged fire on Wednesday after troops entered the West Bank town of Jenin to arrest suspected militants, witnesses said. One soldier was wounded in the shootout. more.. PFLP frees two foreign teachers abducted at gunpoint in Gaza Ha'aretz 12/21/2005 Group says it snatched teachers in bid to secure release of its members jailed over murder of Israeli minister. -- The militant Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) organization on Wednesday freed two foreign teachers it kidnapped earlier in the day as they made their way to work at a private American school in the Gaza Strip. The announcement of their release came shortly after the group said it was behind the abduction. more.. Citizen Killed in Jenin by Israeli Unit WAFA 12/21/2005 JENIN, December 21, 2005 (WAFA) - A citizen was killed Wednesday by an Israeli undercover unit in the West Bank city of Jenin. Witnesses said that the unit broke into a residential building and killed Zayed Mussa 18. His body was riddled with bullets, according to witnesses. Mussa'a body was transferred to hospital and then to his family's house, where he would be laid to rest. [end] more.. Bedouins to staff public transportation security unit in south Palestine Monitor 12/20/2005 Transportation Minister Meir Sheetrit on Tuesday announced the creation of a new public transportation security unit composed uniquely of former trackers and soldiers in the Israel Defense Forces Bedouin unit. The security unit will operate in the south of the country, where most of Israel's Bedouin community is concentrated. "The incorporation of Bedouin soldiers in the public transportation security service will enable the system to take advantage of their special ability to identify potential suspects and suicide bombers before they board the bus," Sheetrit said. more.. Four Palestinians die due to sound-bombs and shelling in Gaza Strip Palestine Monitor 12/18/2005 The General Director of Reception and Emergency in the Palestinian Health Ministry, Dr Mauia Hassanin, declared that four sick Palestinians died on Sunday 18 the December due to Israeli sound-bombs and shelling in Southern Gaza. Dr Hassinin said that many people suffering from long-term illnesses such as blood pressure, diabetes, and heart conditions died suddenly on Sunday after being struck by deafening sound-bombs launched by low-flying Israeli airplanes. Some 77 people, especially children and elderly women, rushed to the hospital after the attack, suffering from nausea and confusion, some of whom were transferred to a specialist care centre for treatment of the nervous system. Some of the more serious cases involved internal bleeding in the brain and five pregnant women lost their babies as a direct result of the sound-bomb attack – a new Israeli tactic known to traumatize and induce miscarriages. more.. IDF shells Gaza after Qassams land in Israel Ha'aretz 12/21/2005 IDF artillery shelled sites in the Gaza Strip which were used by Palestinians to launch five Qassam rockets at targets in Israel on Tuesday evening, none of which caused any injuries or damage. Three rockets landed near the western Negev town of Sderot, one landed south of Ashkelon, and the fifth landed in an Israel Defense Forces base north of the Gaza Strip, Israel Radio reported. Earlier Tuesday, an Israeli Border Policeman was moderately wounded in a military operation in a village near the West Bank town of the Jenin. more.. Gunmen seize Bethlehem City Hall BBC 12/20/2005 Gunmen briefly seized City Hall in Bethlehem in the West Bank on Tuesday, in an apparent dispute over pay. At least 15 members of the al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade, which is linked to the ruling Fatah party, ordered staff to leave and closed the doors. The activists also occupied the rooftop overlooking Manger Square, near where Jesus is said to have been born. After about an hour, and after meeting the governor of Bethlehem, the gunmen walked out of the building. They had reportedly demanded that the Palestinian Authority pay their salaries. more.. Israel threatens to cut off power to Gaza strip Ha'aretz 12/21/2005 Israel is threatening to cut off the Gaza Strip's electricity supply if a Qassam rocket hits a vital Israeli infrastructure facility. On Sunday, after a Qassam rocket fired from Gaza landed not far from an Israel Electric Corporation power plant south of Ashkelon, Israel told thePalestinian Authority that it planned to shut off power for two hours in theearly hours of Monday morning, as a warning of things to come if the Qassam fire did not stop. However, implementation was indefinitely postponed to give the main Palestinian hospital in Gaza time to purchase emergency generators. more.. IOF Arrests 13 Citizens in WB WAFA 12/20/2005 RAMALLAH, December 20, 2005, (WAFA) - Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) arrested at least 12 citizens in the West Bank (WB) cities of Ramallah and Jenin. Security sources said that Israeli soldiers, supported by armoured vehicles, stormed Qabatya town, south of Jenin and launched a search campaign amid fire shooting, wounding number of citizens and arresting Mohammad Kmeil 17, and leading him into an unknown spot. They also arrested number of citizens of al-Yammoun, west Jenin. more.. Palestinian: IDF dog bites boy in Nablus YNetNews 12/19/2005 Latest incident marks second such case in two weeks; victim’s brother: Dog wouldn’t let go -- Palestinian sources in Nablus say that a dog that took part in an army operation in the city bit a 12 year-old Palestinian boy during a search of a home. The child sustained serious injuries to his leg. The latest incident marks the second time where a dog bites a child in the course of searches during anti-terror operations. Two weeks ago, a dog bit another 12 year-old child in Jenin. The IDF's Spokesperson Unit has yet to respond to the latest incident. more.. Right-wing group readies to build 15 new illegal outposts Ha'aretz 12/19/2005 A far-right group intends to build fifteen new illegal outposts across the West Bank, it emerged on Thursday. The Loyalists of the Land of Israel (Ne'emanei Eretz Yisrael in Hebrew), a group that has already attempted to build four new illegal outposts in the Sukkot High Holiday in October, intend to carry out their plan mid next week, during the Hanukka festival. The group is lead by veteran right-wing activists Daniella Weiss, rabbi Moshe Levinger and other activists who were evacuated from Gush Katif in August. more.. Gaza evictees settle in West Bank BBC 12/19/2005 The unopened boxes, scattered belongings and household bric-a-brac did not seem to bother Datya Yitzhaki as she made her way out to her patio. She has seen it all before. "We lived in caravans for 13 years," she said, recalling her time as a pioneer of Jewish settlement in the Israeli-occupied Gaza Strip. In 1984, Mrs Yitzhaki was among the first of four families to move to Kfar Yam - one of an eventual 21 Jewish settlements in the territory, which is home to 1. 5m Palestinians.... "It's colder here, of course," she said, "and the view is very different, but it's all the Land of Israel. " more.. Father of 5 killed in W. Bank shooting Ha'aretz 12/19/2005 An Israeli driver was killed and two hitchhikers traveling with him were lightly wounded in a shooting attack on their car in the southern Hebron Hills early Friday afternoon. Palestinian gunmen opened fire from the window of their vehicle, killing Yossi Shok, 35, from the nearby settlement of Beit Hagai. Islamic Jihad and the Fatah-linked Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades claimed joint responsibility for the attack. more.. Troops arrest two Palestinians carrying bombs near Jerusalem Ha'aretz 12/19/2005 Security forces on Monday morning chased down two Palestinians near Jerusalem who had apparently intended to carry out a terror attack in the capital city, Army Radio reported. The two youths, who threw firebombs at security forces during the chase, were eventually arrested attempting to cross the separation fence near Jerusalem's southern Har Homa neighborhood. more.. Israel fires rockets at northern Gaza ReliefWeb 12/19/2005 GAZA, Dec 19, 2005 (Xinhua via COMTEX) -- Israeli aircraft fired 11 rockets at the northern Gaza Strip overnight, wounding a Palestinian doctor and a paramedic, Palestinian security sources and medics said on Monday. Two of the Israeli rockets struck near a hospital and the shrapnel wounded the two medical workers, medics at Balsam hospital said. Security sources said most of the rockets were targeting access routes and a main road that links northern Gaza to Gaza City. Huge blasts were caused by the Israeli air strike, leaving windows shattered and houses damaged in the town of Beitlahia, the sources added. more.. Israel Launches 13 Raids on Gaza, Sharon Hospitalized Palestine Chronicle/Islam Online 12/19/2005 "Four Palestinians were wounded in at least ten air raids on Sunday, December 18, including three policemen and a baby, medics said.. " -- GAZA CITY - Israel launched 13 air strikes on the Gaza Strip at dawn Monday, December 19, and overnight as Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon was rushed in to hospital after suffering a stroke. Two Israeli missiles struck near a residential area Monday in the northern Gaza town of Beit Lahiya, damaging houses and injuring two doctors, Reuters reported. Four Palestinians were wounded in at least ten air raids on Sunday, December 18, including three policemen and a baby, medics said. more.. Israeli Army invades a number of areas in the West Bank and Gaza Strip and arrests eight International Middle East Media Center 12/19/2005 Local sources and eyewitnesses reported that soldiers of an Israeli undercover unit invaded a number of neighborhoods in both West Bank cities of Beit Sahour and Bethlehem Monday morning, mainly in Al-karkafa and Al-eskan, after arresting two residents near the illegal settlement of Har Homa, east of the West Bank city of Beit Sahour, Palestine News Network reported. An Israeli military spokesperson claimed that a force of border guards uncovered two residents (16, 17),who were from the Dehiesha refugee camp south of Bethlehem, near the settlement fence of Har Homa on their way to Jerusalem to carry out a suicide bombing. more.. Two die in Gaza border incidents BBC 12/18/2005 A Palestinian militant leader and a suspected Palestinian militant have been killed in a series of violent incidents in the Gaza Strip. A man named as an Abu Rish Brigades leader died when his car blew up during the night near Khan Younis in the south, and three others were injured. Earlier, Israel said it shot dead a militant he tried to plant a bomb. Then at least three Palestinians were wounded when Israeli aircraft bombed roads and a bridge in the north. more.. Car packed with explosives found outside Nablus hospital Ha'aretz 12/18/2005 Palestinian authorities evacuated a hospital in the West Bank city of Nablus on Sunday after discovering a car packed with explosives parked outside. Palestinian security forces neutralized the explosives, and there were no reports of casualties. It was not immediately known who owned the vehicle or who placed it in the courtyard outside the Rafidia hospital. Last week, Palestinian authorities discovered a car bomb near the West Bank town of Bethlehem and tipped off Israeli police, who blew up the vehicle in a controlled explosion. more.. Body of Palestinian resident found in Gaza International Middle East Media Center 12/18/2005 A Palestinian medical source in Gaza reported on Sunday that a body of a Palestinian resident was located in Al Nowam area, near Beit Lahia, in the northern part of the Gaza Strip. The source stated that the resident was killed after Israeli tanks opened fire with automatice weapons at a resistance group in the area. The resident was identified as Loqman Abu Thikra, 23. His body was transferred to Kamal Adwan hospital. The resident was killed during a gun battle which took place between the army and the resistance, in the northern part of the Gaza Strip. more.. IDF to ease W. Bank restrictions for pilgrims during Christmas Ha'aretz 12/20/2005 Israel will ease access to Bethlehem during the upcoming Christmas celebrations in a "calculated risk" intended to let Christian pilgrims worship the holiday freely in the West Bank town, security officials said Monday. Israel Defense Forces Lt. Col. Aviv Feigel said pilgrims will not need permission from the army to enter the town, the traditional birthplace of Jesus. The military will try to speed the process by not checking every tourist bus, but conduct spot checks of random buses instead, he said. more.. Qassam lands in IDF base YNetNews 12/20/2005 Four rockets fall on Israel Tuesday; no injuries or damage reported. IDF responds by firing artillery rounds at fields in Gaza used to launch Qassams. Earlier, Mofaz visits border with northern Gaza Strip, rules out ground operation to halt Qassam fire -- Four rockets fired from the northern Gaza Strip landed in Israel Tuesday evening. No injuries or damages were reported in the attacks. more.. Ashkelon to get rocket alert system YNetNews 12/19/2005 Red Dawn rocket alert system to be activated in southern town of Ashkelon, following recent Qassam attack on industrial area -- Following the Qassam attack on the southern town of Ashkelon Sunday, officials at the Home Front Command decided that the Red Dawn alert system will be activated in the area within the next few days. DF sources said the rocket launching came as no surprise. more.. PNIC: 4214 Killed People, 9200 arrested, and 45891 Wounded since the Beginning of Al-Aqsa uprising International Press Center 12/20/2005 GAZA, Palestine, December 20, 2005 (IPC)--The number of the killed people since the outbreak of Al-Aqsa uprising on 29-9-2000 and until 30 November 2005 have reached 4214 killed people, in addition to 82 people, were not recorded because of the Israeli procedures, whereas the number of wounded have reached 45891. A report issued by the Palestinian National Information Center (PNIC) which belongs to the State Information Service (S. I. S), mentioned that the number of the killed children who are underage went up to reach 791. more.. Exclusive: IDF’s biochemical unit YNetNews 12/20/2005 Includes Video: Ynetnews special: New counter-terror unit trained to deal with non-conventional threats -- (VIDEO) Biological weapons? A chemical explosive device? The IDF’s Yanshuf (Owl) unit can handle it. Yanshuf fighters are ready for anything, a senior IDF officer told Ynet, addressing the highly specialized force, equipped to deal with unconventional terrorist attacks ranging from chemical to biological strikes. [See also: The Israeli Poison Gas Attacks] more.. Israeli man killed, two wounded in West Bank shooting attack Ha'aretz 12/16/2005 Palestinian gunmen in the West Bank opened fire in the southern Hebron Hills early Friday afternoon, killing an Israeli man and lightly wounding two other women. The victim of the attack has been named as Yossi Shok, 35, from the West Bank settlement of Beit Hagai. Islamic Jihad and the Al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades, a Fatah-linked militant group, claimed joint responsibility for the attack. The Israel Defense Forces said the gunmen shot at Shok's vehicle near Beit Hagai, not far from the regional IDF headquarters. The gunmen apparently fired from a passing car and fled the scene. more.. Israel shells Gaza, imposes closure in wake of rocket fire Ha'aretz 12/17/2005 The Israel Air Force shelled Gaza Strip targets Friday in response to recent rocket fire from the Strip. Before dawn, IAF planes shelled 13 ground targets in the Gaza Strip that were used either as launching sites for Qassam rockets or paths leading to the sites. Nonetheless, three Qassam rocket landed in the western Negev on Friday afteroon and evening, two near the town of Sderot and the other near Mefalsim. No casualties or damage was caused by either rocket. IAF planes also produced sonic booms when they broke the sound barrier over the Strip, Israel Radio reported. An IDF source said the flights were intended to block the firing of Qassam rockets from Gaza. more.. Israeli-Arabs, PA collaborators clash YNetNews 12/16/2005 One man killed as Arab residents of northern Israel village clash with Palestinian collaborators relocated to area; Arab MK says collaborators are ‘garbage’ -- A 43-year-old father of 10 was shot to death Thursday during a brawl involving veteran residents of an Arab-Israeli village in northern Israel and Palestinian collaborators relocated to the area by security authorities. Large police forces arrived at the area and managed to calm tensions at the village of Um al-Kutuf for the time being, after police officers were stoned earlier. In response, police resorted to using crowd dispersal means including stun grenades and tear gas. more.. Closure imposed on West Bank, Gaza YNetNews 12/16/2005 IDF infuriated with ongoing Qassam rocket attacks on Israeli targets, but vows measured response; closure imposed on Palestinian areas; overnight, Air Force strikes rocket launching sites in Gaza StripHanan Greenberg The IDF has imposed a closure on the West Bank and Gaza Strip effective Friday morning in response to the firing of Qassam rockets at Israel, following an assessment by political officials. Palestinians will be allowed to go through crossings only in special humanitarian cases, but Gaza's Karni crossing will remain open to the transfer of goods. more.. Qassam lands just south of Ashkelon Ha'aretz 12/16/2005 A Qassam rocket landed about two kilometers south of Ashkelon yesterday, in an open area not far from one of the city's industrial zones. The rocket, which landed close to a Carlsberg beer plant, caused neither casualties nor property damage. However, several sensitive targets lie not far from where it landed, including the Rutenberg power plant and a large fuel storage depot. This is the second time a Qassam has landed in the vicinity of Ashkelon. The last was in August 2003. more.. Israeli settler killed in Hebron BBC 12/16/2005 Israeli security forces cordon off a car in which an Israeli settler was shot dead near Hebron - Israel has linked the attack to the upcoming Palestinian elections -- An Israeli settler was killed and two others were wounded when gunmen opened fire on their car in Hebron, the Israeli army has announced. The 35-year-old settler was shot in the head when his car was ambushed on a road near the southern West Bank town. The man, who died later in hospital, was the first Israeli civilian to be killed in the West Bank since October. The Palestinian militant groups Islamic Jihad and the al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade have said they were behind the attack. Palestinian groups had vowed to avenge the killing of four suspected militants in an Israeli air strike in Gaza on Wednesday. more.. Israel Prepares to Demolish Elderly Couple's Home in Jerusalem WAFA 12/16/2005 JERUSALEM, December 16, 2005 (WAFA) - The Israeli occupation authorities are preparing to demolish the house of an elderly couple in East Jerusalem, on the grounds that it was built without a permit, a New Zealander peace movement said Friday. Peace Movement Aotearoa said the Israeli Jerusalem Municipality issued an order for the destruction of the home of Mohammad and Zarifa Abbasi (78&76), in the Silwan neighbourhood, earlier this year. The couple, who are in poor health, have attempted to block the order through the courts, so far without success. They may have one more court hearing at which to challenge the demolition order, to be held later this year. They have little hope of success. more.. Citizen Dies of Wounds in Jerusalem WAFA 12/16/2005 JERUSALEM, December 16, 2005 (WAFA) - Citizen for Jerusalem died Friday of wounds he sustained a few days ago as Israeli soldiers beat him up. Security sources reported that Mahmoud Shawawreh 44, died, at a hospital, of wounds he suffered due to severe beating by Israeli soldiers as he was cultivating his farm, near Abu Ghuneim colony in Jerusalem. Meanwhile, two citizens, including a woman, were wounded in Gaza when Israeli artillery shelled Sheik Zayed city, north of Gaza. Another citizen was shot and wounded by the Israeli soldiers with three bullets in the right leg as Israeli troops stormed the West Bank city of Tulkarem. more.. Eight injured, four arrested in Bil’in International Middle East Media Center 12/16/2005 Dozens of Palestinian, Israeli and international peace activists protested against the Separation Wall and settlements, in Bil’in village, near Ramallah. The peaceful protest was met with military violence; eight were injured, for arrested. Abdullah Abu Rahma, coordinator of the Popular Committee Against the Wall in Bil’in, reported that soldiers barred the protestors from reaching the orchards and attacked them with batons. The protestors wrote the names of landowners, who lost their orchards for the construction of the Wall, on big sings in English, Arabic and Hebrew. more.. Army invades Allar, Saida arrests four International Middle East Media Center 12/16/2005 Seven armored vehicles invaded the villages of Allar and Saida near the West Bank city of Tulkarem, on Friday at dawn, and arrested Raed Ahmad Taha Bamyan, 30, an Islamic Jihad activist, from the West Bank town of Allar north of Tulkarem. Troops also arrested three brothers from Saida, after breaking into their house. The arrestees were identified as Sa'di, Safwat, and Hikmat Odeh; all are said to be members of the Islamic Jihad. more.. Army seals Tammoun, arrests one resident International Middle East Media Center 12/16/2005 The Israeli army sealed off, on Thursday afternoon, the main entrance of Tammoun village near the West Bank city of Tubas, and arrested one resident. Troops installed a military checkpoint at the entrance of the village, and stopped the vehicles. Soldiers also chased the residents trying to bypass the checkpoint from the hill roads. One resident, identified as Na'el Bani Odah, 23, was arrested and taken to unknown destination, local sources reported. more.. Israel to Build in West Bank Settlements ABC News 12/14/2005 Israel OKs Construction of New Homes in West Bank Settlements, a Violation of U.S. -Backed Plan -- JERUSALEM Dec 14, 2005 — Israel has approved construction of hundreds of new homes in West Bank settlements, the Defense Ministry said Wednesday, confirming what would be a violation of the U.S. -backed peace plan. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon scrambled to contain a political uproar following a Newsweek report quoting a Sharon aide as saying the prime minister would be willing to cede 90 percent of the West Bank and part of Jerusalem. more.. IDF imposes closure on the West Bank, Gaza Strip Ha'aretz 12/16/2005 Israel Defense Forces imposed a closure on the Gaza Strip and the West Bank early Friday morning, in response to the recent barrage of Qassam rockets fired from Gaza. The closure would not affect the Karni crossing, Israel Radio reported. Israel Air Forces attacked before dawn on Friday a Qassam launching ground in the northern Gaza Strip, near Beit Hanoun. Earlier Friday morning, IAF airplanes flew over Gaza, breaking the sound barrier over the Strip. An IDF source said the flights were intended to block the firing of Qassam rockets from Gaza. more.. Israeli aircraft in Gaza strikes AlJazeera 12/15/2005 Israeli military aircraft have attacked the home of a leading Palestinian fighter and the office of an Islamic charity in the Gaza Strip, wounding one person, witnesses and medics said. The strikes on Beit Lahiya and Rafah on Thursday followed a similar attack on Wednesday which killed four Palestinian fighters near Gaza City. Israel launched the latest offensive after an Islamic Jihad bomber killed five of its citizens last week. Witnesses said the three-storey building targeted in Beit Lahiya village belonged to Amer Karmut, a leader of the Popular Resistance Committee (PRC), a coalition of Palestinian fighters that specialises in cross-border rocket fire into Israel. more.. Citizen Wounded in Israeli Airstrike on Gaza WAFA 12/15/2005 GAZA, December 15, 2005 (WAFA)- A citizen was wounded when an Israeli helicopters launched Thursday at dawn an airstrike on a house and charitable institution in the Gaza Strip, security and medical sources said. The sources said that the Israeli missiles targeted a house in Beit Lahiya, north the Gaza Strip(GS), which was twice targeted earlier. Firemen rushed to the site to extinguish the fire. Medics affirmed that paramedics evacuated one citizen who was wounded due to shrapnels. He was transferred to Hospital. more.. IOF Closes Sofa, Karni Crossings WAFA 12/15/2005 GAZA, December 15, 2005, (WAFA)- Israeli Occupation Forces have closed on Thursday two crossings in the Gaza Strip (GS), security sources said. Ministry of Interior (MOI) revealed that the Israeli side closed Sofa crossing, east Khanyounis city and Karni, east Gaza city under a pretext for security and legal reasons. It added that no definite time has sit yet for their reopening. According to deal reached by the palestinian National Authority (PNA) and Israel brokered by the US secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, the Israeli still control some of Gaza crossings. [end] more.. State tells High Court: Hebron squatters will be evicted by mid-February Ha'aretz 12/15/2005 The state yesterday told the High Court of Justice that illegal Jewish squatters in Palestinian shops in Hebron's wholesale market, will be evicted by mid-February. The state prosecution detailed in its brief to the court that Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz decided eviction notices will be issued to community leaders in the coming days, and the settlers will have to leave the Palestinian shops by mid-January. If they have not left by mid-February, they will be forcibly evicted.... An army operation to evict the families could be complicated, since many of the 500 Jewish settlers who live in the Israeli-controlled center of Hebron are known as violent extremists. more.. Settlers who invaded Hebron market face evacuation YNetNews 12/15/2005 State tells court Jewish settlers who took over Palestinian stores four years ago to be removed by mid February -- Jewish settlers from Hebron, who invaded the town's wholesale market, will be evacuated from there by mid February, State officials said at a High Court hearing Thursday. The Hebron Municipality filed a petition to the High Court of Justice four years ago, a short while after Jewish settlers took over Palestinian stores in the wholesale market located near a Jewish neighborhood. The Municipality charged that the IDF did not do anything in order to stop the invasion and return the shops to their Palestinian owners. more.. IDF: Qassam attacks won’t go unanswered YNetNews 12/16/2005 Security sources say IDF will not turn a blind eye to spate of Qassam rockets that hit Negev Thursday, but wide-scale operation in Gaza Strip to halt attacks not in the cards. Source: Qassam attacks are sort of Palestinian response to targeted killings -- The Israel Defense Forces will not turn a blind eye to the spate of Qassam rockets that hit the Negev Thursday, but a wide scale operation in the Gaza Strip to halt attacks is not in the cards, security officials said. more.. East J'lem man gets 12 years in jail for plotting to kill Shas spiritual leader Ha'aretz 12/15/2005 An East Jerusalem resident was sentenced on Thursday to 12 years in prison and three years probation for planning to assassination Shas spiritual leader Rabbi Ovadia Yosef. Musa Darwish, 22 years old and a member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, scouted Yosef's neighborhood to evaluate access routes and to evaluate the rabbi's security arrangements. Darwish was nabbed when he made an attempt to obtain a Kalashnikov assault rifle with which he planned to murder Yosef. more.. State strikes deal with two men accused of ties with Hamas Ha'aretz 12/15/2005 The State Prosecution has again agreed to drop central charges against Israelis suspected of supporting terrorism, when on Thursday it struck a plea bargain with two Israeli Arabs from the north of the country who are suspected of ties with the Palestinian terror organization Hamas. Under the plea bargain, Nazmi Hsayn of Nazareth and Abed al Salem Zaydan of Kafr Manda, both dentists, will admit to charges of contact with an enemy agent. The other, more serious charges, including supporting a terror organization, will be dropped from the indictment sheet. more.. IDF blows up car bomb after tip off from PA security forces Ha'aretz 12/15/2005 The Israel Defense Forces on Thursday said a car bomb was found on a tunnel road leading from Jerusalem to the West Bank, and that sappers neutralized the explosives during early evening. Palestinian security officials tipped the Israelis off to the car after it raised their suspicions, Palestinian and Israeli officials said. Lt. Col. Eliezer Toledano, an IDF commander in the area, said four gas canisters, flammable liquids and tires were found inside the car. He said the car stopped when it hit a wall of boulders along the road. more.. Israel steps up aggression on Gaza Palestine Monitor 12/15/2005 Al-Khalil, IRNA -- Israeli warplanes carried out a series of air strikes throughout Gaza Strip Wednesday night, killing at least four Palestinian civilians and injuring others. Hospital sources said a high-ranking Islamic Jihad leader escaped assassination miraculously when the car he was driving was hit with two rockets in the Shujaiya neighborhood, east of Gaza. The sources said Sheikh Khadr Habib was slightly injured by shrapnel, adding that his life was not in danger. Earlier, Israeli warplanes fired rockets at a civilian car in which four persons were riding, killing all of them. more.. Israel Keeps Killing Palestinians, Grabbing Their Land Palestine Media Center 12/15/2005 Palestinian leading anti-occupation activist Khader Habib survived an Israeli assassination attempt in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday hours after four other activists were killed and several bystanders wounded in a fresh Israeli extra-judicial killing by an air strike, amid reports that Israel has approved the construction of hundreds of new Jewish settler homes in the colonial settlements it built on the West Bank. Islamic Jihad spokesman, Sheikh Khader Habib, survived an assassination attempt after an Israeli surveillance plane targeted his vehicle in Al Shuja’eyya neighborhood, east of Gaza city. He was lightly injured. more.. Israeli Occupation Forces Arrest 13 Residents in OPT International Press Center 12/14/2005 GAZA, Palestine, December 14, 2005, (IPC+Agencies) - - Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) arrested today dawn two residents in Gaza Strip and eleven others in the West Bank. Local sources reported that IOF detained two residents from Gaza Strip and led them to an unknown place. Israeli sources alleged that the two detained residents were held while they were trying to penetrate the border fence between Israel and Gaza Strip. Meanwhile, IOF arrested eleven residents in the West Bank cities of Ramallah, Bethlehem Qulqelia and Jenin. Local sources reported that IOF arrested resident Mahmoud Radwan, 25, from Ezon town eastern Qulqelia City, a soldier in the Palestinian National Security forces, and led him to an unknown place. more.. Forest hampers fence construction YNetNews 12/15/2005 Gush Etzion residents petition High Court, say fence route would destroy forest The construction of the security fence has been hampered yet again by legal procedures, as work on the barrier scheduled for Thursday morning was delayed by the High Court of Justice. The cause of the latest delay is the result of a petition submitted by Gush Etzion residents over the route of the security fence. The petition was accompanied by a demonstration of 150 protesters.... "We want to protect the environment and we have offered alternative fence routes that are good for everyone – Jews and Arabs – and which the save the State funds.. " more.. Four Palestinians killed in Israeli air strike The Guardian 12/14/2005 At least four Palestinians were killed and four others wounded today when their car was hit in an Israeli air strike, Palestinian hospital officials said. The Israeli military says it launched the air strike against the car as it was carrying militants from the Popular Resistance Committees, who were about to carry out attack against Israel. The vehicle is also believed to have been carrying explosives. The car was blown apart near the Karni crossing between Gaza and Israel, the site of previous militant attacks. more.. Official: Mofaz approves construction in West Bank settlements Ha'aretz 12/14/2005 Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz has approved the construction of hundreds of new homes in West Bank settlements, a Defense Ministry official said Wednesday, violating its obligations under the U. S. -backed road map peace plan. Mofaz approved the plans in the past week, the official told The Associated Press, speaking on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to speak to the media. He made the decision shortly before leaving the Likud Party for Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's new centrist party, the official said. more.. IDF continues airstrikes in Gaza Ha'aretz 12/15/2005 The Israel Defense Forces continued its offensive on militant targets in the Gaza Strip early Thursday morning, striking the home of a leading Palestinian militant and the office of an Islamic charity. An Israel Air Force aircraft attacked the home of a militant in Beit Lahiya village before dawn Thursday. Witnesses said the three-story building targeted belonged to Amar Karmout, a leader of the Popular Resistance Committee (PRC), a coalition of Palestinian militants that specializes in cross-border rocket fire into Israel. more.. Israeli aircraft attack Gaza structures AlJazeera 12/15/2005 Israeli military aircraft have attacked the home of a leading Palestinian fighter and the office of an Islamic charity in the Gaza Strip, wounding one person, witnesses and medics said. The strikes on Beit Lahiya and Rafah on Thursday followed a similar attack on Wednesday which killed four Palestinian fighters near Gaza City. Israel launched the latest offensive after an Islamic Jihad bomber killed five of its citizens last week. Witnesses said the three-storey building targeted in Beit Lahiya village belonged to Amer Karmut, a leader of the Popular Resistance Committee (PRC), a coalition of Palestinian fighters that specialises in cross-border rocket fire into Israel. more.. Air Force pounds Gaza targets: Video YNetNews 12/15/2005 Escalation in the Gaza Strip: Army strikes several targets overnight, IDF officials say Air Force will continue to attack, no one immune; Earlier, Palestinians fire Qassam rockets after army kills four Palestinians en route to attack -- (VIDEO) More assassinations on the way? The Air Force struck at a series of Gaza Strip targets early Thursday, with army officials saying operations in the area will continue in an attempt to target terror activists. more.. Fewer officers to be armed as suicide becomes IDF's top killer Ha'aretz 12/14/2005 Thirty-three Israel Defense Force soldiers committed suicide since the beginning of 2005, the chief of the IDF manpower headquarters, Brigadier-General Avi Zimer, told the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee on Wednesday. The head of the IDF's manpower division, General Eliezar Stern, said during the meeting that to combat this wave of suicides, it was recently decided that officers and non-commissioned officers in rear units will be armed. Additionally, soldiers in rear units will be prohibited to carry weapons while on leave. more.. Clashes erupt at Fatah's Gaza office AlJazeera 12/14/2005 A gun battle erupted outside the Gaza headquarters of the ruling Fatah party, pitting rival gunmen against one another in a new sign of turmoil ahead of next month's parliamentary polls. Three people, including a bystander, were wounded in the clashes on Wednesday, which broke out after dozens of gunmen from the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades poured into the building to demand jobs, complaining they were marginalised in the ruling party of the Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas. more.. Gunfight outside Fatah HQ in Gaza BBC 12/14/2005 At least three people have been wounded in a gunfight outside the headquarters of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas's ruling Fatah party in Gaza. The clashes began after gunmen stormed the building demanding the party's primary results be respected. President Abbas had decided to appoint candidates for January's parliamentary election after the primaries were marred by violence and electoral fraud. The attacks coincide with the deadline to register candidates for the poll. more.. Palestinian shot dead in W Bank BBC 12/13/2005 A Palestinian was killed and at least 20 were wounded in clashes during an Israeli operation in the West Bank city of Nablus, medical sources said. Two Israeli soldiers were also injured by a bomb during the raid. There have been several raids in the West Bank since an Islamic Jihad suicide bomber killed five Israelis in Netanya earlier this month. Israeli forces entered the city at dawn and were attacked by youths throwing stones and, later, by gunmen. more.. Israel to build hundreds of new houses in West Bank ReliefWeb 12/14/2005 Jerusalem (dpa) - Israel said Wednesday it had authorized the construction of hundreds of new apartments in five West Bank settlements, again violating a key clause of an international peace plan which Premier Ariel Sharon is highlighting as a central element in his election campaign. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, meanwhile, faced new turmoil and violence in his ruling Fatah party ahead of Palestinian elections on January 25. Dozens of gunmen stormed the Fatah headquarters in Gaza City on Wednesday, fired into the air and demanded that Abbas postpone the elections, witnesses said. They charged that Abbas had removed winners of the Fatah primaries from the party's candidates list. more.. Israel to Build More Housing Units in WB Colonies WAFA 12/14/2005 TEL AVIV, December 14, 2005, (WAFA)- The Israeli Army Minister, Shaul Mofaz has approved the building of hundreds of new units in West Bank (WB) colonies. The Israeli daily, Haaretz, reported on Wednesday that Mofaz's recent plans are to construct 200 housing units in Ma'aleh Adumim colony, dozens of houses in the outspots of Bracha and Nokdim and 40 trailer homes in Ariel colony. In addition, Mofaz agreed to advance construction plans in Givat Ze'ev and Beitar Illit, two large colonies near Jerusalem, Haaretz said. more.. In an invasion in Jenin, 15 residents arrested International Middle East Media Center 12/14/2005 Israeli soldier forced, on Wednesday morning, curfew on the village of Qabatia, and arrested 15 residents in the villages of Al Yamoun, Sielit Al Harthiyya near the West Bank city of Jenin. Troops invaded Qabatia and closed all of its entrances and exit, barring the residents from moving in or out of the village, or even leaving their homes. Wide scale search was conducted there, troops arrested Mo'taz Al Saho, Iz Ed Deen Zakarnah, Saleh Abu Zied, Ahmad Kamil and Mohammad Nazzal, local sources reported. more.. IOF Arrests 23 Citizens in WB WAFA 12/14/2005 JENIN, December 14, 2005 (WAFA)- At least 23 citizens were arrested Wednesday in the West Bank(WB) cities of Jenin , Tulkarem and Bethlehem, security sources and witnesses said. The sources added that Israeli soldiers swept into Qabatya town, south of Jenin and launched a search campaign amid intensive fire at houses and arrested 15 citizens, leading them into an unknown location. In Tulkarem, Israeli soldiers, backed by armoured vehicles, stormed Allar town, north of the city and besieged the house of Samer Darwish and arrested Usama Shunar and Mohammad Majadla 20, and led them into an unknown spot. more.. State turns blind eye to illegal building at Haredi settlement By Akiva Eldar, Palestine Monitor/Haaretz 12/14/2005 Construction of hundreds of apartments in the new neighborhood at the ultra-Orthodox settlement of Upper Modi'in is largely illegal, and the Civil Administration and State Prosecution's Office are ignoring the building violations. Some of the apartments are being built outside of the jurisdiction of the Upper Modi'in local council, in violation of Israel's commitment to the United States in the framework of the road map peace plan. A Justice Ministry spokesman confirmed Tuesday that, "In the case of the handling of the petition on fence construction in the area, the State Prosecutor's Office learned that unlawful construction had evidently been carried out in the settlement of Upper Modi'in. " more.. Israel backs settlement expansion BBC 12/14/2005 Israel has approved the building of about 300 new homes for Jewish settlers in the West Bank, the government says. Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz approved construction in Maale Adumim, the largest settlement in the territory occupied by Israel since 1967. He also approved preparatory steps for the expansion of the smaller settlements of Bracha and Nokdim. The decision violates the roadmap peace plan, under which Israel agreed to freeze all settlement building. Israel has nevertheless continued to expand settlements since the road map was approved in June 2003. more.. Qassam found in West Bank raid YNetNews 12/14/2005 Is rocket threat moving to West Bank? Paratroopers uncover Qassam, explosive materials in raid on bomb-making lab in Nablus; IDF: Anti-terror operations paying off -- Counter-terror effort paying off: IDF paratroopers uncovered a Qassam rocket in a raid on a large explosives lab in the West Bank town of Nablus on Wednesday. Palestinian terrorists have launched hundreds of Qassams at Israeli settlements from the Gaza Strip, but security officials have warned terror groups will attempt to transfer the rocket know-how to the West Bank as well. more.. Islamic Jihad leader survives an assassination attempt in Gaza International Middle East Media Center 12/15/2005 A source at the Islamic Jihad movement in Gaza reported on Wednesday at night, that Islamic Jihad media spokesperson, Khader Habib, survived an assassination attempt after an Israeli surveillance plane targeted his vehicle. Habib was lightly injured after the apaches targeted his vehicle in Al Shuja’eyya neighborhood, east of Gaza city. The source reported that at least one missile was fired at Habib’s vehicle, but he and his associates managed to escape before the missile hit their vehicle. more.. Israel kills four militants as Fatah rivals clash Daily Star 12/15/2005 Al-aqsa gunmen storm fatah Hq -- A leader from Islamic Jihad survived an Israeli air strike in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday hours after a similar attack killed four gunmen. The missile strikes came against the backdrop of clashes between rival gunmen of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah party in a new sign of turmoil ahead of next month's parliamentary polls. The Israeli air raids plus Palestinian cross-border rockets added to a spiral of violence that has diminished chances of resuming peace efforts. more.. 15 Citizens Wounded, 8 Others Arrested in WB WAFA 12/13/2005 (WAFA)-At least fifteen citizens were wounded and eight other arrested on Tuesday in the West Bank (WB) cities of Nablus, Tulkarem and Bethlehem, Medics and witnesses said. Rafidia hospital sources in Nablus city told WAFA that 15 citizens were wounded, two of them are in a critical condition, when Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF), backed by armourd vehicles, swept into the city amid intensive fire shooting at citizens' houses. In Tulkarem, Israeli soldiers, backed by armoured vehicles, thrust into Anabta town, east of the city and launched a house-to-house search campaign, arresting five citizens. more.. Gaza farmer killed by explosive found in field ReliefWeb 12/13/2005 GAZA CITY, Dec 13, 2005 (AFP) - The Palestinian farmer who died in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday was killed after handling an explosive device he found in his field, not by an Israeli tank shell, Palestinian security sources said. "He was killed while handling a suspect object which he found in his field," the source told AFP. Palestinian medical sources had earlier said the man, 45-year-old Ahmed al-Qara, had been killed by a tank round fired on his field in Abasan village, just east of Khan Yunis. more.. [Israeli Army] shoot, kill Gaza factory worker Palestine Monitor 12/13/2005 Israel Defense Forces soldiers shot and killed a Palestinian civilian in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, Palestinian hospital officials said. Mohammed al-Fara, 45, of the village of Abbasam near the Israeli border, was killed while working in a factory in the village, they said. Palestinian witnesses said tanks patrolling the Israel-Gaza border fired sporadically throughout the night and morning because heavy fog prevented soldiers from being able to decipher whether Palestinians were trying to infiltrate Israel. IDF sources said the army was not responsible for the shooting, and denied opening fire in that part of Gaza overnight or in the morning. more.. Two killed,Three Wounded in OPT as IOF Artillery Shells Areas in Northern Gaza International Press Center 12/13/2005 GAZA, Palestine, December 13,2005 (IPC+Agencies) - -Two residents were killed in three cities of the occupied Palestinian Territories by the Israeli occupation forces, which unleash unremitting onslaught taking in; strict siege, wide scale arrest raids and shoot to kill. Medics and witnesses reported that the Israeli troops stationed at the eastern borders of Gaza Strip opened fire at the resident Mohammed Ahmad Al Fara, 45, while he was farming in his field at the edge of Abassan Al Jadida town, east of Khan Younis, killing him on the spot. In a snap blitz on Nablus city today morning, the Israeli troops shot three Palestinians, critically wounding two of them, medical and security sources reported. more.. Army imposes curfew on Bardala village International Middle East Media Center 12/13/2005 Israeli soldiers invaded the village of Bardala, north east of Tubas and imposed curfew barring the residents from leaving their homes. A local source in the village reported that soldiers sealed the entrances of the village, and barred the residents from entering or leaving it. The residents of the village believe that these procedures were conducted in order to bar the international activists and organizations from entering the village. The activists plan to hold a protest on Wednesday against the closure and military procedures in the area. [end] more.. Army invades Nablus, one killed, twenty injured International Middle East Media Center 12/13/2005 Israeli army invaded on Tuesday at dawn the West Bank city of Nablus and fired at dozens of homes; sever clashes were reported, one resident was killed, at least twenty residents were injured, one seriously. The invasion was carried out approximately at 3 A. M; soldiers occupied a home in the city two hours after invading it and used it as a tower to fire at the residents A local source in Nablus informed the IMEMC that resident Hussein Sakher, 22, suffered a gunshot injury in his head, and died of his wound at Rafidia Hospital, in Nablus. more.. Army shells Khan Younis, one resident killed International Middle East Media Center 12/13/2005 Israeli tanks shelled, on Tuesday morning, several areas Khan Younis, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip, killing one resident. A medical source in Khan Younis reported that soldiers based near the eastern borders of the Gaza Strip fired several shells at dozens of Palestinians homes in Abasan Al Jadeeda, east of Khan Younis. Resident Mohammad Ahmad Al Farra, 45, was killed after being directly hit by a tank shell which severely mutilated his body. Al Farra was farming when the shell hit him. more.. Army arrests five residents from Anabta village International Middle East Media Center 12/13/2005 Israeli soldiers invaded, on Tuesday at dawn, Anabta village east of the West Bank city of Tulkarem, and arrested five residents. Troops conducted wide scale search in he village before arresting Ashraf Fakha, 24, and his brother Ahmad, 17, Morad Zidan, 21, and his brother Sa'adah, 22, and Rami Abu Asal, 28; all arrestees were taken to unknown destination, local sources reported. Also troops sealed of the near by city of Tulkarem and installed checkpoints in several main roads and conjunctions which connect the city with the surrounding villages and area. Troops stopped dozens of vehicles and searched them, the source added. [end] more.. Gunbattles erupt in West Bank as Gaza farmer killed ReliefWeb 12/13/2005 NABLUS, West Bank, Dec 13 (AFP) - Fierce gunbattles erupted in the largest West Bank city on Tuesday, leaving at least 16 Palestinians and two Israeli soldiers wounded, as a farmer was killed by tank shelling in Gaza. The clashes in Nablus, which residents said were the fiercest for around six months, broke out during an arrest operation which saw around 20 jeeps pile into the northern city at daybreak. As the troops fanned out across the city, they found themselves under attack first from youths throwing stones and then from Palestinian gunmen. more.. Years of suffering and death from a settler bullet Palestine Monitor 12/13/2005 On the 12 December, a Palestinian father, Younis Al Najar, 53, from the town of Yatta, near Hebron, died as a direct result of an arbitrary shooting by a settler four years ago. On the 24 October 2001, Younis, a construction worker, was traveling in a car along a bypass road on his way to work in Israel, when he was followed by a settler in another car. He looked for a check-point in the hope that it would provide some kind of deterrent to the chasing car, but before he could reach one, the settler car overtook him on the route between Bami Na’im and Zif, shooting Younis on the torso and piercing his spinal chord. more.. Fatah militants attack Central Election Committee Gaza offices ReliefWeb 12/13/2005 Gaza (dpa) - Dozens of armed militants from the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, the armed wing of the ruling Fatah movement, attacked offices of the Palestinian Central Elections Committee (CEC) throughout the Gaza Strip Tuesday. A CEC statement sent to reporters said several masked and armed militants opened fire at the committee's main headquarters in Gaza City and also attacked the CEC offices in Jabaliya in the northern Gaza Strip and in the southern Gaza Strip towns of Rafah and Khan Younis. more.. Gaza gunmen fire on PA security compound, storm election HQ Ha'aretz 12/13/2005 Palestinian gunmen from Palestinian Authority Chairman ahmoud Abbas's ruling Fatah party stormed election offices and battled police in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday in a flare-up of violence that could disrupt next month's parliamentary ballot. The violence prompted the Central Elections Committee to close all its offices in the West Bank and Gaza. Employees would not return to work until the Interior Ministry provided them with security, the Palestinian official news agency reported. more.. 'Court delay of fence endangering lives' YNetNews 12/13/2005 Deputy Defense Minister Zeev Boim accuses High Court of endangering lives of Israelis with injunctions ordering halt of construction on security fence -- The High Court is impeding construction of the security fence and therefore endangering the lives of Israeli citizens, Deputy Defense Minister Zeev Boim said Tuesday on a tour of a section of the barrier. “Experience teaches us that the deadliest attacks were successful because terrorists crossed into the country through incomplete sections of the fence,” Boim told reporters. more.. IDF shoots 3 Palestinians stonethrowers in Nablus raid Ha'aretz 12/13/2005 Israel Defense Forces soldiers shot three Palestinians, critically wounding two of them, during a raid in the northern West Bank city of Nablus on Tuesday, Palestinian medics and security sources said. Soldiers shot three stonethrowers during the clashes in the southern part of Nablus during the raid, apparently to arrest wanted militants, they said. The IDF declined immediate comment. A spokeswoman said she was checking the report. Two IDF soldiers were lightly wounded earlier Tuesday morning by a bomb blast that went off during the operation in Nablus, Israel Radio reported. more.. Rabbi: Exile those responsible for pullout YNetNews 12/13/2005 Jewish Rabbinical Council Chairman Dov Lior says in pamphlet distributed in synagogues throughout country, ‘It is not the way of the Torah to pray for a Jew’s death, but God can remove these people from their posts, exile them along with their Arab friends, or remove them from this world entirely’ -- We should pray that God will banish those who planned and authorized the recent disengagement and who are capable of committing another act (pullout) that would endanger Israel, Jewish Rabbinical Council Chairman Dov Lior said in a pamphlet being distributed in synagogues all over the country. more.. IDF shells northern Gaza after Qassam lands near Sharon's Sycamore Ranch Ha'aretz 12/13/2005 A Qassam rocket fired yesterday from the Gaza Strip landed close to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's Sycamore Ranch in the Negev. The rocket slammed into the Mekorot water utility's facility adjacent to the ranch, causing damage but no injuries. The army's early-warning system picked up the rocket's movement toward Sderot yesterday afternoon, and residents of the town were instructed to take shelter for the first time in several weeks. Shortly thereafter, it emerged that the rocket had flown past the town and struck the Mekorot pumping facility, between Sderot and Sycamore Ranch. more.. Gunmen shut down Gaza elections office in protest Ha'aretz 12/12/2005 GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip - A group of masked Palestinian gunmen from the ruling Fatah Party raided the election office in the central Gaza town of Deir el-Balah and forced it to close Monday to protest their party's plans to appoint candidates for upcoming elections instead of holding primaries. Fatah canceled its Nov. 28 Gaza primaries after gunmen disrupted at least a dozen polling places, firing in the air and stealing some ballot boxes. Many Fatah leaders hoped the primaries would help clear out the party's entrenched, corruption riddled old guard and replace them with younger, more popular, leaders. more.. Israeli Navy fires at a Palestinian fishing boat, fisherman injured International Middle East Media Center 12/12/2005 A Palestinian security source reported, on Monday at dawn, that one Palestinian fisherman was injured, near Khan Younis shore, after the Israeli Navy fired with it automatic fire at the boat. The source stated that Mahmoud Azeez Baker, 18, was moderately injured and was admitted to Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis. Eyewitnesses reported that Israeli Navy ships fired at several fishing boats while the fishermen were fishing. The army claimed that its boats fired at a boat which was attempting to smuggle arms into Gaza. Last Saturday, December 10, the Israeli Navy fired at a Palestinian fishing boat near the Gaza Shore, killing one resident. more.. Militant dies of wounds incurred in IAF airstrike on Thursday Ha'aretz 12/11/2005 A third Palestinian militant died Saturday of wounds incurred in an IAF airstrike in the northern Gaza Strip earlier in the week, Palestinian hospital officials said. The strike was carried out Thursday after a suicide bombing at a Netanya mall on Monday killed five people. Two militants died immediately after missiles struck a house near the northern Gaza town of Jebaliya where members of the Al Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades had holed up. more.. Palestinian militant killed in botched West Bank grenade attack Ha'aretz 12/11/2005 A Palestinian militant was killed on Sunday when a grenade he tried to throw at Israel Defense Forces troops exploded prematurely in the Balata refugee camp near the West Bank city of Nablus, witnesses and the IDF said. They said 18-year-old Ayad Hashash, member of Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, an armed wing of Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah faction, attempted to attack soldiers scouring Balata refugee camp in Nablus for militants. Later on Sunday afternoon, soldiers in Nablus shot and wounded a Palestinian who tried to throw a concrete block at them. Another Palestinian sustained burns also in the Nablus area when he tried to throw a firebomb at IDF troops. more.. Army arrests youth, claim he attempted to stab a soldiers International Middle East Media Center 12/12/2005 Israeli soldiers arrested on Monday afternoon, one Palestinian youth from the West Bank city of Jenin at the entrance of Salem military camp, west of city in the West Bank. The youth, Amir Mahmoud Al Na’aj, 16, was arrested after he attempted to stab a soldier guarding the gate which leads to the military camp, army source claimed. Soldiers arrested the youth and took him to Salem military camp; he will be transferred later on to an interrogation center, army source said. more.. Chair of panel that rejected Sakhnin land request is far-right activist Ha'aretz 12/13/2005 An Interior Ministry panel responsible for determining municipal borders has rejected a request made by the Sakhnin municipality to increase the land under its jurisdiction at the expense of the surrounding Misgav Regional Council. Haaretz discovered that the panel's chairman is an active member of Avigdor Lieberman's far-right Yisrael Beiteinu party and has been so for more than a year. Geographer Gideon Biger was involved in writing the party's platform and has expressed support for transferring the Israeli Arab city of Umm al-Fahm and the "triangle" region, also largely populated by Israeli Arabs, to the Palestinian Authority as part of a territorial exchange. more.. Shin Bet nabs Palestinian who was allegedly paid by Hezbollah Ha'aretz 12/12/2005 The Shin Bet security service has arrested a Palestinian militant in the West Bank city of Nablus suspected of being paid up to US$3,000 by Lebanon's Hezbollah guerrilla movement to carry out attacks on Israelis, security officials said Monday. The militant, Majdi Amar, belongs to the Al Aqsa Martyrs' Brigade, a Palestinian armed group with links to the ruling Fatah party. While Hezbollah paid Amar to attack Israelis, the Palestinian Authority paid him up to US$700 not to carry out attacks, the officials said on condition of anonymity. more.. Israel reopens Gaza crossings after one-week closure ReliefWeb 12/12/2005 GAZA, Dec 12, 2005 (Xinhua via COMTEX) -- Israel on Monday opened the crossings on the eastern and northern borders of the Gaza Strip after a one- week closure, Palestinian security sources said. Israel decided to open Erez Crossing and Karni commercial passage to Palestinian workers and goods flow, the sources said. Israel imposed a full closure on Gaza and the West Bank following a suicide bombing attack last Monday in Netanya, Israel, which killed five Israelis. more.. One resident killed, one injured in Gaza International Middle East Media Center 12/12/2005 A Palestinian security source in Gaza reported on Monday afternoon, that one resident was killed, another injured, after unknown gunmen opened fire at them in the center of Gaza City. The source identified the resident as Fadi Abdul-Basit Al Kafarna, 23, a Palestinian policeman. Dr. Jom’a Al Saqqa, head of the public relations department at Al Shifa hospital in Gaza, reported that Al Kafarna died of a gunshot injury in his head. Resident Ayman Saleh Khaleefa, 33, the friend of Kafarna, was seriously injured in his head, and was admitted to the intensive care unit after surgery. The incident is more likely related to a dispute between the families of Al Kafarna and Al Masry in Beit Hanoun, in the northern part of the Gaza Strip. more.. Israeli Bulldozers Destroy Palestinian House in Jerusalem WAFA 12/12/2005 JERUSALEM, December 12, 2005, (WAFA)- Israeli bulldozers destroyed Monday a three-story house in the old city of the occupied East Jerusalem, witnesses said. Witnesses told WAFA that the bulldozers demolished the house of Ahmed Abu Dhaim which hosts at least 30 people. Following the attack, tens of Jerusalem citizens clashed with the Israeli occupation soldiers. Worthy mentioning, the Israeli authorities prevent Jerusalem original citizens from building or reconstructing their houses while allow colonizers to build houses on Palestinian-owned land seized by the Israeli occupation. Several colonizing projects are being built in Jerusalem with approval of the Israeli Government. [end] more.. IOF Arrests 6 Citizens in Nablus WAFA 12/12/2005 NABLUS , December 12, 2005 (WAFA)- Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) arrested Monday six citizens in the West Bank(WB) city of Nablus, witnesses said. They added that Israeli soldiers, backed by armoured vehicles, swept into the city amid intensive fire shooting, besieged number of houses and arrested six citizens, leading them into an unknown location. In the meantime, Jenin city is still under strict closure for the third consecutive day. WAFA reporter said that IOF closed the city, prevented access inside-outside. more.. IDF finds tunnel used for smuggling terrorists from Gaza to Israel Ha'aretz 12/11/2005 Israel Defense Forces troops on Saturday uncovered a tunnel used for smuggling Palestinian terrorists from the Gaza Strip to Israel. The tunnel, the first one exposed since Israel withdrew from the Gaza Strip in August, was found near the Erez crossing. The tunnel was dug under the Beit Hanun municipality's garbage dump, an area that cannot be observed by IDF troops. Soldiers discovered the tunnel while carrying out construction work near the site. more.. IOF Kidnaps 3 Teenagers in WB WAFA 12/11/2005 RAMALLAH, December 11, 2005, (WAFA)- Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) Sunday kidnapped three teenagers near Ramallah, local sources said. The sources revealed that an Israeli force kidnapped Ahmed H. Abu Adi 16, Khaled Abdu 17 and Ahmed M. Abu Adi 17, near the town of Kofr Nima, south of Ramallah. The sources added that the teenagers were kidnapped while they were at orchards of the town. [end] more.. 8 Citizens Arrested in WB WAFA 12/11/2005 JENIN, December 11, 2005 (WAFA)- Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) arrested Sunday eight citizens in the West Bank (WB), cities of Jenin, Bethlehem and Hebron, witnesses said. They added that the Israeli soldiers, backed by helicopters, swept, at dawn, into Jenin city amid an intensive fire shooting, launched a wide search campaign and arrested five citizens. In Bethlehem, security sources said that Israeli soldiers, backed by armoured vehicles, moved into al-Fardees village, east of the city, besieged the house of Hassan Abu Mohammed and under a gunpoint they led him into an unknown spot. more.. IOF Kills Citizen and Arrests 3 others in WB WAFA 12/11/2005 NABLUS, December 11, 2205, (WAFA)-Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) killed Sunday at pre-dawn a Palestinian citizen and arrested three others in the West Bank (WB) city of Nablus, WAFA correspondent said. He added that the citizen Iyad Mohammed Al-Hashash 19, of Balata refugee camp, east Nablus, was killed as IOF stormed the camp amid intensive fire shooting, while three other citizens were arrested and led to Hawarah Israeli camp, north the city. [end] more.. Pilgrims bump into Israel's Security Fence By Ed O'Loughlin, Palestine Monitor/The Age 12/10/2005 WITH Christmas approaching, the West Bank city of Bethlehem fears that new Israeli travel restrictions could stifle the foreign pilgrim trade in the birthplace of Jesus. The opening of a purpose-built "border terminal" built in Israel's new wall between Bethlehem and Jerusalem in mid-November is imposing delays of up to two hours on tourist coaches that would previously have passed in a few minutes, people in Bethlehem say. Foreign visitors leaving the city through the terminal are now required to get off their buses and pass through a network of metal barriers and turnstiles to be searched and have their passport checked. "It is putting a huge strain on local tour operators and it creates a huge delay for tourists coming into Bethlehem," said Carol Dabdoub of Open Bethlehem, a group dedicated to improving the West Bank city's access to the outside world. . . . . Israel says the new complex of concrete buildings and metal control cages is one of 16 being built around Jerusalem to "facilitate" Palestinian travel. Palestinians and some Israeli rights groups allege that the new terminals inside the West Bank are part of a long-term Israeli annexation strategy closely linked to the continuing expansion of Jewish settlements and the construction of a massive wall and fence complex inside the occupied Palestinian territory - construction condemned as illegal by the international court in The Hague. more.. Sharon Mall's security guards leave en masse Ha'aretz 12/13/2005 Seven security guards at Netanya's Sharon Mall have quit, while several others are planning to resign by the week's end, one week after a suicide bombing there killed five people and wounded 95. Citing a number of reasons for their decision, the guards primarily complained about their wages, the way in which management treats them and the constant fear of terror attacks. The security guards added that mall management had removed the death notices they had posted after the bombing to commemorate the death of fellow security guard Haim Amram, who was killed in last Monday's attack. more.. Qassam lands in western Negev YNetNews 12/12/2005 Rocket lands in open area, no injuries reported -- A Qassam rocket landed in open space in the western Negev desert Monday afternoon. No injuries or damage have been reported in the latest strike. The rocket landed next to a site belonging to Israel’s national water company, Mekorot, and the sound of the explosion was clearly heard throughout the region. In response to the latest attack, the IDF directed artillery fire at rocket launching sites in the northern Gaza Strip. more.. Israel threatens Gaza economic siege AlJazeera 12/9/2005 Israel has threatened to impose an economic siege on the Gaza Strip unless Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas disarms fighter groups, Israel's Channel Two television said. It quoted Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz as having told Abbas that unless a crackdown on fighters begins by Sunday, Israel will re-designate two commercial terminals on the Gaza boundary as border crossings, which could choke off Palestinian trade. There was no immediate comment on Friday's report from officials close to Mofaz, who is running for leadership of the right-wing Likud Party in advance of Israeli general elections in March. more.. Report: IDF boat shoots dead Palestinian near Gaza border Ha'aretz 12/10/2005 An IDF naval boat patrolling the Gaza coast shot and killed one Palestinian early Saturday near the border between Gaza and Egypt, Palestinian officials said. Palestinian medical officials identified the slain man as Nazen Farhat, 27. A second man who was with Farhat in the Palestinian town of Rafah remained unaccounted for, the officials said. Meanwhile, IDF artillery opened fire on a site in the Gaza Strip from which a mortar shell that landed near the border was launched. No injuries were reported. [end] more.. IOF Attacks UN Official's Car in Bil'in WAFA 12/9/2005 RAMALLAH, December 9, 2005 (WAFA) -UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights in the Palestinian Territories, John Dugard, was attacked Friday by IOF soldiers during his visit to Bil'in village. Eyewitnesses revealed that Israeli soldiers fired tear gas canisters and rubber coated-metal bullets towards Dugard's car while he was visiting Bil'in village, west of Ramallah city, to examine the Israeli inhuman practices against Palestinian citizens. Dugard was briefed about the Israeli plans to seize Bil'in's lands for the constructing the Apartheid Wall. more.. Israel rounds up 19 'militants' BBC 12/9/2005 Israel arrested 19 Palestinian militants in raids across the West Bank overnight, the army says. It comes as funerals are being held for two Palestinians who were killed in an Israeli air strike in Gaza on Thursday. A funeral is also being held for an Israeli soldier who was stabbed to death by a Palestinian at a checkpoint between Jerusalem and the West Bank. Israel has vowed to crackdown on militant groups after a suicide bombing in Netanya on Monday that killed five. Ten of those arrested overnight were members of the Islamic Jihad movement, which carried out the attack, the army said. more.. Israel shuts crucial West Bank crossing AlJazeera 12/9/2005 Israel has temporarily closed the main crossing point between Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank after a Palestinian stabbed an Israeli soldier to death at a checkpoint there, according to the Israeli army. The shutdown on Friday came against a backdrop of spiralling violence this week, including Israeli missile attacks that have killed three civilians in Gaza following a Palestinian bombing that killed five Israelis. more.. Hezbollah militant escapes blast BBC 12/9/2005 A member of the Hezbollah militant movement has escaped a bomb attack on his car in eastern Lebanon. The explosion happened in the Hezbollah stronghold of Baalbek, near the Syrian border, but caused no casualties, police have said. The Hezbollah official had got out of the car moments before the blast, reports have said. Hezbollah blamed Israel for a "treacherous assassination attempt" and warned that it would retaliate. more.. Hezbollah accuses Israel of failed assassination attempt Ha'aretz 12/10/2005 A bomb blew up the car of a senior official of the military wing of the Hezbollah group on Friday night, but caused no casualties, police said. The official had got out of the car seconds before the bomb exploded in the eastern city of Baalbek, a police official said Friday, speaking on condition of anonymity as he was not authorized to speak to the press. Hezbollah blamed Israel for the "treacherous assassination attempt" and warned that it will retaliate. more.. Palestinian girl arrested for attempting to stab soldier in Hebron Ha'aretz 12/10/2005 The Israel Defense Forces arrested a 17-year-old Palestinian girl Friday who allegedly attempted to stab a soldier along Worshippers Way, the road which connects the West Bank settlement of Kiryat Arba to the Cave of the Patriarchs in Hebron. Earlier in the day, IDF troops arrested a 15-year-old boy attempting to smuggle two pipe bombs through the Hawara checkpoint near the West Bank city of Nablus on Friday, Israel Radio reported. The soldiers' suspicion was aroused by the jacket he was wearing, the report said. They searched him and found the bombs, which were ready for use. more.. Hamas to end truce with Israel BBC 12/9/2005 The political leader of the Palestinian militant group Hamas has said it will not renew its informal ceasefire with Israel that expires at the end of year. Khaled Meshaal told a rally in the Syrian capital Damascus his group was preparing for a new round of conflict. The truce begun in February was based on Israel ending its attacks on Palestinians and releasing prisoners. Hamas had already said it would pull out of the truce when Israel killed a military leader in November. more.. West Bank-Jerusalem checkpoint closed following deadly attack ReliefWeb 12/9/2005 JERUSALEM, Dec 9 (AFP) - Israeli troops on Friday maintained a closure on the Qalandiya checkpoint between Jerusalem and the West Bank town of Ramallah a day after a Palestinian stabbed and killed an Israeli soldier. According to Israeli military sources the sprawling checkpoint would remain closed "until a new order was issued". The closure followed a bloody attack in which a knife-wielding Palestinian stabbed a 20-year-old soldier in the back of the head, killing him instantly. The attacker was arrested. more.. Violence surges in the West Bank YNetNews 12/9/2005 Palestinian teenage girl arrested for attempting to stab soldier in Hebron; Palestinian teenager wearing a jacket advanced towards checkpoint and aroused suspicion among soldiers -- A day after the fatal stabbing of a soldier at the Kalandiya crossing north of Jerusalem by a Palestinian, a 17-year-old Palestinian teenage girl was arrested by IDF troops as she attempted to stab a soldier in Hebron late Friday afternoon. The girl approached the soldier, pulled out a knife and tried to stab him. The soldier overpowered the girl who was arrested and transferred for interrogation. more.. Peace Now: Most of Colonies Expanded by Military Orders after Oslo Accords WAFA 12/9/2005 TEL AVIV, December 9, 2005 (WAFA) -The Israeli Peace Now Movement said that most of the settelements (colonies) were expanded by military orders after the Oslo Accords. In a report "The jurisdiction of the settlements ", Peace Now revealed that the governments of Israel continued expanding the jurisdictions of the settlements in the West Bank, saying that "Palestinians are barred from entering the jurisdictions of the settlements or the settlements, unless they receive special permission. " more.. Israeli air strike kills two in Gaza AlJazeera 12/8/2005 Aljazeera's correspondent in Gaza reports that an Israeli reconnaissance aircraft has targeted the Nabil Masud group, which is affiliated to al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades, in Jabaliya, leaving two Palestinians dead and several others wounded. AFP also said two Palestinian fighters were killed on Thursday in an Israeli air strike on a house in the Gaza Strip while an Israeli soldier was stabbed to death at a West Bank checkpoint. Medical and security sources named the two dead men as Iyyad al-Najar, 28, and Ziad Qaddas, 27, who were both members of the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades. more.. PA detains more Islamic Jihad members YNetNews 12/8/2005 Arrest raids continue in West Bank; Palestinian groups enraged, threaten to end lull -- The Palestinian Authority continued to carry out arrest raids targeting Islamic Jihad members in several locations across the West Bank early Thursday in response to the terror attack in Netanya on Monday, prompting harsh reactions from Palestinian groups. The arrests continued despite threats that further operations will endanger the relative lull in violence. The PA concentrated its operations in the town of Tubas near Jenin. more.. 31 Citizens Arrested in WB WAFA 12/8/2005 RAMALLAH, December 8, 2005 (WAFA)- Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) arrested 31 citizens in the West Bank (WB) cities of Ramallah, Hebron, Jenin, Bethlehem and Tubas. Local sources told WAFA that Israeli military vehicles thrust into Beit Luqya town, west of Ramallah and launched an all out search campaign into citizens' houses and arrested at least 20 of them, including the Mayor. In Hebron, south of WB, Palestinian Prisoners Society (PPS) said that Israeli soldiers arrested at pre-dawn Mohammed Al-Natsheh 62, Ashraf Al-Touri and Hisham Ziadat 38, and led them into an unknown spot. In Bethlehem, eyewitnesses said that IOF backed by armour vehicles stormed the city, broke into a citizen's house, destroying its contents, and arrested him. more.. Life under siege in a divided city The Guardian 12/9/2005 Palestinian families driven from homes by settlers in 'cleansing' of Hebron in the West Bank -- Visitors to the Abu Aishe family in the heart of the biblical and bitterly-disputed city of Hebron either require an army escort to the front of the steel mesh cage protecting the three-storey home or risk assault by a barrage of stones, rotting food and shouts of "Death to Arabs" from the neighbours. Three generations of the Abu Aishe family are the last Arabs living in their street, defiantly staying on in the face of what international monitors have described as the "cleansing" of parts of Hebron by messianic Jews, with the complicity of the Israeli army, that has driven thousands of people from their homes and businesses. more.. IDF soldier killed at roadblock YNetNews 12/8/2005 "Terror" at army checkpoint: Palestinian assailant arrives at Kalandiya roadblock north of Jerusalem, stabs soldier to death Thursday afternoon-- An IDF soldier was stabbed to death by a Palestinian at the Kalandiya roadblock north of Jerusalem Thursday afternoon. The troop killed was identified as Nir Kahane, 20, from Kiryat Tivon. The assailant arrived at the roadblock around 3:45 p. m. , pulled out a knife, and stabbed the soldier. A medical team dispatched to the area treated the victim at the scene. more.. IDF soldier killed when APC overturns during training Ha'aretz 12/8/2005 An Israel Defense Forces soldier was killed early Thursday morning when the armored personnel vehicle he was enclosed in turned over during a military training exercise in an artillery school near the Egyptian border. The APC flipped over while descending a steep decline near the southern town of Shivta. Other circumstances surrounding the accident are still unknown. The soldier and his commanding officer were both sitting in the vehicle at the time of the accident, their upper bodies exposed. more.. IDF and Palestinians trade heavy fire in Gaza after militant's killing Ha'aretz 12/8/2005 An Israel Air Force warplane fired a missile at a target in the northern Gaza Strip on Thursday, but it fell in an open area and caused no casualties, witnesses said. The strike came amid heavy shooting as Palestinians fired rockets at Israel and Israel Defense Forces troops fired back with artillery in fighting touched off by Israel's killing of a leading militant in response to a suicide bombing in Netanya that killed five. more.. CIA agents visit Netanya bombing scene YNetNews 12/8/2005 Americans hoping to draw lessons that would help troops in Iraq -- Two CIA investigators accompanied by local police sappers arrived at the suicide bombing scene outside Hasharon Mall in Netanya Wednesday in order to draw lessons that could prove helpful for American troops in Iraq, Israel’s leading newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported Thursday. The U. S. investigators photographed the area and were briefed by sappers, who provided them with information about the explosive device used in the attack. more.. Palestinian Monitoring Group Daily Situation Report, 5 - 6 December 2005 (PDF) Palestine Media Center 12/8/2005 JERUSALEM Closure: The Israeli army continues to intensify its restrictions at checkpoints located at the entrances to the city of Jerusalem and has set up checkpoints in the old city of Jerusalem and around Al Aqsa Mosque compound. Checkpoints: The Israeli army continues to intensify its restrictions at Qalandiya and Beit Iksa checkpoints and to impede civilian access. Wall Gates: The Israeli army continues to close the Wall gate in the town of Abu Dis with cement blocks. Wall Construction: (i) Wall construction continues in Dahiyat al Aqbat, from the village of Hizma to ‘Anata, along the Hizma-Jaba’ road, the area of Al ‘Eizariya to Ash Shayyah, near Al Quds University, in the town of As Sawahira ash Sharqiya, from the village of Beit Surik to Biddu, in the areas of Al Judeira, Bir Nabala, and Beit Hanina, and around the settlement of Ma’ale Adumim. . . more.. IOF Continues On Rampage Arresting At Least 28, Ravaging Islamic Charitable Societies International Press Center 12/8/2005 WEST BANK, Palestine, December 8,2005 (IPC+Agencies)-- Israeli occupation forces persistently is launching a unscrupulous onslaught against the West Bank, restriction the movement between the large cities, wide scale of arrest raids in which no more than 28 Palestinian resistance activists were detained today morning. Israeli military sources reported that in the wide offensive on the west Bank, 22 residents were detained in Beit Leqia , west of Rammallah on the claim of being affiliated to Hamas movement. more.. Israel kills Gaza resistance leader AlJazeera 12/7/2005 An Israeli airstrike has killed a senior resistance fighter in the Gaza Strip and wounded 10 other people, Palestinian medics said. Witnesses and medics said a rocket fired from an Israeli aircraft on Wednesday struck the vehicle of a top member of the Popular Resistance Committees, a coalition of armed Palestinian groups, as it rounded a bend in the town of Rafah, killing him. Israeli military sources said the target of the attack, Mahmud al-Arqan, had been working with members of the Islamic Jihad movement, which was behind Monday's shopping mall bombing in Netanya. more.. Kaplinksy: Only 35 percent of separation fence is complete Ha'aretz 12/7/2005 "To date, only 35% of the West Bank separation fence has been constructed," Deputy Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Brigadier General Moshe Kaplinsky said at a Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee meeting on Wednesday. Kaplinksy said that the sections that have been completed - some 275 kilometers of a planned 759 kilometers - have been effective in preventing terrorist infiltrations and that and that there has not been a single infiltration in areas where the fence has been completed. He said that only 11 of the planned 39 passages in the fence have been completed....Netzach Mashiah, director of the separation fence project in the Defense Ministry, predicted that construction of the fence from Tirat Zvi in the north to Ein Gedi in the south [the "Eastern Fence"] would be completed by the end of 2006. more.. Gaza woman killed as clan clashes continue Ha'aretz 12/7/2005 A woman was killed and several Palestinians were wounded in a gun battle between two rival clans in the Gaza Strip yesterday, medics and witnesses said. The violence erupted after Palestinian security forces and militant faction leaders failed to resolve a dispute that led to the slaying of five Palestinians in fighting between the same clans in Beit Hanun Saturday. Witnesses said the woman killed was from a different family than those involved in the fighting, adding that she was shot dead in the cross-fire. Several other people were wounded, medics said. more.. 500 Palestinian workers detained in Israel International Middle East Media Center 12/6/2005 The Israeli Radio reported, on Tuesday morning, that Israeli border guards’ troops arrested 500 Palestinian workers in Israel over the last 24 hours. The army claims that the workers were staying in Israeli without obtaining the needed permits from the Israeli authorities, and did not obtain permits which allow them to work in Israel. The radio revealed that at least 250 workers were also arrested on Sunday for the same reasons. Some 20 residents were transferred for the Israeli security services for interrogations, while the rest were fined and expelled to the West Bank. more.. Militant group vows to avenge Gaza killing of senior leader Ha'aretz 12/8/2005 An Israel Air Force warplane fired a missile at a target in the northern Gaza Strip on Thursday, but it fell in an open area and caused no injury, witnesses said. The strike came amid heavy shooting as Palestinians fired rockets at Israel and Israel Defense Forces troops fired back with artillery in fighting touched off by Israel's killing of a leading militant in response to a suicide bombing that killed five....A spokeman of the Palestinian Resistance Committees on Wednesday threatened revenge for the Israel Air Force strike that killed one of its top militants early in the evening. more.. IDF resumes Gaza killings YNetNews 12/7/2005 Air force launches missile strike at vehicle in Gaza Strip, killing commander of military wing of Popular Resistance Committees; Palestinian sources report another 10 injured, 2 in critical condition; 'Our response will be swift, hard, merciless and relentless,' group spokesman says -- The Israel Air Force launched a missile strike Wednesday at a vehicle in the southern Gaza town of Rafah, killing the commander of the Popular Resistance Committees' military wing. Two other activists were also in the car at the time of the strike. more.. IOF Arrests Three Residents, Masses Reinforcements around Tulkarem International Press Center 12/7/2005 WEST BANK, Palestine, December 7,2005 (IPC+Agencies) - -Israeli occupation forces said today that the occupation troops has arrested three residents on the claim of being anti-occupation resistance activists during several incursions throughout the West Bank, the IOF troops were beefed up in the periphery of Alar and Syda towns as a dry run to thrust into them. Our correspondent reported that in a predawn incursion, the IOF soldiers arrested the resident Jasser Al Assi, 45 after storming into his house close to Abed Al-Rhman mosque in the heart of Balata refugee camp and led him to unknown destination. more.. IOF Arrests 3 Citizens, Closes Charitable Association in WB WAFA 12/7/2005 NABLUS, December 7, 2005 (WAFA) - Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) arrested overnight three citizens from the West Bank (WB) cities of Nablus and Hebron, security sources said. They added that the IOF stormed Balata refugee camp amid intensive fire shooting, besieged and searched the houses and arrested Jasser al-Assi 45, and led him into an unknown spot. In Hebron, Israeli soldiers rolled into the city and launched an all out search campaign into citizens' houses and arrested the pharmacist Maher Abd as-Samad Abu Sneineh 36, and the farmer Akif Abu Sneineh, leading them into an unknown location. In Jenin, northern WB, Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) closed Wednesday Al-Bir and Al-Ihsan Charitable Association. more.. Army to order evacuate Palestinian areas, and shell them International Middle East Media Center 12/6/2005 Israeli online daily, Haaretz, reported that the army received direct orders, on Monday evening, to strike Palestinian populated areas in the Gaza strip, in retaliation to the Netanya suicide bombing carried on Monday, and to the firing of homemade shells against Israeli targets. Israeli army sources said that soldiers will use loud speakers to call the residents of several areas in Gaza to evacuate their homes prior to the scheduled strikes. Five Israelis were killed in the bombing and 95 others were injured, the bomber was identified as Lutfi Salem Abu Da’adi, 21, from Allar village, near the West Bank city of Tulkarem. more.. Three Israeli Arabs suspected of planning to murder former police officer Ha'aretz 12/7/2005 Police on Sunday arrested two Israeli Arabs suspected of planning to murder a former police officer, it was revealed for publication on Wednesday. A third Israeli Arab involved in the plot is already serving a prison sentence for an unrelated conviction. Police believe the murder was to avenge the fact that the former officer was involved in an investigation of a kidnapping for which the three were convicted of involvement in some five years ago. A court extended the remand of the suspects by five days. more.. Resident dies of wounds sustained October 2000 International Middle East Media Center 12/6/2005 A Palestinian medical source in the West Bank city of Jenin reported on Tuesday that a resident died of wounds sustained at the beginning of Al Aqsa Intifada in October 2000. Resident Amjad Maher Al Saadi, 22, and shot and injured in his head after during clashes with Israeli soldiers at Al Jalama checkpoint, east of Jenin. Al Saadi was paralyzed as a result of his head injury, and suffered continuous complications until his health conditions has sharply deteriorated on November 25, 2005. more.. Drug fest revealed at IDF base YNetNews 12/8/2005 Officer who warned fellow soldier of Military Police investigation into her drug use sentenced to one year in prison and demoted in rank; 12 soldiers from same unit investigated on drug charges, five indictments already filed -- The detention of an IDF officer on suspicions of disrupting legal proceedings to help a female soldier under his command has developed into a larger affair concerning the officer's entire unit. At least 12 soldiers stationed in the Gaza Strip area have been investigated on suspicions of drug use, several already indicted on charges. more.. IDF cracks down in West Bank; PA arrests Jihad men Ha'aretz 12/6/2005 Israel launched a military clampdown in the West Bank on Tuesday, the latest in a series of responses to asuicide bombings the day before in Netanya where five people were killed and dozens more wounded. On Monday, the West Bank and Gaza were both placed under full closure, shortly after the Islamic Jihad bomber blew himself up at the entrance to Hasharon shopping mall. Hours later, Israel Defense Forces troops swept into the suicide bomber's home village near Tul Karm in a pre-dawn raid Tuesday, arresting the bomber's father and three brothers, witnesses said. A total of 14 wanted Palestinians were detained overnight, Israel Radio reported. more.. Sharon Orders to Halt Preparations for Convoy Link between WB and GS WAFA 12/6/2005 TEL AVIV, December 6, 2005 (WAFA)-Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon issued on Tuesday orders to halt preparations for convoy link between the West Bank (WB) and the Gaza Strip (GS), Israeli radio said. According to the source, Sharon also commanded his army to launch a wide-scale arrest campaigns in Northern WB, canceling at the same time VIP entry permissions for Palestinian officials. Earlier, Israeli Minister, Shaul Mofaz, decided to shut down all crossings between the Occupied Territories and Israel which constitute a serious breach to the Israeli obligations made under a deal brokered by the US secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice. more.. Israeli Occupation Forces arrest 14 Citizens including 8 From Tulkarem International Press Center 12/6/2005 WEST BANK, December 6, 2005, (IPC + WAFA) - - Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) arrested 14 citizens in the occupied West Bank, and claimed that the 14 arrested citizens are activists in the military wings of Islamic Jihad and Fateh movements. IOF assaulted today dawn Allar town north of Tulkarem City and arrested 8 residents.....Meanwhile, Ministry of Prisoner Affairs reported today that the IOF opened new sections in Megiddo jail to accommodate another 350 prisoners. The ministry stated that Megiddo jail became able to hold 900 prisoners and the number of the Palestinian prisoners in the Israeli jails amounted to 9200 prisoners. more.. Israel targets Islamic Jihad in wake of suicide bombing Daily Star 12/7/2005 Shalom says Syria shares responsibility for attack -- Israel launched a military clampdown in the occupied West Bank Tuesday in the opening stages of what it vowed would be a harsh response to a Palestinian suicide bombing that killed five Israelis. While Prime Minister Ariel Sharon convened a meeting of his security Cabinet, police reinforcements were posted along the Green Line separating Israel from the occupied West Bank. New checkpoints also sprang up around the entrances to major Israeli commercial centers and highways. more.. Israel Violating Gaza Border Deal, Using Netanya Attack as Pretext Palestine Media Center 12/6/2005 Using the individual bombing attack in Netanya on Monday as a pretext, and despite the orders of President Mahmoud Abbas to pursuit those responsible, Israel is violating the Gaza borders agreement with the Palestinian National Authority (PNA), imposing a closure on the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, resuming the extra-judicial assassination policy, and preparing for a wide operation in the West Bank and Gaza “that could last a month.” more.. Israel targets Islamic Jihad Middle East Online 12/6/2005 Israel targets Islamic Jihad orders resumption of targeted killing operations in both parts of Palestinian territories. -- Israel beefed up security and vowed to target the leadership of the radical Palestinian movement Islamic Jihad Tuesday as the victims of a suicide bomb attack at a shopping mall were being laid to rest. While Prime Minister Ariel Sharon convened a meeting of his security cabinet, police reinforcements were posted along the Green Line which separates Israel from the West Bank and new checkpoints sprung up around the entrances to major commercial centres and highways. more.. Israel launches clampdown in W. Bank after bombing ReliefWeb 12/6/2005 JERUSALEM, Dec 6 (Reuters) - Israel launched a military clampdown in the occupied West Bank on Tuesday in the opening stages of what it vowed would be a harsh response to a Palestinian suicide bombing that killed five Israelis. Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has given the green light for hits on leaders of Islamic Jihad, the group behind Monday's attack in central Israel, amid a re-election campaign against rightist foes who accuse him of being soft on the Palestinians. more.. Israel to shell Gaza in case of continued rocket fire: radio ReliefWeb 12/6/2005 GAZA, Dec 6, 2005 (Xinhua via COMTEX) -- Israeli army will shell Palestinian residential areas in the Gaza Strip in case Palestinian militants continue firing homemade rockets at Israel, Army Radio said on Tuesday. The decision was made after a Palestinian suicide bomber killed five Israelis and wounded 50 others at a shopping mall in Netanya, Israel on Monday. The Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it came in retaliation for Israel's killing of its senior members in the West Bank. The army has intensified its operation in the northern West Bank, targeting political and military leadership of Palestinian militants. more.. IOF Arrests 9 Citizens in WB WAFA 12/6/2005 TULKAREM , December 6 ,2005 (WAFA) - Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) arrested Tuesday nine citizens in the Wet Bank (WB) cities of Tulkarem and Hebron. Security sources said that Israeli soldiers swept, backed by 25 military jeeps, into the city, launched a house-to-house search campaign and indiscriminately opened fire towards houses. They besieged the house of Lutfy Abu Sa'di, who was involved in Netanya operation, and arrested his father Amen Abu Sa'di, his three brothers and three other citizens. more.. A Citizen Dies of his Wounds, Arrest Campaigns in West Bank Unabated International Press Center 12/6/2005 WEST BANK, Palestine, December 6, 2005 (IPC) - - Medical sources in Jenin City reported that Citizen Amjad Al-Sa'ady, 22, died affected by his injuries when the Israeli Occupation Forces opened fire at him by the outbreak of the second Al-Aqsa Intifada, also the (IOF) arrested 4 residents from Hebron City and 2 others from Bethlehem and Jenin Cities in West Bank. Medical sources in Jenin Hospital added that Citizen Al-Sa'ady was injured at his head by the IOF bullets when Palestinians clashed with Israelis at Al-Jamalah military checkpoint, eastern Jenin City in October 2000. more.. PMO anti-terror command to Israelis: Leave Sinai immediately Ha'aretz 12/6/2005 The anti-terror command at the Prime Minister's Office called Tuesday for all Israelis to leave the Sinai Peninsula immediately due to warnings that terrorist plan to kidnap vacationers. "In recent days the threat of Israelis being kidnapped in Sinai has worsened," said the statement from Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's office. Two months ago, the anti-terror command issued a similar warning, recommending that Israelis refrain from crossing into Sinai, and calling on Israelis already there to return to Israel immediately. more.. Woman wounded by stones thrown at bus in downtown Jaffa Ha'aretz 12/7/2005 A 19-year-old woman was lightly wounded Tuesday afternoon after stones were thrown at the bus she was riding in on Jaffa's Jerusalem Boulevard. Police have launched an investigation into the incident. A similar occurrence took place last week in the predominantly Arab Wadi Ara area in northern Israel. An Egged bus en route to Afula was hit by stones that smashed its windshield. The number of reports of stones thrown at buses near Israeli-Arab settlements has drastically dropped since the height of the Intifada, police say. Last year no such incidents were reported.[end] more.. Soldier suspected of arms sale to Palestinians remanded in custody Ha'aretz 12/6/2005 An Israel Defense Forces military court on Tuesday remanded in custody a soldier suspected of selling arms to Palestinians. Amin Kayuf, who serves in a logistics army base in the Golan Heights, is suspected of having sold four M-16 rifles to Palestinians from the West Bank city of Jenin, Israel Radio reported. According to the radio military police said the motive for the soldier's action was probably money. more.. IDF opts for targeted killing over large-scale W. Bank operation Ha'aretz 12/7/2005 The Israel Defense Forces is continuing preparations for beefing up operations in the northern West Bank following the suicide bombing in Netanya on Monday. The IDF will continue its recent pinpointed operations against terrorist elements, based on intelligence information, sources said on Tuesday. This activity, which has been ongoing for the past few months in Jenin and Tul Karm, will now be expanded to the surrounding villages. In addition, targeted killings of Islamic Jihad figures are also expected in the coming days. more.. Settler youth may inhabit periphery YNetNews 12/5/2005 A new initiative proposed by settler youth who acted against pullout, calls to populate five new communities in Negev, Galilee. Meanwhile, teens prefer to continue with settling illegal West Bank outposts -- A new initiative by settler youth to inhabit five communities in the northern Galilee and southern Negev regions has been relayed to former Labor Chairman Shimon Peres' office for evaluation. About two weeks ago, 70 members of the "Youth for Israel" movement convened in the West Bank settlement of Efrat to discuss their future activities. more.. Once evacuated, IDF to fire on built-up Gaza areas Ha'aretz 12/6/2005 Mofaz has also asked Attorney General Menachem Mazuz to reinstate the practice of demolishing the homes of the families of suicide bombers -- In the wake of the Netanya suicide bombing and the constant barrage of Qassam rockets on communities in the south of the country, Israel has decided to adopt a harsher response to the rocket fire. Israeli artillery fire against the Qassam launchers that had been aimed, for the most part, only at open areas will now be directed also at built-up areas from where the rockets are being fired. Ahead of the artillery fire at the built-up areas, the Israel Defense Forces will employ loudspeakers to ask the Palestinian residents to clear the area. more.. Five killed as suicide bomber strikes in Israel The Guardian 12/5/2005 Mother says attacker was exploited by handlers · Army to launch reprisals against Islamic Jihad -- A suicide bomber killed five Israelis yesterday after he was spotted "walking like a robot" towards a shopping centre in the town of Netanya, the scene of an almost identical attack in July. Shoppers alerted security guards and police, who surrounded the bomber before he triggered the explosives, carried in a bag. Around 40 people were injured in the blast, about 20 metres (65ft) from the spot where another five people died in July's attack. The bombing was the fifth this year and, like the previous attacks, it was carried out by Islamic Jihad. more.. Jenin: Islamic Jihad, PA police exchange fire YNetNews 12/5/2005 Gun battle between PA officers, gunmen erupts following argument over Netanya bombing, which as carried out by Jihad member; earlier senior al-Aqsa member Zubeidi warns Authority not to crack down on Islamic Jihad members -- Armed members of Islamic Jihad and the al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades have exchanged gunfire with Palestinian Authority police forces in Jenin since Monday afternoon, Palestinian sources reported. No injuries have been reported in the fighting, which took place near a Jenin refugee camp. more.. Israeli Occupation Forces strike Gaza Strip and arrest 6 militants in West Bank International Press Center 12/5/2005 GAZA, December 5, 2005, (IPC + WAFA) - - Israeli artilleries bombarded today dawn with cannonballs several unpopulated targets in the north of Gaza Strip, as IOF jetfighters broke the sound barrier, causing a profound deafening sound. Eyewitnesses said that the Israeli occupation tanks stationed at the east borders of Gaza Strip shelled numbers of cannonballs at Abu Safeia area, and caused terror and fear to the citizens particularly women and children. Israeli warplanes waged today dawn five false air strikes on Gaza Strip. more.. Islamic Jihad gunmen shoot at Palestinian policemen in Jenin Ha'aretz 12/6/2005 Islamic Jihad gunmen fired toward a Palestinian police base in Jenin yesterday, after policemen tried to arrest an activist suspected of being involved in the suicide attack in Netanya. Eyewitnesses said a number of activists in the Al-Quds Brigades, the military wing of the Islamic Jihad, fired heavily toward the police compound, apparently to deter the policemen from attempting further arrests. Palestinian Authority (PA) Chairman Mahmoud Abbas and Interior Minister Nasser Yusuf, who is also in charge of the defense branches, said earlier that they would capture and punish those responsible for the suicide bombing. more.. Israelis to target militants after mall suicide bomb Daily Star 12/6/2005 A Palestinian suicide bomber blew himself up Monday among shoppers waiting to enter a mall in the central Israeli town of Netanya, killing at least five people and wounding more than 30 others. The bombing escalated already heightened tensions between Israel and the Palestinians, marked by recent airstrikes and rocket attacks, ahead of upcoming elections on both sides. Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is to discuss a response Tuesday morning with his Security Cabinet. Security commanders decided to recommend that Israel carry out targeted killings of militant leaders in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, clamp down on the Tulkarem area where the bomber originated and seal off the West Bank and Gaza, security officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity. more.. PM orders wide-scale West Bank operation YNetNews 12/5/2005 PM convenes security meeting following Netanya attack, orders extensive IDF activity in northern West Bank; VIP credentials permitting senior PA officials to enter Israel freely to be annulled, entry of Palestinian workers into country to be denied indefinitely -- Palestinians will be prevented from entering Israeli territory, and security forces will operate extensively in the northern West Bank, where Monday’s Netanya terror attack originated from, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon instructed following consultations with security establishment officials in his Tel Aviv office. more.. Netanya attack: Security fence fails, again YNetNews 12/5/2005 Defense establishment officials estimate suicide bomber came to Netanya directly from northern West Bank; say 'territories cannot be hermetically sealed' -- The defense establishment has launched an investigation into the Netanya terror attack and is trying to locate the suicide bomber's point of departure. According to estimations, the bomber, Lutfi Amin abu-Salem, departed from one of the villages in the northern West Bank. These estimations have once again raised the issue of the separation fence and the supervision of the passage from the territories into Israel. more.. Mofaz okays resumption of targeted assassinations Ha'aretz 12/5/2005 Following a recent upsurge in Palestinian rocket fire into Israel, Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz on Monday approved a resumption of the practice of targeted assassinations of Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip, Israel Radio reported. The decision came after Palestinians fired three Qassam rockets into the western Negev from the Gaza Strip on Sunday evening. The Qassam rockets landed in Shuva, a moshav about 7.5 kilometers from the border. One landed about 30 meters from a home in the agricultural community, causing some damage and sending a two women into shock. The other rockets caused no damage. more.. Sharon cancels planned Gaza-West Bank link, orders raids ReliefWeb 12/5/2005 Tel Aviv (dpa) - Responding to Monday's suicide bombing that killed five civilians, Israeli Premier Ariel Sharon has ordered the Israeli army to step up arrest raids in the northern West Bank and halted preparations for a promised convoy link between the West Bank and Gaza Strip, Israel Radio reported late Monday. Sharon also cancelled VIP entry passes to Israel for senior Palestinian officials. The suicide bombing was said tot have originated in the northern West Bank. more.. IOF Arrests Three Hamas Members Including Two Candidates for Local and Parliamentary Elections International Press Center 12/5/2005 JENIN, Palestine, December 5,2005 (IPC+Agencies) - -Israeli occupation forces arrested three members of Hamas movement, among were a candidate to run the parliamentary election contest slated on next 25 January and another is a candidate to run the local election on 15 December, in a fresh raid against Jenin early Monday morning. Our correspondent in Jenin reported that approximately 30 military vehicles entered the city and took up outlook positions in several areas fowled by house top houses search and used loudspeakers to demand that residents evacuate their homes. more.. IOF Arrests 9 Citizens in WB WAFA 12/5/2005 JENIN , December 5, 2005 (WAFA)- Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) arrested on Monday nine citizens in the West Bank (WB) cities of Jenin,Bethlehem and Hebron,security sources and witnesses said. They added that Israeli soldiers swept into Jenin city amid intensive fire shooting at citizen's houses and launched an all out search campaign among residents' houses, destroyed their contents, arresting three of them and lead them into an unknown place. Witnesses told WAFA that Israeli soldiers, backed by tanks and military jeeps, stormed Alkhader town, south Bethlehem, launched a search campaign and arrested the two children Ahmed Salah 18, and Maher Abu Ghalyoon 18. more.. Three residents arrested in Hebron, Army invades Tulkarem and its refugee camp... International Middle East Media Center 12/5/2005 Threeresidents arrested in Hebron Army invades Tulkarem and its refugee camp Two youth injured in Aida refugee camp Resident arrested in Al Khader town Four arrested in Beit Ummar, near Hebron Israeli artillery shells areas in the northern Gaza Strip Two arrested in Al Khader Three residents arrested in Jenin invasion J’lem Police: “Two Palestinians carrying Molotov cocktails arrested in Jerusalem” Police arrest a Palestinian resident in an Israeli bus more.. IAF hits Gaza after brace of rocket strikes on southern Israel Ha'aretz 12/4/2005 Israel Air Force jets launched a series of air strikes in the northern Gaza Strip on Sunday morning, after two rounds of Qassam rockets were fired from the area into southern Israel. The IAF missiles hit a building in Gaza City used by Palestinian militant organizations, an Israel Defense Forces spokesperson said. Palestinian sources said the targets of the strike were an abandoned metal workshop and a charity run by Islamic Jihad....Navy sinks boat, killing one The Israel Navy vessel sank the Palestinian fishing boat off the coast of southern Gaza following a pre-dawn echange of fire Saturday. more.. Army shells several areas in the Gaza Strip International Middle East Media Center 12/4/2005 Israeli soldiers fired with heavy ammunition at several areas in the Gaza Strip, over the last 24 hours, causing damage and panic among the residents, especially the children. A Palestinian security source in Gaza reported that F16 Jet fighters fired three missiles at Sheikh Zayed area in Beit Lahia, in the northern part of the Gaza Strip, no injuries were reported.The missiles exploded in Al Wali Al Saleh area, near the Bedouin village causing power failure in the area. Also, Israeli tanks fired at least twelve shells at an area, east of Beit Hanoun, in the northern area of the Gaza strip, no injuries were reported. more.. Four killed, many wounded in firefight as clans clash in Gaza Ha'aretz 12/3/2005 Five Palestinians, including a policeman, were killed and some 40 wounded on Saturday as members of two rival clans clashed in a fierce firefight in the town of Beit Hanun in north Gaza, local medics and witnesses said. Palestinian security forces were having difficulty restoring calm and mediators and bystanders were also wounded in the crossfire by flying bullets and grenades. The motive for the clash which began on Friday was unclear, but medics said at least five of some 40 wounded were in critical condition as rival family members used assault rifles and rocket propelled grenades in the clash. more.. Why didn't they shoot? Ha'aretz 12/6/2005 Sharon District police investigators are conducting a probe to ascertain why the two police officers who spotted the suicide bomber outside the Netanya mall yesterday failed to use their weapons to apprehend him. An initial inquiry into yesterday's incident has revealed that despite the fact that the two spotted the suspect, repeatedly called on him to stop to no avail, mounted a chase, and even noticed his hand going into his suspicious-looking bag, they failed to draw their weapons. According to one eyewitness report, the mall's security guard did in fact draw his weapon, but did not have time to use it before the bomber blew himself up. more.. At least five killed in suicide bombing at Netanya mall Ha'aretz 12/5/2005 At least five people were killed Monday and more than 50 others were wounded, including four seriously, when a suicide bomber blew himself up at around 11:30 A.M. at the entrance to Hasharon shopping mall in Netanya. The wounded were taken to Laniado Hospital in Netanya, Hillel Yaffeh Medical Center in Hadera and Meir Hospital in Kfar Sava....slamic Jihad said that it had carried out the attack. An earlier claim in the name of the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades was swiftly denied by the Fatah-linked group. more.. Syria boosts accuracy of its Scud D missile Ha'aretz 12/4/2005 Syria has introduced significant changes in the advanced model of the Scud D missile that gives it greater guidance capability and accuracy, according to Western missile experts. The evaluations were based on an examination of pieces of a Scud D missile that went off course after a test launch and landed in southern Turkey. The launch took place a few months ago, but it took some time until all the pieces were analyzed. Meanwhile, Israel launched a successful Arrow missile Friday that intercepted a mock-up of an Iranian Shihab-3 missile. more.. IDF troops kill Palestinian near Gaza border, medics say Ha'aretz 12/3/2005 Israel Defense Forces soldiers shot dead a Palestinian near the Gaza border on Friday after he and two others tried to cross illegally into Israel, Palestinian medics said. An IDF army spokeswoman said troops at an army post near the frontier spotted the three men climbing the border fence and opened fire at them. All three were hit and the army called for ambulances to take them back to Gaza, she said. Palestinian medics said two men were wounded and one was found dead under an olive tree with a bullet hole in his head. No weapons were found among them. more.. Army invades Tulkarem and its refugee camp International Middle East Media Center 12/2/2005 Israeli troops invaded, on Thursday at dawn, the West Bank city of Tulkarem and its refugee camp. Three army vehicles invaded the city and the refugee camp, harassed the residents by shooting live rounds and concussion grenades. Soldiers also invaded the near by village of Anabta and fired firing live rounds and concussion grenades at the houses and shops in the village.No injures or arrests were reported in both incidents. [end][See also: Army invades Tulkarem and its refugee camp] more.. Qassam hits western Negev; Gazan gunmen fire at IDF patrol Ha'aretz 12/2/2005 A Qassam rocket landed in an open field in the western Negev on Friday, not causing any damage or casualties. Also on Friday, Palestinian gunmen fired at an Israel Defense Forces patrol on the southern border of the Gaza Strip, Israel Radio reported. None of the soldiers were hurt in the shooting. Late on Thursday IDF troops fired artillery at the Gaza Strip area from which Palestinians had fired a Qassam rocket a short time before. more.. Army: “Explosive detonates near Efrat settlement” International Middle East Media Center 11/30/2005 An Israeli military source reported on Thursday morning that a bomb exploded near Efrat settlement south of the West Bank city of Bethlehem. An army vehicle reported to the army general command in the area that a bomb exploded next to the petrol near Efrat settlement south of city, no injuries were reported. None of the Palestinian resistance factions claimed responsibility for the attack. [end] more.. Three arrested allegedly carrying homemade bomb International Middle East Media Center 12/2/2005 Israeli army sources reported on Friday morning that its troops arrested three Palestinians in the Jordan Valley area carrying a homemade bomb. In the report the soldiers said that at the Jordan Valley area checkpoint stopped Palestinian care which had three passengers, and after searching it the soldiers found homemade bomb. The bomb squad was called to the scene and managed to diffuse it, the troops arrested the three Palestinians, among them Wa'el Ali 29 from Tammoun Village in the West Bank, the source added. more.. Army invades Awarta village, arrest two International Middle East Media Center 12/2/2005 Israeli troops invaded, on Friday at dawn, the village of Awarta south of the West Bank city of Nablus, and arrested two residents. Both residents were arrested during searches to the houses in the village; they are allegedly members of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). The two were moved to near by integration center, Israeli sources reported. [end] more.. Child killed, two youth injured in Khan Younis International Middle East Media Center 12/3/2005 A Palestinian security source, in Gaza, reported that Israeli soldiers killed one child, and injured two youth east of Khan Younis, in the southern part of the Gaza Strip. The source identified the killed child as Sayyed Abdul-Hadi Abu Libda, 16, and the two injured residents as Anwar Ata Abu Libda, 17, and Zuhdi Nafeth Shahin, 19. A medical source at Nasser Governmental Hospital in Khan Younis described the injuries of the two residents as moderate. The Palestinian News Agency, WAFA, reported that Israeli Tanks stationed at the southern part of the Gaza Strip fired shells and rounds of heavy ammunition at the direction of the three residents. more.. Qassam lands in Negev avocado orchard YNetNews 12/2/2005 Qassam rocket fired from the Gaza Strip Friday afternoon landed in an avocado orchard in the western Negev, missing by dozens of meters IDF artillery batteries positioned nearby; no injuries reported -- A Qassam rocket fired from the Gaza Strip Friday afternoon landed in an avocado orchard in the western Negev, missing by dozens of meters IDF artillery batteries positioned nearby. A worker alerted the police after the rocket hit and damaged an avocado tree in the orchard. Security officials collected the empty shell of the rocket, noting it is larger than Qassam shells collected in the past. more.. Gaza evacuees said suffering rampant emotional problems Ha'aretz 12/2/2005 Settlers evacuated during the disengagement are suffering from a variety of serious emotional problems, but are receiving little or no treatment, according to a report by the Legal Forum for the Land of Israel. For instance, the report said, people with special needs who were assisted by social workers from the Gaza Coast Regional Council are currently not receiving any such help, in part because their case files are in storage and therefore inaccessible. The report, which is based on testimony from psychologists, social workers and volunteers who have maintained contact with the evacuated settlers, found that children under age 12 have suffered a variety of problems, including attention and concentration deficits and adjustment problems. more.. Jewish settler population seen growing 4.3 percent in 2005 Ha'aretz 12/1/2005 The Jewish population in the West Bank is expected to grow faster than in any other Israeli district in 2005, to more than 243,000 people, the government reported Thursday. The settlement population at the end of September was 242,700, up from 235,100 at the end of December 2004, the Central Bureau of Statistics said. If nine-month growth continues at the same rate, then the settler population would expand 4.3 percent for all of 2005, to 243,100, the bureau said. more.. Citizen Wounded 8 others Arrested in WB WAFA 12/1/2005 NABLUS, December 1, 2005 (WAFA)- Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) wounded at pre-dawn on Thursday a citizen and arrested eight others in the West Bank (WB) cities of Nablus and Bethlehem, medical sources and witnesses said. Medics at Al-Ittihad hospital told WAFA that IOF shot and wounded the citizen Hani al-Hashash 23, of Balata refugee camp, eastern Nablus. Eyewitnesses said that IOF stormed the citizens' houses in the Old city of Nablus, Balata and Askar camps and arrested six citizens and led them into undisclosed fate. more.. Police arrest two youths who bragged about sabotaging Palestinian vineyard Ha'aretz 12/1/2005 Indictments were submitted Thursday against two youths suspected of cutting down 120 grapevines belonging to a Palestinian farmer at Givat Harsina in Hebron. The youths, aged 17, residents of Be'er Sheva and Alon Shvut, were arrested on Tuesday after bragging to police officers that they had cut the vines from the Palestinian's trees. Some 15 complaints have been filed with police through the Yesh Din organization against Israeli civilians for sabotaging Palestinian crops since April. The latest such incident took place in the West Bank village of Salem on Sunday. more.. Israeli police arrests two Israeli youth after cutting 120 Palestinian grapevines International Middle East Media Center 12/1/2005 The Israeli Police arrested, on Thursday two, Israeli youth suspected of cutting down 120 grapevines which belong to a Palestinian farmer close to the Givat Hasrina settlement, in the West Bank city of Hebron. The youth, both 17, came form Be’er Shiva and Alon Shvut, were arrested in Hebron after bragging to Israeli police officers that they had cut the grapevines of the Palestinian residents. Recently, Israeli Yesh Din organization filed 15 complaints to the Israeli police against Israelis for sabotaging Palestinian corps since April 2005. more.. Cat's head placed in MK's office YNetNews 12/1/2005 The decapitated head of a cat was placed at the entrance to Knesset member Talab el-Sana's office, believed to be threat on MK's life by political rivals -- The decapitated, blood-covered head of a cat, and one of the animal's legs were placed on the doorstep of Knesset Member Talab el-Sana's office in the southern town of Beer Sheva. The MK discovered the horrifying sight Thursday, upon arriving at his workplace. The dreadful display was apparently placed in response to el-Sana's speech at the Knesset Wednesday, in which the he claimed that a national state plan works to establish Jewish settlements in the southern Negev region, while disregarding the Bedouin population. more.. Two arrested, child injured in Jenin International Middle East Media Center 12/1/2005 Israeli soldiers invaded Jenin and its refugee camp, on Wednesday at dawn, and arrested two residents. A 12-year old child was injured after being attacked by military dogs. A local source in Jenin reported that soldiers, supported by 30 military vehicles and jeeps, invaded Jenin, its refugee camp, broke into and searched dozens of homes. Two residents, identified as Jamil Mahmoud Al Damj, 20, and Adel Mahmoud Al Damj, 26, were arrested. The two residents are members of the Islamic Jihad, a local source reported. more.. Al-Quds: Apartheid Wall Destroys Palestinian Sites in Northern Jerusalem WAFA 12/1/2005 RAMALLAH, December 1, 2005 (WAFA)- In its editorial, "The Apartheid Wall Destroys the Palestinian Sites in Northern Jerusalem," Al-Quds daily said that the reports about ongoing constructing of the Wall, between ar-Ram juncture and Dhahiqt al-Barid suburb, brings to mind the mass devastation of its construction. However, most of this destruction has been already on the ground and the Wall divides al-Quds-Ramallah street into two halves and obviates air and sunbeam from the two halves, it also prevents contact among the citizens and moreover, produces an economical, social and psychological suffering for the Palestinian people on the two sides of the Wall, Al-Quds said. more.. Soldiers install roadblock south of Nablus International Middle East Media Center 12/1/2005 Israeli soldiers installed a portable military roadblock at the southern entrance of Huwwara village, south of the West Bank city of Nablus. The Palestinian news agency WAFA, reported that soldiers stopped dozens of vehicles, and searched them. The agency stated that soldiers detained and interrogated dozens of residents for several hours, no arrests were reported. [end] more.. Bus windshield shattered by stone throwers on Wadi Ara highway in north Ha'aretz 12/1/2005 Stone throwers attacked an Egged bus traveling Thursday evening on the Wadi Ara highway in northern Israel. A number of rocks hit the bus, and one of them shattered the windshield, but there were no casualties. The incident took place as the bus was traveling past Kafr Mushreifeh, located at the eastern end of Wadi Ara. The driver continued traveling in the direction of Afula, located east of the Wadi Ara pass, and reported the incident to police. more.. Israeli Elite Duvdevan Unit Suffers Humiliation in Bethlehem Palestine Media Center 11/30/2005 Palestinian Police Uncover Five Undercover Israeli Troops Disguised as Workers -- President Mahmoud Abbas called on Israel to put an end to its military incursions into Palestinian territories after the Palestinian security forces uncovered an Israeli elite undercover unit that infiltrated into the southern West Bank town of Bethlehem and foiled its mission on Tuesday, an event the Yedioth Ahronoth described as “humiliation.” After returning from an official visit to Spain, Abbas condemned the Israeli raid as “unjustified.” more.. Palestinian Monitoring Group Daily Situation Report, 28 - 29 November 2005 (PDF) Palestine Media Center 12/1/2005 ...SALFIT: Closure of Main Roads: (i) The Israeli army continues to close the main north-western entrance to the city of Salfit with dirt barricades. The road has been closed since the beginning of the current Intifada (Uprising). (ii) The Israeli army continues to close the entrance to the town of Kafr ad Dik with cement blocks. (iii) The Israeli army continues to close the western entrance to the village of Bruqin with dirt barricades. Checkpoint: The Israeli army continues to close Deir Ballut checkpoint overnight and open it at various morning hours, impeding civilian access. Wall Construction: Wall construction continues near the Green Line in the town of Deir Ballut and the villages of Az Zawiya and Rafat... more..

Diplomacy..

Lebanese army sappers defuse rockets intended for Israel Ha'aretz 12/30/2005 Army engineers in south Lebanon dismantled Friday two rockets mounted for firing at Israel, a senior military official said of a move that suggested Lebanon was exerting greater control over its border area. The army was investigating who owned the rockets and had searched the area for more, the official told The Associated Press, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the media. "The two rockets were found in an orchard in the border town of Naqoura," the official said. more.. Lebanese PM slams rocket fire on northern Israel, IAF response Ha'aretz 12/28/2005 Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Seniora on Wednesday denounced the launching of Katyusha rockets from southern Lebanon into northern Israel the night before as an attempted distraction from efforts to resolve "internal issues. "In a statement issued by his office, Seniora said he saw the actions as "aimed at destabilizing security and diverting attention from efforts exerted to solve the internal issues prevailing in the country. " more.. Quartet: Hamas should not be part of new Palestinian Cabinet Ha'aretz 12/29/2005 The four international supporters of the Middle East peace process said Wednesday that the next Palestinian Cabinet should not include members of Hamas or other militant groups committed to violence. The statement by the so-called quartet did not name Hamas, but said a future Palestinian Cabinet "should include no member who has not committed to the principles of Israel's right to exist in peace and security and an unequivocal end to violence and terrorism. " more.. Army chief: Iran strike not in cards YNetNews 12/29/2005 Israel is not facing an imminent Iranian threat, IDF Chief of Staff Dan Halutz said Thursday, but added that circumstances would change should the Islamic republic obtains a nuclear bomb. "Israel does not currently face an existential threat. Until Iran has nuclear weapons, this term is irrelevant," Halutz said in interview with Army Radio Thursday. On the practical level, "the IDF is professionally prepared to utilize its maximum capabilities," the chief of staff said, "but I do notbelieve the IDF will need to operate against Iran in the near future. " more.. IDF: Hizbullah uses Russian rockets YNetNews 12/29/2005 Intelligence chief slams Russia, says weapons sold to Syria end up in terrorists' hands -- Oh, those Russians: Hizbullah has been using Russian-made RPG rockets purchased by Syria to target Israel, outgoing IDF Intelligence Chief Aharon Zeevi-Farkash charged in a special interview with Israel's leading newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth. In his farewell interview, Farkash chose to blast the Russians for their contribution to the war waged by Hizbullah terrorists against Israel. more.. Lebanon condemns rocket attack on Israel YNetNews 12/29/2005 Prime Minister Fuad Saniora slams katyusha barrage fired into northern Israel, while U. N. envoy urges Lebanese government to assert control over tense border region to prevent future attacks on Israel -- Lebanon's prime minister on Wednesday condemned a rocket barrage fired a day earlier into northern Israel, while a U. N. envoy urged the Lebanese government to assert control over the tense border region to prevent future attacks on the Jewish state. more.. Arab MK: Israel, U.S. are spiders creating Syrian-Lebanese crisis Ha'aretz 12/29/2005 "It is in the clear interests of the big spider, the United States, and the little spider, Israel, to create a crisis between Syria and Lebanon," said MK Mohammed Barakeh (Hadash-Ta'al) in Nazareth on Thursday. Barakeh spoke in a pro-Syrian rally before an audience of 500 residents of Arab and Druze villages in the Golan Heights, as well as Arab MKs and public officials. The participants from the Golan Heights entered the conference hall singing Syrian songs and waving Syrian and Palestinian flags and pictures of former Syrian president Hafez Assad. more.. Arab MK: Syria will hasten Palestinian J'lem YNetNews 12/30/2005 Arab Knesset Member Mohammad Barakeh (Hadash-Ta'al) expressed his support of Syria on Thursday, claiming that "a strong and resistant Syria will bring closer the day in which Jerusalem will become Palestine's capital. " Barakeh, who spoke during a rally of solidarity with Syria in Nazareth, added that "we can clearly see the cobwebs of the big spider, the United States, as well as the cobwebs of the small spider, Israel, who are trying to drive a wedge between Syria and Lebanon in order to devour Syria after what happened in Iraq. " more.. Greek patriarch skips Katsav's Xmas bash in church feud Ha'aretz 12/29/2005 JERUSALEM -The new Greek patriarch of the Holy Land stayed away from the annual Christmas gathering at President Moshe Katsav's residence Thursday because the church's ousted former patriarch also was invited, a spokesman said. "The church cannot have two patriarchs," said the Greek Orthodox church secretary, Archbishop Aristarchos. The current patriarch, Theofilos III, replaced Irineos I after he was ousted in May amid allegations of leasing church property in Jerusalem's Old City to Jewish settler groups. Israel has not recognized Irineos's removal or the church's election of Theofilos. more.. Quartet Dictates to PNA Conditions for Parliamentary Candidates Palestine Media Center 12/29/2005 ‘PNA Should Codify in Law Renunciation of Violence, Recognition of Israel’ -- In a new blow to Palestinian national consensus as stipulated in the inter-Palestinian Cairo Declaration early this year, the Quartet of the US, UN, EU and Russia in a statement on Wednesday demanded the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) “take immediate steps” to ensure that “all participants” in the January 25 legislative elections “renounce violence, recognize Israel's right to exist, and disarm,” and to move “expeditiously to codify” these principles in a law. more.. Quartet statement on Palestinian Legislative Council elections ReliefWeb/Middle East Quartet 12/29/2005 The Quartet welcomes the upcoming Palestinian Legislative Council elections as a positive step toward consolidation of Palestinian democracy and the goal of a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The Quartet calls on the Palestinian Authority and the Central Elections Commission to ensure a free, fair, and open process in accordance with Palestinian law. The Quartet noted the continued importance of security in this regard, and calls on the Palestinian Authority to take immediate steps to ensure law and order, prevent terrorist attacks and dismantle the infrastructure of terrorism... more.. Dr. Ereikat Calls on Quartet to Ensure all Palestinians Participation in Elections WAFA 12/29/2005 JERICHO, December 29, 2005 (WAFA) - Dr. Saeb Ereikat, Head of the PLO Negotiations Affairs Department, called Saturday on the US Administration and the other members of the Quartet to save no effort to enable all the Palestinians from participating in the forthcoming elections. Dr. Ereikat asserted, during his meeting in Jericho with Jacob Walles, the American Consul General in Jerusalem, that the palestinain security forces are able to enforce law and protect the electoral process in the Gaza Strip And the West Bank. more.. Sell-by date looms for shaky Palestinian truce Middle East Online 12/28/2005 A shaky truce that has marked a huge drop in Israeli-Palestinian violence during 2005 appears unlikely to be renewed at the year-end with armed factions accusing Israel of doing nothing in return. Transgressed repeatedly by the most radical Palestinians and endangered frequently by Israeli military operations, the de facto ceasefire has nonetheless put the brakes on a deadly cycle of violence since September 2000. more.. Minister of State Lenihan announces emergency and recovery package of more than €12 million ReliefWeb/Government of Ireland 12/29/2005 Conor Lenihan T. D. , Minister of State for Development Cooperation and Human Rights, today announced details of a humanitarian and recovery aid package of over €12. 8 million for Africa and the Middle East.... €2. 75 million is being provided in assistance to Palestine, including €1. 5 million for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA). This money will be used for the provision of basic services, and in the education and rural development sectors. The total assistance provided to Palestine this year will be over €4 million. more.. President Abbas to Start Saturday Official Tour to Gulf States WAFA 12/29/2005 RAMALLAH, December 29, 2005 (WAFA) - President Mahmoud Abbas to start Saturday an official tour to the Arab Gulf States. Spokesperson of Presidency Nabil Abu Rdeneh said President Abbas will to brief the leaders of Gulf states on the latest developments in the Palestinian Territories and the preparations for the upcoming legislative elections. Abu Rdeneh said that President Abbas will ask the Gulf States to support the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) in reconstructing the Gaza Strip and Gaza Strip. more.. Kadima uncertain on depth of concessions YNetNews 12/28/2005 Political chapter of party's platform, officially approved Wednesday, does not define depth of withdrawal from PA territories; according to platform, Jerusalem will remain united, while new Palestinian state will be responsible for refugee problem -- Ever since Prime Minister Ariel Sharon established his new party Kadima, the polls have predicted that it would gain a decisive victory in the elections. The party's platform, however, remained unknown.... The platform creates a precedent when determining that the expected Palestinian state (which is also part of the platform) will be responsible for the refugee problem. more.. Sharon Wants to ‘Annex’ Settlements, Peretz to ‘Lease’ Them Palestine Media Center 12/28/2005 HRW Urges Bush to Use US Influence to Stop Israeli Colonization Drive -- Kadima, Likud and Labor political parties are in consensus on “keeping” the Jewish colonies Israel built on Palestinian land it occupied in 1967, while the Israeli government of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is diverting attention away from a settlement expansion drive in the West Bank to the action and reaction to the Palestinian primitive home-made rockets in the Gaza Strip that have so far done little or no harm to the Israelis. more.. Health and Interior Ministries Condemn Israeli Aerial Sound Raids over Gaza Strip International Press Center 12/28/2005 GAZA, Palestine, December 28, 2005 (IPC) - - The Ministry of Interior and National Security condemned today the Israeli escalation over Gaza Strip; asserting that these acts will push the area to the circle of violence. The ministry said that the Israeli decision to enforce the no-go zone northern Gaza Strip would not serve the peace process. The ministry added that these Israeli violations against the Palestinian lands prove the continuation of the Israeli aggressive policy and considered this escalation as a breach to all international laws. more.. Wiesenthal Center slams Norway's Israel boycott YNetNews 12/28/2005 Center describes Norwegian Provincial Government of Sor-Trondelag resolution to boycott Israeli products as “an act of anti-Semitism in the spirit of Hitler's 'Don’t buy from Jews' campaign of the 1930's; center’s director for international relations: ‘Boycott an embarrassment to Norwegian foreign policy’ -- In a letter to Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg, the Simon Wiesenthal Center’s Director for International Relations, Dr. Shimon Samuels, described the Norwegian Provincial Government of Sor-Trondelag resolution to boycott Israeli products as “an act of anti-Semitism in the spirit of Hitler's 'Don't buy from Jews' campaign of the 1930's. ” more.. Labor plan to call for 'Hong Kong principle' for settlement blocs Ha'aretz 12/28/2005 Labor Party Chair Amir Peretz's diplomatic team is formulating a platform calling for the long-term leasing of large West Bank settlement blocs from the Palestinians,adopting the model of Great Britain and China with regard to Hong Kong. The team, which includes former Foreign Ministry director general David Kimche, former minister Uzi Bar-Am, MK Yuli Tamir, Dalia Rabin, former Foreign Ministry official Avi Primor, and former consul-general in New York Alon Pinkas, will unveil the platform in the upcoming weeks. The platform will call for adopting the findings of the Sasson report on illegal outposts. more.. Abbas urges end to Israel attacks BBC 12/28/2005 Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas has appealed to militant groups to halt rocket attacks on Israel. He made the plea at a meeting of armed groups in Gaza, ahead of parliamentary elections planned for next month. Islamic Jihad is reported already to have rejected his call, blaming Israel for a recent escalation in violence. Mr Abbas was also reportedly seeking agreement from the groups not to proceed with the polls if Israel stops Palestinians in East Jerusalem voting. more.. PNA complains about new Israeli settlements plan ReliefWeb 12/28/2005 RAMALLAH, Dec 27, 2005 (Xinhua via COMTEX) - The Palestinian National Authority (PNA) announced on Tuesday that it will lodge a complaint to the Quartet Committee against the new Israeli settlement plan in the West Bank. The PNA's complaint will be made against Israel's release of tenders for the construction of new housing units in the West Bank settlements of Beitar Ilit and Givat Ha'Zait. more.. PLO Calls Quartet to Pressurize Israel to Fulfill its Engagements WAFA 12/27/2005 RAMALLAH, December 27, 2005 (WAFA)- The PLO Executive Committee (EC) called the Quartet and international community to pressurize Israel to fulfill its engagements to run the legislative elections straightforwardly. During a meeting held Tuesday in Ramallah city, and chaired by President Mahmoud Abbas, the EC discussed the latest preparations for running the PLC elections next month and the Israeli threats to hinder it in Jerusalem city. more.. State seeks arrangement for East J'lem voters in PA elections Ha'aretz 12/28/2005 Israel is seeking a solution that will permit East Jerusalem residents to vote in the elections to the Palestinian Legislative Council, but allow the government to adhere to its opposition to Hamas' participation in the ballot. Israel also wants a solution that will prevent the state from being accused of delaying the elections. In a meeting on Monday with Labor chairman MK Amir Peretz, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said "an arrangement would be found," but refrained from elaborating. more.. Mossad: 1 nuclear bomb won’t suffice Iran YNetNews 12/27/2005 Mossad Chief Meir Dagan says during Knesset’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee meeting, ‘Iranian strategic decision to reach nuclear independence exists; they won't stop when they reach the level which would supply one bomb, but will continue and create more fissionable material’ -- If there is no extreme interference, and the Iranians continue with their enrichment program via centrifuge, they will reach a stage of independent technological ability within a number of months, Mossad Chief Meir Dagan said during a Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee meeting Tuesday. more.. Captain of Zim Asia won't face chagres in Japan collision probe Ha'aretz 12/28/2005 Police on Tuesday recommended the indictment of the second officer of the Zim Asia ship after completing the investigation into the ship's collision with a boat off Japan's coast some three months ago that left seven Japanese fishermen dead. Police handed their conclusions to the Haifa prosecution, adding they did not have any conclusive evidence to indict the ships captain, Moshe Ben-David, who was not on the command bridge at the time of the accident. more.. Gaza fighters turned back at Rafah AlJazeera 12/26/2005 Palestinian resistance groups have accused European Union monitors of preventing three of their senior commanders from leaving the Gaza Strip and threatened to blast a path in the border to allow them to travel. The Rafah crossing on the border between Gaza and Egypt was opened last month under a deal brokered by Condoleezza Rice, the US secretary of state, in hope of stirring an economic revival in the coastal strip that Israel quit after 38 years of occupation. European Union supervision over the Rafah crossing was a compromise agreed upon to alleviate Israeli fears of an influx of foreign fighters and arms to the Gaza Strip. more.. Patriarch Calls for Peace and Fall of Israeli Barrier New York Times 12/25/2005 BETHLEHEM, West Bank, Sunday, Dec. 25 (Agence France-Presses) - The Latin patriarch of Jerusalem used his annual Christmas sermon in Bethlehem on Sunday to pray for a Holy Land "thirsting for peace" as he urged political leaders to create life rather than death. "God created you not to fear or to kill each other but to love each other, to build and to cooperate together," the Rev. Michel Sabbah, the leader of Roman Catholics in the Holy Land, said in a message addressed to all Israelis and Palestinians. "To our political leaders, who by their policy can decide for the life or the death of so many in this land, we say: Be builders of life, not of death," he told worshipers at the Church of the Nativity. more.. Sharon offers more land to Palestinians - and more settlers Daily Star 12/27/2005 Share Of Jerusalem Ruled Out-- Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is ready to turn over more territory to the Palestinians and accept an independent Palestinian state if elected to a third term, according to a draft platform of Sharon's Kadima Party published Monday. The platform could form the basis of the next Israeli government. Polls show the centrist Kadima, which Sharon formed last month, has the best chance of winning March 28 parliamentary elections. more.. Buffer zone angers Palestinians AlJazeera 12/26/2005 The Ruling Palestinian National Liberation Movement (Fatah) says it will hold Israel responsible for any consequences of its decision to establish a buffer zone in northern Gaza. Ariel Sharon, the Israeli prime minister, has ordered the army to establish a security zone in northern Gaza to prevent continued Palestinian rocket attacks, public radio reported on Sunday. Any Palestinian straying into the zone, the extent of which will be determined by Israel, could be shot by troops from across the border. more.. Israel weighs Palestinian J'lem vote YNetNews 12/26/2005 Israel may allow Palestinians who live in East Jerusalem to participate in Palestinian elections, an Israeli official said Monday. A senior Palestinian official welcomed the comments, but said that he was skeptical since the Palestinian Authority had not yet received an official response from Israel on the matter. The Palestinians had threatened not to hold the January 25 parliamentary elections if Israel did not let Palestinians in east Jerusalem vote. more.. President Abbas Receives Patriarch Theofilos III WAFA 12/26/2005 RAMALLAH, December 26, 2005 (WAFA) - President Mahmoud Abbas received on Monday the Greek Orthodox Patriarch in Jerusalem, Theofilos III. During the meeting in Ramallah, President Abbas congratulated Theofilos III on the occasion of Christmas, expressing hope that next year Palestine will be free and Jerusalem a capital for the homeland. For his part, Patriarch Theofilos III briefed President Abbas on the affairs of the Orthodox Church as well as the situation in the holy cities of Jerusalem and Bethlehem. more.. Sharon’s new party: “More lands, less Arabs” By Saed Bannoura, International Middle East Media Center 12/26/2005 Israeli newspaper, Yedioth Ahronoth, published a report on the Political Agenda of Sharon’s new part, Kadima, and revealed that Sharon intends to use the Road Map plan in accordance to his own vision in order to grab as much land as possible while preserving a Jewish majority within the new borders of Israel, which includes annexing huge areas of the West Bank. “The main aim of the party is to maintain Israel as the national hometown of the Jews in the Land of Israel”, the introductory statement of Kadima party reads, “Kadima views the peace process with the Palestinians as a main aim, and a possible channel to draw the final borders of Israel”. more.. Fateh Condemns Israeli Plans to Set up Buffer Zone Deep inside GS WAFA 12/25/2005 GAZA, December 25, 2005, (WAFA)- Palestinian National Liberation Movement (Fateh), condemned the Israeli plans to set up a buffer zone deep inside the northern Gaza Strip (GS) areas. In a statement issued Sunday, Fateh considered that Israeli plan as a serious violation to the Palestinian national sovereignty, and a reoccupying to the areas that Israel had withdrew. more.. In Christmas Homily at Church of Nativity, Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Welcomes President's Efforts to Achieve Peace WAFA 12/25/2005 BETHLEHEM, December 25, 2005, (WAFA)- Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Michel Sabbah, welcomed President Mahmoud Abbas's efforts to achieve peace in the region, asking God to help him "with courage and perseverance in the difficult path of peace". Delivering the Christmas Homily 2005 at midnight before worshippers at the Church of Nativity in Bethlehem in presence of the President, Patriarch Sabbah thanked Abbas for choosing the way of peace despite its hardness. more.. Pope appeals for Mid-East peace BBC 12/25/2005 Pope Benedict XVI in Rome has made a plea for peace in the Middle East, as he celebrated his first Christmas Eve Mass since becoming pontiff. He spoke to thousands of people packed into St Peter's Basilica and watching on screens in the square outside. The Mass was broadcast live to 46 nations. Calling on Roman Catholics to think of those in Bethlehem, he said: "We wish to pray for peace in the Holy Land. "... In Bethlehem, revered as the birthplace of Jesus, Latin Patriarch Michel Sabbah, the senior Catholic cleric in the Holy Land, said the region was "thirsting for peace". more.. Mussa: Palestinian Cause Top Priority WAFA 12/25/2005 CAIRO, December 25, 2005 (WAFA) - Secretary-General of the League of the Arab States said Sunday that the Palestinian cause is a top priority throughout year 2006. Mussa stressed, during a press conference in Cairo, that the Arab stance towards the Palestinian cause is based on the Arab Initiative of Beirut Summit in 2002. He called on Israel to end its withdrawal of the Palestinian territories, freeze colony expansion and achieve just and lasting peace with the Palestinian people. [end] more.. Bethlehem Calls on US to Exert Utmost Efforts to Implement International Legitimacy in OPT WAFA 12/23/2005 KANSAS, December 23, 2005 (WAFA)- The Mayor of Bethlehem city, Victor Batarseh, called on the US to exert utmost efforts toward implementing the international legitimacy in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT). During a recent visit to the USA, Batarseh said that the Israeli occupation of the Palestinian land is the sole obstacle to peace and the major cause of instability in our region. more.. EU envoys boycott tour of crossing at Qalandiyah By Amira Hass, Ha'aretz 12/23/2005 The representatives of the European Union and other diplomats boycotted a tour last Monday - sponsored by the West Bank Civil Administration - of the new Qalandiyah crossing for pedestrians. A diplomatic source told Haaretz they refused the invitation to tour the facility, which opened the next day, because it is located in the heart of occupied territory. Israel sees the crossing as a border terminal between it and the West Bank, similar to a number of other terminals, for example the Erez crossing in the Gaza Strip. However, the Qalandiyah crossing is distant from the Green Line (pre-1967 border) and is surrounded by Palestinian neighborhoods and village. more.. Indicted Officials Consider Suing Pro-Israel Lobby Forward 12/23/2005 Bad Blood Spills Over In Aipac Spy Scandal -- WASHINGTON — Two former employees of the nation's main pro-Israel lobby, who are facing trial for allegedly receiving classified information and relaying it to foreign diplomats and the press, are considering lawsuits against the lobbying powerhouse. Steve Rosen, former director of foreign policy at the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, and Keith Weissman, Aipac's former Iran analyst, are considering suing Aipac over its stopping payments of legal fees to their attorneys, sources close to the two said. more.. President Receives New US Security Envoy WAFA 12/23/2005 RAMALLAH, December 23, 2005 (WAFA)- President Mahmoud Abbas met on Friday with the new US Security Envoy, General Keith Dayton in the presidential headquarter in Ramallah city. During the Meeting, Abbas briefed his guest about the latest developments in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT), and the exerted efforts to push the peace process forward. [end] more.. Britain advises its citizens against traveling to Gaza Strip Ha'aretz 12/23/2005 The British government on Friday warned Britons against traveling to the Gaza Strip for any reason, citing the abduction of two Westerners by gunmen earlier in the week. Until now, the Foreign Office had warned Britons against all nonessential travel to the area, to the West Bank with the exception of Ramallah, Jericho and Bethlehem, and to Israel's borders with Lebanon and Gaza. more.. U.S. allocates more funds for Arrow missile YNetNews 12/23/2005 U.S. Congress approves allocation of USD 133 million for development of Arrow missile project, joint Israel Aircraft Industries – Boeing company production line in Mississippi, Alabama. Also approved – funding of new missile to intercept short-range missiles apparently in possession of Hizbullah -- The U.S. Congress has approved Friday the allocation of USD 133 million for the further development of the Arrow missile project and for a joint Israel Aircraft Industries – Boeing company production line. more.. 'We won't be war criminals' YNetNews 12/23/2005 Senior government official tells Ynet in response to demands that IDF distance Gaza Qassam launchers even at price of hurting civilians, 'Israel only operates against Palestinian targets that threaten us -- Israel only operates against Palestinian targets that threaten the country, a senior government official who is very close to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon told Ynet Thursday evening. "We will not be war criminals. Whoever is irresponsible, should go and face (International War Crimes Tribunal in) The Hague," the official said in response to the demand made by a number of ministers in the past few days that the IDF should strike Palestinian population concentrations, even at the price of hurting civilians. more.. Mofaz asks Egypt to help halt Qassams Ha'aretz 12/22/2005 Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz met in Tel Aviv yesterday with Egypt's intelligence chief, Omar Suleiman, and asked him to try to calm matters in the Palestinian arena and stop the Qassam rocket fire on Israel. Mofaz told Suleiman that rocket fire aimed at Israel has increased in recent weeks, and reported that there were six specific warnings regarding planned terrorist attacks in Israel. He said that Syria conveyed directives and funding for various organizations in the territories. more.. Hamas: U.S. intervenes in PA elections International Middle East Media Center 12/22/2005 In a press release issued, on Wednesday, the Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, accused US administration of financing the election campaigns of Fateh candidates ahead of Palestinian general elections. Hamas demanded that the Palestinian Authority launch an investigation into the matter, saying, “This is further proof of American, western involvement in internal Palestinian affairs”.... In response, the USAID said the document was forged and that it does not finance political candidates or parties. more.. US, Israel strengthening Hamas - Latin patriarch Reuters 12/21/2005 JERUSALEM, Dec 21 (Reuters) - Pope Benedict's representative in the Holy Land said on Wednesday that the United States and Israel were helping strengthen Islamic militant group Hamas through policies towards the Palestinians. President George W. Bush's administration has expressed concern over Hamas's decision to participate for the first time in Palestinian parliamentary elections to be held on Jan. 25. Last week, the U.S. House of Representatives called for Hamas, sworn to Israel's destruction, to be banned from the coming elections. "Hamas is getting more powerful thanks to Bush's intervention in the whole process," Latin Patriarch for the Holy Land, Michel Sabbah, a Palestinian, told reporters at a briefing held ahead of Christmas celebrations. more.. Israel, U.S. renew pullout aid talks YNetNews 12/22/2005 Aid talks frozen following Hurricane Katrina; low-level contacts to be initiated -- WASHINGTON - Israel and the United States renewed talks over American aid to the Jewish State to cover development projects in the southern Negev and northern Galilee regions following the pullout from the Gaza Strip over the summer. Sympathizing with its closest ally, Israel withheld its request for a USD 2 billion financial package from Washington in August when Hurricane Katrina swept through Louisiana. more.. UNDP to clear the rubble from the demolished settlements in the Gaza Strip ReliefWeb/UNDP 12/22/2005 Jerusalem, December 22, 2005 - The United Nations Development Programme / Programme of Assistance to the Palestinian People (UNDP/PAPP) has been entrusted by the Government of Israel, the Palestinian Authority and the Office of the Special Envoy for the Quartet, Mr. James Wolfensohn to carry out the task of clearing and recycling the rubble produced by the destruction of settlements in the Gaza strip. With over 1. 2 million tons of rubble to be cleared and recycled, the project will cost US $24. 7 million, which will be paid by the Government of Israel, and will take over a year and half to complete. more.. Israel provides US$25 million to UNDP for Gaza redevelopment project ReliefWeb/UNDP 12/22/2005 U. N. Agency’s Palestinian Program to Use Funding for Debris Removal, Economic Rehabilitation of Sites of Demolished Former Settlements -- Jerusalem, December 22, 2005 - The United Nations Development Programme’sProgramme of Assistance to the Palestinian People announced today that it has received a $25 milliongrant from the Government of Israelfor the clearance and rehabilitation ofsites once occupied by the evacuated Israeli settlements in the Gaza Strip. more.. US, EU liable to punish Israel over Patents Law Globes 12/22/2005 They are angry about concessions to generic drug companies, to the detriment of ethical drug companies. -- International drug companies believe that the US is liable to put Israel in a more severe category of countries that fail to protect intellectual property rights, and threaten sanctions. Yesterday, the Knesset approved an amendment to the Patents Law (1967) (amended 1998).... US Trade Representative Rob Portman told Minister of Industry, Trade, and Labor Ehud Olmert last week that the US objected to the change in the Patents Law, and demanded that the government withdraw it. more.. Norway: Parliament shuns Israeli products YNetNews 12/22/2005 A regional parliament has ruled to boycott Israeli products in protest of 'Israel's oppression of Palestinians'; ADL condemns ruling, says 'decision only serves to exacerbate tensions and ill-will' -- The Norwegian parliament in the Sor-Trondelag region ruled Saturday to boycott products made in Israel and to forbid the sale and purchase of Israeli goods. It is estimated that the decision, determined by a parliamentary vote, was made due to Norway's stance that Israel oppresses the Palestinians. more.. Norwegian county boycott of Israel ires Jewish groups Ha'aretz 12/22/2005 A Norwegian county's decision to boycott Israeli products because of its occupation of Palestinian territories has outraged Jewish groups. Soer-Trondelag became the first province in Norway to bar the purchase of Israeli goods when the provincial board voted on December 16 to impose the boycott. Torill Skaerseth, a board representative from the far-left Red Electoral Alliance, said she hopes the boycott will spread to other Norwegian provinces. "We see Israel as an occupying force that could be compared with the apartheid regime in South Africa. " more.. IDF chief in Turkey to discuss military cooperation with Ankara Ha'aretz 12/22/2005 ANKARA, Turkey - Israel Defense Force Chief of Staff, Lt. Gen. Dan Halutz, arrived in Turkey on Thursday for talks expected to focus on military cooperation and Iran's nuclear program. Halutz, who was welcomed with full military honors, held talks with the head of the Turkish military, Gen. Hilmi Ozkok, and was expected to meet President Ahmet Necdet Sezer later. Turkey is Israel's closest ally in the region and the two countries have close trade and military ties. more.. France to Double its Contribution to World Bank's Fiduciary Fund for Palestinian Territories in 2005 WAFA 12/22/2005 PARIS, December 22, 2005 (WAFA) - The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it will double its contribution to the World Bank's fiduciary fund for the Palestinian Territories in 2005. The Ministry said, in a press release issued Thursday, with this new contribution, France's total contribution to this fund stands at 5. 5 million euros. "The aim, for France, is to strengthen its support for the Palestinian Authority at a time when the Authority is facing major financial difficulties in an unstable political context," said the press release. more.. PNA: Swedish Government to Fund Programme for Police Apparatus WAFA 12/22/2005 RAMALLAH, December, 22, 2205, (WAFA) - Palestinian National Authority (PNA) and Swedish Government signed Thursday an agreement to fund a programme for developing the police apparatus. In a ceremony in Ramallah, Minister of Planning, Ghassan AL-Khateeb said that Swedish Government has donated €2 Millions to meet the national demands and to reactivate the role of the Palestinian Police in its duty in the Palestinian Territories. more.. US gov't insures Citigroup for Israeli gas pipeline project Globes 12/22/2005 The 100 kilometer pipeline will be used to transport gas from Ashdod to the Hagit power plant in northern Israel. -- A series of agreements between the Israel Electric Corporation (IEC), Citigroup (NYSE:C). and US Overseas Private Investment Corp. (OPIC) signed earlier this week in Washington, will enable OPIC to provide political risk insurance to the financers of Israel's natural gas pipeline.... According to the agreement signed Tuesday, OPIC will indemnify Citigroup should IEC not meet its scheduled repayment dates, or if the loan guarantees cannot be exercised. more.. Google limits resolution for images of sensitive Israeli sites Globes 12/22/2005 Understandings reached by Israel reduce its vulnerability to enlarged satellite Internet photos of defense sites. -- Since Google (Nasdaq: GOOG) began offering satellite photographs of locations everywhere in the world in April 2005, countries have feared that high-resolution photographs of sensitive sites would expose their weak points to terrorists. Israeli sources told "Globes" that Israel was very sensitive to exposure of strategic locations in satellite photographs. ,,,An independent survey of the Google Earth site for satellite photographs shows that the search engine limits the resolution for available photos of Israel sites, whether strategic or civilian. This restriction does not exist for photographs of sites in other countries. more.. Israel offered Iran billions for Arad YNetNews 12/22/2005 Teheran refused to reveal information about missing Israeli navigator Ron Arad despite economic pressure, USD 10 billion incentive package offered by Israel in early 1990s -- Israel threatened to destabilize the Iranian regime in the early nineties over Tehran’s relentless denial of involvement in the kidnapping of Israeli navigator Ron Arad who bailed out of his jet over Lebanon in 1986, Israel’s leading newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth revealed Thursday. more.. PA: Jerusalem ban may delay vote AlJazeera 12/21/2005 Israel has said it will ban Arabs in East Jerusalem from voting in Palestinian elections next month if the Islamic group Hamas takes part. A spokesman for Ariel Sharon, the prime minister, said on Wednesday Israel will not allow voting in Jerusalem for the poll on 25 January because Hamas, which calls for Israel's destruction and has spearheaded a bombing campaign, is running for the first time. Raanan Gissin said: "There is no reason whatsoever we should assist a terrorist organisation on the ballot to gain victory. This would be like letting a Trojan horse into our city. "Israel allowed Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem to vote in Palestinian Authority elections in 1996 and earlier this year when Mahmoud Abbas was elected president. more.. Hamas: U.S. intervening in PA elections YNetNews 12/21/2005 Group accuses Bush administration of financing election campaigns of Fatah candidates ahead of Palestinian Authority general elections: ‘This is further proof of American, western involvement in internal Palestinian affairs’ -- Hamas has accused the Bush administration of financing the election campaigns of Fatah candidates ahead of the Palestinian Authority general elections. The organization published a document which it claims shows the head of the American USAID (US Agency for International Development) fundcorresponding with Palestinian parliament member Nabil Amro, thanking him for putting his trust in the fund and adding that he “received his letter regarding the financing of Amro and his associates’ campaign. ” more.. U.S. senators ask president to push to bar Hamas from polls Ha'aretz 12/22/2005 Poll: More than 40 percent of Palestinians polled will vote for Hamas -- Seventy U.S. senators on Wednesday called on President George W. Bush to make it clear to Palestinian leaders that Hamas and other groups that the United States wants terrorist organizations to disarm or be banned from upcoming Palestinian elections. The senators in a letter to Bush said the United States "would have little choice but to reevaluate all aspects of our relations" with the Palestinian Authority if Hamas "or such groups" were brought into it. more.. Steinitz: Mofaz misled defense panel about Gaza border deal Ha'aretz 12/21/2005 The chairman of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, MK Yuval Steinitz (Likud), on Wednesday accused Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz (Kadima) of misleading the committee by presenting it with false information regarding the Gaza border agreement between Israel and the Palestinian Authority. Steinitz told parliamentary correspondents that the committee has been trying for the past six weeks to obtain a copy of an agreement on the Gaza crossings between the U. S, Israel and the PA, mediated by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. more.. Israel to bar voting in East Jerusalem Ha'aretz 12/21/2005 Israel will not enable voting for the Palestinian Authority's legislative election to take place in East Jerusalem because of Hamas's participation, senior Israeli officials told Veronique de Keyser, who heads a delegation of European election observers. The officials said this week that because Israel objects to Hamas's participation in the election, it is therefore not willing to allow voting to take place in sovereign Israeli territory. According to the Oslo Accords, Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem are allowed to vote in PA elections via their local post offices. more.. Abbas slams Israel's decision to prevent Palestinians voting in East Jerusalem Daily Star 12/22/2005 Egypt's intelligence chief says move could delay polls -- Israel said Wednesday that it would not allow voting in occupied East Jerusalem in next month's Palestinian election - a move Palestinian officials and Egypt's intelligence chief said could delay the vote. Denouncing the decision, President Mahmoud Abbas said the Palestinian leadership would carefully consider its next step, saying it had yet to be officially informed of Israel's decision. "The Palestinian leadership will study this issue before making a response, for the responsibility is enormous," he said after talks with Egyptian intelligence services chief Omar Suleiman. more.. Egypt intelligence chief: PA must not cancel parliamentary election Ha'aretz 12/21/2005 Egypt wants to see Palestinian Authority parliamentary elections held on time, the chief of Egyptian general intelligence, Omar Suleiman, told Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz in a meeting on Wednesday. The poll is slated for January 25, but PA Information Minister Nabil Shaath said earlier Wednesday the Authority might cancel the election if Israel bars voting in East Jerusalem. According to Suleiman, who visited Israel and the PA on Wednesday, Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas must use the elections as a platform for change, and not delay or cancel them. [See also: Egypt seeks to delay PA elections] more.. Palestinian elections threatened BBC 12/21/2005 January's Palestinian parliamentary elections have been plunged into crisis after Israel decided to prevent Palestinians in Jerusalem from voting. Israeli prime minister's spokesman Raanan Gissin told the BBC it was concerned that the Palestinian militant group Hamas might gain power. The Palestinian Authority condemned the decision and said it would cancel the poll if voting in Jerusalem is barred. This election will be only the second since the PA was established in 1995. more.. Israel to finance removal of settlement rubble YNetNews 12/21/2005 Israel, United Nations sign agreement for removal of rubble from 21 Jewish settlements destroyed in Israel’s summer pullout; country to allocate USD 25 million for project -- Israel and the United Nations signed an agreement on Wednesday for removal of the rubble from 21 Jewish settlements destroyed in Israel’s summer pullout, an Israeli official said. Yossi Tzemach, spokesman for the Israeli liaison mission with Gaza, said Israel will transfer USD 25 million to the United Nations Development Program, which will bring in Palestinian contractors to remove the rubble. more.. Rice: PM Sharon has a vision for a better life for Israelis Ha'aretz 12/21/2005 Secretary of State Condoleezza praised Prime Minister Ariel Sharon for taking personal risks and making courageous decisions ahead of the March 2006 general elections, in an interview to CNN aired this week. Rice said that she and President George Bush "believe that Prime Minister Sharon is somebody with a vision for a better life for Israelis based on a two-state solution... " more.. Israel fears violent upsurge, bars east Jerusalem voting ReliefWeb 12/21/2005 JERUSALEM, Dec 21 (AFP) - Israel voiced fears of a potential explosion of Palestinian violence ahead of next month's parliamentary election and said Wednesday it would not allowing any voting in occupied east Jerusalem. Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz was reported to have told a meeting of his top lieutenants that Palestinian leader Mahmud Abbas was losing control and that the radical Islamist movement Hamas was likely to resume its campaign of attacks, particularly from the Gaza Strip.... The chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat condemned the decision, calling it part of an Israeli design to sabotage the whole election. more.. UN Golan Heights mission extended AlJazeera 12/22/2005 The UN Security Council has unanimously approved a six-month extension of the mandate of the United Nations' observer mission on the Golan Heights. The 15-member council decided on Wednesday to renew the mandate of the UN Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF), which has been monitoring a ceasefire between Syria and Israel for 31 years, until next 30 June. It urged the parties to implement immediately the 1973 Security Council resolution 338 which called for an end to all military activity. more.. Foreign Ministry appointments frozen YNetNews 12/22/2005 Civil Service Commissioner Shmuel Hollander orders ministry to delay appointments until further notice: ‘Decision aims to prevent those who have not passed the ministry’s preparatory course from obtaining posts and preventing affairs similar to the one involving the consul in Holland, who sexually harassed young women during his term’.... “Due to a number of recent scandals in the Foreign Ministry, a committee was established to look into the appointments,” a Civil Service Commission spokesman said. more.. Patriarch Sabbah Calls for Changing Ways of Taking Decisions to Reach Justice and Peace WAFA 12/21/2005 JERUSALEM, December 21, 2005 (WAFA) - Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, Michel Sabbah said Wednesday it is time to change ways and to take once for all the good decision to reach justice and peace. In his Christmas Message, Patriarch Sabbah said any delay of a solution, with the ongoing injustice under its different aspects, the wall, the gates, the prisons or the assassinations, will only add fuel for violence. "When injustice, the cause of violence, ceases violence will stop and security will reign. We hope that we can begin a new period in which all violence will stop on both sides, Israeli and Palestinian alike," the message reads. more.. Aumann terms disengagement "a disaster" Globes 12/21/2005 Nobel laureate Robert Aumann warned the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee against a fast peace settlement. -- Nobel Prize in economics laureate Prof. Robert (Yisrael) J. Aumann this morning told the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee that there was danger in hoping to achieve a fast peace settlement. What was needed, he said, was patience and proper preparation on the economic and social levels, in order to reach a true peace. [See also: Calls grow for withdrawal of Nobel prize ] more.. Egypt seeks to delay PA elections YNetNews 12/20/2005 Egyptian Intelligence Chief Omar Suleiman expected to visit PA in order to mediate in crisis inside Fatah, between movement and various Palestinian organizations; senior Palestinian source: Abbas may resign -- Omar Suleiman, Head of the Egyptian Intelligence Service, is expected to visit the Palestinian Authority this week in an effort to mediate in the crisis between Fatah and the various Palestinian organizations and try and find a common ground between the Authority and Fatah on the one hand, and between Fatah and the various Palestinian organizations on the other hand. more.. Ereikat Calls for Ending Israeli Attempts to Hamper Elections WAFA 12/20/2005 RAMALLAH, December 20, 2005, (WAFA)- Head of the PLO Negotiations Affairs Department, Dr. Saeb Ereikat, called Tuesday the Quartet Committee and the international community to immediately intervene to end the Israeli measures targeting hampering the Palestinian legislative elections. In an interview with WAFA, Ereikat said he delivered letters to the members of the Quartet and to the UN secretary General, and the concerned parties to end the Israeli attempts of hampering the imminent elections on 25 of January 2006. He added that he reiterated, in his letters, that the Quartet should oblige Israel to facilitate the electoral process in East Jerusalem. more.. Bush to Sharon: Eat less, work less and exercise more Ha'aretz 12/20/2005 United States President George W. Bush told Prime Minister Ariel Sharon to eat less, work less and exercise more in a phone call Tuesday following Sharon's release from a Jerusalem hospital after treatment for a mild stroke, a government statement said. A pale but smiling Sharon was released from Hadassah University Hospital, Ein Karem on Tuesday morning, declaring that the incident would not have an impact on his work. Bush called to wish him well, and advised him, "be careful about food, start exercising and cut back on work hours," the statement said. more.. Hamas leader in Syria rejects EU warning to halt aid to PA Daily Star 12/20/2005 The political leader of Hamas Monday rejected the European Union's warning to halt aid to the Palestinian Authority if the Palestinian group wins next month's parliamentary elections but fails to renounce violence. On another front, the central elections commission said that the ruling Fatah faction's official list of candidates for the upcoming election does not include its jailed West Bank leader Marwan Barghouti. more.. Hamas dismisses EU threats AlJazeera 12/19/2005 The political leader of Hamas has rejected the European Union's warning to halt aid to the Palestinian Authority if the movement wins next month's parliamentary elections but fails to renounce violence. Khalid Mishaal dismissed the EU's move as "a flagrant interference" in the Palestinians' internal affairs and urged the Palestinian Authority not to bow to EU pressure. Javier Solana, the EU foreign policy chief, said on Sunday that European taxpayers would have a hard time supporting the Palestinian Authority if it included a party that supports violence and advocates Israel's destruction. more.. EU Joins Israel, US in Punishing Palestinian Democracy Palestine Media Center 12/19/2005 PNA Is Bullied to Choose between Palestinian In-fighting and Empty Coffers -- Failing even to condemn the five-year old Israeli state terrorism against the Palestinian people, Israel’s re-occupation of the West Bank and the ongoing Israeli extra-judicial killings of Palestinians, the EU joined Israel and the United States in punishing Palestinian emerging democracy by threatening to cut “normal” relations and vital aid to the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) unless Hamas disappears from the elections scene. more.. PNA Rejects US Congressional Resolution as ‘Interference’ Palestine Media Center 12/17/2005 Abu Rudeineh: No Legislative Elections That Exclude Hamas -- Rejecting a US congressional resolution on Friday, the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) reconfirmed that the legislative election will be held as scheduled on January 25 with the participation of Hamas, which swept more than 70% of the vote in major constituencies of the forth round of local elections on Thursday, defying the opinion polls. more.. Gulf leaders single out Israel in calls for weapons-free zone Daily Star 12/20/2005 Gulf Arab leaders called on Monday for a nuclear weapons-free Middle East, but singled out only Israel, not Iran, despite having voiced alarm at Tehran's nuclear ambitions at the end of their two-day summit. The leaders of six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) also made no strong statement about Syria's disagreements with the United Nations over an investigation into the killing of former Lebanese Premier Rafik Hariri, which delegates had said would also be high on the agenda. more.. Shin Bet to testify against Hamas in U.S. YNetNews 12/20/2005 Muhammad Salah is standing trial in the United States for serving as financier for Hamas; Shin Bet agents, several policemen will testify in trial -- Two Shin Bet agents and several Israeli policemen are set to testify in a U.S. court against a Hamas member accused of funneling funds from the United States to Hamas elements in the Palestinian territories in order to carry out terror attacks against Israel. more.. German chancellor to visit Israel YNetNews 12/20/2005 In get-well card to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, German Chancellor Angela Merkel writes she plans to arrive in Israel in January for first official visit -- German Chancellor Angela Merkel is set to arrive in Israel for her first official visit at the end of January, the chancellor said in a greeting card she sent to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, after he suffered a mild stroke Sunday evening. Merkel wrote to Sharon that she was worried by the news of his hospitalization, and wished him well and a speedy recovery. more.. Muslim, Israeli officials establish close relations YNetNews 12/20/2005 Afghan ambassador in Mediterranean basin country invites staff of Israeli Embassy to official event at residence; Bangladesh ambassador offers Israeli ambassador to establish regular contacts -- Following the warm-up in relations between Israel and Pakistan, two other Muslim countries which do not have diplomatic relations with Israel have made attempts to establish contacts with Israeli officials. more.. Despite missed deadline, Quartet peace plan still valid: UN envoy ReliefWeb/United Nations New 12/20/2005 With only 10 days left before the expiration of the original deadline of the Middle East Diplomatic Quartet’s so-called Road Map peace plan for a final and settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, a top United Nations official stressed today that the plan is still the agreed framework for reaching a lasting peace in the Middle East. “This is surely an occasion for all parties to reflect on what more they can do to ensure that Road Map obligations are met,” UN Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs Ibrahim Gambari told the Security Council... more.. Japanese Emergency Grant Aid for the PLC Elections WAFA 12/20/2005 TOKYO, December 20, 2005 (WAFA) - The Government of Japan decided Tuesday to provide emergency grant aid totaling about US$720,000, that is about 77 million yen, to support the fair and smooth implementation of the Palestinian Legislative Council elections, to be held on 25 January next year. In a press release, the Japanese Government said that the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) is planning to conduct Legislative Council elections on 25 January next year, and its central election committee has recently requested donor cooperation in funding for the elections. more.. Canadian Government to Deploy Observers to PLC Elections WAFA 12/20/2005 RAMALLAH, December 20, 2005 (WAFA) - The Government of Canada is preparing to deploy Canadian Observation Mission (COM) to the Palestinian Legislative Elections scheduled for January 25, 2006.. In an official statement issued Tuesday, the Canadian Representative Office in Ramallah said that the mission's mandate will be to contribute to the conduct of free and fair Elections in West Bank and Gaza and to provide an independent and impartial observation report of the Electoral processes in the region. more.. GCC: No Peace without Independent State of Palestine International Press Center 12/20/2005 GAZA, December 20, 2005, (IPC + WAFA) - - Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) confirmed yesterday that a just and comprehensive peace would not be accomplished without an independent Palestinian state with Jerusalem is its capital. GCC reaffirmed that the Israeli Occupation should withdraw from Golan Plateau and from southern Lebanon to the borders of 1967. In a press release issued Monday after its meetings in the United Arab Emirates, the GCC called on Israel to stop its violations against the Palestinian people including assassination policy, expansion of settlements and the construction of the Apartheid Wall. more.. Gulf leaders urge nuclear-free region AlJazeera 12/19/2005 Gulf Arab leaders have called for a nuclear weapons-free Middle East, singling out Israel, not Iran, despite having voiced alarm at Tehran's nuclear ambitions during their two-day meeting. In a final statement issued in Abu Dhabi, UAE, on Monday, the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) focused on Israel's failure to join the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), which Iran has signed. Abdul Rahman al-Attiya, the GCC secretary-general, who said on Sunday that the meeting would call on Iran to shun nuclear arms, declined to explain why the statement did not mention Tehran. more.. Syria considering ceding Shaba Farms to Lebanon Ha'aretz 12/19/2005 Syria is considering a proposal to give Lebanon sovereignty over the Shaba Farms, on the slopes of Mount Hermon, by signing a new border deal with Lebanon, according to information that has reached Israel from several sources in the last few days. Political sources in Jerusalem said the proposal indicates that the Syrians are trying to ease the diplomatic pressure on them and put the ball in Israel's court. more.. The Israeli diplomat linked to the AIPAC affair is back in Washington Ha'aretz 12/19/2005 Naor Gilon came to Washington three weeks ago as part of the Israeli delegation to the Strategic Dialog with the U. S, strengthening the case that no serious allegations concerning Israel's involvement in the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) affair still exist. [sic] Gilon is the former head of the political department at the Israeli Embassy in Washington, whose name has been linked to the indictments in the Franklin-AIPAC investigation. He is also the Israeli official responsible for the preparation of the recent Strategic Dialog between Israel and the United States. more.. Military Intelligence warns of Hamastan YNetNews 12/18/2005 Major General Zeevi Farkash foresees Hamastan (Gaza) and Fatahstan (West Bank) splitting off from one another; says diplomacy unlikey to yield results against Iran -- Military Intelligence Chief Aharon Zeevi Farkash has warned of a possible political split between the West Bank and Gaza, as Fatah and Hamas ascend to power in each region. "Soon we may find ourselves looking at Hamastan in Gaza and Fatahstan in Judea and Samaria," said the outgoing head of Military Intelligence, Major General Zeevi Farkash, at a government meeting Sunday. more.. The OIC General Secretariat welcomes the position of the European Union regarding the importance of the Palestinian Legislative Elections ReliefWeb/Organization of the Islamic Conference 12/19/2005 Jeddah, 19 December 2005 - The General Secretariat of the OIC welcomes the stance of the European Union regarding the Middle East peace process, stated at the Declaration which was attached to the Presidency Conclusions of the European Council Meeting held in Brussels on 15-16 December 2005. The General Secretariat of the OIC fully shares with the EU the importance of the elections for the Palestinian Legislative Council and commends its call upon Israel to co-operate fully with the Palestinian authority on these elections. more.. IDF choppers in service of drug cartel YNetNews 11/9/2005 American officials demand Israel provide explanations for how U.S. -made choppers sold to Israel ended up in service of Columbian drug cartel. Incident may cloud relations between countries -- Another diplomatic incident threatens to taint U.S. -Israeli relations: The American government has recently demanded Israel clarify how five U.S. -made helicopters sold to Israel in the mid-70s found their way into the hands of a Columbian drug cartel. A U.S. embassy official met with an Israeli foreign ministry official in Jerusalem several days ago, where he informed him that the American Foreign Ministry has requested the embassy to launch an investigation into the matter. more.. U.S.: PA may lose aid if Hamas runs in elections Ha'aretz 12/17/2005 WASHINGTON (AP) - The U.S. House of Representatives on Friday passed a resolution that conditioned future financial aid to the Palestinian Authority on the exclusion of Hamas from the upcoming parliamentary elections next month. According to the resolution, any Hamas participation in the government of the PA "will potentially undermine the ability of the United States to have a constructive relationship with or provide further assistance to the Palestinian Authority. "In the resolution, passed on a 397-17 vote, the House also urged PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas to declare before the election that he intends to dismantle terrorist organizations. more.. Entire Region of Norway to boycott Apartheid Israel! StopTheWall.org 12/16/2005 The regional council of the Sør-Trøndelag in Norway has passed a motion calling for a comprehensive boycott on Israeli goods to be followed up with an awareness raising campaign across the region. Sør-Trøndelag has a population of 270,000 out of Norway’s 4. 6 million. Trondheim, Norway`s third largest city, forms part of the region and will participate in the boycott initiative. The council committed itself to this motion as a result of intensive work by Norwegian activists that had launched a national Boycott Israel campaign this June. The success of this motion has marked a massive move forwards for boycotts of Apartheid Israel. more.. Iran threatens to strike back if Israel attacks Daily Star 12/17/2005 Eu warns Tehran of sanctions over holocaust remarks -- Iran on Friday warned its response to any attack by Israel would be "swift and destructive," while European leaders warned the Iranian president's remarks about the Holocaust could be grounds for sanctions against the Islamic Republic. "The policy of the Islamic Republic of Iran is completely defensive, but if we are attacked, the answer of the armed forces will be swift, firm and destructive," Mustafa Mohammad Najjar was quoted as saying by the official IRNA news agency. more.. Bush Says Iraq War Is Good for Israel Forward 12/16/2005 View Clashes With Opinion Of Israeli Aides -- In sharp contrast to the growing consensus of Jerusalem's security and political establishment, President Bush argued this week that Israel's safety depends on democratization of the Arab world. "If you're a supporter of Israel, I would strongly urge you to help other countries become democracies," President Bush declared Monday, in a major address defending American policy in Iraq and his wider vision for the region. "Israel's long-term survival depends upon the spread of democracy in the Middle East. " more.. Caracas Declaration Condemns Continuing Construction of the Wall, Expansion of Colonies in OPT WAFA 12/17/2005 CARACAS, December 16, 2005 (WAFA) - A UN meeting in Caracas, strongly condemned the continuing construction of the Apartheid Wall and the expansion of colonies in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT), including East Jerusalem..... The Meeting called on Israel to stop interfering with the election process, assist the Palestinian side and grant freedom of movement to candidates and voters during the campaign and voting period, including in East Jerusalem, and to allow political prisoners in Israel to participate. more.. Sweden contributes to increased security in the Palestinian areas ReliefWeb/Government of Sweden 12/16/2005 The Government has decided to provide substantial support to improve security and living conditions in the Palestinian areas. The Government is contributing SEK 20 million to support EU action to transform and modernise the Palestinian Civil Police. In addition, the Government has decided to provide SEK 40 million in assistance to the Quick Impact Program for positive economic development in Gaza. The funds will be channelled through the UN refugee organisation UNRWA, which has a central role in improving the situation of Palestinian refugees. more.. Swedish election observers to Palestinian parliamentary elections ReliefWeb/Government of Sweden 12/16/2005 The Palestinian parliamentary elections are scheduled to be held on 25 January 2006. The EU will send a team of election observers to monitor the elections. The Government has decided to place ten Swedish election observers at the disposal of the EU team. At the same time, a Swedish statistical expert will be part of the team's command group. more.. Minister Khouri Calls for Ensuring Jerusalemites' Participation in Legislative Election WAFA 12/16/2005 JERUSALEM, December 16, 2005 (WAFA) - Minister of State for Jerusalem Affairs, Hend Khouri called on the international community to ensure that Jerusalemites will democratically participate in forthcoming legislative elections. During her meeting Friday with foreign diplomats, Khouri stressed the importance of conducting fair and free elections to reach real representation for a government to establish the independent Palestinian State, based on the two-state solution. more.. Congressional Letter Urging Rice to Maintain Active Involvement in Peace Process Gains 108 Signatures WAFA 12/16/2005 NEW York, December 16, 2005 (WAFA) - A congressional letter urging US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice to maintain active involvement in the Israeli-Palestinian peace process garnered 108 signatures, according US Media reports. The letter, which was sent Friday, was lobbied by Americans for Peace Now and was initiated by Rep. Henry Hyde (R-Ill. ), Chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives' International Relations Committee, and Rep. Lois Capps (D-Calif. ). more.. MECC: Reverend Jackson to Visit Palestinian Territories WAFA 12/16/2005 JERUSALEM, December 16, 2005 (WAFA) - The Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) said that the American Reverend Jesse L. Jackson will visit the Palestinian territories on December 27. The MECC Service to Refugees, Displaced and Migrants said in a press release that a delegation of 11 political and religious personalities will accompany Reverend Jackson in his 4-day visit, adding that he would meet with President Mahmoud Abbas. It added that the delegation will also visit the Gaza Strip and the Rafah International Crossing. more.. Mofaz decides not to allow Gaza-West Bank bus convoys next week Ha'aretz 12/15/2005 Despite intense American pressure, Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz on Thursday evening decided not to allow the passage of Palestinian bus convoys between Gaza and the West Bank next week. Following a assessment of the current security situation held Thursday in Mofaz's bureau, it was decided Israel would not allow the convoyes to set out at this time. The decision will be re-evaluated next week. Nevertheless, it was decided to renew contacts with the Palestinian Authority that were severed following the suicide terror bombing in Netanya earlier in the month that killed five Israelis. more.. Lebanon to complain to UN of Israeli land, sea, air space violations Ha'aretz 12/16/2005 Lebanon is sending an urgent complaint to the United Nations over Israeli land, sea and air space violations, Information Minister Ghazi Aridi announced Thursday. It would be the second such complaint in just over a month. The Foreign Ministry has been instructed to ask the world community, the UN and Secretary General Kofi Annan to pressure Israel to stop such violations "in order to prevent further deterioration of the tense situation along the border" between Lebanon and Israel, Aridi said. Aridi was reading a statement following a four-hour Cabinet meeting. Overflights by Israeli jets are almost a daily occurrence, and Israeli gunboats frequently enter Lebanese territorial waters in southern Lebanon. more.. Egypt Condemns Israeli Policy of Assasinations WAFA 12/15/2005 CAIRO, December 15, 2005, (WAFA)-Egypt has strongly condemned the resumption of Israeli policy of assassinations against the Palestinian people. In a press conference held at late hour Wednesday in Cairo, Ahmed Abu Al- Gheit, Egypt Foreign Minister, called on Israel to stop its provocative practices that harm efforts to maintain calm in the Palestinian territories. The Minister confirmed that the resumption of assassinations would neither help building confidence nor improving the security situation and availing better climate for the Palestinian municipal and legislative elections. more.. Hamas springs to Iran's defence AlJazeera 12/15/2005 The Palestinian group Hamas will step up attacks against Israel if it takes military action against Iran. Khaled Meshaal also praised Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the Iranian president, for his "courage" in having dismissed the Holocaust as a myth and calling for Israel to be moved out of the Middle East to Europe or North America. "Just as Islamic Iran defends the rights of the Palestinians, we defend the rights of Islamic Iran," Meshaal told reporters in Tehran on Thursday. "We are part of a united front against the enemies of Islam. more.. US 'must fight for Palestine' AlJazeera 12/15/2005 America’s fight against terrorism will fail unless it leads efforts to create a viable Palestinian state, according to the former Australian prime minister. Bob Hawke, speaking on Thursday at a global peace forum in Kuala Lumpur, said: "Nothing effective can be done while the festering sore of the Palestinian problem continues. "This issue is used to encapsulate and dramatise the enemy syndrome, with America and its deemed supporters cast as the villains. "Everything that has been tried at this point has not worked. If anything, the situation is now in many respects worse than it has ever been. " more.. Shalom: Iran would destroy Israel - Video YNetNews 12/15/2005 Video: In exclusive interview with Ynet, Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom says, ‘Latest statements made by Iranian president regarding the relocation of Israel to Europe, Canada, U. S. or Alaska prove how extreme the regime is; he is stating very clearly what Iran will do with a nuclear bomb. ’ Adds that a nuclear Iran ‘would be a nightmare for everyone, not just for Israel’ more.. EU leaders ready to condemn Iran's president for denying Holocaust Ha'aretz 12/15/2005 Germany may ban Ahmadinejad's entry - European Union leaders were set to condemn Iran's president for denying the Holocaust and warn Tehran the opportunity for a diplomatic solution to its nuclear program cannot stay open forever, diplomats said on Thursday. A summit statement drafted by EU foreign ministers said of President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's statement that the Nazi mass extermination of Jews was a myth: "These comments are wholly unacceptable and have no place in civilized political debate. " more.. Israel: No Bus Convoys Between Gaza, West Bank on Thursday Palestine Media Center 12/15/2005 Israel on Wednesday defied the United States and the Middle East Quartet and decided to delay, reportedly until next week, the start of the bus convoys between Gaza Strip and the West Bank, thus violating the 15 November “Agreement on Movement and Access” with the Palestinian National Authority (PNA). According to the agreement, bus convoy traffic between Gaza and the West Bank was to begin on Thursday, December 15. Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erakat deplored the postponement. “Israel will have its screening and security, so I don't see any reason whatsoever to delay the operation of these convoys,” he told Reuters. more.. Israel delays Gaza bus link start BBC 12/15/2005 The Israeli government has postponed the implementation of an agreement that will allow Palestinian bus convoys between Gaza and the West Bank. Defence Minister Shaul Mofaz has agreed to resume talks on the link, but will not let it start until his concerns about security have been addressed. The service was agreed at talks brokered by the US last month, and was due to begin on Thursday. Palestinians hope it will greatly improve their freedom of movement. more.. European-Palestinian Credit Guarantee Fund established WAFA 12/15/2005 LONDON, December 15, 2005, (WAFA)- Palestinian National Authority (PNA) and the German Financial Cooperation singed an agreements to fund the newly established European-Palestinian Credit Guarantee Fund (EPCGF). In press release issued Thursday, the Representative Office of the Federal Republic of Germany in Ramallah, said that the German Financial Cooperation through KfW Entwicklungsbank signed the agreement on behalf of the Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) and its financing partners, the European Commission and the European Investment Bank. more.. Report: President of Jordan Red Crescent Played Key Role to See Israel Full Member of Red Cross Palestine Media Center/The Canadian Jewish News 12/15/2005 A Jordanian Arab with close ties to Montreal has been playing a key role behind the scenes for the past two years to see that Israel finally becomes a full member of the Red Cross organization. When he stood for election as chair of the Standing Commission of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement in December 2003, Mohammed Al-Hadid promised to find a solution acceptable to Magen David Adom (MDA) and the signatory nations of the Geneva Conventions. more.. Latin American and Caribbean meeting concludes with Caracas Declaration ReliefWeb/United Nations 12/15/2005 CARACAS, 14 December - The Caracas Declaration, issued at the conclusion of the two-day United Nations Latin and Caribbean Meeting on the Question of Palestine in Caracas this afternoon, strongly condemned the continuing construction of the wall and the expansion of settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem. The Declaration, which summarized the work of the Meeting, also condemned the recent resumption by Israel, the occupying Power, of military incursions and extrajudicial killings that threatened to unravel the fragile truce agreed to by Palestinian groups, provoked feelings of hatred and despair and undid what progress had already been achieved. more.. Speakers at Caracas meeting explore situation in Occupied Palestinian Territory ReliefWeb/United Nations 12/14/2005 Participants Question Israeli Commitment To Establishment of Viable Palestinian State -- CARACAS, 13 December - Coordinator, Israeli Committee against House Demolitions, Jerusalem, Jeff Halper, told participants this afternoon at the United Nations Latin American and Caribbean Meeting on the Question of Palestine, that given the facts on the ground, a two-State solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was no longer viable. more.. Lebanese Cabinet battles to avoid collapse in face of Shiite boycott Daily Star 12/16/2005 BEIRUT: The Lebanese government was battling Thursday to avoid collapse in the face of a boycott by the country's Shiite ministers angry over calls for an international probe into a wave of attacks against anti-Syrian figures. The Cabinet, which held its weekly meeting in the absence of Shiite ministers, ended late at night, with an attempt by Premier Fouad Siniora to mend relations with the Shiite ministers by harshly criticizing Israeli aggressions, and asserting the need to continue dialogue between all Lebanese political factions. "Israel is ignoring all the Lebanese and international calls to end its continuous breaches to the Lebanese sovereignty," Siniora said. more.. EU slams Ahmadinejad Israel remarks AlJazeera 12/16/2005 The European Union has cranked up pressure on Iran, slamming President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's latest outbursts against Israel and warning Tehran over its nuclear programme, in draft summit conclusions. "The EU condemns unreservedly President Ahmadinejad's call for the eradication of Israel and his denial of the Holocaust," said the conclusions, which were due to be adopted later on Friday. The summit is on in Brussels. more.. Western diplomats fear partial operation of Gaza convoys Ha'aretz 12/15/2005 Following Israel's announcement on Wednesday that it intends to begin operating convoys between the Gaza Strip and the West Bank next week, Western diplomats expressed concern that the convoys would be operated in a merely token fashion, to oblige the Americans. Israel on Wednesday succumbed to international pressure and informed the United States it plans to complete preparations on Friday for operating the convoys. Israel will issue a formal announcement on the matter Friday. more.. PM: United Jerusalem to remain undivided capital of Israel Ha'aretz 12/15/2005 "United Jerusalem will remain the undivided capital of the State of Israel," Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said Wednesday evening at a conference held by Or Yarok (Green Light), an organization dedicated to reducing car accident fatalities. Sharon's speech emphasized efforts to combat traffic accidents, but he diverted the focus to address comments made by his pollster, Kalman Gayer, who told Newsweek the premier would be willing to compromise on Jerusalem in a future peace agreement with the Palestinians. more.. Bethlehem Mayor Invites Believer Worldwide to Join the City's Christmas Celebrations WAFA 12/14/2005 BETHLEHEM, December 14, 2005 (WAFA) - Bethlehem Mayor Victor Batarseh invited all the believers worldwide to visit Bethlehem to celebrate the Christmas in Christ's birthplace and to pray for the Palestinians affected by the Israeli occupation. In his Christmas message to a press conference, Batarseh said "the message of Bethlehem to all our brothers and sisters worldwide is: we are not afraid, for the signs of a brighter future are there, even if they are overlapped with general feelings of pessimism". more.. Council of Europe President calls on Israel authorities to help Palestinian local elections ReliefWeb/Council of Europe 12/14/2005 Strasbourg, 14. 12. 2005 - Giovanni Di Stasi, President of the Council of Europe Congress of Local and Regional Authorities, today launched an appeal to the Israeli authorities to help to ensure the smooth running of local elections in the Palestinian Territories, scheduled for Thursday 15 December. . . . President Di Stasi called on the Israeli authorities to ensure freedom of movement in the Territories, by not closing checkpoints or creating new ones and by not making the passages at checkpoints difficult. more.. Israel delays the implementation of bus convoy deal International Middle East Media Center 12/14/2005 Israel decided, on Wednesday evening,to delay the implementation of the U. S brokered deal allowing bus convoys to move between Gaza and the West Bank until next week, and decided to set criteria for Palestinian using them, Israeli Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz said. Mofaz decided to delay the start of the bus convoys, and said that he will convene, on Thursday, with security chiefs to decide a criteria for Palestinians could using the convoys. more.. Israel agrees to complete preparations for bus convoys Ha'aretz 12/14/2005 Succumbing to international pressure, Israel informed the United States on Wednesday that it plans to complete preparations Thursday for operating bus convoys between the Gaza Strip and West Bank, which will start next week. Israel will issue an official statement on the matter on Thursday. Wednesday's decision reverses a cabinet decision made after last week's suicide bombing in Netanya to freeze talks on convoys until the Palestinian Authority takes significant measures to improve security. Sources in the Defense Ministry said that the convoys could be delayed if a terror attack is carried out. more.. Israel to allow Gaza convoys' passage YNetNews 12/14/2005 As result of U. S. pressures, Israel set to allow passage of Palestinian convoys between Gaza and West Bank, banned following Netanya suicide bombing -- Israel's ban on the border crossings will be effectively lifted next week, allowing Palestinian convoys' passage from the Gaza Strip to the West Bank for a trial period, Ynet has learned Wednesday. U. S. Assistant Secretary of State David Welch announced in London that progress regarding negotiations on the issue was reached, and that by Thursday Israel would submit a schedule for the trial period, which was originally set to begin this week. more.. US and EU push for Gaza bus link BBC 12/14/2005 US and European officials have been pressing Israel to allow bus convoys between Gaza and the West Bank a day before the service is due to start. It was agreed at talks last month with the US secretary of state that led to the reopening of the Gaza-Egypt border crossing at Rafah. Palestinians hope it will greatly improve their freedom of movement. But Israel called off talks on the bus link after a suicide bombing in Netanya earlier this month. more.. Israel, PA sign joint economic declaration YNetNews 12/13/2005 In London conference, representatives of Israel, Palestinian Authority back calls by business leaders to drive forward creation of economically, politically viable Palestinian state -- Representatives of Israel and the Palestinian Authority backed calls by business leaders to drive forward the creation of an economically and politically viable, independent Palestinian state. They supported a joint declaration signed by Palestinian and Israeli private sector leaders that identified regulatory reform, private sector participation and security as keys to revitalizing the Palestinian economy. more.. Speakers at Caracas meeting explore situation in Occupied Palestinian Territory ReliefWeb/United Nations 12/13/2005 Participants Question Israeli Commitment to Establishment of Viable Palestinian State -- CARACAS, 13 December -- Coordinator, Israeli Committee against House Demolitions, Jerusalem, Jeff Halper, told participants this afternoon at the United Nations Latin American and Caribbean Meeting on the Question of Palestine, that given the facts on the ground, a two-State solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was no longer viable. more.. U.S. calls Iranian president's remarks 'astounding' Ha'aretz 12/15/2005 Lashing out again at Iran's hard-line president, the Bush administration dubbed as "just astonishing" Mahmoud Ahmadinejad description of the Holocaust as a myth, and said he was digging a diplomatic hole for himself. The assertion by Ahmadinejad "can only be characterized as outrageous," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said Wednesday. "These comments are certainly reprehensible. ". . . . Ahmadinejad, in his latest salvo against Israel, said the Holocaust was "a myth" and a pretext for establishing a Jewish state in the heart of the Muslim world. more.. News Analysis: Israel Troubled by Bush's Priorities By Jim Lobe, Palestine Chronicle 12/15/2005 "The government of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon is increasingly worried about Washington's pro-democracy drive for the region. . " (ANTIWAR. COM) - Despite their mutual enthusiasm for ousting Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, Israel and the United States appear increasingly at odds over what to do about the larger Middle East region. While the administration of President George W. Bush favors, or is at least indifferent to, the collapse of the Ba'athist regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad, the Israelis reportedly made it very clear in high-level talks in Washington late last month that they do not see the alternatives to the young leader as particularly attractive. more.. PM denies report he would compromise on J'lem Ha'aretz 12/14/2005 Prime Minister Ariel Sharon published a special statement Tuesday night in which he totally dissociated himself from quotes in Newsweek attributed to his pollster, Kalman Gayer, in which Gayer claimed the prime minister was ready for territorial concessions. "The remarks attributed to Kalman Gayer are in total contradiction to my positions and opinions," Sharon's statement read. "If, indeed, these remarks were made, they were made strictly on Mr. Gayer's initiative, and they are senseless and absurd. more.. U.S. to Israel: Bus convoys must start on schedule Ha'aretz 12/14/2005 The American administration is demanding Israel implement an agreement it signed with the Palestinian Authority and allow bus convoys traveling between the Gaza Strip and West Bank begin on the agreed upon date. Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Dan Halutz said Tuesday that Israel would not allow the convoys until the PA cracked down on rocket fire from the Gaza Strip into Israel. "Israel has no intention of allowing passage to Palestinian convoys from the Gaza Strip to the West Bank. . . while the PA is not acting against Qassam rocket fire," Halutz told the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee. more.. Israel says no Gaza-West Bank convoys until rocket fire stops ReliefWeb 12/13/2005 JERUSALEM, Dec 13, 2005 (Xinhua via COMTEX) -- Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Dan Halutz said Tuesday that Israel would not implement an agreement allowing Palestinians to travel in bus convoys between the Gaza Strip and the West Bank until the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) stops rocket fire from Gaza into Israel. "Israel has no intention of allowing passage to Palestinian convoys from the Gaza Strip to the West Bank. . . while the PNA is not acting against Qassam rocket fire," Halutz told the Knesset ( parliament) Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee. more.. PNA Denounces Israeli Deliberate Escalation WAFA 12/13/2005 RAMALLAH, December 13, 2005, (WAFA)- The Palestinian National Authority denounced on Tuesday the Israeli "intentional" escalation led to the killing of two citizens, today, in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. Following the Israeli killing of two citizens in Khanyounis and Nablus, Spokesperson of Presidency, Mr. Nabil Abu Rdaina, denounced the Israeli practices including closure. He told WAFA that Israel imposes obstacles to hamper the Palestinian imminent legislative elections on January 25, 2006. more.. Halutz: Iran will be able to enrich uranium by March Ha'aretz 12/14/2005 Iran will be capable of enriching uranium within the next three months, but will have to overcome many technological obstacles before reaching the nuclear "point of no return," Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Dan Halutz said yesterday. "Iran is determined to obtain the technological capability that will allow it to produce a nuclear bomb, but numerous obstacles remain in its path," Halutz told the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee. "Even if the Iranians pass the uranium-enrichment stage, they are still a number of years away from building the bomb. " more.. Mofaz: Hezbollah likely to step up actions along northern border Ha'aretz 12/14/2005 Hezbollah can be expected to escalate the situation on the Lebanese border, Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz said Tuesday, in order to divert attention from Syria's actions in Lebanon. Speaking on a tour of the northern border, Mofaz said cooperation between Syria, Iran and Hezbollah was mounting, with Hezbollah serving as a kind of valve to release pressures, one of those being the UN report into the February 14 murder of the former Lebanese prime minister Rafik Hariri in Beirut. more.. Diplomats: Israel violating specific obligations made to Rice International Middle East Media Center 12/13/2005 Israel Army Chief of Staff Dan Halutz reported on Tuesday that Israel would not implement the bus convoy agreement between the Gaza Strip and the West Bank until the Palestinian Authority (P. A) “cracks down on the launching of homemade shells into Israel”. The statements of Halutz came while he was talking in front of the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee. Israeli sources reported that the statements of Halutz raised the anger of the countries participating in a conference of donors to the P. A slated to open on Wednesday, in London. more.. Letter: EU's Solana pushes cover-up of Jerusalem report Electronic Intifada 12/13/2005 Letter to Javier Solana, European Union High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy, from EI co-founder Ali Abunimah, dated 13 December 2005 -- Dear Mr. Solana, I was disturbed to read in this morning's Guardian that "A controversial report that accuses Israel of rushing to annexe Arab areas of East Jerusalem was shelved by European foreign ministers in Brussels yesterday out of sensitivity to Israel. " ("EU shelves East Jerusalem report over fear of alienating Israel," 13 December 2005) more.. Greece pledges support for new Jerusalem patriarch Ha'aretz 12/13/2005 Athens pledged support Tuesday for the new Greek Orthodox patriarch of the Holy Land, who is troubled by financial problems and Israel's refusal to recognize him. Greek-born Patriarch Theofilos III was sworn in last month - succeeding Irineos, who was ousted in May amid allegations he leased church land in east Jerusalem to Jewish groups interested in expanding the Jewish presence there. Theofilos, 53, has said he will not recognize the alleged land deals signed by his predecessor. more.. UNODC facilitates cooperation between Palestinian andIsraelilaw enforcement authorities on drug control and crime ReliefWeb/UNODC 12/13/2005 The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) brought together senior officials from Israel and the Palestinian Authority to discuss cooperation on combating drug trafficking and related criminal activities. The meeting, which took place in the Cairo premises of the UNODC Regional Office for the Middle East and North Africa from 28-30 November, focused on the growth in illicit activities related to drug trafficking in the region. This is bringing increased profits to local and international criminal gangs which could be used for other illicit activities, including terrorism and arms smuggling. more.. Israel Funds Construction Acts beneath Al Aqsa Mosque at the Cost of NIS 68 Million International Press Center 12/13/2005 GAZA, Palestine, December 13, 2005 (IPC + Agencies) - - Al-Aqsa Association for the Reconstruction of Holy sites said in a statement that the Israeli government allocated a sum of money works at 68 million INS (around 15 million Dollars) for construction works beneath Al-Aqsa mosque and its periphery, particularly around Al-Buraq wall. "It could be never called into question that the Israeli establishment poses the even greater threat against Al-Aqsa mosque, especially, given its history which is riddled with canny attempts to undermine the holy mosque," the statement mentioned. more.. Iran's supreme leader urges Palestinians to continue resistance Daily Star 12/14/2005 Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei met the political supremo of Hamas on Tuesday and urged Palestinians to continue resistance against Israel and not bother negotiating. Khamenei's calls came a day after President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad reiterated his doubt about the Holocaust and called on Muslim nations to take a proactive stand on the Palestinian issue. "The only way to guarantee the liberation of Palestine and the future of its people is to continue resistance," Khamenei told Khaled Meshaal, Hamas' political leader. more.. Secretary-General, in message to Conference on Question of Palestine, calls for redoubling of efforts to meet Road Map obligations ReliefWeb/United Nations Secretary-General 12/13/2005 Following is the text of UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s message to the United Nations Latin American and Caribbean Meeting on the Question of Palestine in Caracas from 13 to 14 December, delivered by David McLachlan-Karr, United Nations Resident Coordinator in Venezuela: This meeting, held under the auspices of the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, is an important opportunity for the countries of the Latin American and Caribbean region to contribute to the search for a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in the Middle East. more.. Italy Aborts Publishing of EU Report on Occupied Jerusalem Palestine Chronicle 12/13/2005 "Straw avoids getting embroiled in Israeli politics; Solana says report 'One-sided'. . " -- RAMALLAH, West Bank - To the disappointment of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA), the European Union on Monday decided on Italy’s initiative against publishing a report on the Israeli-occupied east Jerusalem that is highly critical of Israeli settlement activity and the Apartheid Wall Israel is constructing on occupied Palestinian land in the West Bank. more.. Israel wiped off map in U.N. event YNetNews 12/13/2005 Map of Israel from which all communities were wiped off displayed at official U. N. event to mark solidarity with Palestinians. Organization's Secretary General Kofi Annan attended ceremony, calls incident 'regretful' -- Palestinian propaganda in the United Nations? The Secretary General of the United Nations Kofi Annan, who recently attended an official public event at the organization's headquarters two weeks ago, was unaware of the fact that he was taking part in a propaganda campaign against Israel, Israel's leading newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported Tuesday. more.. PRCS President; Signed Understating with MDA Implicitly Recognizes 67 Borders as Operational PRCS's Scope International Press Center 12/12/2005 GAZA, Palestine, December 12,2005 (IPC+Agencies) - -Palestine Red Crescent Society (PRCS) denied that the society was liable to any form of pressure so as to clinch a memorandum of Understanding with Magen David Adom (MDA), Israel's National Emergency Medical Service, which was signed by the end of November in Geneva. Younis Al Khateib , President of Palestine Red Crescent Society said in a press conference, at Al Birah Headquarter Sunday " no pressures were practiced to reach such an understanding but the countries are concerned about the adoption of a Third Protocol. We have too many reservations over the practices of Magen David Adom. " more.. Sharon: Newsweek quotes senseless and absurd Ha'aretz 12/14/2005 Prime Minister Ariel Sharon published a special statement last night in which he totally dissociated himself from quotes in Newsweek attributed to his pollster Kalman Gayer, in which Gayer claimed the prime minister was ready for territorial concessions. "The remarks attributed to Kalman Gayer are in total contradiction to my positions and opinions," Sharon's statement read. "If, indeed, these remarks were made, they were made strictly on Mr. Gayer's initiative, and they are senseless and absurd. "The entire united Jerusalem will remain the capital of Israel forever. The road map is the diplomatic plan that will guide Israel in the years to come. . . " more.. Israel opposes convoy passage from Gaza YNetNews 12/12/2005 Israel refuses to allow passage of Palestinian convoys from Gaza to West Bank through Israel set for Thursday; insists PA take steps against terror before talks resume -- Israel has insisted it will not allow the passage of Palestinian convoys through its territory on Thursday, despite pressures exerted by the United States and American mediation attempts. "The prime minister's decision from last Monday after the bombing attack in Netanya still stands," a diplomatic source in Jerusalem stated. more.. EU holds back report criticizing Israeli activity in East Jerusalem Ha'aretz 12/13/2005 The European Union on Monday decided against publishing a report on East Jerusalem that is highly critical of Israeli settlement activity and the security barrier Israel is constructing to keep out Palestinian attackers. British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw, who chaired an EU foreign ministers meeting, said publishing the report now was inappropriate as Israel was heading for national elections and the EU does not want "to get embroiled in domestic (Israeli) politics in the run-up to elections. " more.. Inter-Palestinian Controversy over Truce Heats up Palestine Media Center 12/12/2005 US Administration, Congress Weigh in on PNA, Hamas -- The ongoing Israeli violations and extra-judicial killings as well as Israel’s political indecision ahead of the upcoming elections in March have put the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) and the anti-occupation groups on opposite sides of the argument over the renewal of the truce with the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF). Meanwhile the US Administration and Congress are weighing in on both the PNA and the Palestinian anti-occupation factions. . . . The Islamic Resistance Movement “Hamas,” the Islamic Jihad, and other anti-occupation factions have already announced that the truce will not be renewed when it ends at the year end, citing as reasons Israel’s ongoing assassinations and refusal to release Palestinian detainees in the jails of the IOF. more.. World Bank: Israel promised not to seal Gaza after terror attacks Ha'aretz 12/12/2005 The Israeli government has promised in writing not to prevent cargo from entering and leaving the Gaza Strip, regardless of the security situation inside Israel, according to a paper prepared by the World Bank for a conference of donor nations that will take place in London on Wednesday. The paper states that during negotiations with James Wolfensohn, the Quartet's envoy for the disengagement, Israel submitted a non-paper in which it stated that the Karni Checkpoint, which is the principal cargo terminal between Israel and Gaza, "shall operate in an uninterrupted manner in order to facilitate the transit of cargo and goods. more.. Army reopens the Erez Crossing International Middle East Media Center 12/12/2005 A Palestinian security source reported on Monday morning that the Israeli army reopened the Erez (Beit Hanoun) Crossing, in the northern part of the Gaza Strip, and allowed workers and traders to cross. The Erez crossing was closed of the Netanya suicide bombing last week, five Israelis were killed in the blast and dozens were injured. Dozens of workers managed to cross on Monday into Israel after going through harsh procedures of search and questioning regarding their destination before they were allowed to cross. more.. U.S.: Implement convoy agreement YNetNews 12/10/2005 Following Netanya bombing, PM decides to delay implementation of convoy agreement allowing Palestinians to move in protected convoys between Gaza, West Bank; U. S. trying to mediate in order to prevent expected political crisis -- David [Welch], an aide to U. S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, has been trying to prevent an expected political crisis following Israel's decision to delay the implementation of parts of the crossings agreement following the deadly terror attack in Netanya. The most serious disagreement focuses on Israel's decision not to allow the passage Palestinian convoys between Gaza and the West Bank following the bombing. more.. Quartet to Israel: Gaza convoys must start this week Ha'aretz 12/11/2005 Israel must fulfill all its obligations under last month's Rafah agreement with the Palestinian Authority by this coming Wednesday, when an international conference of donor states will open in London, the United States and other members of the Quartet demanded this weekend. In particular, they said, Israel must resume talks with the Palestinians on running regular convoys between Gaza and the West Bank - which, under the agreement, were supposed to start this Thursday - and significantly ease movement restrictions within the West Bank. more.. Israel readies forces for strike on nuclear Iran The Sunday Times 12/11/2005 ISRAEL’S armed forces have been ordered by Ariel Sharon, the prime minister, to be ready by the end of March for possible strikes on secret uranium enrichment sites in Iran, military sources have revealed. The order came after Israeli intelligence warned the government that Iran was operating enrichment facilities, believed to be small and concealed in civilian locations. . . . . A “massive” Israeli intelligence operation has been underway since Iran was designated the “top priority for 2005”, according to security sources. Cross-border operations and signal intelligence from a base established by the Israelis in northern Iraq are said to have identified a number of Iranian uranium enrichment sites unknown to the the IAEA. more.. Report: Israel prepares to strike Iran YNetNews 12/11/2005 PM Sharon orders IDF to prepare for attack on Iran's nuclear facilities by end of March 2006, British newspaper Sunday Times reports; intelligence officials say Iranian uranium enrichment facilities already active -- Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has instructed the IDF to prepare for the possibility of a strike on Iran's nuclear facilities by the end of March 2006, the Sunday Times reported. According to the British newspaper said that the order was relayed to the army after intelligence officials warned the government that Iran has already activated uranium enrichment facilities hidden at civilian locations. more.. Minister of Jerusalem Affairs Calls for EU Practical Acts to Protect Jerusalem WAFA 12/12/2005 EAST JERUSALEM, December 12, 2005, (WAFA)- State Minister of Jerusalem Affairs, Hind Khouri, called on the EU Foreign Ministers to have practical steps for peace and hope in East Jerusalem. In a statement issued Monday, Khoury said that the East Jerusalem has become a hostage as a result of the Israeli measures. She appealed the European Union foreign ministers meeting, held Monday in Brussels, to make practical decisions to translate the suggestion, of the heads of the diplomatic missions, on the city into reality. more.. Foreign Ministry slams EU talks with Hezbollah, Hamas Ha'aretz 12/12/2005 The Foreign Ministry believes that the European Union has violated international law by talking to Hezbollah and by planning to make contact with Hamas. An internal ministry document obtained by Haaretz states that contact with representatives of these two groups is contrary to international law. "Several countries have adopted a policy that includes entering into official talks with representatives of Hamas and Hezbollah, or refraining from taking harsh measures against their involvement in terrorism," the document states. "From a legal standpoint, such political considerations cannot justify activity that is contrary to international law. " more.. Israeli consul attacks Spielberg's Munich as 'problematic' The Guardian 12/12/2005 Israel's consul-general in Los Angeles has lambasted Steven Spielberg's film about the 1972 Olympic massacre in Munich as a "superficial", "pretentious" and "problematic" work that draws an incorrect moral equation between Mossad agents and Palestinian terrorists. Speaking to Israeli radio, Ehud Danoch, said: "As a Hollywood movie, I assume that it will be defined as a well-made film, but from the standpoint of the messages it sends, the messages are problematic. " more.. Signing of Memorandum between Sweden and PNA WAFA 12/12/2005 RAMALLAH, December 12, 2005 (WAFA)- The Palestinian National Authority (PNA) and the Swedish government singed Sunday a memorandum for mutual consultation aimed at scheduling the Swedish financial support for this year. Signed by Minister of Planning, Ghassan al-Khatib, and the Swedish Consul General in Jerusalem, Nils Eliasson, the memo will spell out the mechanism of spending $50 million donated from Sweden. more.. Truce dialogue renewal only after legislative elections - Hamas ReliefWeb 12/12/2005 GAZA, Dec 12, 2005 (Xinhua via COMTEX) -- A senior Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) official said on Monday that Hamas wouldn't accept any dialogue on truce with Israel before holding the Palestinian legislative elections on Jan. 25, 2006. Speaking on condition of anonymity, the official said Hamas has informed Egypt that it prefers to resume the Palestinian national dialogue after the elections. However, Hamas spokesman in Gaza Mushir al-Masri told reporters that his movement is not intending to renew the truce with Israel amid the Israeli aggression. more.. Ministry of Tourism Signs Memorandum of Understanding with Geneva City WAFA 12/12/2005 BETHLEHEM, December 12, 2005, (WAFA)- The Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities signed a memorandum of understanding with a delegation from Geneva city of Switzerland. The memo was signed by Palestinian Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Ziad Bandak, and the Representative of Switzerland to the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) Jean-Jacques Joris. According to the memorandum, Switzerland will support maintaining the Palestinian cultural heritage and archeological sites in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT), and to began primary steps for establishing an archeological museum. more.. Israel accused of stalling on Gaza AlJazeera 12/11/2005 Israel has been accused of not keeping its commitment to clear the rubble of demolished Jewish settlements more than three months after it withdrew from the Gaza Strip. Muhammad al-Samhuri, head of a technical team responsible for post-Israeli withdrawal projects, said: "Israel has not kept to its commitment to clear the rubble, which is an enormous obstacle to any development project. "No project has been carried out and nothing has changed in the areas evacuated by the settlers and [Israeli] army. " But removing the thousands of tonnes of rubble should begin within a month now that a UN-Israeli agreement has been signed on funding, said Timothy Rothermel, a senior official from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). . . more.. Iranian asks Israel for help YNetNews 12/11/2005 Official Iranian representative approaches Israeli professor during Amman conference, asking her to help his country join prestigious scientific project -- An official Iranian representative has asked Israel to help his country join a prestigious scientific project in which a number of Middle Eastern countries are taking part, Israel's leading newspaper YediothAhronoth reported Sunday. . . . The project deals with building and operating a research-scientific particle accelerator, which is being constructed in the al-Balqa University in Jordan. more.. Abu Rdaina Calls for Protecting Palestinian Democracy from Israeli Practices WAFA 12/11/2005 GAZA, December 11, 2005, (WAFA)- Spokesperson of Presidency, Nabil Abu Rdaina, called Sunday the Quartet Committee and the international community to protect the Palestinian democracy from the Israeli practices. In a statement issued Sunday night Abu Rdaina called the Quartet Committee and the international community to immediately intervene to end the Israeli atrocious measures against the imminent legislative elections and the whole Palestinian democracy. He reiterated that the latest Israeli practices, target hampering the electoral process and curbing the Palestinian democracy. more.. The United States and Israel sign a $50 million agreement on scanning equipment for crossings ReliefWeb/USAID 12/10/2005 The United States and Israel signed an agreement Thursday evening to provide state-of-the-art scanners and other inspection equipment to facilitate the passage of people and goods at crossing points between Israel and the West Bank and Gaza. U. S. Ambassador to Israel Richard Jones, USAID Mission Director James Bever, Director General of the Ministry of Defense of Israel Jacob Toren, and Head of the Financial Department of the Ministry of Defense Yosef Schtraus participated in the signing ceremony. more.. Norwegian government party to launch boycott campaign on Apartheid Israel StopTheWall.org 12/8/2005 The Socialist Left Party, a member of the center-left Norwegian government is to officially launch a solidarity campaign for Palestine beginning in the New Year. The campaign will focus on a consumer boycott of Israeli products and will push for a ban on any arms trade between the Norwegian government and the Israeli regime. After reactions in Parliament, the news of the campaign has already started a heated debate in Norwegian media bringing wider publicity and debate into the boycott and sanctions campaign. more.. Citing security reasons, Israel says won't honor bus convoy deal Ha'aretz 12/9/2005 Citing security considerations, Israel told international representatives Friday that it has no intention of implementing the agreement allowing bus convoys between Gaza and the West Bank until "better times. " During a Friday afternoon briefing for representatives of the international community in Tel Aviv, Brigadier-General Eitan Dangot, who is IDF liaison to Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz, and Major General Yossi Mishlav, the coordinator of government activities in the territories, added that anyway there was no chance that the convoys could begin operating on the agreed-upon date (December 15) since Israel needed at least one week to make the necessary preparations. more.. Hamas says truce with Israel intact until end of the year Ha'aretz 12/10/2005 A Hamas spokesman said on Friday that a nine-month-old truce with Israel was still in effect, clarifying an earlier statement by a leader of the Islamic militant group indicating it had been called off. "Hamas confirms that calm is still on, as of this moment, and this is a national consensus," said Mushir al-Masri, spokesman for Hamas in Gaza. "This is the official and final Hamas decision and position. ". . . another spokesman for Hamas in Gaza said a decision was pending on renewing the truce, which has allowed the Islamic group to turn to political activism ahead of a Palestinian parliamentary election in January. more.. Hamas tires of truce AlJazeera 12/10/2005 Hamas will not renew its fragile truce with Israel when it expires at the end of the year, the head of its political branch has said. Khaled Meshaal was speaking at a rally in the al-Yarmouk quarter in Damascus on Friday to mark 38 years since the creation of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. "We will not enter a new truce while our people are surrounded and are preparing for a new round of conflict," he said. "We have had enough of the truce while our prisoners are still held. " more.. Hamas split over truce with Israel YNetNews 12/9/2005 Hamas chief Khaled Mashaal says group is scrapping truce with Israel; Gaza spokesman denies comments -- The Hamas leadership in the Gaza Strip on Friday rejected comments made in Damascus by chief-in-exile Khaled Mashaal that the Islamic group is scrapping a truce with Israel and preparing for a new round of violence. Speaking at a rally in the Syria capital earlier Friday Mashaal said: “There is no room for truce. I say to our brothers in the (Palestinian) Authority that we are witnessing political stagnation. . . . " more.. Israel shuts Jerusalem-W.Bank crossing after stabbing ReliefWeb 12/9/2005 JERUSALEM, Dec 9 (Reuters) - Israel has temporarily closed the main crossing point between Jerusalem and the occupied West Bank after a Palestinian stabbed an Israeli soldier to death at a checkpoint there, the army said on Friday. . . . Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat reiterated the Palestinian accusation that Israel was imposing collective punishment that leads to "more hatred and violence". more.. Foreign Ministry denounces U.S. lawsuit against ex-Shin Bet chief Ha'aretz 12/10/2005 The Foreign Ministry condemned on Friday a civil lawsuit filed in the U. S. against former Shin Bet chief Avi Dichter for the deaths of 14 Palestinian civilians who were killed in a targeted hit on a senior Hamas operative in 2002. "We see this as a cynical manipulation of the courts by groups with extremist agendas," said Mark Regev, spokesman for the Israeli Foreign Ministry. Palestinians filed the suit against Dichter in a U. S. federal court Thursday, seeking millions of dollars in damages. more.. Mofaz: Israel must face Iran with solutions 'other than diplomatic' Ha'aretz 12/10/2005 Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz on Friday spoke harshly against Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadenijad saying Israel must prepare solutions "other than diplomatic" in the face of Tehran's persistent advancement of its nuclear program. Speaking on a visit to the market at Hatikva neighborhood in Tel Aviv, Mofaz said, "the right move would be to let a diplomatic approach guide us, but we must also prepare other solutions. " more.. Israel demands UN action against Iran YNetNews 12/10/2005 Security Council issued statement condemning comments by Iranian president that Israel should be moved to Europe -- (Washington) Israel on Friday demanded the United Nations takes swift action against Iran following comments by the Iranian President who expressed doubt the Holocaust ever happened and suggested Israel be moved to Europe. . . . The Security Council issued a statement condemning Ahmadinejad on Friday pointing out that the U. N. General Assembly recently adopted a resolution "rejecting denial of the Holocaust as a historical event, either in full or in part. " more.. Ahmadinejad draws ire of Saudis, Iranians, West over Israel remarks Daily Star 12/10/2005 Saudis fumed Friday that Iran's president marred a Mecca summit dedicated to showing Islam's moderate face by suggesting the Holocaust might not have taken place and that Israel should be moved to Europe. The remarks by President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, at a news conference in the holy city of Mecca on Thursday, were also condemned by Germany, and Iranian ally Russia. He said that if Austria and Germany believed Jews were massacred during World War II, then a state of Israel should be established on their soil. more.. A message from Congress to Abbas: It's time to dismantle Hamas Ha'aretz 12/9/2005 Rosner's Blog -- The four members of the House of Representatives said they were sending a clear massage to Mahmoud Abbas (whom they all referred to as Abu Mazen). It took them a while before they mentioned the big M, but finally they did: If you don't do what you have to do, no more money for the Palestinian Authority. House Resolution 575 will probably pass before the Christmas recess. It states that Hamas and other terrorist groups should not be allowed to participate in the upcoming elections in the Palestinian Authority. more.. US Green party calls for boycott and divestment against Israel StopTheWall.org 12/9/2005 On the 21st of November, the Green Party of the United States endorsed a statement calling for a comprehensive strategy of boycott and divestment against Israel. The resolution, introduced by the Wisconsin Green Party and passed by the party's National Committee, comes within a growing global trend among left wing and progressive parties to adopt the Palestinian call for the Isolation of Apartheid Israel. (See text below) more.. Syria denies secret Israel peace talks AlJazeera 12/9/2005 Syria has denied it is in secret peace talks with Israel after a British newspaper reported Damascus was engaged in clandestine discussions on reopening contacts with the Jewish state. "Syria has nothing to hide. She is refusing any kind of secret talks and is always acting in the open," the state news agency SANA quoted an official source as saying on Friday. The British Guardian newspaper had reported on Thursday that Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan had urged Syria to relaunch talks with Israel - broken off in 2000 - in a bid for Damascus to avoid sanctions over the murder of Lebanon's ex-premier Rafiq al-Hariri. more.. Israel slams 'dangerous' Ahmadinejad AlJazeera 12/9/2005 Israel has called Iran's president "very dangerous" after he expressed doubt that the holocaust occurred and suggested the Jewish state be moved to Europe. "This was not a mis-statement or a passing remark," Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom told Israel Radio on Friday. "It is a systematic way of thinking which is intended to bring about the annihilation of the state of Israel. " On Thursday Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said that if Germany and Austria believed that Jews were massacred during the second world war, a state of Israel should be established on their soil. more.. U.K. accused of supplying nuclear component to Israel in 1950s Ha'aretz 12/10/2005 Two lawmakers have accused the British government of a cover-up for refusing to admit that Britain helped launch Israel's nuclear program in 1959 by secretly selling a batch of heavy water - a key ingredient in producing weapons-grade materials. The British Broadcasting Corp. first reported the allegations - contained in previously classified documents - in August, but Foreign Office minister Kim Howells swiftly denied the claims to the International Atomic Energy Agency. more.. Is re-branding Israel possible? Ha'aretz 12/9/2005 Rosner's Blog -- When people in North America think of Israel, they usually think of The Conflict - and don't think about what Israel really is: a modern country with cell phones, high tech, science, schools, good music, theatre, lots of TV channels, etc. . . . Ambassador Gideon Meir, Deputy Director General for media and public affairs at Israel's Foreign Ministry, can't agree more. He is currently in the U. S. , spending some time in Atlanta, Georgia, with a group of media professionals working in the various Israeli consulates across North America. His mission is an ambitious one, some might say an impossible one: re-branding Israel. more.. PNA, Canada Sign Housing Project WAFA 12/9/2005 RAMALLAH, December 9, 2005 (WAFA) -Palestinian National Authority (PNA) and Canada signed an agreement for a $5 million Canadian Dollar to rehabilitation projects in WB and GS. In a press release issued Friday, the Canadian Representative Office in Ramallah, said that the agreement was signed on December 6, by Minister of Public Works and Housing, Mohammed Shtayyeh, and the Canadian representative to the PNA, Ron Willson. Helping rehabilitate Palestinians homes in Gaza Strip and West Bank, the initiative will be implemented through a partnership between the ministry and the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. more.. Israel should move to Europe, says Iran's leader The Guardian 12/9/2005 Iran's president, Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, reignited the controversy provoked by his recent calls for Israel to be "wiped off the map" yesterday by casting doubt on the historical authenticity of the Holocaust and demanding that an alternativeJewish homeland be established in Europe. In remarks that sparked outrage in Washington and Jerusalem, Mr Ahmadinejad rejected the "claim" that millions of Jews were murdered by the Nazis, but called on those who believe to set up a Jewish state in countries such as Germany and Austria. more.. State defends targeted killings YNetNews 12/8/2005 State Prosecutor’s Office addresses High Court with letter justifying the assassination policy as falling under war laws, not Israeli law -- The State moved swiftly to justify the latest targeted assassination of two Palestinian terror suspects in an IAF strike Thursday afternoon, turning to the High Court of Justice with the argument the assassination policy falls under war laws now that Israel has withdrawn from the Gaza Strip. In a letter to the Court, Deputy State Prosecutor Attorney Shay Nitzan wrote: “Since IDF soldiers completely withdrew from the Gaza Strip, the operation is a military action executed in a foreign territory, outside the State’s territory, belonging to a foreign country from which military actions against the State of Israel are stemming. ” more.. Israel halts Gaza bus link talks BBC 12/8/2005 Israel has suspended talks with the Palestinians about setting up a bus service between Gaza and the West Bank. The talks were called off because of the suicide bombing in Netanya on Monday, Israeli officials said. The service was agreed at talks with the US secretary of state that led to the reopening of the Gaza-Egypt border. Due to begin next week, it would have greatly improved Palestinian freedom of movement as the first link-up between Gaza and the West Bank for five years. more.. Israel freezes talks on Gaza-West Bank bus link ReliefWeb 12/8/2005 JERUSALEM, Dec 8, 2005 (AFP) - Israel has frozen negotiations about setting up a bus service which would have enabled thousands of Palestinians to travel from the Gaza Strip to the West Bank from next week, officials said Thursday. "There will be be no discussions about these convoys as long as the Palestinian Authority fails to respect its commitments to fight against terrorism," a spokesman for Prime Minister Ariel Sharon said. . . . Under the terms of an Israeli-Palestinian agreement brokered by US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice last month which led to the reopening of the border between Gaza and Egypt, a bus link should have begun operating on December 15. more.. Red Cross finally opens door for MDA Ha'aretz 12/9/2005 A new Red Cross emblem was accepted yesterday at an international conference in Geneva, paving the way for Israel to join the humanitarian organization after nearly six decades of exclusion. The 192 signatories of the Geneva Conventions approved the new red crystal emblem in a vote after negotiations failed to resolve an Israeli-Syrian dispute blocking the deal. The decision was made by a 70 percent majority of the member states, with the objection of all Muslim and Arab states, except for Jordan, which abstained. more.. Hizbullah a terror group? IDF says no YNetNews 12/8/2005 Members of Lebanese group referred to as ‘guerilla fighters’ in army presentation circulated overseas -- Hizbullah no longer a terror group? Despite extensive public relations efforts to depict Hizbullah as a murderous terror group, an IDF presentation prepared for the benefit of foreigners refers to the Lebanese organization as a guerilla movement, Israel’s leading newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported Thursday. The computer presentation was distributed by e-mail to all of Israel's military attaches worldwide, as well as to foreign military attaches in Israel and to a series of other foreigners. more.. Israel’s War on Islamic Jihad Suffers UN, US Setbacks Palestine Media Center 12/8/2005 Israeli Escalation Threatens PNA Efforts to Maintain Truce, Law and Order -- UN Security Council failed on Wednesday to issue a presidential statement condemning the Palestinian anti-Israeli occupation group, the Islamic Jihad, at the same time a US court acquitted an American professor of Palestinian origin of charges accusing him of funding the group, while the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) escalated its extra-judicial killings of Jihad as well as other activists on the ground. The Palestinian National Authority (PNA) on Wednesday condemned the ongoing Israeli assassination of Palestinians. more.. Including the Mayor of Geneva and Swiss Representative to the PNA, a High Profile Swiss Delegation Visits PCHR Palestinian Centre for Human Rights