Vermonters for a Just Peace in Palestine/Israel
Prisoners Archive - March 2010
Treatment of Prisoners and Detainees by Israel and Others
Prisoners Archive - March 2010
Treatment of Prisoners and Detainees by Israel and Others
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News Troops Detain Three Civilians During Invasions Targeting West Bank Communities IMEMC - Wednesday March 31, 2010 - 16:59, Three Palestinian civilians were detained on Wednesday by Israeli troops during invasions targeting a number of West Bank communities. Israel releases former minister 3/31/2010 - Hebron - Ma'an - Israeli authoritiesreleased the Palestinian Authority's former Minister of Local Governance Issa Kheiri Al-Ja'bari on Wednesday following 14 months of administrative detention. Al-Ja'bari had his administrative detention sentence extended three times and was not seen by a judge since he was taken from his home on the first of January 2009, in the midst of Israel's war on Gaza. During his detention Al-Ja'bari was transferred to six different detention facilities. He had previously been detained by Israeli officials on June 29 2006, during an Israeli detention campaign targeting Palestinian member of the Legislative Council and other Palestinian leaders following the capture of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit by resistance factions in Gaza. During the previous detention, he spent 30 months in Israeli custody. Chaos at trial for Palm Sunday detainees 3/31/2010 - Ramallah - Ma'an - Israeli military judges inhaled thick tear gas used to disperse protesters in front of the Ofer military court on Wednesday, as men detained during a peaceful Palm Sunday demonstration were set to be tried. Most notable among the dozen detainees was PLO Executive Committee member Abbas Zaki, who refused to stand in front of the military judge, calling his detention illegal. Supporters gathered in at the Beituniya military checkpoint outside of the Ofer detention center were tear gassed, with observers in the court saying the smell was so thick that it wafted in the courtroom and caused judges to cough. Palestinian medics said dozens were treated for tear-gas inhalation and others were lightly injured by rubber-coated bullets."We are all Abbas Zaki," one banner outside of the courtroom read, as others condemned his detention and the continued access restrictions for. . . Negev detainees announce end to family visits 3/31/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Palestinians detained in Israel's Negev prison decided to stop family visits for one month, in protest of the restrictions placed on some prisoners' families, and the general maltreatment of Palestinians in Israeli custody. The visits will stop on 7 April, which will be marked by a hunger strike, prisoners announced, adding that for the first time since 2006, prisoners of all factions would participate in the protest action. Negev prison detainee Mahmud Da'is told Ma'an Radio on Wednesday, that prisoners were united in their determination to secure fair treatment for [all] Palestinians. [end] EU officials to attend Palm Sunday detainees’ court appearance 3/31/2010 - Hebron - Ma'an - Representatives of the European Union, French and Spanish offices in Jerusalem will attend the court appearance of a PLO Executive Committee member detained on Palm Sunday during Bethlehem protests, the official's aides said. The court appearance was set for Wednesday, when Abbas Zaki will stand on as yet unannounced charges for his role in a non-violent protest against the Israeli decision to refuse entry of West Bank Christian worshipers to Jerusalem for the Palm Sunday march from the Mount of Olives into the Old City. A representative of the French Foreign Ministry told reporters Tuesday that the ongoing detention of Zaki and 11 other Palestinians who participated in the non-violent protest was illegal, and their release was demanded. According to a statement from Zaki's office, non-violent popular rallies will continue across Palestine demanding his release. Israeli raids see 2 detained, civilian car destroyed 3/31/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Israeli soldiers raided the Duheisha refugee camp overnight, prompting young camp residents to throw stones at the invading troops, who responded by firing tear-gas canisters and rubber-coated bullets, locals said. During the invasion, residents reported, soldiers totaled the car of a civilian, identified as Mohammad Al-Afendi, as armored vehicles deployed around his home. The raid lasted just under an hour, locals said, noting no detentions or injuries. An Israeli military spokesman said soldiers were in the camp performing "routine activities" and responded with riot dispersal mechanisms when camp residents threw stones and "firebombs" at the invading forces. The spokesman said he had no knowledge of specific damages. A report from the Palestinian Authority police said two were detained during overnight raids in the Salfit district, and a curfew was imposed on the village of Deir Istiya. Hamas: Fatah must apologize to Palestine 3/31/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Fatah's call for an escalation of peaceful resistance is an admission of the failure of the government to reach a peace deal for Palestinians, Hamas officials declared on Tuesday following a cabinet meeting in Gaza. Fatah and the Palestinian Authority must now "apologize to the Palestinians for forcing them into a failed process that lasted 20 years," a statement from the Gaza government said, citing the continued occupation of the West Bank, the siege on Gaza, and the unfaltering settlement construction in the West Bank including East Jerusalem. The comments followed announcements from members of Fatah's Central Committee calling for more popular resistance efforts in the wake of the mass detention of peaceful demonstrators in Bethlehem on Palm Sunday. Among those detained was PLO Executive Committee member Abbas Zaki, who remains in Israeli custody. Palestinian Prisoners Forum: Israeli Occupation arrested 80 children from Hebron last month Uruknet March 31, 2010 - The Palestinian Prisoners Club in Hebron said that the rate of arrests of Palestinians from the Hebron district is the highest of all of the Palestinian governorates, in the context of the Occupation's wave of arrests since the beginning of the year. Amjad Al Najjar, the Director of the club, said that the number of prisoners... Israel detains 4 Palestinian in WB 31 Mar 2010 - West Bank, March 31, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - Israeli occupation forces raided toady different areas of the West Bank and detained four Palestinians. Local sources said that two Palestinian men were detained in Qalqilya and another two were detained in Hebron and Tolkarem. Israeli occupation forces raided Al-Azah and Al-Dehish refugee camps in Bethlehem and searched many houses. They notified... French Foreign Ministry calls for Zaki's release Palestine Note 31 Mar 2010 - Tuesday a representative of the French Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs called for the release of Fatah Central Committee member Abbas Zaki and the other Palm Sunday detainees, Ma'an News Agency reports. Site commemorating the... Palestinian prisoners of all factions unite in maltreatment protest Ha'aretz 31 Mar 2010 - Palestinian detainees in Israel's Ketziot prison in the Negev have decided to unite in order to secure better conditions, the Palestinian news agency Ma'an reported on Wednesday. ... Abbas Zaki arrest spurs clashes in West Bank Daily Star 31 Mar 2010 BEITUNIYA, West Bank: Israeli security forces on Wednesday fired tear gas at dozens of rock-throwing Palestinians protesting outside a West Bank prison against the detention of 10 people, including a senior Fatah official.Around 300 protesters had gathered outside the Beituniya checkpoint near the Ofer military prison where the detainees. Ghoul: Jerusalem captives in any prisoners swap deal PIC 31 Mar 2010 - Minister of prisoners and justice in Gaza Mohammed Al-Ghoul has affirmed that any prisoners exchange deal with the IOA must include Jerusalem and 1948 occupied Palestine captives. Hamas: Palestinian prisoners to stage a general strike in April PIC 31 Mar 2010 - The higher committee of Hamas prisoners declared that the Palestinian prisoners of all political spectra will organize a general strike in protest at the ongoing Israeli violations of their rights. Palm Sunday protest in Bethlehem–and only the Palestinians are still detained Mondoweiss - 31 Mar 2010 - This past weekend, after Palm Sunday mass at the Nativity church in Bethlehem a large group of people from all faiths, Palestinian, Israeli, and international activists alike, marched from the church toward the Israeli checkpoint that separates Bethlehem from Jerusalem. They were protesting the restrictions that... Zaki asked to agree on restricted movement 3/30/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Fatah Central Committee member Abbas Zaki, detained with 10 other Palestinians in the Ofer detention center, was asked to sign a deal restricting his movement by Israeli authorities. Zaki was detained during a Palm Sunday rally, protesting Israeli restrictions placed upon Palestinian access to Jerusalem over Easter and general access to religious sites in the occupied city. Fellow Central Committee Nabil Sha'ath said Zaki refused to sign the deal put forward to him by Israeli authorities, which include a fine, compliance with requests made by the Israeli intelligence services, and restriction on travel and movement throughout the occupied Palestinian territories. Factional representatives at the detention center greeted Zaki, who was originally transferred to the Russian interrogation center in Jerusalem, and wished him a short stay in the prison. Fatah council condemns Zaki detention 3/30/2010 - Ramallah - Ma'an - Fatah's Revolutionary Council held a consultative meeting on Monday evening in Ramallah to discuss the latest escalations in the occupied Palestinian territories. Members condemned the detention of Fatah Central Committee member Abbas Zaki, who was detained on Palm Sunday by Israeli forces for participating in a rally denouncing Israeli policy preventing Palestinian access to holy sites in Jerusalem over Easter. The detention of a high-ranking Palestinian official during peace time by Israel is the first of its kind, following the ratification of the Oslo Accords in 1993. The Fatah officials said Israeli "aggression" against the movement did not deter the backbone of Fatah and their commitment to non-violent resistance, and the establishment of a Palestinian state on 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital. Nablus merchant kidnapped, attacked by gunmen 3/30/2010 - Nablus - Ma'an - Unidentified gunmen kidnapped a merchant from his home in Nablus shortly after midnight on Tuesday and later released him, his family said. Mu'taz Arafat, 35, was tied and stripped to his underwear by four masked gunmen who raided his home, the victim's brother, Muhammad, told Ma'an. The victim's brother further said assailants attacked Arafat's wife, adding that he believes the attackers to have been members of the Palestinian Authority security forces. Arafat was detained for over an hour, and, upon being released by his kidnappers, walked to the PA security forces headquarters where he received treatment, his brother said. Major Ashraf Mutlaq, Nablus police spokesman, said an investigation was launched into the incident in order to identify and arrest the assailants. Mutlaq denied PA security force involvement in the incident, saying that forces do not operate at night. Egyptian forces detain 12 Gaza children 3/30/2010 - Al-Arish - Ma'an - Egyptian authorities detained 12 Palestinian children attempting to enter Egypt on Monday, through Gaza's subterranean tunnel complex. Egyptian police said they seized the boys, aged between 10 and 17, after ambushing them to reveal the location of the tunnels in use. The boys told Egyptian forces that they were attempting to flee the dire economic situation in the Gaza Strip, police said. Meanwhile, Egyptian forces raided a warehouse used to store goods for smuggling into Gaza in the Al-Barahma neighborhood near the Egyptian-Gaza border to the south. [end] ECHO program helps rehabilitate former child prisoners 3/30/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Since its launch almost one year ago, an EU commission child rehabilitation program has offered its intervention services to almost 500 ex-detainee children under the age of 18, and 291 parents. Save the Children Sweden with funding from the European Commission's Humanitarian Aid department (ECHO) and in partnership with YMCA have held an event at the premises of the Palestinian Red Crescent Society in Ramallah marking the completion of phase I of the Post-trauma Rehabilitation of Palestinian Ex-detainee Children program, a statement read. The program was launched almost one year ago in eleven districts of the West Bank; the second phase is due to commence in early April 2010." It's been quite a full year for the Post-trauma Rehabilitation Program!" said Eyad Al-Araj, country director of Save the Children Sweden. French FM calls for release of Palm Sunday detainees 3/30/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - A French Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs representative called for the release of Palm Sunday detainee Abbas Zaki and his compatriots detained by Israeli forces during a peaceful protest. Speaking to reporters on Tuesday a representative said "Abbas Zaki, member of Fatah Central Committee, was arrested Sunday with a dozen other people during a peaceful march from the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem to the Checkpoint of the 'Tomb of Rachel." The march was organized by a Christian NGO, to protest against the restrictions of access to Jerusalem imposed on Palestinian Christians during the Palm Sunday. We call for the release of Abbas Zaki and people arrested during a peaceful demonstration in support of freedom of access to the Holy City for a major Christian religious holiday." Christians denied entry into Jerusalem because of a West Bank closure on the occasion. . . De facto gov’t: Dahlan solicited intel on Khan Younis fighters 3/30/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Fatah strongman Muhammad Dahlan attempted to collect information about Palestinian fighters involved in the Friday slaying of two Israeli soldiers, Hamas officials said Tuesday. A statement from the de facto government's Ministry of the Interior said the Gaza native phoned a former intelligence officer asking for details of men the Fatah official had earlier accused Hamas police of detaining. The accusation is the latest in a string of events following from a deadly day of clashes in Gaza on Friday, where Al-Qassam fighters with Hamas said they participated in an attack on Israeli soldiers entering the Strip for reasons that remain unclear. The attack lead to the death of two soldiers and two Palestinian fighters, as well as the injury of several civilians in the fighting that took place following the initial attack. Related: Dahlan: Hamas jails fighter involved in Friday clashes Palestinian captive loses eyesight as prisoners agree on strike next month Uruknet March 30, 2010 -- A Palestinian captive went blind in Israeli occupation jails due to the medical neglect of his case on the part of the Israeli prisons authority (IPA), a released prisoner told the Palestinian center for the defense of prisoners. The center in a statement on Monday said that the captive was primarily diagnosed with spring conjunctivitis but... Egyptian forces detain 12 Gaza children Uruknet March 30, 2010 – Egyptian authorities detained 12 Palestinian children attempting to enter Egypt on Monday, through Gaza's subterranean tunnel complex. Egyptian police said they seized the boys, aged between 10 and 17, after ambushing them to reveal the location of the tunnels in use. The boys told Egyptian forces that they were attempting to flee the dire economic situation... Revealing maltreatment in Israeli Jails 29 Mar 2010 - Gaza, March 29, (Pal Telegraph) The Palestinian Center for Defending the prisoners, and according to one of the editors who were released from Israeli jails, revealed that one of the prisoners patients was blinded and lost the sense of sight, showing that the prisoner suffered initially from a simple disease in his eye like "Ophthalmology spring," while the Prison’s administration... Palestinian captive loses eyesight as prisoners agree on strike next month PIC 30 Mar 2010 - A Palestinian captive went blind in Israeli occupation jails due to the medical neglect of his case on the part of the Israeli prisons authority (IPA), a released prisoner said. Israeli Troops Detain Four Civilians From Different Locations In The West Bank IMEMC - Monday March 29, 2010 - 19:24, Four Palestinian civilians were detained by Israeli troops on Monday during invasions treating West Bank communities. Abbas Zaki detained at Ofer for interrogation 3/29/2010 - Hebron - Ma'an - Israeli forces transferred Fatah Central Committee member Abbas Zaki to the Ofer detention center where he is expected to be detained for four days for interrogation. The other Palm Sunday detainees from Bethlehem, who were detained during a rally protesting Israeli restrictions on Jerusalem, were also taken to Ofer for a four-day interrogation. Zaki's detention marks the first time a high-profile Fatah official has been detained since the Oslo Accords between the Palestine Liberation Organization PLO and Israel in 1993. Observers expect Israel to repeat such detentions in order to force Fatah to restart peace negotiations without preconditions. [end] Israeli, PA forces disperse Bethlehem rally 3/29/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Palestinian Authority and Israeli forces cracked down on protesters at a Bethlehem rally Monday protesting the continued detention of the Palm Sunday detainees, and marking Land Day. More than 200 protesters joined the demonstration, organized by Fatah and PLO members, over the unprecedented detention of a high-ranking Fatah official on Sunday, Abbas Zaki, the first arrest of a high-ranking Palestinian official by Israeli forces during peace time. Demonstrators included Fatah Central Committee member Jamal Muheisin, Palestinian National Initiative leader Mustafa Barghouti, Bethlehem Governor Abdul Fattah Hamayil, and heads of the popular committees in Bethlehem, Beit Sahour, Beit Jala and Hebron. Zaki's wife was also present. The march began at the Bilal Ibn Rabah Mosque adjacent to Rachel's Tomb, reaching the Gilo checkpoint that separates Bethlehem and Jerusalem, the site of yesterday's detentions. Prisoner families to suspend visits for 1 month 3/29/2010 - Nablus - Ma'an - A committee representing relatives of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli custody announced Monday that family visits would be suspended for one month in protest of Israeli policies. The committee said the strike would start on 1 April and end on 1 May in protest of "Israeli arrogance" toward families visiting their relatives in prison. They also highlighted that several families were deprived of visits, predominantly those of prisoners from the Gaza Strip. In a statement, the committee explained that the strike came in protest of Israel's confiscation of permits from certain families when they passed through checkpoints in addition to strip searches during prison visits. Meanwhile, Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails say they will go on hunger strikes on 7, 17, and 27 April. . . . . 2 prisoners released after 9 years in Israeli custody 3/29/2010 - Nablus - Ma'an - Israeli authorities released two Palestinian detainees Sunday after nine years of imprisonment. Locals identified the two as Sameh Jibrin, 30, and Rami Al-Qatuni, 31, from Al-A'ein refugee camp west of the West Bank city of Nablus. Both are Fatah affiliates and were released from Israel's Negev prison. [end] Israeli forces detain 16-year-old Jerusalemite 3/29/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an/Agencies - Israeli police detained a 16-year-old Palestinian boy in occupied East Jerusalem on Monday, Israeli media reported. According to the Hebrew daily Yedioth Ahronot, the teenager was "suspicious looking" and wore a skullcap, and was detained in East Jerusalem's Sultan Suleiman Street, near an Israeli police station. The daily reported a search revealed a knife on the boy's person, who told police he was "planning to stab a police officer. "[end] In photos: The Palm Sunday march 3/29/2010 - MaanImages / Luay Sababa -- Over 150 Bethlehem residents, international and Israeli peace activists took part on 28 March in the centuries-old Palm Sunday procession from the Church of the Nativity to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem, symbolizing Jesus Christ's march to Jerusalem. However, as a result of Israeli restrictions prohibiting both West Bank and Gaza Palestinians from entry into occupied East Jerusalem, protesters were only able to reach the Gilo checkpoint, which separates both cities. Israeli forces detained 11 Palestinians and five peace activists. The Palestinians remain in Israeli custody. Israeli peace activist Jonathan Pollack said the detentions were "a clear act of racial discrimination, the Israelis and international were released with a slap on the wrist that same night. " Dahlan: Hamas jails fighter involved in Friday clashes 3/29/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Fatah Central Committee member Muhammad Dahlan said Monday the de facto government has detained an operative involved in Friday's deadly clashes in the Gaza Strip, killing two Palestinian fighters and two Israeli soldiers. The detainee, a member of Hamas' security forces, has been jailed in Gaza, Dahlan told students at the An-Najjah University, who refused to reveal his name. Dahlan told students at the Nablus university that Hamas has yet to build anything substantial for Gaza throughout its rule over the coastal enclave "except for the total destruction of Gaza and murder. "Friday's deadly clashes in southern Gaza were the most violent since Israel ended its devastating assault on the coastal enclave 14 months ago. "We have passed the stage for speeches and entered the stage of national action," Dahlan said, and warned of previous mistakes that could ruin the political future of Palestine. Revealing maltreatment in Israeli Jails Uruknet March 29, 2010 - The Palestinian Center for Defending the prisoners, and according to one of the editors who were released from Israeli jails, revealed that one of the prisoners patients was blinded and lost the sense of sight, showing that the prisoner suffered initially from a simple disease in his eye like "Ophthalmology spring," while the Prison’s administration has... Revealing maltreatment in Israeli Jails 29 Mar 2010 - Gaza, March 29, (Pal Telegraph) The Palestinian Center for Defending the prisoners, and according to one of the editors who were released from Israeli jails, revealed that one of the prisoners patients was blinded and lost the sense of sight, showing that the prisoner suffered initially from a simple disease in his eye like "Ophthalmology spring," while the Prison’s administration... Israel detains Palestinians in Jerusalem 29 Mar 2010 - Jerusalem, March 29, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) – Israeli occupation forces detained a number of young Palestinians in Jerusalem last night, KUNA news agency reported. Israeli occupation forces carried out extensive raids in the Old City of Jerusalem and detained number of young people. They also delivered a number of notices to some Palestinians to summon to Al-Meskubiya center for investigation,... Israel sends Fatah's Central Committee member to Ofer prison 29 Mar 2010 - Ramallah, March 29, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - Israeli occupation forces transferred member of Fatah's Central Committee Abbas Zaki to Ofer prison near Ramallah, Palestinian Prisoners Club (PPC) said Monday. Zakki, who was arrested in Bethlehm yesterday, has been issued a four day detention at an Israeli jail, PPC said. Israeli occupation forces arrested Zaki along with 11 Palestinians near Bethlehem... http://stopthewall.org/latestnews/2217.shtml Stop The Wall - Israeli occupation forces arrested 11 Palestinians, including journalists and detained 5 Israelis and internationals. They were part of a protest-procession which moved today from the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem towards Jerusalem under the banner of the call for freedom of religion and freedom of worship. [ Racial Discrimination By Israeli Police: Bethlehem Peaceful Protesters Still Detained 3/29/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - Popular Struggle Coordination Committee - While the Israeli and international protesters detained in Bethlehem yesterday have been released, the police extended the arrest of the ten Palestinians, including PLO Executive Committee Member, Abbas Zaki, by 96 hours under military law. A demonstration held in Bethlehem today in support of the arrestees was dispersed by the Army. Fifteen demonstrators have been arrested yesterday by Israeli forces during a peaceful demonstration near Rachel's Tomb protesting Israeli violations of Palestinian freedom of religion and lack of access to Jerusalem. The demonstrators marked Palm Sunday and demanded to exercise the centuries old Christian tradition of pilgrimage to Jerusalem on that day. In a clear act of racial discrimination, the Israelis and international were released with a slap on the wrist that same night, while the police extended the arrest of all ten Palestinians by 96 hours. Israel restricts access to Al-Aqsa Mosque for Passover Daily Star 29 Mar 2010 OCCUPIED JERUSALEM: Israel on Monday curbed travel from the West Bank and access to Jerusalem's flashpoint Al-Aqsa Mosque compound as Jews began to celebrate Passover holidays amid raised tension with the Palestinians.Four Israeli rightwing activists were briefly detained when they tried to make their way to the Old City in annexed IOA extends administrative detention of Palestinian scientist PIC 29 Mar 2010 - The Israeli occupation authority (IOA) extended the administrative detention of Palestinian scientist Isam Al-Ashqar, 52, for four months as he was lying on his sickbed in the prison hospital. Palestinian journalist receives US visa after delay 3/28/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Mohammed Omar, a Palestinian journalist and photographer, has received permission to visit the United States weeks after his visa application was delayed for reasons that were never made clear, a Jewish peace organization reported Saturday. MuzzleWatch, a blog affiliated with the US-based Jewish Voice for Peace organization, reported that supporters of the Gaza journalist had been putting pressure on the US Embassy in the Hague to allow Omar to participate in a speaking tour with Ali Abunimah, a Chicago-based Palestinian-American activist who founded the Electronic Intifada news and commentary Web site. Omar has lived in the Netherlands since 2008, after he was detained and severely beaten by Shin Bet interrogators upon returning to the occupied Palestinian territories from London, where he was awarded the Martha Gellhorn Award for Journalism in 2007. Israeli forces detain 5 in West Bank overnight 3/28/2010 - Nablus - Ma'an - Israeli forces detained a young Palestinian man after raiding the northern West Bank city of Nablus on Sunday morning. Palestinian security sources said Fadi Muhammad Qanazi, 22, was detained after soldiers ransacked his family's home at 2:30am. Israel's army said five Palestinians were detained overnight including the one from Nablus, as well as one in At-Taqaba, southwest of Hebron, two from Bir Nabala, south of Ramallah, and one from Hizma, southeast of Ramallah. "All the suspects were transferred to the security forces for questioning," a military spokeswoman said. [end] Police say Israeli forces detain 1, assault another 3/28/2010 - Ramallah - Ma'an - Israeli forces detained a young Palestinian man and assaulted another in separate incidents across the occupied West Bank on Saturday evening that left one hospitalized, police reported Sunday. According to a police report, a teenager was severely beaten at the Qalandiya checkpoint between Jerusalem and Ramallah. He was identified as 18-year-old Ibahim Shawamra of Ar-Ram, a village on the outskirts of Jerusalem. The report said the teenager was hospitalized, but did not specify which hospital or the nature of his injuries. Calls to Israel's Border Police unit, responsible for manning the Qalandiya crossing because Israel considers it a border terminal rather than a military checkpoint, went unanswered. Meanwhile, Israeli forces raided the villages of Deir Ghassana and Arura, two Palestinian villages north of Ramallah, the report said. Palm Sunday detainees still in Israeli custody 3/28/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Israel detained 11 Palestinians in the West Bank city of Bethlehem on Sunday, amid protests over restrictions preventing Christians from performing religious rites in Jerusalem over Easter. Dozens of protesters, joined by international peace activists and Muslim supporters, took to the streets after Sunday prayers held for the Christian holiday of Palm Sunday in the Nativity Church. Participants performed the symbolic march of Jesus Christ to the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem, carrying palm branches and banners denouncing Israel's wall and continued settlement expansion. The rally reached the Gilo checkpoint, used predominantly by tourists and through which West Bankers can only pass with permission from Israel. Participants tried to transit the military installation before being barred by waiting Israeli soldiers. Related: Palm Sunday detainees identified Palm Sunday detainees identified 3/28/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Israeli forces detained 11 Palestinians on Palm Sunday, who marched toward the Gilo checkpoint in Bethlehem protesting Israel's increased restriction imposed on Palestinian Christians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, barring them access to the Old City of Jerusalem to perform Easter rites. Those detained during the rally have been identified as follows: Abbas Zaki, member of the Fatah Central CommitteeMohammad Al-Hubani, member of the Popular Committee Against the Wall in Bethlehem Mahmoud Zawahreh, member of the Popular Committee Against the Wall in Al-Ma'sara Fadi Hamad, Associated Press photographerHassen Breijeiyah, member of the Popular Committee Against the wall in Al-Ma'saraMarwan Fararjeh, member of Fatah's Regional Office in Bethlehem Toni Shahwwan, member of the Popular Committee Against the Wall in Beit Jala Two of the Palm Sunday detainees remain unidentified. Related: Palm Sunday detainees still in Israeli custody Israeli Troops Attack Palm Sunday Protest In Bethlehem, Detains 15 Among Them Two Journalists Uruknet March 28, 2010 - Fifteen people among them two journalists were detained by Israeli troops and police officers when they attack a Palm Sunday protest near Bethlehem.Palestinians along with international and Israeli supporters gathered at the Church on Nativity in Bethlehem city, southern West Bank. The carrying Palm leaves and flags protesters headed towards the gat of the wall separating... Israel detains 12 activists in Bethlehem 28 Mar 2010 - Bethlehem, March 28, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - Today, twelve protesters were detained by Israeli occupation forces at a demonstration of about 100 Palestinian and Israeli left-wing activists near Bethlehem. The demonstration was stopped by the Israeli forces while the rest of the demonstrators were forcibly removed from the checkpoint area. Some 100 activists left the Beit Jala area for a... Israel detains Palestinian in Hebron 28 Mar 2010 - Hebron, March 28, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - Israeli occupation forces detained today a citizen from Dura village in Hebron, in the West Bank, Palestinian sources said. The Israeli occupation soldiers detained Mohammed Abu Hashem after raiding his house and they took him to unknown place, the sources added. In addition to, many Israeli military troops was traveling in the neighborhoods... Israel detains woman, 19, at Qalandiya checkpoint 3/27/2010 - Ramallah - Ma'an - Israeli forces detained a young Palestinian woman on Saturday morning at the Qalandiya checkpoint into Jerusalem, accused of attempting to stab a soldier. The unidentified woman, 19, from the Al-Am'ari refugee camp, was detained and transferred for questioning. An Israeli military spokeswoman said a woman was detained at 11pm on Friday at the checkpoint, in possession of a 30cm knife, and was taken for questioning with the Israel Police. [end] Israeli forces detain 2 in Bethlehem 3/27/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Israeli forces detained two Palestinians from their homes on Al-Karkafe Street, in Bethlehem, on Friday. Palestinian security sources said Israeli forces stormed the street, entering the respective homes of Karim Mahmoud Zawahreh and Khalil Ali Zawahreh, both 24, taking them to an unknown location. The two men had previously been detained for affiliation with the Islamic Jihad movement, the sources added. An Israeli military spokeswoman told Ma'an on Friday that five "wanted Palestinian suspects were arrested in Judea and Samaria [the West Bank]. Two in Jenin, one in Burqin, west of Jenin, and two in Bethlehem. "[end] Palestinian Political Prisoners Uruknet March 27, 2010 - The numbers vary but range at any time from over 7,000 to 12,000 or more. In April 2008, the Adalah Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel cited 11,000, including 345 children and 98 women. Over 1,000 suffered from chronic or other diseases. Around 150 were seriously ill from heart disease, cancer, and other diseases,... Israel detains Palestinian girl in Ramallah 27 Mar 2010 - Ramallah, March 27, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - Israeli occupation forces detained today a Palestinian girl from Al-Amari camp in Ramallah. Security sources said that the detained girl, 19 years, was detained by the Israeli occupation forces as she crossed Qalandia military checkpoint and then taken to unknown place. Palestinian political prisoners Palestine Note 27 Mar 2010 - The numbers vary but range at any time from over 7,000 to 12,000 or more. In April 2008, the Adalah Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel cited 11,000, including 345 children and 98 women.... IOF troops round up 3 Palestinians including female teen PIC 27 Mar 2010 - Israeli occupation forces (IOF) detained a 19-year-old Palestinian young woman at the Qalandia roadblock and took her to an unknown destination, local sources said. Tear gas used against anti-wall rally 3/26/2010 - Ramallah - Ma'an - Dozens of Palestinians, international and Israeli solidarity activists chokedon Friday as Israeli forces used tear gas, rubber-coated bullets, and stun grenades to disperse the weekly anti-wall rally in Bil'in, west of Ramallah. A non-violent rally began shortly after Friday prayers as protesters raised flags, anti-wall and anti-settlement posters. Demonstrators marched in the streets chanting slogans condemning Israeli policies and demanding the release of all prisoners in Israel's custody. Palestinian National Initiative Secretary-General Mustafa Barghouthi took part in the rally, along with members and supporters of his party. Protesters called on the Arab League summit, to be held in Sirte, Libya, to back Palestine and Jerusalem "in deeds rather than words. " Demonstrators headed to the separation barrier where an Israeli force closed the area with barbed wire and soldiers were stationed behind cement blocks. PA police: 4 detained by Israeli forces in Nablus, Jenin 3/26/2010 - Ramallah - Ma'an - Four Palestinians were detained by Israeli forces on Friday in the West Bank cities of Nablus and Jenin, and taken to unknown locations, Palestinian Authority police said. A police statement said Israeli soldiers deployed the Al-Hamra checkpoint north of Nablus detained two men identified as Abed Al-Aziz Abu Ruweis, 36, and Ahmad Ibrahim Musalem Abu Ruweis, 20, from An-Nassareiyah. An incursion was reported into the West Bank city of Jenin on Friday, where Mohammad Mahmoud A'ref Ja'far, 18, and Bayan Abdel Karim Malalha, 23, were detained. Police said Israeli forces withdrew shortly after the detentions were made. On Thursday, the Israeli Army Radio said two children from the villages of Al-Khas and Nu'man were detained by Israeli soldiers, identified as Mohammad Ibrahim Hamdan and A'mer Daoud Abu Haniyeh, both nine. Ukrainian detainee denies deportation reports 3/26/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Irena Sarahna, a Ukrainian detainee in Israeli custody, on Thursday told lawyer Taghrid Jahshan that the Israel Prison Service had not informed her of any decision to deport her, countering news reports that her deportation was imminent. Jahshan, a lawyer for the Women's Organization for Political Prisoners, visited Sarahna at the Hasharon prison on Thursday. "The deportation news reports are completely baseless and false. I haven't received any official notice by the Israel Prison Service that I will be deported to the Ukraine," Jahshan quoted her client as saying, countering recent remarks by a Palestinian official. On Wednesday, Prisoners Affairs Minister Issa Qaraqe described the supposed Israeli decision to deport Sarahna as "dangerous and tyrannical," and a violation of human rights and international law. In photos: Qalqiliya protests Israeli detentions 3/26/2010 - MaanImages / Khaleel Reash - Palestinians take part in a protest in the West Bank city of Qalqiliya on 23 March 2010, calling for the release of all Palestinian prisoners from Israeli jails. [end] Hamas: PA arrests 5 supporters in West Bank 3/26/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Hamas said Friday that the Palestinian Authority Preventative Security Services have detained five of the movement's affiliates across the West Bank. According to a statement issued by Hamas, the five were detained from the Nablus and Jenin districts. On Thursday, the Islamist movement said PA forces detained a further five members and supporters from Hebron, Nablus and Salfit. The allegations, which could not be independently verified by Ma'an, come as both calls for unity and tension between parties increase. Hamas leaders have spoken out against PA-Israel peace talks, and have demanded that efforts to restart negotiations be declared failed. Hamas also wants PA officials to make moves toward reconciliation, release detained members, and activate dormant resistance forces. The PA has endorsed popular resistance campaigns, but generally does not condone the use of violence. PA police arrest 40 fugitives across Hebron 3/26/2010 - Hebron - Ma'an - Palestinian Authority security forces arrested 40 fugitives during a security campaign in the West Bank city of Hebron on Friday, police said. A PA police statement said those arrested were involved in a number of forgery, robbery, and narcotics cases, as well as for illegally excavating antiquities across the Hebron district. "Ten of the fugitives were arrested on suspicion of cell phone left. One woman was arrested for stealing electrical appliances from a store in the Bab Az-Zaweiyah area of Hebron. The anti-narcotics police confiscated drugs and arrested a man after a sting operation west of Hebron," the statement read. Four people were arrested for excavating antiquities without the necessary permits in Wad Al-Hareiya, and their equipment was confiscated, the report said, adding that 25 were detained on "various charges. Israeli Troops Detain Five Civilians During An Invasion Targeting Hebron City IMEMC - Thursday March 25, 2010 - 17:50, Five Palestinian civilians were detained on Thursday by Israeli troops during an invasion targeting Hebron, southern West Bank. Israeli forces raid Dura, detain 4 3/25/2010 - Hebron - Ma'an - Israeli authorities detained four citizens, including three brothers, from Dura, south of Hebron, on Thursday morning, taking all four men to an unknown destination, witnesses said. Israeli forces entered the town before sunrise and raided the homes of the Arqub and Naser families. Relatives identified those detained as:Hassan Muhammad Hassan Naser, 32Muhammad Yousif Abu Arqub, 18Usama Yousif Abu Arqub, 31Sami Yousif Abu Arqub, 28After looking into the report, an Israeli military spokeswoman refused comment. In the north, Palestinian police said a Yasuf man was detained at the Za'atara checkpoint south of Nablus. He was pulled from a car at the military terminal, police said, and identified the man as Nathem Muhammad Khalil Obed, 45. PA customs chief says army harassing officers 3/25/2010 - Salfit - Ma'an - Israel's army tightened procedures around the West Bank city of Salfit on Thursday, threatening to invade after customs officers seized goods produced in settlements in the district, an official said. Ghaleb Diwan, general director of the Palestinian customs authority, said "staff were on an official mission to detain a trader who failed to pay taxes. . . but found a warehouse full of large amounts of plastic manufactured in a settlement. "Israeli forces installed checkpoints around the city and threatened to invade, Diwan said, in the event the goods were not returned. "These goods were seized due to the decision [by the PA] that prevents settlement produce from entering Palestinian markets. "In a sharp warning to Israeli authorities, Diwan said efforts to track PA customs officers would result in "a similar escalation by the Palestinian Authority -- banning Israeli goods in general, not just those coming from the settlements. Hamas: PA arrests 5 West Bank members 3/25/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Palestinian Authority security forces recently detained five Hamas members and affiliates from locations across the West Bank, party officials said Thursday. A statement from Hamas party leaders said those detained were from the Hebron, Nablus and Salfit districts. The allegations, which could not be independently verified by Ma'an, come as both calls for unity and tension between parties increase. Hamas leaders spoke out against PA efforts to start peace talks with Israel, and have demanded that efforts to restart talks be declared failed. Hamas also wants PA officials to make moves toward reconciliation, release detained members, and activate dormant resistance forces. The PA has endorsed popular resistance campaigns, but generally does not condone the use of violence. Israel detains 3 Palestinians in Hebron 25 Mar 2010 - Hebron, March 25, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - Israeli occupation forces detained on Thursday a citizen from Dura village, southwest of Hebron in the West Bank, while the other two citizens were detained Wednesday evening near Al-Hram Al-Ibrahimi. Security sources told SAFA news agency that the soldiers detained Hassan Mohammed Nasr,39 , from Dura after raiding his home, Fouad Fares Al-Qasrawi ,23,... IOF soldiers detain 20 Gazans PIC 25 Mar 2010 - Israeli occupation forces (IOF) detained 20 Palestinian workers in northern Gaza Strip on Wednesday and took them to an unknown location. Israeli Troops Detain 20 Palestinian Workers In Northern Gaza IMEMC - Wednesday March 24, 2010 - 16:24, Twenty Palestinian workers were detained on Wednesday by Israeli troops at the northern part of the Gaza Strip. Father: 13-year-old daughter detained for alleged rock throwing 3/24/2010 - Hebron - Ma'an - Israeli police released a child Tuesday night, after raiding her home, taking her from her family and holding her in a detention center for five hour, demanding she sign a pledge "not to threaten Israeli security," her father said. The child, 13-year-old Suhad Al-Ewaiwi, was accused by Israeli soldiers of throwing stones, her father said, noting she was taken first to the police station at the Ibrahimi Mosque, then transferred to a detention center in the Kiyrat Arba settlement in Hebron. Suhad's father contacted the Palestinian Prisoners Society shortly after his daughter was taken from their home. Lawyer with the society, Muhammad Shahin, said he called Israeli police, who told him settlers accused the girl of throwing stones at them. The girl told her parents on her release that she had fainted while in the detention center, after more than an hour of questioning by Israeli soldiers about whether or not she had thrown stones. Israel defends right to arrest foreigners in West Bank Ha'aretz 24 Mar 2010 - State argues legal right to detain non-Israelis, even in areas under Palestinian control. International Campaign in Support of Palestinian Political Prisoners Uruknet March 24, 2010 - April 17, 2010 marks the 34th anniversary of Palestinian Political Prisoners Day. As this historic and important day approaches, several Palestinian organizations and solidarity partners feel it is a critical time, now more than ever, to shed light on the unsung and sometimes forgotten heroes of the ongoing struggle to liberate Palestine. There are a total... Palestinian organizer tortured in Israeli jail Uruknet March 23, 2010 - IOF soldiers detain 20 Gazans PIC 24 Mar 2010 - Israeli occupation forces (IOF) detained 20 Palestinian workers in northern Gaza Strip on Wednesday and took them to an unknown location. National committee for detainees appeals for saving life of prisoner Sinwar PIC 24 Mar 2010 - The national committee for the support of prisoners appealed to human rights and medical organizations to send doctors to check and treat the deteriorating health condition of prisoner Yahya Sinwar. Israeli force raids unexpectedly cells of prisoners in Hadarim jail PIC 24 Mar 2010 - A special Israeli force stormed Tuesday one of the sections in Hadarim prison, where a number of senior Palestinian leaders are locked up, and carried out a surprise inspection of their cells. Popular committee says organizer tortured 3/23/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - An organizer of popular resistance activities in the village of Al-Ma'asara alleged he was tortured while in Israeli prison, a report from the Popular Struggle Coordination Committee said on Monday. According to a statement from the committee, Al-Ma'asara organizer Omar Ala Ad-Din was detained as he passed through the Container checkpoint, an internal West Bank military post, on 14 March. Ala Ad-Din said he was beaten repeatedly, first by the soldiers who detained him and later by intelligence officers in the Russian Compound, an Israeli investigation center in Jerusalem. He said he was kicked, punched and shocked several times with a taser. He said he was questioned about participation in the protests against the construction of Israel's separation wall, and accused of assaulting the soldier who arrested him. Related: Palestinian organizer tortured in Israeli jail Israeli forces ransack homes following Friday protests 3/23/2010 - Hebron - Ma'an - Israeli forces ransacked the homes of several anti-wall activists in the southern West Bank overnight Friday, threatening to torture them and their families if they continued organizing protests in Beit Ummar, an official said. Several days later, on Tuesday, Israeli military representatives confirmed soldiers "acted against individuals suspected of involvement in severe offences, including rock throwing and participation in violent and illegal riots," but noted it "rejects the general claims pertaining to inappropriate offences allegedly committed against Palestinian residents. " Muhammad Awad, spokesman for the Palestine Solidarity Project, said the home of Yousif Abu Mariyya, head of the Popular Committee Against the Wall, was ransacked, and that Abu Mariyya was beaten "before the very eyes" of his family members. Parents call for release of detained son diagnosed with cancer 3/23/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Parents of a Palestinian detainee diagnosed with spinal cancer have called on international human rights groups on Tuesday to secure his release. Raed Drabiyeh, 37, from Jabaliya refugee camp in Gaza, was sentenced to life and has served 14 years of his term, the Detainees' Studies Center said. Drabiyeh's parents, whose son was diagnosed with cancer in 2005, said he has undergone six spinal surgeries and is now in a wheelchair. The center described Drabiyeh's case as serious and critical. The center called for Drabiyeh's immediate release on medical grounds "before he dies in an Israeli prison hospital," where, they say, he will not receive adequate treatment. His parents further asked to be afforded their right to prison visits "so we can see our son at least for one last time. "As Gaza residents, the Israeli Prison Service has prohibited them from family visitation rights. PA Police: Israel detains 4, raids Jenin, refugee camp 3/23/2010 - Ramallah - Ma'an - Israeli raids targeted Jenin and the Far'a refugee camp north of Nablus overnight Monday, with four detained and three released, a police report said. The public relations office of the Palestinian police in the West Bank said Israeli soldiers detained three from the Askar refugee camp on allegations of knife possession. An Israeli military spokeswoman said the three were detained and handed over to the Palestinian Authority, noting they remained in PA custody. Police said the men were detained for hours then handed over to the Palestinian liaison office, while one man detained from the Far'a refugee camp north of Nablus remains in Israeli custody. Police identified the man as 21-year-old Jamal Tayeh. The spokeswoman said she had no knowledge of the incident. A raid targeted Jenin at 3am, entering the cit via the Nablus road. Egypt detains 3 Gazan fishermen 22 Mar 2010 - Gaza, March 22, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - Three Gazan fishermen were kidnapped Sunday afternoon by Egyptian security forces off the Gaza coast after entering the Egyptian territorial water, Palestinian sources reported. Nizar Ayash, a Palestinian fishermen unionist, said to SAFA news agency that the Israeli siege and restrictions on Gaza which allow Gazan fishermen to fish in distance of 3... Israel kidnaps 9 Palestinians from Hebron 22 Mar 2010 - Hebron, March 22, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - Israeli occupation forces today kidnapped nine citizens from Dura village, southwest of Hebron in the occupied West Bank. Security sources said to SAFA news agency that Israeli occupation forces detained the two brothers Amjad,32, and Shadi Al-Shahateet ,24 , after the raiding the town. Also they kidnapped seven citizens, after raiding their homes in... Weekly Report on Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (11-17 March 2010) PCHR Israeli troops detain an international peace activist during a protest over land confiscation in Beit Ummar village near Hebron Gaza fishermen detained by Egypt coast guard 3/21/2010 - Al-Arish - Ma'an - Three Palestinian fishermen were detained on Saturday night by the Egyptian coast guard, held on charges of illegally entering the country's territorial waters. The fishermen claimed they were having engine trouble and were dragged along by the current, Ma'an's Egypt correspondent reported. The incident was not the first of its kind. Egyptian authorities have sentenced fishermen who were detained in similar circumstances to one year of probation and a fine of 1,000 Egyptian pounds (150 US dollars) before returning them to the Gaza Strip. Meanwhile, Egyptian security forces uncovered a tunnel near the Rafah border used for smuggling cars into the coastal enclave. The tunnel was discovered between the Rafah and Kerem Shalom crossings, in an area where Egypt's underground wall has yet to be built. Weekly Report on Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (11-17 March 2010) PCHR Israeli troops detain an international peace activist during a protest over land confiscation in Beit Ummar village near Hebron Egyptian coast guards detain Palestinian fishermen PIC 21 Mar 2010 - Egyptian coast guards detained three Palestinian fishermen on Saturday night at the pretext they were fishing in Egyptian territorial waters. Israel wants 1,500 shekels for 15-year-old boy 3/20/2010 - Hebron - Ma'an - Israeli authorities have asked the family of a detained 15-year-old boy to pay 1,500 Israeli shekels (about 400 US dollars) to release the minor, a prisoners solidarity group reported on Saturday. The boy, Ratib Abu Meizar, was detained on Friday evening in the Zahid neighborhood of central of Hebron in the southern West Bank. He was taken to a detention center housed in the illegal Israeli settlement of Kiryat Arba. Amjad Najjar, director of the Palestinian Prisoners Society in Hebron, told Ma'an that Abu Meizar's detention "is a continuation of Israel's policy of blackmailing the families of detained Palestinian children, a policy which has become official. " Najjar urged international children's rights groups to exert pressure on the government of Switzerland and other signatories to the Fourth Geneva Convention to encourage Israel to abide by its responsibilities. Gaza gov’t: 250 detained during Al-Aqsa protests 3/20/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Israeli forces detained over 250 Palestinians during last week's clashes in East Jerusalem, the de facto Ministry of Detainees and Ex-detainees Affairs reported Saturday. The ministry said more than 30 minors under the age of 14 were detained, as well as a number of journalists who were covering the protests, which came after Israel finished renovating the Hurva synagogue in the Old City's Jewish quarter. The move was seen as provocative because Palestinians do not have similar rights over their own holy sites. In a statement, the Hamas-run ministry reported that most of the Palestinian detainees were from the Al-Isawiya, Wadi Al-Joz, and As-Suwwana neighborhoods of Jerusalem. These areas witnessed fierce confrontations between Israeli forces and Palestinian youths. Detainees were taken to the Russian Compound detention center in Jerusalem, the ministry said. Child detained in Jerusalem refugee camp amid clashes 3/20/2010 - Jerusalem - Ma'an - A child was detained by Israeli forces during ongoing clashes on Saturday in the Shu'fat refugee camp, northern occupied East Jerusalem. Ma'an's Jerusalem correspondent said undercover forces detained the child, as violence erupted between Israeli forces and young Palestinians inside the refugee camp. Earlier on Saturday, Israeli forces detained a Palestinian woman at the entrance of the Shu'fat refugee camp, after preventing her from passing through a military checkpoint. Locals said an argument ensued between Ibtesam Mustafa Khalil Abu Deiyah, 42, and Israeli forces who blocked her from entering. Abu Deiyah was reportedly assaulted before being detained by Israeli forces manning the checkpoint, which serves as an entrance. A spokesman for the Jerusalem police did not immediately return a call seeking comment. . . . . Award Winning Journalist Mohammed Omer Barred From Entry To Us 3/19/2010 - Desert Peace - Award-winning Journalist Mohammed Omer Kept from Entering U. S. for Speaking Tour on Conditions in Palestine - Demanding Omer Be Heard, Chicagoans Protest—and Proceed with Event: 7:00 pm, Monday, April 5th at the Newberry Library, 60 W. Walton, MOHAMMED OMER (via live satellite or skype) and ALI ABUNIMAH, author, One Country, and founder, Electronic Intifada. net - CHICAGO, IL— Effectively canceling a planned speaking tour, the U. S. consulate in the Netherlands has put an extended hold on the visa application of award-winning Palestinian journalist and photographer Mohammed Omer, scheduled to speak on conditions in Palestine, on April 5th in Chicago. In 2008, Omer became the youngest recipient of the prestigious Martha Gellhorn Prize for Journalism, for his firsthand reportage of life in the besieged Gaza strip. As his prize citation explained, “Everyday, he reports from a war zone, where he is also a prisoner. IOF kidnap more than 250 Palestinians during current Aqsa Intifada Uruknet March 20, 2010 - The Palestinian ministry of prisoners’ affairs stated Saturday that the Israeli occupation forces (IOF) kidnapped more than 250 Palestinians including 30 children under age 14 during the current Intifada (uprising) which broke out in defense of the Aqsa Mosque. The ministry’s information office said that most of detainees were from the areas of Issawiya, Wadi Joz... Weekly Report on Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (11-17 March 2010) PCHR Israeli troops detain an international peace activist during a protest over land confiscation in Beit Ummar village near Hebron Netanyahu caves in to US YNet News 20 Mar 2010 - In bid to end crisis, Netanyahu and Clinton agree to include core issues in proximity talks with Palestinians; in addition, prime minister to approve prisoner release, Israel to ease Gaza Strip blockade Activism is change Ramzy Baroud, Ma’an News Agency 3/20/2010 An activist is a person who feels strongly about a cause and who is also willing to dedicate time and energy towards advancing and realizing this cause. This might, however, be my own limited interpretation of what activism means. I was born and raised in a Gaza refugee camp where the daily struggles of the community included challenging the military occupation while attempting to survive under the harshest of circumstances. Activism then involved civil disobedience, general strikes, confronting armed Israeli soldiers with stones and slingshots. But it also involved much more than that. Activists in my refugee camp, whether they’re identified as Islamist, secularist, socialist or any other name, ensured the community remained unified in the face of adversity. They did not always succeed, but efforts were abound. Activists provided sustainable community support to families with sons and daughters that were killed in clashes or incarcerated in Israeli prisons. They rebuilt people’s homes after they were demolished by Israeli dynamites or bulldozers. Some activists even offered free haircuts to those who couldn’t afford them. Activism, as I understood it, was largely a unifying, pro-active force that kept the struggle and resistance alive. It was the ingredient that allowed the Palestinian people to maintain their relevance to the conflict, despite the brutality of their enemy and the self-serving nature of their elites. The elitism in Palestinian society led to a breakdown in unity, culminating in the bloody consequences of the Fatah-Hamas clash. Still, despite all the attempts to undermine it, Gaza remains standing. This cannot be attributed to any factional decision or political diktat, but only to the spirit of its people, a spirit predicated on internal cohesion and a clearly defined purpose. more.. e-mail Five Injured, Eight Detained At Anti Wall Protest In Budrus Village Central West Bank IMEMC - Friday March 19, 2010 - 17:01, Five Palestinians were injured, eight others detained when Israeli troops attacked an anti wall protest at the village of Budrus, near Ramallah city, central West Bank. Clashes across Jerusalem as court evicts 15 3/19/2010 - Jerusalem - Ma'an - Hundreds of young Palestinian men clashed with Israeli border police in the Shu'fat refugee camp north of Jerusalem on Friday, witnesses said. " At least 15 boys were beaten and detained when they took shelter in an empty building 100 meters away from the military checkpoint" at the entrance of the camp, one witnesses said. " Israeli soldiers disguised as Arabs and an under-cover unit that surrounded them inside the building," the witness, who preferred not to be named, added. "When they were forced out they had blood on their faces. "Rubber-coated bullets and tear-gas were used against the group, and ambulances were unable to access the injured, locals said, with traffic being turned around as far away as the A'nata and As-Salam neighborhoods. Violence erupted when camp residents concluded Friday prayers and gathered at the military checkpoint at one entrance, throwing. . . Barghouthi celebrates PhD conferral in prison 3/19/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Palestinian detainees at the Hadarim detention center celebrated the conferral of a Doctorate degree on Marwan Barghouthi from Cairo University on Friday, the Prisoners Society reported. Al-Barghouthi, a member of the Fatah revolutionary council and central figure in the Prisoners Document that proposed a unity deal between Fatah and Hamas in 2007,was sentenced to a life term for involvement in resistance to the Israeli occupation in 2002. During his incarceration Al-Barghouthi studied political science at the Cairo University, Prisoners Society head Ra'fat Hamdunah said. The prisoners said the conferral of a PhD on Barghouthi is a victory for Palestinians and a triumph over the occupation, Hamdunah reported. . . . . 3 Palestinians detained overnight 3/20/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Three Palestinians were detained overnight in the occupied West Bank, Israel's army reported Friday morning. An Israeli military spokesman said the three were seized in the districts of Bethlehem, Qalqiliya, and Ramallah. Soldiers found weapons in the home of one of the unidentified detainees, the official said, in the Al-Fureidis area southeast of Bethlehem. Among the arms were a pistol, two knives, the detonator of an explosive, two bottles filled with bullets, and a pair of army binoculars, he said. The other two unidentified detainees were seized in the city of Qalqiliya and the town of Qatanna, southwest of Ramallah, the spokesman added. [end] Hamas: PA arrests 8 West Bank members 3/19/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Palestinian Authority security forces have arrested eight Hamas affiliates in the West Bank, the party said Friday. In a statement, the Islamic movement said PA forces detained the Hamas members in Ramallah, Nablus, Hebron, and Tulkarem. On Wednesday, Hamas said PA forces arrested 10 members in Nablus, Hebron and Qalqiliya. [end] Weekly Report on Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (11-17 March 2010) PCHR Israeli troops detain an international peace activist during a protest over land confiscation in Beit Ummar village near Hebron Israeli Military Detains Nine Civilians From The West Bank IMEMC - Thursday March 18, 2010 - 16:08, Nine Palestinian civilians were detained on Thursday by Israeli troops during morning invasions targeting a number of West Bank communities. 15 Palestinians Deported From Jerusalem For 15 Days IMEMC - Thursday March 18, 2010 - 05:48, The District Court in Jerusalem decided to expell 15 Palestinian natives of East Jerusalem out of the city of a period of 15 days, after they were detained by the police during the recent clashes. Fresh violence escalates east of Hebron 3/18/2010 - Hebron - Ma'an - Fresh violence broke out east of Hebron on Thursday morning, with stone-throwing children and teenagers targeted by rubber-coated bullets, witnesses reported. Teenagers and Israeli soldiers faced off in the Wadi Joz area, on the eastern outskirts of Hebron near the town of Bani Na'im. An Israeli military spokeswoman said Israeli security forces were on the scene using "riot disputable mechanisms" against the teens. She said "20 rioters gathered east of Hebron," and noted the group was "hurling rocks and burning tires;" the number of locals was later estimated at 80. The clash erupted only hours after a military curfew, imposed on Wednesday evening, was lifted. Locals said troops stopped a car of three Palestinians north of the city during the curfew, and detained the riders. The military spokeswoman said she was unaware of a curfew imposed on the area overnight, nor was she aware of any detentions in the area. DCI: Israel illegally moves detained minors 3/18/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Defense for Children International issued an urgent appeal for seven children, detained by Israeli forces on 11 February, who were "illegally" moved to a detention center in Israel without parental consent. "On or about 8 March 2010, Israeli authorities transferred at least seven Palestinian children from Ofer Prison, in the West Bank, to Rimonim Prison, inside Israel," DCI said in a statement on Monday. The organization said the transfer occurred after its lawyers "informed Ofer military court that children were being detained illegally with adult detainees inside Ofer prison. "The actions of the military court, DCI said, "amounts to a further contravention of international law," citing Article 76 of the Fourth Geneva Convention, DCI said the transfer of detainees out of occupied territory is illegal, and a further violation of the rights of the child, since all of those moved were under 15. Checkpoint halts traffic south of Beita, 3 teens detained 3/18/2010 - Nablus - Ma'an - Witnesses reported the installation of a flying checkpoint south of Beita village on Thursday morning, hours after Israeli forces raided the town and detained three teenagers. An Israeli military spokeswoman said troops had entered the village and detained three Palestinians "wanted for suspected involvement of terror activity. "Beita village residents reported several homes targeted by night raids, while Palestinian security sources identified those detained as Ahmad Aref Hamayel, 16, Laith Saleh Hamayel, 16, and Maher Faouzi Ahmad Hamayel, 17. Mid-morning on Thursday, locals reported heavy traffic as the checkpoint on the main road connecting Beita to Highway 60 stopped cars, checking the identity cards of each passenger driving in and out of the village. According to witnesses, cars carrying fruits and vegetables to market were being taken aside for checks. Reports: Al-Qassam leader exiled to Jordan 3/18/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - An Israeli news site announced the release of an Al-Qassam Brigades leader on Wednesday, on the condition that he be exiled in Jordan. According to the the site, Central Issues, an agreement was struck with Israeli intelligence to exile Saleh Al-Aruri, 43, to three years in Jordan, following three years in an Israeli prison. Al-Aruri was allegedly a leading member in Hamas' armed wing. The site said he was presented with a decision "in line with what prisoners would have been given" if a prisoner swap had gone forward for the release of captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit. According to Israel Ha'Yom, a Hebrew-language Israeli newspaper, the deportation followed an agreement between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, which is also hostile to Hamas. . . . . Hamas detains men accused of Fatah propagandizing 3/18/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Security forces acting on behalf of the de facto Ministry of the Interior on Thursday detained a group of men "in charge of a Fatah propaganda campaign," officials said. Gaza Interior Ministry spokesman Ihab Al-Ghusein said a number of men were seized, many of whom were "working in the former security forces," referring to the pre-2007 Palestinian Authority. The "propaganda campaign" was allegedly aimed at "defaming the government and spreading rumors in Gaza," principally using a Fatah-affiliated Web site, Al-Ghusein added, in a statement. Gaza security forces were "monitoring the small group responsible for sreading lies and rumors," Al-Ghusein said, and accused the PA of directing the group's movements. "If such acts continue, legal measures will be taken against anyone involved," he said. Reports of factional violence - Recent reports from the Palestinian Center. . . URGENT APPEAL: Illegal detention of children inside Israel Uruknet March 17, 2010 - On or about 8 March 2010, Israeli authorities transferred at least seven Palestinian children from Ofer Prison, in the West Bank, to Rimonim Prison, inside Israel. This decision occurred after lawyers for DCI-Palestine informed Ofer military court that children were being detained illegally with adult detainees inside Ofer prison. However, the response of the Israeli authorities... Weekly Report on Israeli Human Rights Violations in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (11-17 March 2010) PCHR Israeli troops detain an international peace activist during a protest over land confiscation in Beit Ummar village near Hebron Israeli court banishes 15 Jerusalemites out of the Old City PIC 18 Mar 2010 - An Israeli court ordered 15 Jerusalemite detainees out of the vicinity of the Old City for 15 days in a bid to abort possible recurrence of protests against the judaization of the holy city. Oldest serving administrative detainee freed PIC 18 Mar 2010 - The IOA has released Nazih Abu Oun, 48, from the Negev desert prison after three years of administrative detention, without trial or charge, Ahrar center for prisoners' studies and human rights said. Activism is Change, Not academic Squabbles and Bickering Palestine Chronicle: 18 Mar 2010 - By Ramzy Baroud An activist is a person who feels strongly about a cause and who is also willing to dedicate time and energy towards advancing and realizing this cause. This might be my own limited interpretation of what activism means. I was born and raised in a Gaza refugee camp where the daily struggles of the community included challenging military occupation while attempting to survive under the harshest of circumstances. Activism then involved civil disobedience, general strikes, confronting armed Israeli soldiers with stones and slingshots. But it also involved much more than that. Activists in my refugee camp, whether they're identified as Islamist, secularist, socialist or any other name, ensured the community remained unified in the face of adversity. They did not always succeed, but efforts were abound. Activists provided sustainable community support to families with sons and daughters that were killed in clashes or incarcerated in Israeli prisons....more Dozens detained from Hebron refugee camp 3/17/2010 - Hebron - Ma'an - The Israeli army on Wednesday closed off the entrance to the Al-Fawar refugee camp, south of the West Bank city of Hebron, detaining dozens of its residents, security sources said. The military checkpoint at the camp's entrance was shut down, the sources said, preventing residents from entering or leaving. Dozens were detained during the closure, and extensive searches were carried out with Israeli forces checking identity cards. The camp's entrance leads to the Dura village in Hebron. An Israeli military spokesman said the refugee camp was not sealed off for its residents and said one Palestinian was detained "suspected of involvement in terrorist activities. "[end] MADA condemns ’attacks’ on Palestinian journalists 3/17/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - The Palestinian Center for Development and Media Freedoms (MADA) on Tuesday strongly condemned what it termed Israeli attacks against a group of journalists in the West Bank and Jerusalem in recent days. In a statement, MADA stressed the need for Palestinian journalists to exercise their right to free expression and coverage, and called on the international community and human rights organizations to intervene. Police prevented journalists from covering clashes in the town of Al-Esawiya, near Jerusalem, on Tuesday and used force against Palestine TV cameraman Nader Pabers and Pal Media cameraman Hamza Naaji the same day, MADA said. The group also alleged that Israeli forces detained the Palestine TV crew (correspondent Haroon Amayreh, cameramen Samer Habash and Najib Sharoneh) at the Atarah checkpoint near Birzeit on Tuesday. Report: Israeli police to remain in state of alert 3/17/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an/Agencies - Israel's increased police presence and state of alert will continue Wednesday, news reports said. The Hebrew-language daily Yedioth Ahronoth said thousands of police and Border Guard officers would remain deployed in Jerusalem. Dozens of Palestinians were injured and detained in clashes over access to holy sites on Tuesday. [end] Israeli authorities release 3 Hamas affiliates 3/17/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Israeli authorities have released three Hamas-affiliated detainees, including the leader of the Al-Qassam Brigades in the West Bank, the National Detainees' Support Committee reported Wednesday. Committee spokesman Riyad Al-Ashqar said Khaled Ibrahim Tafesh, a Hamas legislator in Bethlehem, was released after serving one year in an Israeli prison. Tafesh was detained on 19 March 2009 "as a result of the failure of prisoners to deal with the pressure of Palestinian factions to deal with the conditions of the occupation," the spokesman said. The Palestinian Legislative Council member was transferred to administrative detention, which was renewed three consecutive times, Al-Asqar added. Fifteen Hamas-affiliated PLC members remain in Israeli custody, including Issa Ja'bari from Hebron and the former minister of prisoners affairs, Wasfi Qabaha from Jenin, whose administrative. . . Hamas: 10 party members arrested by PA forces 3/17/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Palestinian Authority security forces have arrested 10 Hamas members in the West Bank, the party said Wednesday. In a statement, the Islamic movement said PA forces recently detained the Hamas members in Nablus, Hebron and Qalqiliya. The detainees' names were released to Ma'an for confirmation. The PA security establishment declared high alert following violence in East Jerusalem and the West Bank on Tuesday, the Hebrew-language daily Yedioth Ahronoth reported. A PA security source told the Israeli newspaper that "security forces are in near emergency standby, to maintain the order," and extra police were deployed in major West Bank cities. [end] Police destroy expired meds near Bethlehem 3/17/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Palestinian police said Wednesday that medication worth 150,000 shekels was seized in Al-Ubeidiya, near Bethlehem. A police report said that the medication, produced in Israel and abroad, did not meet minimum Health Ministry standards. A man, who was not identified, confessed to possessing the medication, which he and another suspect allegedly intended to sell in Hebron. A court sentenced the man to one month in prison, while the other suspect remained wanted, police said. [end] Gaza police seize 6 suspected money forgers 3/17/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Six Palestinian men suspected of forging US dollar bills have been detained in Rafah, police said Wednesday. In a statement, police said one suspect was arrested following a sting operation. He confessed involvement and led investigators to another suspect, 50, who was himself arrested in a separate sting in the Tel Al-Hawa neighborhood of Rafah, police said. Prosecutors issued a search warrant before the suspect was detained, after which some $6,000 worth of counterfeit 100-dollar bills were discovered under a pillow in his home. Other amounts of forged currency had blown out a window into the apartment of an uninvolved neighbor. Police found a total of 11,000 US dollars during the course of the investigation, the statement concluded. . . . . Palestinian female detainees moved to cell 'where human beings cannot live' Uruknet March 17, 2010 – Fifteen female detainees at the Damon detention center in Israel were transferred to a new section that falls well below required standards, the Detainees Support Committee said. Committee spokesman Riyad Al-Ashqar said the new sector "is a place where human beings cannot live, particularly during the winter. There are no windows, no doors, and electricity wires... Group protests transfer of Palestinian children to Israeli jails 17 Mar 2010 - West Bank, March 17, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - Defense for Children International (DCI) is issuing an urgent appeal for international action on behalf of Palestinian children who have been transferred to Israeli jails. On or about March 8, the organization reports, Israeli authorities transferred at least seven Palestinian children from Ofer Prison, in the West Bank, to Rimonim Prison, inside... Jerusalem Update: 38 Injured At Least 20 Detained As Police Crackdown On Palestinian Protesters IMEMC - Tuesday March 16, 2010 - 15:46, At least 38 Palestinians civilians were injured by Israeli police fire on Tuesday during the ongoing clashes in East Jerusalem. The Israeli Military Detains 16 Palestinians In The West Bank IMEMC - Monday March 15, 2010 - 18:14, Sixteen Palestinian civilians were detained by Israeli troops on Monday during invasions targeting West Bank communities. Violence continues across East Jerusalem, West Bank 3/16/2010 - Jerusalem - Ma'an -An Israeli police officer was shot in the hand north of Jerusalem on Tuesday evening, an official said. The unidentified officer was taken to a hospital in the French Hill neighborhood, Israeli police spokesman Mickey Rosenfeld said. Rosenfeld told Ma'an that police cordoned off the area, in the Ras Al-Amoud district north of Jerusalem, while searching for the suspect. Over 91 Palestinians were injured, with 60 detained, as discord continued throughout East Jerusalem and the Old City on Tuesday. Ma'an's Jerusalem correspondent said 40 of the injured sustained rubber bullet wounds, fired by Israeli forces, with seven sustaining injuries to the eye. The reporter added that an international journalist was injured in Eisawiyyah, an East Jerusalem neighborhood. The main entry to Eisawiyyah was closed off by Israeli border guards with cement blocs, preventing residents from entering or leaving, the reporter added. Palestinian detained, soldier injured at clash near school 3/16/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - An Israeli soldier was lightly injured by rocks after clashes broke out at a school southeast of Bethlehem on Tuesday, onlookers said. Pupils at the Teqoa High School for Boys threw rocks at soldiers, who responded by firing tear-gas canisters, rubber-coated bullets, and stun grenades, witnesses said. Majed Ash-Shaer, a teacher at the high school, told Ma'an that Israeli forces had entered the village and were posted beside the school earlyTuesday morning. Students threw stones at the soldiers, who raided the school and evacuated it, Ash-Shaer said. Witnesses said a soldier suffered a leg injury after being hit by a stone. He was evacuated from the area in a military jeep, onlookers said. Two other jeeps were damaged, according to the witness accounts. An Israeli military spokesman was unaware of that incident, which was apparently unrelated to another in Beit Ummar,. . . Israel kidnaps Palestinian in Hebron 16 Mar 2010 - Hebron, March 16, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - Israeli occupation forces kidnapped Tuesday a citizen from Dura village, southwest of Hebron in the West Bank, after raiding his house. Local sources said that Israeli occupation forces detained Hamdan Abd Allah Al- Rajoub, 42 years. His family confirmed that the Israeli occupation forces searched the house and stayed around an hour. Security... Grassroots activist Wa’el Al-Faqeeh faces military court, still without charge 3/16/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - Palestinian activist Wa'el Al-Faqeeh faced his third hearing in Salim military court on 11 March. His detention period was extended until 24 April when the next hearing will take place. Al-Faqeeh remains imprisoned without charge since his arrest from his Nablus home on 9 December 2009. It is expected that Al-Faqeeh will be charged with aiding an illegal organization, a common pretext employed by the Israeli military to imprison politically active Palestinians, and faces a minimum of 12 months behind bars. Al-Faqeeh, imprisoned for over three months now, sent a message to his loved ones from Jelemeh prison as he began the new year imprisoned by Israel's occupation forces: "I am the captive Wael Al-Faqeeh, wishing the free world a Happy New Year full of peace, security and love. I hope for a year of enlightment in all human relations, and a renewed call for peace agreements, supported by the free people of the world. " The Israeli Military Detain 16 Palestinian During Invasions At West Bank Communities IMEMC - Monday March 15, 2010 - 18:14, Sixteen Palestinian civilians were detained by Israeli troops on Monday during invasions targeting West Bank communities. PA cabinet condemns settlement expansion, child detentions 3/15/2010 - Ramallah - Ma'an - During its weekly cabinet meeting on Monday, the Palestinian Authority condemned Israeli settlement expansion in Jerusalem and the West Bank. The cabinet said it welcomed the US, EU and Quartet's stance against the announcement that 1,600 Israeli-only homes are to be built in occupied East Jerusalem, further calling on Israel to revoke its decision. Moreover, PA ministers denounced Israel's move to declare areas in Bil'in and Nil'in closed military zones - the sites of weekly anti-wall demonstrations. The decision effectively prohibits international and Israeli activists from participating in the protests. Child detentions - The cabinet called on the international community and the human rights organizations to take action against the Israeli policy of detaining children, noting that 300 are currently in Israeli custody. Israeli forces detain 8 northwest of Hebron 3/15/2010 - Hebron - Ma'an - Israeli forces detained eight Palestinians early Monday morning during a raid in the town of Surif, northwest of Hebron. Palestinian security sources said Israeli troops entered the town, storming a number of homes. One resident, Ibrahim Barath'ieh, whose son was detained, said his home was raided, and sound grenades were fired nearby, adding that he was told to evacuate his home while soldiers and sniffer dogs searched the premises. Those detained were identified as Ahmad Jamal Hussein Abu Fara, Adham Hamdi Abu Fara, Ahmad Shaker Al Hih, Baha Mazen Ahmedat, Mahmud Musa Al-Masri, Ala Ibrahim Barath'ieh, Mahmud Musa Mustafa Ahmedat, and Mahmud Yousif Mahmud Abu Saleh. The Palestinian Prisoners' Society condemned the detentions, which they said have targeted students and children since the beginning of 2010. Balata camp resident detained during home raid 3/15/2010 - Nablus - Ma'an - Israeli forces detained a Balata refugee camp teenager early Monday morning and took him to an unknown location, Palestinian security sources said. Local sources identified the man as Thaer Dweikat, detained after Israeli forces broke into his home. [end] Families denied prison visits as West Bank closure continues Uruknet March 14, 2010 – The Israeli Prison Services cancelled all family visits on Sunday to Palestinian prisoners in Israeli custody until the West Bank's lockdown is lifted. The International Red Cross said family visits to the Negev and Ashkelon prions in Israel were annulled, while Monday's visit to HaSharon, Hadarim, Rimonim, as well as Ashkehlon will also be cancelled as... Jail ordeal of hundreds of Palestinian children arrested for throwing stones Uruknet March 14, 2010 - With more than 300 Palestinian children being held in Israeli prisons, human rights groups and Palestinian officials are increasingly concerned about the actions of the Israeli military. The Israeli group B'Tselem said that security forces had "severely violated" the rights of a number of children, aged between 12 and 15, who had been taken into custody... Israel detains 5 Palestinians without food for 48 hours 14 Mar 2010 - Ramallah, March 14, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - Palestinian sources revealed today that Israeli occupation forces detained five Palestinians from the village of Nabi Saleh in Ramallah for 48 hours. The IOF handcuffed their hands and did not give the Palestinians any food or drink. The sources said that the five detainees kidnapped from their homes in the early morning, including... Palestinian prisoners intend to take steps in protest at Israeli abuses PIC 15 Mar 2010 - The Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails declared their intention to take a number of steps during next April in protest at the Israeli violations against their rights. Israel Crackdown Puts Liberal Jews on the Spot Chris Hedges, TruthDig 3/15/2010 The Israeli government, its brutal war crimes in Gaza exposed in detail in the U.N. report by Justice Richard Goldstone, has implemented a series of draconian measures to silence and discredit dissidents, leading intellectuals and human rights organizations inside and outside Israel that are accused—often falsely—of assisting Goldstone’s U.N. investigators. The government of Benjamin Netanyahu is attempting to shut down Israel’s premier human rights organizations, including B’Tselem, the New Israel Fund (NIF) and the Association for Civil Rights in Israel. It is busy expelling or excluding peace activists and foreign nationals from the Palestinian territories. The campaign, if left unchecked, will be as catastrophic for Palestinians as it will be for Israel. The Goldstone report, which is over 500 pages, investigated Israel’s 22-day air and ground assault on Gaza that took place from Dec. 27, 2008, to Jan. 18, 2009. The United Nations and the European Parliament have endorsed the report. The report found that Israel used disproportionate military force against Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip while failing to take adequate precautions to protect the civilian population against the military assault. The Israeli attack killed 1,434 people, including 960 civilians, according to the Palestinian Center for Human Rights. More than 6,000 homes were destroyed or damaged, leaving behind some $3 billion in destruction in one of the poorest areas on Earth. No Israelis were killed by Hamas rockets fired into Israel during the assault. The report did not limit itself to the 22-day attack; rather, it went on to indict the occupation itself. It examines the beginning of the occupation and condemns Israel for the border closures, the blockade and for the wall or security barrier in the West Bank. It has two references to the right of return, investigates Israeli torture and criticizes the willful destruction of the Palestinian economy. “The impact of the Goldstone report is tremendous,” the Middle East scholar Norman Finkelstein said when I reached him in New York..... more.. e-mail Families denied prison visits as West Bank closure continues 3/14/2010 - Nablus - Ma'an - The Israeli Prison Services cancelled all family visits on Sunday to Palestinian prisoners in Israeli custody until the West Bank's lockdown is lifted. The International Red Cross said family visits to the Negev and Ashkelon prions in Israel were annulled, while Monday's visit to HaSharon, Hadarim, Rimonim, as well as Ashkehlon will also be cancelled as a result of the West Bank's closure. As a result of the West Bank's closure, families wishing to visit imprisoned relatives will not be allowed entry into Israel. Under the 1949 Fourth Geneva Convention, detainees cannot be transferred to prisons in Israel. [end] Settlers destroy Palestinian properties near Nablus 3/14/2010 - Nablus - Ma'an - Settlers from the illegal Israeli settlement of Yitzhar south of Nablus in the northern West Bank destroyed Palestinian properties in the nearby area of Ash-Shamiyyat between the villages of Urif and Einabuson Sunday. Fawzi Shehada, head of the village council of Urif told Ma'an that "more than 20 settlers from Yitzhar tried to block the road between Urif and Einabus after they destroyedplants and chopped down several trees. " He affirmed that confrontations erupted between local residents and settlers. Shehada added that "Israeli forces raided the village after the incident and detained 15-year old Mustafa Fuad Abdullah Sabbah and took him to unknown direction. "An Israeli military spokesman said he would look into the incident. . . . . Israel detains top Hamas leader in Ramallah 3/14/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Israeli forces detained a top Hamas leader during a raid in the West Bank city of Ramallah early Sunday morning, the Israeli army said. Mahir Uda, 47, was seized from the village of Beir Nabala south of Ramallah. A military statement said Uda had been wanted by Israeli intelligence for over a decade, suspected of planning and executing the 9 September 2003 simultaneous bombings of a Cafe Hillel in Jerusalem and a bus stop near the Tzrifin military base in central Israel. The Israeli army said the Hamas official was was detained by Palestinian Authority Security Services in 1998, but was shortly released after. The detention on Saturday was a joint effort undertaken by the Israeli army, Israeli police and the Shin Bet security service. According to the Israeli army, Uda's "arrest is the final stage of thwarting Hamas' military headquarters in Ramallah, which executed. . . " Locals: Israeli forces raid Bethlehem, detain elderly man, son 3/14/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Israeli forces raided the Duheisha refugee camp south of Bethlehem and other neighborhoods of the city, detained an elderly man and his son, causing damage to Palestinian properties, locals said. Locals told Ma'an that Israeli troops detained Muhammad Hammad, 60, and his son 30, as hostages until Hammad's other son, Hamza, turns himself in to Israeli security services. In the Duheisha refugee camp, Israeli military vehicles struck and destroyed two cars belonging to the Mufti of Bethlehem Sheikh Abdul-Majid Ata Amarneh and his brother Mahmoud. Mahmoud Amarneh told Ma'an that Israeli military vehicles deliberately hit the Mufti's car which was parked near the house, pushing it until it was crushed against a second car. In the same regard, Israeli forces stormed Wadi Shahin and Hindaza neighborhoods southeastBethlehem and ransacked several Palestinian homes, witnesses said. Gaza man marks 4 years of lower body amputation 3/14/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - A Gaza amputee from Shuja'iyya in Gaza City marked the fourth anniversary of his critical injury by reciting verses of the Quran at the site where his limbs are buried. Khaled Yousif had both legs amputated to the hip bone after he was injured in 2006 when Israeli forces invaded the city. Yousif informed his family that he wishes to be buried in the same grave where his limbs rest, upon his death. Yousif's mother told Ma'an that her son is in need of prosthetic limbs. While he had originally received artificial limbs, traveling to Egypt to receive treatment, Yousif was unable to carry their weight. Nash'at Al-Wahidi, coordinator for the popular prisoners' support movement and Palestinian rights, said President Mahmoud Abbas had arranged for Yousif to receive artificial limbs in Germany, but has been unable to travel for treatment. Zahhar: Prisoner swap talks impossible unless Hamas demands are met 3/14/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Senior Hamas leader Mahmoud Zahhar said on Sunday that "return to negotiations over captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit would be impossible unless Hamas demands are met. " Zahhar's comments came during a panelheld at the Islamic University in Gaza city discussing the future of the question of Palestine inlight of current political developments. He said, " the Arab countrys' attitude towards the question of Palestine is currently one of division rather than unity. Defeating the Zionist-American project in addition to Arab and Islamic consensus are prerequisites for backing the Palestinians. " "We can't keep the question of Palestine dependent on causes of Arab countries, neighboring countries, and human right groups, because these are obstacles," he added. The Hamas leader noted that "indirect talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authoritybegan to meet obstacles as. . . " Israel detains 5 Palestinians without food for 48 hours Uruknet March 14, 2010 - Palestinian sources revealed today that Israeli occupation forces detained five Palestinians from the village of Nabi Saleh in Ramallah for 48 hours. The IOF handcuffed their hands and did not give the Palestinians any food or drink. The sources said that the five detainees kidnapped from their homes in the early morning, including four brothers, were:... Jail ordeal of hundreds of Palestinian children arrested for throwing stones Uruknet March 14, 2010 - With more than 300 Palestinian children being held in Israeli prisons, human rights groups and Palestinian officials are increasingly concerned about the actions of the Israeli military. The Israeli group B'Tselem said that security forces had "severely violated" the rights of a number of children, aged between 12 and 15, who had been taken into custody... Israel detains 5 Palestinians without food for 48 hours 14 Mar 2010 - Ramallah, March 14, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - Palestinian sources revealed today that Israeli occupation forces detained five Palestinians from the village of Nabi Saleh in Ramallah for 48 hours. The IOF handcuffed their hands and did not give the Palestinians any food or drink. The sources said that the five detainees kidnapped from their homes in the early morning, including... Marwan Al-Barghouti gets political science PhD in Israeli jail 14 Mar 2010 - Palestine, March 14, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - Fatah official Marwan Al-Barghouti, 50, who is serving five life terms in an Israeli prison, has completed his doctorate in political science, Palestinian sources said. Al-Barghouti is among several hundred Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli jails who have enrolled in universities around the world, including in Israel, that have allowed them to complete... Hamas leader captured in Ramallah Palestine Note 14 Mar 2010 - Top Hamas military member Maher Ouda was detained in Ramallah Saturday, the Jerusalem Post reports. Ouda was wanted for terrorist activity after founding a Hamas cell in Ein Yabroud, West Bank. Excerpt: In a joint operation... Training Palestinian Judicial Police WAFA 14 Mar 2010 - RAMALLAH, March 14, 2010 (WAFA)- EUPOL COPPS participated today in the opening ceremony of a training programme on Security, Handling of Detainees, Execution of Court Judgements and Requests to the Israeli doctors torture Palestinian prisoner to extract confessions PIC 14 Mar 2010 - The prisoners' center for studies has called for an investigation into the involvement of the Israeli health ministry in the torture of Palestinian detainees. Re-reading Al-Mabhouh’s murder Ramzy Baroud, Al-Ahram Weekly 3/11/2010 How can the weak response of the West to Israel’s latest illegal assassination be justified? And how can those justifications be written by Israel, the accused? The killing of Palestinian activist Mahmoud Al-Mabhouh on 19 January 2010 was clearly a well-planned, violent and sadistic act, committed by Israeli assassins in the supposed safety of a foreign and sovereign country. Yes, Al-Mabhouh was a Palestinian activist. We have no reason to believe otherwise. He spent years of his life in Israeli prison (and one year in an Egyptian jail) for his political activism. This, however, gives no credibility to Israel’s accusation that Al-Mabhouh was a killer of Israelis. This assertion becomes even more problematic when considering that Al-Mabhouh’s assassination was, according to the British media, ordered by accused Israeli war criminals and rightwing politicians. According to The Sunday Times, Meir Dagan, the current director of Mossad, briefed Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu on the assassination plan during a meeting in early January. “The people of Israel trust you. Good luck,” Netanyahu reportedly said at the end of this meeting. It is disgraceful enough that the assassins used fraudulent European passports as well as credit cards linked to an American bank to carry out their plans. But more upsetting is the fact that this cruel and calculated action has inspired little more than expressions of “outrage”. Have we become this resigned to Israeli impunity? What about the sanctity of life, the sovereignty of nations, and respect for international law? Are these immediately disposable when the victim is Palestinian and the location of the crime an Arab country? more.. e-mail Witness: 3 journalists detained during Beit Ummar protest 3/13/2010 - Hebron - Ma'an - Israeli forces detained four, including at least one Palestinian journalist, and reportedly beat several civilians during a rally in Beit Ummar on Saturday, protesting restrictions on access to agricultural land confiscated by the Karmi Zur settlement. Witnesses described driving through clouds of tear gas on Road 60 at 10am Saturday morning, the result of Israeli soldiers attempts to disperse the rally. A statement from the Popular Struggle Coordination Committee said "procession was attacked as soon as the large contingent of soldiers, which was positioned at the entrance to the village to fend off demonstrators, noticed the marchers and without provocation. " Reuters photojournalist Yusri Al-Jamal and an unidentified Pal Media cameraman were among those assaulted, witnesses said. The struggle committee said one journalist was detained, while witnesses identified three, including, Abdul-Hafith Hashlamoun, Nasser Shyouhi, and Fadi Hamad. Former detainees affairs minister hospitalized at Negev prison 3/13/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - The Israeli prison service transferred former Palestinian Minister of Prisoners Affairs Wasfi Qabaha to a hospital in Israel after his high blood pressure and diabetes caused his feet to swell and skin to turn rust-colored, officials said. The Ahrar Center for Prisoners Studies and Human Rights reported the transfer on Saturday, and said Israel would be held accountable for the former minister's health and well being. Center Director Fuad Al-Khafash said Qabaha's condition suddenly turned critical, and he was rushed to hospital. He has been in administrative detention since 23 May 2007. Administrative detention is used against Palestinians from the West Bank and Gaza Strip, based on the 1979 Law of Emergency Powers adopted by the Israeli Knesset. It means Palestinians who have been detained can have the period of their detentions extended without a judicial decision,. . . Palestinian injured as settlers stone Sheikh Jarrah restaurants 3/13/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an -Israeli settlers injured Palestinian restaurant goers on Friday when they threw rocks at the terraces of a string of East Jerusalem eateries, lightly injuring one, witnesses said. Israeli news sources confirmed the report, saying stones were thrown by Palestinians and Israelis in the East Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah. Israeli police arrived at the scene, reports said, and disbursed the stone throwers. Five Israeli protesters were detained earlier Friday in the same neighborhood, during a demonstration against the continued confiscation of Palestinian homes in the area by extremist settler groups. Reports said the demonstrators were released on the condition that they not enter the Sheikh Jarrah area for 15 days. . . . . Israeli forces disperse women’s march in Ramallah 3/13/2010 - Ramallah - Ma'an - A march celebrating International Women's Day toward the Qalandiya checkpoint into Jerusalem on Saturday was disrupted by Israeli forces, with two injuries reported. Dozens of women participated in the march, oraganized by the Palestinian Federation of Women's Action Committee, further celebrating the anniversary of the founding of the Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine. Israeli forces thwarted the march and fired tear-gas canisters at the crowd, injuring two women and a journalist from Al-Fajer TV. Additionally, Sheery Hanoun, 50, and Salah Musameh, 18, from Tulkarem were detained during the unrest. An Israeli military spokesman described the incident as a riot, in which 50 participated, mostly women. Participants, he said, hurled firebombs and rocks, and tried to break through the crossing, adding that the Israeli army was not familiar with any injury or damage. PFLP supporters to mark anniversary of captured leader 3/13/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - The Campaign to Free Ahmad Sa'adat will hold a rally on 13 March, marking the 4th aniversary of the day the Secretary-General of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine was abducted from a Palestinian Authority prison by Israeli soldiers, the group said. The commemoration ceremony will be held in Ramallah, the group said, at 3pm, and protest the Israeli move to detain Sa'adat from prison in Jericho, where he was serving a sentence from a Palestinian Authority court. On Tuesday, the group said, the Israeli prison service transferred Sa'adat to a new isolation cell, and condemned the move. The Campaign said the party leader was moved from an isolation cell in the Eshel Prison to a new solitary cell in the Ohalei Kedar Detention Center. . . . . Hamas: PA detain 2 affiliates 3/13/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Palestinian Authority security services detained two Hamas affiliates from the West Bank, a statement from the party said on Saturday. One of the men detained was from Nablus and a second from Hebron, the statement said. The detentions could not be independently verified by Ma'an. The accusations of arrests mark the continued tension in the West Bank between Fatah and its rival Hamas party, with officials from both movements no closer to a reconciliation agreement after talks halted in October 2009. [end] Continuing campaign of arrests against civilians in the West Bank Uruknet March 12, 2010 - The Middle East Monitor (MEMO) has obtained primary evidence of how Israeli forces and Palestinian security services have embarked on a campaign of arrests against Hamas supporters in the occupied West Bank. A list containing details of the political detainees arrested in the months of January and February 2010 is attached. It can be seen how,... Israel detains journalists during protest against apartheid wall 13 Mar 2010 - Hebron, March 13, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - Israeli occupation forces detained on Saturday three journalists and beat another three while suppressing a protest against the apartheid wall in Bait Omar town, north of Hebron in the West Bank. Palestinian sources said that Israeli soldiers detained journalists Abdul Hafeez Al-Hashlamon, Nasser Shyoukhi and Fadi Hamad, and severely beat journalists Youssef Shahine,... Journalists detained at Hebron protest Palestine Note 13 Mar 2010 - Three journalists were detained and several demonstrators were beaten by Israeli forces in Beit Ummar, Hebron Saturday, Ma'an News Agency report. Palestinians had gathered to protest the restrictions on access to agricultural lands confiscated by the... Jail ordeal of hundreds of Palestinian children arrested for throwing stones The Guardian 13 Mar 2010 - Rights groups express concern at the rising number of juveniles as young as 12 who are held behind bars and 'treated like terrorists' With more than 300 Palestinian children being held in Israeli prisons, human rights... Palestinian prisoner enters 20th year of detention with faltering health PIC 13 Mar 2010 - The prisoners' center for studies has appealed to human rights groups to accord more attention to the issue of Mohammed Abu Jalala, who is suffering waning health conditions in Israeli captivity. IOF raids southern Gaza, detains young woman near Ibrahimi mosque PIC 13 Mar 2010 - Israeli warplanes blasted targets in Khan Younis and Rafah districts, south of the Gaza Strip, at an early hour on Friday causing material damage, locals reported. Palestinian woman detained at Hebron mosque 3/12/2010 - Hebron - Ma'an - Israeli forces detained a Palestinian woman near the Ibrahimi Mosque on Friday morning, security sources said. Officials told Ma'an the woman, identified as Alya Abdul Majeed An-Natsheh, 30, was accused of carrying a knife. An-Natsheh was detained at 6:30am and taken to an undisclosed location, the Palestinian security sources explained. An Israeli military spokesman said Border Police forces detained a woman carrying a 16-centimeter knife, and transferred her to Israeli police. The spokesman said the woman was found to be in possession of the knife at a checkpoint inside the site, which Israelis refer to as the Tomb of the Patriarch. Since the start of 2010, at least five Palestinians have been detained on accusations of knife possession in the vicinity of the Ibrahimi Mosque. Many of the detentions are contested by Palestinians as false. . . . . Palestinians: Soldiers watched as settlers attacked YNet News 12 Mar 2010 - Nablus area Palestinians say assaulted by Gilad Farm residents; settlers accuse leftists of 'provocation'; three settlers detained The Israeli Military Detains A Palestinian Activist From Jerusalem IMEMC - Thursday March 11, 2010 - 17:18, Israeli troops detained on Thursday a Palestinian community organizer from his home in East Jerusalem. British journalist released from Gaza jail 3/12/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - A British journalist who was accused of threatening state security in the Gaza Strip was released without charge and deported to Israel on Thursday, after nearly a month in a Palestinian jail. "I've been through a lot in the past few days and weeks," documentary filmmaker Paul Martin said upon arriving at the Erez crossing with Israel, speaking at a news conference during which he termed his release "a great victory for freedom of the media. "Martin was detained on 14 February and interrogated by Hamas-allied intelligence officers over interviews he was conducting with Palestinians accused of collaborating with Israel. No formal charges were ever announced. A military court extended his detention by 15 days on 1 March, at which time the de facto Ministry of Interior insisted the journalist was being treated in accordance with international law. Israel army indicts 2 for using Gaza boy as ’human shield’ 3/12/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - An Israeli military prosecutor has indicted two soldiers on charges they made use of a Palestinian boy as a human shield during the winter 2008 assault on the Gaza Strip, the army said Thursday. In a statement, the military alleged that the accused, both unidentified, engaged in unauthorized conduct when they allegedly instructed a Gaza boy to open several bags suspected to be booby-trapped with explosives. "They exceeded their authority in ways that endangered lives and health," according to an Israeli security source familiar with the charges. The source added that the two were reservists at least until Thursday, but of the rank of staff sergeant during the war. The two soldiers would face prison terms of up to three years if convicted, the same security source told Ma'an on the condition of anonymity. Salfit men mark 25 years in Israeli prison 3/11/2010 - Salfit - Ma'an - Two Palestinians marked a 25th anniversary in Israeli prison this year, the Palestinian Detainees Center reported Wednesday. The two men, both from Salfit, were identified as Tawfiq Ibrahim Abdullah and Mustapha Qar'oush. Tawfiq was detained on 3 October 1986, and charged in connection with the death of an Israeli soldier. His wife was detained at the same time and sentenced to 11 years of prison time. Tawfiq was sentenced to life. Mustapha was detained on 10 March, and also stood accused of killing an Israeli soldier. He was sentenced to a life term and is currently in the Ar-Ramleh prison. According to the prisoners center, Mustapha has a deteriorating health condition. . . . . Refugee sentenced to 5 years in Israeli jail 3/11/2010 - Nablus - Ma'an - An Israeli military court on Thursday sentenced a Palestinian to five years and eight months in jail. Muhammad Jamil Hweity, 23, of the Balata refugee camp in the northern West Bank, spent two years in prison before sentencing. The Israeli military court in Salem, near Nablus, also ordered the prisoner to pay a 4,000-shekel fine. Hweity was accused of involvement of involvement in military operations against the occupation. [end] Two Palestinian detainees freed 3/11/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Two Palestinians were released Thursday after a combined five years in Israeli custody, a prisoners group announced. The two were identified by the Gaza-based Wa'ed Group for the Detained and Released as Tareq Abu Sabt and Farid Farineh. Abu Sabt, from Khan Younis, was held for two years, while Farineh, from northern Gaza, served three years, the group said. In a statement, the prisoners group called for more of the estimated 10,000 Palestinian detainees held by Israel to be released. [end] In photos: Detained UK journalist departs Gaza 3/11/2010 - MaanImages / Wissam Nassar - British journalist Paul Martin arrives at the Erez crossing in northern Gaza after his release by the de facto government on 11 March 2010. He was detained in February after arriving to testify for a Palestinian on trial for collaboration with Israel. [end] Brutalizing Palestinian Children Uruknet March 12, 2010 - Yet, in violation of international law, Israel willfully and repeatedly arrests children randomly, at checkpoints, on streets, at play, and in the middle of the night at home, then subjects them to threats, cursing, beatings, detention, and imprisonment, often without informing their parents. In facilities like Megiddo military prison, Hasharon (Telmond) prison, and others, children are... Hamas to release British journalist in Gaza 11 Mar 2010 - Gaza, March 11, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - A British journalist arrested by Hamas in the Gaza Strip last month and held for nearly four weeks on suspicion of spying for Israel, was being released on Thursday, his lawyer and Palestinian officials said. Paul Martin was detained on February 14 while on a visit to Hamas-run Gaza to give evidence in... Israel invades neighborhoods and kidnaps Palestinians in Jerusalem 11 Mar 2010 - Jerusalem, March 11, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - Israeli occupation forces invaded Wednesday night into Al-Bustan neighborhood in Silwan, Al-Thawri and Bab Hata neighborhoods, near Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem city. The IOF stormed the neighborhood, beat two members of the Defense Committee of Al Bustan neighborhood and detained a number of boys, local sources said to SAFA news agency. The committee... EU to Hamas: Release Shalit immediately YNet News 11 Mar 2010 - Resolution passed by European Parliament says kidnapped Israeli soldier being held in Gaza without basic human rights; calls on Israel to free Palestinian prisoners IOF soldiers detain Aqsa guard PIC 11 Mar 2010 - Israeli occupation forces (IOF) detained one of the Aqsa guards after offering his Fajr (dawn) prayers in his village to the southeast of occupied Jerusalem. IOA isolates sick female prisoner for not standing for count PIC 11 Mar 2010 - The higher national committee has disclosed that the IOA had punished prisoner Abeer Ode from Tulkarem with one week of solitary confinement for not standing for the daily count. Alternative Reading of the Al-Mabhouh Murder Palestine Chronicle: 10 Mar 2010 - By Ramzy Baroud The killing of Palestinian activist Mahmoud al-Mabhouh on January 19, 2010 was clearly a well-planned, violent and sadistic act, committed by Israeli assassins in the supposed safety of a sovereign country. Yes, Mahmoud al-Mabhouh was a Palestinian activist. We have no reason to believe otherwise. He spent years of his life in Israeli prison – and one year in an Egyptian jail – for his political activism. This, however, gives no credibility to Israel’s accusation that al-Mabhouh was a killer of Israelis. This assertion becomes even more problematic when considering that al-Mabhouh’s assassination was, according to British media, ordered by accused Israeli war criminals and rightwing politicians. According to the Sunday Times, Meir Dagan, the current director of Mossad briefed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the assassination plan during a meeting in early January. "The people of Israel trust you. Good luck," Netanyahu reportedly said at...more Israel To Deport Ukrainian Detainee IMEMC - Wednesday March 10, 2010 - 13:09, Palestinian Minister of Detainees, Issa Qaraqe’, stated that detainee Irena Sarahna from Ukraine, and married to a Palestinian from the Duheisha refugee camp in Bethlehem, was officially informed by the Israeli Authorities that she will be deported to her country within a month. Witnesses: Undercover Israeli forces raid Silwan 3/10/2010 - Jerusalem - Ma'an - Undercover Israeli security agents assaulted two Palestinian activists and detained several others in the Silwan neighborhood of East Jerusalem on Wednesday evening, onlookers said. According to Palestinians in the Bustan area of Silwan, Israeli operatives "disguised as Arabs" attacked Mousa Odeh, 50, and Muhammad Odeh, 48. Both men are members of a local committee that organizes protests against Israeli house demolitions. Several Palestinian residents were also detained by undercover Israeli troops operating in the neighborhood, local sources said. Israeli municipal authorities have plans to bulldoze some 89 houses in Bustan, a densely-packed neighborhood in a valley adjacent to Jerusalem's Old City. Last week Israeli mayor Nir Barkat held off on a plan to enforce the demolition orders in order to make way for a park. Israeli authorities release Gaza businessman 3/10/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Israeli authorities releaseda Gaza businessman on Wednesday, detained by Israeli forces at the Erez crossing one week earlier. Ahmad Salim Abu Eida was detained on 4 March, and was interrogated by Israeli intelligence who failed to secure an indictment to continue his detention, security sources told Ma'an. Palestinian Authority officials appealed to Israeli authorities to end what they termed an "Israeli intelligence campaign against Gaza businessmen aimed at crippling the business sector. " The campaign, they said, harmed the Palestinian economy, which has been stalled as a result of the ongoing Israeli imposed siege on the Gaza Strip. Abu Eida was detained at the northern checkpoint with Israel, in spite of possessing the necessary travel permits to transit, the sources said. . . . . Qaraqe: Israel to deport Ukrainian prisoner 3/10/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - The Israeli Prison Service in Hasharon prison informed a Ukrainian detainee that she will be deported within a month, Minister of Prisoners Affairs Issa Qaraqe said Wednesday. Irena Sarahna, was born in the Ukraine and is married Ibrahim Sarahna from the Duheisha refugee camp in Bethlehem. Her husband is serving a concurrent sentence of six life terms plus 45 years. The couple was detained in Bat Yam, near Tel Aviv, charged with transporting a Palestinian who detonated a bomb strapped to his chest in Rishon Letzion in 2002. The explosion killed two Israelis and injured 50. The Israeli intelligence service Shabak, also known as the Shin Bet, claimed both suspects admitted that they transferred Issa Bdair from West Bank city of Beit Jala, as well as another Palestinian girl, from Beit Sahour, both in Bethlehem, who intended to undertake another operation. Palestinian Women Imprisoned Uruknet March 10, 2010 - Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association marks International Women’s Day 2010 by honoring, commemorating and saluting Palestinian women political prisoners and detainees in their steadfast resistance against Israeli colonial occupation and struggle towards securing the right of Palestinians to self-determination. An estimated 10,000 Palestinian women have been arrested and detained since 1967 under Israeli military... Israel kidnaps Palestinian in Jenin 10 Mar 2010 - Jenin, March 10, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - Israeli occupation force detained today a Palestinian citizen from Rumana village west of Jenin. Security sources said to WAFA news agency that Israeli occupation force detained Mohammed Kamel Igbarieh, 25 years, at a military checkpoint at the entrance of the village. They added that Israeli occupation forces have stepped up today their patrols... Palestinian families hold Cairo responsible for lives of their sons in its jails PIC 10 Mar 2010 - The families of Palestinian prisoners in Egyptian jails on Wednesday held the government in Cairo fully responsible for the lives of their sons and called for releasing them immediately. IOA decides to banish detainee to Ukraine PIC 10 Mar 2010 - The Israeli occupation authority (IOA) has decided to deport detainee Irina Sarahne, who is serving a 20-year jail term, to her original country the Ukraine. The Crackdown on Israeli Dissidents Conn Hallinan, CounterPunch 3/9/2010 Totalitarian Democracy? A heavy-handed crack down on Israeli dissidents is drawing sharp criticism by human rights organizations and at least a mild judicial slap on the wrist for the government of Benjamin Netanyahu. The authorities are targeting such groups as B’Tselem, New Israel Fund (NIF), the Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI), as well as foreign activists in the occupied West Bank. “There is an attempt to silence and crack down on dissent,” B’Tselem spokeswoman Sarit Michaeli told the Tobias Buck of the Financial Times. “Since [the Gaza war], the political climate in Israel has become extremely polarized. And this polarization has reached a level where anyone who is critical is presented as a traitor.” The Netanyanu government has endorsed a bill that, if passed, will apply onerous registration conditions on NGOs and subject violators to up to a year in prison. “These are classic McCarthy techniques, portraying our organizations as enemies of the state and suggesting we are aiding Hamas and terror groups,” ACRI head Hagai Elad told the Nazareth-based journalist Jonathan Cook. On Jan. 15, police broke up a peaceful ARCI demonstration in East Jerusalem, arresting 16 people. The rally was protesting the eviction of Palestinians from the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood and their replacement with settlers. Demonstrators were held for 36 hours until a judge from the Jerusalem Magistrates Court released them without charge. The judge also refused a police request to ban the demonstrators from the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood. more.. e-mail Soldiers Attempt to Strip-Search Five Palestinian Women IMEMC - Tuesday March 09, 2010 - 23:58, Five Palestinians women preferred to go home rather than heading to an Israeli prison to visit their detailed family members after Israeli soldiers stationed at a Roadblock near the central West Bank city of Ramallah demanded to strip-search them. Imprisoned Qassam Leader Calls For Capturing More Soldiers IMEMC - Tuesday March 09, 2010 - 12:10, Abdullah Barghouthi, imprisoned leader of the Al Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, stated that the solution to the issue of thousands of detainees imprisoned by Israel is by capturing more Israeli soldiers to trade them with Palestinian detainees. UN expert Richard Falk: PA told me to quit 3/9/2010 - Chicago - Ma'an - Richard Falk, the UN special rapporteur on human rights in the occupied Palestinian territories, said on Monday the Palestinian Authority (PA) urged him to step down after he criticized the PA's treatment of a UN war crimes report. Falk confirmed reports that the joint PA-PLO mission to the UN in Geneva also delayed consideration in the UN Human Rights Council of his most recent report alleging Israeli abuses of Palestinians' rights. Arabic-language news reports of the delay surfaced last week. Falk said PA officials formally approached him in February asking him to resign, arguing that he is unable to carry out his responsibilities since Israel detained him at Ben Gurion International Airport and deported him in late 2008. But, he stressed in an interview, "what they [the PA] say formally and what they say informally are quite different. " Israeli forces detain 3 teenagers near Bethlehem 3/9/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Israeli forces detained three teenagers early Tuesday morning from the village of Husan, west of Bethlehem. Eyewitnesses said the forces raided the village and detained Muntaser Muhammad Za'loul, 17, Hamza Abdullah Shosha, 19, and Laith Shosha, 19. An Israeli military spokesman confirmed that two "wanted" Palestinians were detained in Husan on Tuesday, and had no comment on the third young man. [end] Israel pardons 77 former Fatah fighters 3/9/2010 - Nablus - Ma'an- Israel has agreed to remove 77 former Palestinian fighters from its list of "wanted" men as a continuation of its amnesty program, Palestinian sources said. Palestinian Authority officials were handed a list on Monday night, naming the men who received a pardon, nearly all of them former fighters in the Fatah-affiliated Al-Aqsa Brigades in the West Bank. During the past five years, the "wanted" men have signed a pledge renouncing the use of violence and turned in their weapons, agreeing to place themselves into PA police custody in a Nablus-area jail until their amnesty agreements were finalized by Israel. Only 10 of the 77 men received a full pardon, allowing them to live at home and travel freely throughout the West Bank and outside of the country. Nineteen were given a minimal pardon, allowed to move freely in the West Bank during the day but required to sleep in the prison. Alternative reading of Hamas murder Uruknet March 9, 2010 - The killing of Palestinian activist Mahmoud al-Mabhouh on January 19 was clearly a well-planned act, committed by Israeli assassins in the supposed safety of a sovereign country, Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. Yes, Mabhouh was a Palestinian activist. We have no reason to believe otherwise. He spent years of his life in Israeli prisons -... The Israeli Military Detains Six Residents During Invasions Targeting West Bank Communities IMEMC - Monday March 08, 2010 - 17:35, Six Palestinian civilians were detained on Monday by Israeli troops during invasions targeting a number of West bank communities. Report: 3 children detained by Israeli forces while gathering herbs 3/8/2010 - Bethelehem - Ma'an - Three Palestinian children were detained by Israeli soldiers on Sunday as they gathered herbs in At-Tuwani village, southern Hebron, a peace organization reported. The children, two 13-year-olds and one 14-year-old, were with members of the Nonviolent Peace Corp group, Operation Dove, on privately owned land on Khelly hill, near the Ma'on settlement, when Israeli soldiers arrived in a jeep, a statement by the organization said. "Three soldiers ran toward the children, took the shears they were using away and pushed them in the direction of the jeep. The soldiers made the children kneel on the ground for about tenminutes and after a few minutes Ma'on's security chief arrived. The soldiers forced two of the children inside the jeep and the third one tried to run away. " A soldier ran after him and unlocked his M16, the statement added, and pointed it at the boy, who stopped immediately. Female detainee marks 9th year on International Women’s Day 3/8/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - As the world celebrates International Women's Day, Iman Muhammad Hassan Ghazawwi marked her ninth year in Israeli custody on Monday. Ghazawwi, 33, was sentenced to 13 years, accused of planting an explosive device near an Israeli military patrol, said Detainees' Support Committee spokesman Riyad Al-Ashqar. He added that Ghazawwi is one of the longest-serving female prisoners in Israeli detention. Her two children, Samah, 13, and Jihad, 12, live with their grandmother, as Ghazawwi's husband, Shaher Barakat Isheh, is serving a 20-year sentence, having been detained five months after his wife. Al-Ashqar said Ghazawwi has difficulty moving and suffers from breathing problems, as a result of medical neglect. The spokesman added that while the world marks International Women's Day, "it seems that women around the world have rights, save for female prisoners in Palestine. " . . . . Israeli forces detain 2 children in Hebron 3/8/2010 - Hebron - Ma'an - Israeli forces detained two children near the Yashai settlement in central Hebron on Monday, after a scuffle that left an Israeli child lightly injured. The two, identified as Ibrahim Abu Ayasha, 11, and Sharif Abu Ayasha, 12, were reportedly on their way home in the Tel Ar-Ramedia area. An unidentified child of one of the Israeli settlers in the area stood in the way of the children, witnesses said, and broke a bird cage that one of them was carrying. An ensuing scuffle led to the Israeli child being injured. An Israeli military spokeswoman said soldiers offered initial medical assistance to the Israeli child, whose injuries were described as light. Israeli forces detained the two Palestinian children, the spokeswoman confirmed, adding that they were being held by Israeli police in Hebron in connection with the incident. Family appeals for release of detainee with cancer 3/8/2010 - Salfit - Ma'an - The Palestinian Detainees Center on Monday called on human rights organizations to intervene for the release of a Palestinian prisoner suffering from cancer. The center said Kayed Hassan Hiron, from Nablus, was detained on 1 January 2003 and was sentenced to nine years. The Israeli Prison Service in Meggido prison transfered Hiron to Soroko Hospital, where his cancer diagnosis was confirmed and described as serious. Hiron's family were allowed to visit him in prison, where they told the center they noticed a deterioration in his health and said he required special treatment, which would only be made available to him upon his release. [end] Al-Qassam Brigades: Israel foiled prisoner swap deal 3/8/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Israel was responsible for the failure of the prisoner swap deal by refuting Palestinian terms, the Al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas' armed group, said on Monday. " The occupation foiled the deal by rejecting the Palestinian parties' conditions throughout the negotiating process, failing to agree on many of the names of Palestinian detainees to be released in accordance with the swap,"spokesman Abu Ubayda said in a statement. "We stand firmly by our conditions and we will never give them up because it relates to the lives of prisoners in Israeli detention. The only solution is to agree upon the Palestinian factions' conditions," he said. Abu Ubayda added that Hamas would not end its military resistance to the Israeli occupation, saying "the battle is long and days will prove that Al-Qassam will never surrender or freeze resistance. " Report: 3 children detained by Israeli forces while gathering herbs Uruknet March 8, 2010 - Three Palestinian children were detained by Israeli soldiers on Sunday as they gathered herbs in At-Tuwani village, southern Hebron, a peace organization reported. The children, two 13-year-olds and one 14-year-old, were with members of the Nonviolent Peace Corp group, Operation Dove, on privately owned land on Khelly hill, near the Ma'on settlement, when Israeli soldiers arrived... Prisoners committee calls for international pressures to release prisoners PIC 9 Mar 2010 - The higher national committee in support of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails held a press conference on Monday demanding international pressure for releasing those prisoners. Israel releases 12-year-old boy from prison 3/7/2010 - Hebron - Ma'an - Hassan Al-Muhtaseb, 12, was released Sunday, when an Israeli military court in Ofer prison ordered his father to pay 2,000 shekel fine. The Palestinian Prisoners' Society appointed ten lawyers to assist in the child's defense. Many of his relatives were allowed to be present during the hearing. "The boy was detained near his family home, and there were no witnesses who testified that he threw stones at Israeli soldiers. No indictment was filed against the boy. This hearing contradicts the 1989 convention on children's rights which Israel signed in 1991 according to which a minor can't be jailed with adults. Thus, we demand immediate release of Hassan," said one of the lawyers representing the child. Heated discussions ensued during the first session of the hearing between the lawyers and the Israeli judge who insisted that the boy's father, Fadl Al-Muhtaseb, pay a 2,000 shekel fine. Top Fatah official faces jail over Jerusalem protests 3/7/2010 - Jerusalem - Ma'an - Israeli Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein filed a litany of charges against senior Fatah official Hatem Abdul Qader, all in relation to recent civil unrest among Palestinians in Jerusalem. Abdul Qader was charged with violating court orders against visiting the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound, inciting riots, and assaulting police officers. A trial has been set for 27 April. Palestinian legal officials said Abdul Qader could face more than a year in prison if convicted. Abdul Qader himself rejected the charges saying in a statement, "the occupation is attempting to punish me for political activity in Jerusalem. " Abdul Qader, a member of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC) and former cabinet minister for Jerusalem affairs, has been arrested several times by Israeli forces, particularly during demonstrations at the Al-Aqsa compound. 4 Gazans detained trying to enter Egypt 3/7/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Two Palestinians from Gaza were detained on Sunday morning by security forces as they entered Egyptian waters onboard a fishing boat off the coast of Rafah. The detainees were interrogated on charges of illegally entering Egypt. The fishermen were identified as Muhammad Al-Jam, 33, and Suleiman Nu'man, 36. Security sources said the arrests marked the third incident of Palestinians attempting to enter Egypt by boat this month. Separately, Egyptian forces seized two Palestinians on Saturday when they emerged from a smuggling tunnel in Egypt. They were identified as Hasan Hamdan, 17 and Mahmoud Abu Harb, 18. Security sources revealed that the two were carrying a large amount of cash and told interrogators they were attempting to flee dire conditions in Gaza. A tunnel used to smuggle cars was also discovered near the Rafah border by Egyptian authorities, security officials said. Israel: Palestinian seized carrying bombs near Nablus 3/7/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an/Agencies - A Palestinian was detained at a checkpoint east of Nablus, after three pipe bombs were discovered after a search, Israeli media reported on Saturday. The devices were handed over to explosives sappers and the Palestinian was taken for questioning with Israeli security forces, according to the Hebrew daily Yedioth Aharanot. [end] Hamas, Fatah prisoners reconcile in Israeli prison 3/6/2010 - China View - RAMALLAH, March 6 (Xinhua) -- Palestinian prisoners from rival Hamas and Fatah on Saturday declared reconciliation in their Israeli jail as a symbolic step to urge their leaders to bury the hatchet. Under the mediation of prisoners from the Islamic Jihad movement, Hamas and Fatah detainees signed a deal at Ofar prison near the West Bank city of Ramallah, according to a statement of a Palestinian prisoners' rights group sent to the media. The key achievement of the agreement is that prisoners from the two factions would share rooms again, the Prisoners Studies Center said, adding that Hamas and Fatah prisoners stopped living in the same room when Hamas routed pro-Abbas forces and seized control of Gaza in mid-2007. The statement said efforts are underway to achieve similar agreements in 25 prisons and detention facilities where Israel hold more than 8,000 Palestinians. Hamas, Fatah prisoners reconcile in Israeli jail 7 Mar 2010 - West Bank, March 7, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - Hamas and Fatah members imprisoned in an Israeli jail declared reconciliation Saturday as a symbolic step to urge their leaders to bury the hatchet as well. The detainees signed the deal at Ofar prison near the West Bank city of Ramallah, according to a statement of a Palestinian prisoners' rights group sent... Three Palestinian Children Detained while Gathering Herbs WAFA 7 Mar 2010 - HEBRON, March 7, 2010 (WAFA)- Israeli soldiers detained Saturday three Palestinian children, two aged thirteen and one fourteen, who were gathering herbs in the village of At-Tuwani, in the South Egyptian navy boats detain two Palestinian fishermen PIC 7 Mar 2010 - Egyptian navy boats on Sunday detained two Palestinian fishermen off the coasts of El-Arish Egyptian harbor after their boat capsized at sea, local sources in Rafah, south of the Gaza Strip, said. The Harlot's Grave Palestine Chronicle: 7 Mar 2010 - By Uri Avnery Some weeks ago, Mehmet Ali Agca, the Turk who tried to kill Pope John Paul II in Rome, was released after serving 28 years in prison. The motives for his act have never been clarified. But a Palestinian leader once told me his version: God appeared to Agca in a dream and told him: Go to the Holy City and kill that damn Pole. But the Turk misunderstood, so instead of going to Jerusalem and killing Menachem Begin, he went to Rome…” Which just goes to show that holy cities are a pain in the neck. The late Yeshayahu Leibowitz, an observant Jew and a resolute opponent of the religious establishment, used to praise a deed of the Wahhabis, the radical sect that arose more than 200 years ago to cleanse Islam of impurity. The first thing they did upon conquering Mecca was to destroy the tomb...more Prisoner paralyzed from Israeli guard beating, father says 3/6/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - A beating by Israeli prison guards has caused a Palestinian man in Israeli custody to became completely paralyzed, the Wa'ed Society for Detainees said on Saturday. The prisoner, identified as 33-year-old Muhammad Abu Libda from the northern Gaza town of Jabaliya, was in good health when he was detained, his father said, adding that injuries he sustained in the Ashkelon prison were never properly treated. Muhammad's father said his son participated in a prisoners strike in 2004, and was beaten by guards who accused him of inciting the event. According to Abu Mhuammad, his son had his third and fourth vertibrates damaged during the beating, and has spent the last six years in the prison hospital. Saber Abu Karsh, the prisoners society director, said doctors confirmed Saturday morning that Muhammad was fully paralyzed, and the director accused Israeli prison doctors of failing to provide the necessary treatment. Fatah, Hamas prisoners ratify unity deal inside Israeli jail 3/6/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Palestinian prisoners in Israel's Ofer Detention Center said Saturday that Islamic Jihad mediation had successfully brought about the ratification of a unity deal between Hamas and Fatah detainees in the jail. The Center for Prisoners' Studies quoted prisoners, who said "the signed written agreementvowed that all parties end the state of separation between the all groups and representatives of the two rival movements," noting that the document was signed by members of all factions represented in the detention center. The agreement will be implemented this week in Section 4 of the Ofer prison, and will gradually be implemented across the main six sections of the prison, detainees said. Prisoners said the Israeli Prison Service had agreed to no longer segregate prisoners according to political affiliation, as it negatively impacted prisoners' lives. Fatah condemns Hamas assaults against its official 3/6/2010 - Ramallah - Ma'an - The Fatah Revolutionary Council condemned on Saturday the refusal of the de facto government to allow the one of the council members to exit the Gaza Strip. The council's office released a statement saying Amal Hamad, member of the council and the Palestinian Women's Union, had her identity card confiscated as she traveled to the Erez checkpoint in northern Gaza for travel through Israel to the West Bank on Thursday. The statement called the decision to detain Hamad "strange," but noted that it corresponded with the de facto government decision to bar a delegation of West Bank Fatah officials from entering Gaza the week before. " Such irresponsible behavior weakens opportunities to achieve reconciliation," the statement read. In the same statement, the council condemned the gunfire directed at the home of Revolutionary Council member Muhammad Juda An-Nahhal by Hamas gunmen earlier in the week. PA police: Allenby traffic slows, 8 fugitives detained 3/6/2010 - Jericho - Ma'an - Palestinian Authority security forces deployed at the Allenby Bridge crossing into Jordan detained eight fugitives on Saturday, and facilitated the movement of 13,000 travelers during the past week, a report said. The police report described last week's travel as moderate, with traffic in both directions down over the February average. Mustafa Ghannam, chief of the PA border police, said 5,265 residents, 76 foreign nationals, 34 Israeli ID card holders were registered upon entering through the crossing. Those leaving, he said, reached 6,916 West Bank residents, 67 international passport holders and 46 Israeli ID card holders. Ghannam added that 17 patients were transferred in Palestine Red Crescent ambulances across the border into Jordan. Israeli authorities banned travel for 27 West Bank residents for "security reasons," he said. Palestinian prisoner paralyzed from Israeli guard beating, father says Uruknet March 6, 2010– A beating by Israeli prison guards has caused a Palestinian man in Israeli custody to became completely paralyzed, the Wa’ed Society for Detainees said on Saturday. The prisoner, identified as 33-year-old Muhammad Abu Libda from the northern Gaza town of Jabaliya, was in good health when he was detained, his father said, adding that injuries he sustained... Israel: End Crackdown on Anti-Wall ActivistsPeaceful Advocates Detained on Spurious Charges, Denied Due Process Uruknet March 5, 2010 - Israel should immediately end its arbitrary detention of Palestinians protesting the separation barrier, Human Rights Watch said today. Israel is building most of the barrier inside the West Bank rather than along the Green Line, in violation of international humanitarian law. In recent months, Israeli military authorities have arbitrarily arrested and denied due process rights to... Palestinian prisoner paralyzed due to medical negligence at Israeli jail 6 Mar 2010 - Palestine, March 6, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - Wa'ed Society for Prisoners and Ex-prisoners confirmed today that the prisoner Mohammed Abdel Aziz Abu Lebda from Jabalya refugee camp, northern Gaza Strip, who has been held in Al-Ramla prison for ten years, suffers from complete paralysis as a result of medical negligence by the prison administration against him and 40 sick prisoners.... Wa’ed: Prisoner Abu Lebda became fully paralyzed PIC 7 Mar 2010 - Wa’ed society said Saturday that prisoner Mohamed Abu Lebda sustained just few hours ago complete paralysis as a result of the policy of medical neglect in Israeli jails. The harlot’s grave Uri Avnery, Ma’an News Agency 3/6/2010 Some weeks ago, Mehmet Ali Agca, the Turk who tried to kill Pope John Paul II in Rome, was released after serving 28 years in prison. The motives for his act have never been clarified. But a Palestinian leader once told me his version: God appeared to Agca in a dream and told him: "Go to the Holy City and kill that damn Pole. But the Turk misunderstood, so instead of going to Jerusalem and killing Menachem Begin, he went to Rome…” Which just goes to show that holy cities are a pain in the neck. The late Yeshayahu Leibowitz, an observant Jew and a resolute opponent of the religious establishment, used to praise a deed of the Wahhabis, the radical sect that arose more than 200 years ago to cleanse Islam of impurity. The first thing they did upon conquering Mecca was to destroy the tomb of the Prophet Muhammad. The sanctification of graves was, to their mind, a pagan abomination. Leibowitz lauded this act and poured his wrath on religious Jews who sanctify “holy” sites. ....During the first years of the state, an official of the Ministry of Religions (as it was then called), a certain Shmuel Zanwill Kahana, toured the country and discovered holy sites right and left. He found graves of Muslim sheikhs and announced that they were, actually, the tombs of our forefathers. They were declared holy places and taken over by his ministry. That aggrandized the ministry and its budget, attracted tourists and “proved” that Jews had deep roots in the country. Secular Israelis smiled in derision, and some religious Jews, like Leibowitz, were furious. But after the Six-day War and the beginning of the occupation, the worship of holy places assumed a much more sinister character. It became an instrument of the settlers. more.. e-mail Israeli High Court Refuses Appeal To Remove Saadat From Solitary Confinement IMEMC - Friday March 05, 2010 - 12:07, The Israeli High Court rejected, on Thursday, an appeal to remove the detained Secretary-General of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP), Ahmad Saadat, from his solitary confinement and claimed that he still instructs PFLP resistance fighters while in prison. Israeli intelligence detain Gaza businessman 3/5/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Israeli intelligence agents detained a Palestinian businessman at the Erez border crossing into Israel on on Thursday night, Palestinian security sources said. The man, a Gaza resident with a rare permit to travel in and out of the Strip via the crossing, was detained leaving Gaza and taken to an investigation center at the facility. An Israeli spokeswoman at Erez said an arrest was made by the Shabbak (intelligence services) but could provide no further details. Palestinian sources identified the man as Ahmad Salim Abu Eida, who, according to his family, was moved to the Migdal detention center. [end] Israeli forces arrest Hebron man, release another 3/5/2010 - Hebron - Ma'an - Israeli authorities arrested a young man from Beit Ummar, north of Hebron, and released another whose term of imprisonment ended on Thursday. Mohammad Ayad Awad, spokesman for the Palestinian Solidarity Project, said Muntaser Diab Sa'eed A'tieyah Awad, 21, was arrested after soldiers broke into his home accompanied by sniffer dogs on Thursday night. They ransacked its contents and arrested Muntaser before transferring him elsewhere, Awad said. Israeli media reported that four Palestinians were detained overnight. Meanwhile, Adham Mohammad Azmi Ikhleiliel, 20, was released after two years in jail and a 2,000-shekel fine. . . . . Hamas: PA continues political arrest campaign 3/5/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Hamas officials released a statement accusing Palestinian Authority forces of detaining three of the party's affiliates from locations across the West Bank overnight Thursday. The three were reportedly from Nablus and Hebron, although the arrests could not be independently verified by Ma'an. Continued accusations of politically-motivated detentions come as Hamas and Fatah remain in a unity-talk stalemate. A hint of progress came in February when Fatah Central Committee member Nabil Sha'ath entered the Strip for the first time since the Hamas takeover, and was warmly welcomed by de facto Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh. A subsequent Fatah delegation, however, was denied permission by the local government to visit the coastal area, and the delegation was reduced to a single member, who entered Gaza on Thursday. . . . . Zionist court refuses to end isolation of Saadat PIC 5 Mar 2010 - The Waed Society for prisoners and ex-prisoners has condemned the Israeli occupation's high court decision to reject an application to end solitary confinement of the PFLP's chairman Ahmad Saadat. Targeting Israeli Apartheid Palestine Chronicle: 5 Mar 2010 - By Stephen Lendman Reports like the Cape Town, South Africa-based Human Sciences Research Council's (HSRC) May 2009 one titled, "Occupation, Colonialism, Apartheid" highlight what many others understand, including former UN Special Human Rights Rapporteur for Occupied Palestine, John Dugard, stating in January 2007: "Israel is clearly in military occupation of the OPT (Occupied Palestinian Territories). At the same time, elements of the occupation constitute forms of colonialism and of apartheid, which are contrary to international law." Article 7(1)(j) of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court calls apartheid a crime, stating: "For the purpose of this Statute, (a) 'crime against humanity' means any of the following acts when committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack directed against any civilian population, with knowledge of the attack: The crime of apartheid" includes murder, extermination, enslavement, torture, arbitrary arrest, illegal imprisonment, denial of the right to life and liberty, cruel,...more Israeli Military Detains Eight Palestinian Residents From The West Bank IMEMC - Thursday March 04, 2010 - 16:19, Eight Palestinian civilians were detained, on Thursday, by Israeli troops during morning invasions targeting West Bank communities. Israel high court: Sa’adat to stay in solitary confinement 3/4/2010 - Chicago - Ma'an - Israel's Supreme Court rejected a motion on Thursday asking for Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) Secretary-General Ahmad Sa'adat to be moved from solitary confinement in prison. The Israeli news website Ynet reported that the judges accepted the prosecution's claim that Sa'adat, when he is not held in solitary confinement, passes messages to the PFLP's armed wing. Sa'adat is serving a 30-year prison sentence for a PFLP gunman's assassination Israeli Tourism Minister Rehavam Ze'evi in 2001. He has been in solitary confinement since last year. In June he staged a nine-day hunger strike in protest of this treatment. After being jailed by the Palestinian Authority in connection with the killing, Sa'adat was seized by Israeli commandoes in a raid on a prison in Jericho in 2006. Sa'adat is now one of several senior prisoners Hamas is demanding released. . . Parents of prisoner with cancer appeal for release 3/4/2010 - Nablus - Ma'an - The family of a 27-year-old Palestinian prisoner suffering from leukemia appealed to the Palestinian Authority (PA) on Thursday to pressure Israel to release him. Tareq Mahmoud Al-Asi's medical condition has deteriorated rapidly, his parent's said, since he was diagnosed in prison. He is serving a 20-year sentence that began in 2005. Al-Asi's lawyer said his case was "dangerous" and that he is not getting adequate treatment at the Ramla prison Hospital. [end] Israeli prison guards launch larges search operation in Hadarim PIC 4 Mar 2010 - Special forces affiliated with the Israeli prisons authority launched the biggest search operation of a number of prisoners' cells in Hadarim jail for many years.. Khafsh: IOA deliberately detains intellectuals PIC 4 Mar 2010 - Fuad Al-Khafsh has charged the Israeli occupation authority (IOA) with deliberately arresting Palestinian intellectuals and scientists to force them leave the country. Israeli Troops Injure And Detain Two Palestinians During Military Operation In Southern West Bank IMEMC - Wednesday March 03, 2010 - 15:40, Two Palestinian men were injured and taken by Israeli troops during an overnight invasion targeting the villages near Jenin city, northern West Bank. Military Post Comes Under Fire; Soldiers Detain Nine Palestinians From Central West Bank IMEMC - Wednesday March 03, 2010 - 15:21, Invasions targeted the central West Bank village of Nabi-saleh and nearby refugee camp, this Tuesday. Israeli forces detain 8 Palestinians 3/3/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Eight Palestinians were detained overnight in Tulkarem and Ramallah on Wednesday, Ma'an's correspondent said. In the town of Ateel, north of Tulkarem city, three Palestinians were detained, identified as Abdul Nasser Amin As-Suwais, 44, Saher Muhammad Yassin, 35, and Aysar Theeb Hamdan, 35, a member in the Palestinian intelligence. As-Suwais served 15 years in a number of Israeli prisons and was released in 2009. He has been detained on more than ten occasions, Ma'an's correspondent said. As-Suwais' family said nearly 10 Israeli military vehicles surrounded the house and a number of intelligence officers arrived carrying files, taking him to an unknown location. An Israeli military spokesmen said those detained were "operatives involved in suspected terror activities. "Raid on anti-wall movement stronghold. VIDEO - ‘Gaza is an open-air prison’ 3/2/2010 - P U L S E - John Holmes, the United Nation’s humanitarian chief, has revisited the Gaza Strip, a year after Israel’s assault on the territory ended. He told Al Jazeera that it was disappointing how little has changed since the war and that there has been no real possibility of reconstruction, mainly because of Israel’s siege of the Strip. He said the blockade resulted in misery for the Palestinians. “They’re living in a kind of open-air prison. They’re still suffering this kind of collective punishment they’ve been suffering for three years now. " " Israeli army nixes raid after Facebook leak -radio 3/3/2010 - Reuters AlertNet - JERUSALEM, March 3 (Reuters) - The Israeli military called off a raid in Palestinian territory after a soldier posted details, including the time and place, on social networking website Facebook, Israel's Army Radio reported on Wednesday. The soldier -- since relieved of combat duty -- described in a status update how his unit planned a "clean-up" arrest raid in a West Bank area, the radio station said. Facebook friends then reported him to military authorities. The Israeli military spokesman's office had no immediate comment. Israel says raids in the West Bank are aimed at detaining militants suspected of planning attacks on Israelis. Palestinian officials say the incursions undermine efforts by the Western-backed Palestinian Authority to enforce law and order in the territory. Palestinian Organizer Assaulted at an Israeli Checkpoint 3/3/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - Popular Struggle Co-ordination Committee, 2 March - Mahmoud Zwahre, a prominent member of the alMaasara Popular Committee Against the Wall and Settlements, was brutally assaulted at the Israeli Container Checkpoint near Bethlehem this morning. Zwahre was on his way to a Ramallah meeting when his car was stopped. He was held for nearly two hours, during which he was kicked, punched and beaten using a rifle butt. Mahmoud Zwahre of the alMa'sara Popular Committee Against the Wall and Settlements was detained at the Container Checkpoint near Bethlehem this morning on his way to a meeting in Ramallah. Zwahre was detained after a Border Police officer positioned at the checkpoint recognized him from the weekly demonstrations held in alMa'sara for the past 3. 5 years. He was held for almost two hours, during which he was subjected to an aggressive search through his possessions and his. . . The Israeli Military Detains 19 Civilians During Invasions At West Bank Communities IMEMC - Tuesday March 02, 2010 - 17:26, Nineteen Palestinian civilians were detained by Israeli troops, on Tuesday, during invasions targeting a number of West Bank communities. Israeli forces detain four civilians in Beit Ummar 3/3/2010 - Hebron - Ma'an - Israeli forces forcibly entered the homes of four civilians in Beit Ummar on Tuesday, shortly before detaining the men, a spokesman of the Palestinian Solidarity Project reported. Muhammad Awad identified the men as Khalil Muqbel, 35, Muhammad Sabarneh, 25, Jawad Brigheeth, 24 and Yousef Al-Alami, 22. Young men from the town have been targeted by Israeli forces increasingly over the past months, as locals have ramped up efforts to protest the confiscation of village land by the nearby expanding settlement of Karmi Zur. On Thursday, Awad reported five detentions of Beit Ummar residents, noting in his most recent statement, that Israel's Ofer military court had sentenced 18-year-old Muhammad Ali Khalil to 26 months in prison and a fine of 5,000 shekels (1,317 US dollars), while 20-year-old Habis Hisham Abu Maria, also from Beit Ummar, was released last week following the completion of his own 26-month sentence and paying a 3,000 shekel (790 US dollar) fine. . . . . Haniyeh: Greater efforts in 2010 to free prisoners 3/3/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Deposed Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh said on Monday that 2010 would witness increased efforts to secure the release of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails. He urged those intending to participate in the Arab summit in Libya in late March to reiterate the importance of Palestinian detainees, and to bring attention to their plight. Speaking at a news conference at the de facto Ministry of Prisoners and Prisoners' Affairs headquarters in Gaza City, Haniyeh suggested a fund be established to cover prisoners' needs. For his part, Palestinian Legislative Council member Ahmad Bahar urged the Arab Parliament Union in Cairo to add the issue of prisoners to its agenda, and to call for their release. . . . . Hamas: PA security detained three supporters in West Bank 3/2/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Palestinian Authority security forces detained three Hamas supporters across the West Bank, the movement reported on Tuesday. The alleged detentions followed accusations of three seizures on Monday night. According to a statement, the most recent activity targeted supporters in the Jenin and Tulkarem governorates. [end] Police: Abduction suspect remains at large 3/2/2010 - Hebron - Ma'an - Palestinian police detained three men suspected of carrying out the abduction of two civilians in the southern West Bank, as investigators attempt to track down a forth suspect, a police report said. An anonymous tip lead police to the rescue of two Yatta men being kept against their will inside a residential building, police said. Officers raided the home, found the victims but were unable to apprehend the abductors, they said. The two abduction victims were transferred to a local hospital, a police report said. A forth suspect remains at large, police said. [end] 12-year-old Child To Be Prosecuted As An Adult By An Israeli Military Court Uruknet March 02, 2010 - The Israeli Authorities decided to file charges against a 12-year-old Palestinian child from the southern West Bank city of Hebron after arresting him and charging him with throwing stones at the Israeli military. The child was identified as al-Hasan al-Mohtasib, 12. His 7-year-old brother was also detained but was released later on. Their father, Fadel, said... Video: Palestinian Political Prisoners and Popular Resistance Uruknet March 2, 2010 -- The Israeli occupation authority (IOA) is planning to demolish tens of Palestinian homes in the Silwan neighborhood of occupied Jerusalem, south of the Aqsa Mosque, in order to build a public park. Sources in the IOA-controlled Jerusalem municipality said that the fanatic mayor of occupied Jerusalem Nir Barakat is expected to announce in a press conference... Haneyya asks Arab summit to adopt question of Palestinian prisoners PIC 3 Mar 2010 - Ismail Haneyya called on the Arab summit scheduled to open in the Libyan capital by the end of this month to activate the issue of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli occupation jails. Report: Israel Kills Four Palestinians, Detains 300 In February IMEMC - Monday March 01, 2010 - 17:18, Israel's military had killed four Palestinians and detained 300 others during the month of February 2010, the International Solidarity association for Human Rights reported on Monday. Four civilians detained by Israeli troops during raids targeting West Bank IMEMC - Monday March 01, 2010 - 16:12, Four Palestinian civilians were detained by Israeli troops on Monday during military invasions targeting a number of West Bank communities. Report: University inaccessible for Palestinian prisoners 3/1/2010 - Salfit - Ma'an - Palestinian detainees at the Hadarim detention center have been prevented from applying to universities for over a year, the Palestinian Detainees' Center said Monday. Citing the cases of Abu Bilal Shihab, Wael Fanoun, and Sameh Al-Shobaky, the center said the men had been banned from accessing higher education institutes and progressing with their studies since December of 2008. According to the center, the detained students were denied their right to family visits for two months, and prevented from purchasing foodstuffs from the detention center's canteen for a month. Dozens told the center that the Israel Prison Service (IPS) has used solidarity confinement as a punitive measure, claiming security concerns, the center said. Detainees also told the center that the IPS undertakes haphazard searches of prisoners' cells and has banned the access to books and other reading materials, as well as glass drinking glasses. . . . . ICRC: Personal photos, clothing permitted into Israeli prison 3/1/2010 - Tulkarem - Ma'an -Israeli authorities informed the Red Cross office in Tulkarem on Sunday that parents of Palestinian detainees would be permitted to bring their children limited personal affects when they visited during the month of March. Officials in the Tulkarem office of the ICRC said the rules immediately applied to inmates at the Megiddo prison, and that parents would be permitted to give the following articles to their children: 3 pairs of underwear, 3 pairs of socks, 3 t-shirts, 1 pair of brown pants without pockets, 5 family photos. [end] Protesting Israeli prison policies, families to halt visits in April 3/1/2010 - Tulkarem - Ma'an - Families of Palestinians in Israeli prisons will halt visits to loved ones in April, protesting discriminatory and punitive policies enforced by the Israeli prison administration, Palestinian Minister of Prisoners Affair Issa Qaraqe announced Monday. In solidarity with Gaza families who have been prevented from visiting their sons and daughters at all, and in protest of the Israeli policy of limiting visits to prisoners as punishment, families in the West Bank will cease visits entirely for the month of April, Qaraqe said. The minister's comments came during a visit to several families of long-term prisoners in the Tulkarem district, where he was inaugurating Prisoners Freedom Street in the city. According to the minister, at least 1,200 of prisoners with immediate family in the West Bank, and 900 others in Gaza, have been denied visits from their family for the past three years. . . . . Fatah: Yatta leader sentenced to 22 years in Israeli prison 3/2/2010 - Hebron - Ma'an - A prominent member of the Fatah movement in Yatta was sentenced to 22 years, in addition to ten years probabtion, by an Israeli court, the party's office in the Hebron town announced on Monday. According to a party statement, Issa Khalil Nawaj'a was detained on 22 March 2007, six years after Israeli officials issued an arrest warrant for him. The statement did not mention the crime Nawaj'a was wanted for. The Fatah movement in Yatta denounced the sentence and called for the release of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel. [end] Egyptian police detain Gaza child inside smuggling tunnel 3/1/2010 - Al-Arish - Ma'an - Egyptian security arrested a Palestinian child working inside a smuggling tunnel in the Salah Ad-Din area in Rafah on Monday, reportedly extracting him from the subterranean passage beneath Egyptian soil. Egyptian security forces were searching the area when they located 14-year-old Mustapha Shukry as he hooked up pallets of goods to transport machinery in the tunnel. The security unit removed the child, searched the tunnel for additional workers then began setting up explosives that would destroy the passage, they said. [end] Gaza military court extends detention of UK journalist 3/2/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - A Gaza government military court extended the detention of British journalist and filmmaker Paul Martin on Monday for an additional15 days as an investigation into alleged "security breaches" continues. Spokesman for the de facto government's Ministry of Interior Ihab Al-Ghussein said the military prosecutor agreed to extend Martin's detention pending further investigations. Al-Ghussein said the journalist is being treated in accordance with international law, adding that Martin had been put in touch with his wife. Martin was detained on 14 January a Gaza courtroom when he arrived to testify at the trial of a Palestinian who was accused of collaborating with Israel. Martin reportedly interviewed the accused man for a documentary. The journalist is the first foreign national to be arrested since Hamas took full control of the territory in 2007. Egyptian police detain Gaza child inside smuggling tunnel Uruknet March 1, 2010 - Egyptian security arrested a Palestinian child working inside a smuggling tunnel in the Salah Ad-Din area in Rafah on Monday, reportedly extracting him from the subterranean passage beneath Egyptian soil. Egyptian security forces were searching the area when they located 14-year-old Mustapha Shukry as he hooked up pallets of goods to transport machinery in the tunnel... IOF invades Jenin and detains Palestinian 1 Mar 2010 - Jenin, March 1, 2010 (Pal Telegraph) - Israeli occupation forces invaded today dawn a number of villages west of Jenin in the West Bank. Local sources told the SAFA news agency that Israeli soldiers detained Mujahid Gasser, 22, after storming his house in the eastern area of Jenin. The sources said that Israeli occupation forces detained Khaled Sawalha during a... Is Hamas accusing British journalist detained in Gaza of looking for captive Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit? Marian Houk, UN-Truth 2/15/2010 Freelance British Journalist Paul Martin — apparently a documentary filmmaker — was detained yesterday at a courthouse in Gaza City by Hamas authorities on “suspicion of breaking local/’Palestinian’ laws”, and Gaza’s Attorney General has now ordered him held for 15 days. Martin is reportedly now in Gaza City’s central prison. As the AP reports, this is “an unprecedented step against a foreign reporter since the Islamic militants seized control of Gaza in 2007?. The AP report noted that “Hamas has prided itself in ending the lawlessness of vigilante gunmen, and has largely stayed clear of foreign journalists since seizing the territory in 2007. It wasn’t immediately clear whether Mr. Martin’s arrest signaled a change in policy. The Interior Ministry statement said foreigners are welcome in Gaza, but that ‘anyone who tries to violate the security of Gaza will be held accountable’.” Ma’an News Agency reported this morning that the spokesman of what they editorially refer to as the “de facto Ministry of Interior” in Gaza, Ihab Al-Ghussein, “told Ma’an that an arrest warrant for Martin was issued following the confession of a defendant charged with collaborating with Israel. The defendant ‘has confessed against the British journalist and said he [Martin] violated Palestinian law and the security in Gaza’, Al-Ghussein said”. However, as Ma’an noted, Martin was detained as he arrived to testify at the trial of the man whose accusations were then used as the basis for Martin’s arrest. Ma’an described the man as “a Palestinian fighter accused of collaborating with Israel, a journalist present at the courthouse in Gaza City told Ma’an”. more.. e-mail  Links
Adalah Adalah (Justice in Arabic) is the first non-profit, non-sectarian Palestinian-run legal center in Israel. The main goal of Adalah’s work is to achieve equal rights and minority rights protections for Palestinian citizens of Israel. Addameer Prisoners’ Support and Human Rights Organization: Addameer (conscience) is a Palestinian non-governmental, civil institution which focuses on human rights issues. Supports Palestinian prisoners, advocates for rights of political prisoners, works to end torture. Amnesty International Amnesty International (AI) is a worldwide movement of people who campaign for internationally recognized human rights. AI’s vision is of a world in which every person enjoys all of the human rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international human rights standards. Amnesty International USA Amnesty International (AI) is a worldwide movement of people who campaign for internationally recognized human rights. AI’s vision is of a world in which every person enjoys all of the human rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international human rights standards. Arab Association for Human Rights - HRA The HRA was founded in 1988 to promote and protect the political, civil, economic, and cultural rights of the Palestinian Arab minority in Israel and to further the domestic implementation of international human rights principles. It is an independent non-governmental organisation registered in Israel. Association for Civil Rights in Israel - ACRI In Hebrew - The Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) was founded in 1972 as a non-political and independent body, with the goal of protecting human and civil rights in Israel and in the territories under Israeli control. B’tselem The Israeli Information Centre for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories Boycott Israeli Medical Association UK: The Medical Committee for Boycott of the Israeli Medical Association (IMA) will document the systematic torture of Palestinian people by agents of Israel. It will publicise the practice in order to bring world opinion to bear on Israel. And it will challenge the Israeli Medical Association which has repeatedly failed to issue advice to doctors who are involved in any way with torture. Human Rights Watch Human Rights Watch is an independent, nongovernmental organization, supported by contributions from private individuals and foundations worldwide. Human Rights Watch is dedicated to protecting the human rights of people around the world. Palestinian Centre for Human Rights The Palestinian Centre for Human Rights (PCHR) is an independent legal body based in Gaza City dedicated to protecting human rights, promoting the rule of law, and upholding democratic principles in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Palestinian Prisoners Society The Palestinian Prisoner Society is a social and human institution and its members are prisoners inside prisons and released prisoners. Membership is open to every Palestinian prisoner inside and outside prisons who meets the conditions of membership. Physicians for Human Rights - Israel Physicians for Human Rights - Israel (PHR-Israel) was established in 1988 as a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization, dedicated to promoting and protecting the medical human rights of all residents of Israel and the Occupied Territories. Public Committee Against Torture in Israel - PCATI An independent human rights organization founded that monitors the implementation conditions in detention centers and continues the struggle against the use of torture in interrogation in Israel and the Palestinian Authority. United Nations Information System on the Question of Palestine The main collection contains the texts of current and historical United Nations material concerning the question of Palestine and other issues related to the Middle East situation and the search for peace. World Organisation Against Torture OMCT is today the largest international coalition of NGOs fighting against torture,summary executions, forced disappearances and all other forms of cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment in order to preserve Human Rights. It has at its disposal a network, SOS Torture, consisting of some 240 non-governmental organisations which act as sources of information. The Treatment of Prisoners and Detainees: Home page
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