When Palestine isn’t making headlines…

January 4, 2012

 

… this is what happens there, on a daily basis.

Watch the 3-minute video summary of 2011, by the ever-remarkable Israeli Human Rights organization B’Tselem. It’s a short window about life in Palestine. I also urge you to click on the links in the video.

Update: Jerusalem police detain seven (7) years child old for hours. Here’s another unreported yet terrifying story…

http://eldahshan.com/2012/01/04/btselem-palestine-video/

Peace Now: Israel began building 1,850 new houses in West Bank in 2011

• Published 12:53 10.01.12
• Latest update 12:53 10.01.12

Settlement watchdog says figures exclude East Jerusalem, which in 2011 witnessed the highest number of construction plans in a decade.

By DPA

Israel started construction work on 1,850 new housing units in the West Bank in 2011, a 19 percent rise from a year earlier, an Israeli settlement watchdog said Tuesday.

Peace Now attributed the rise to a partial, 10-month moratorium on new constructions in the West Bank that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu imposed in 2010 to spur peace talks with the Palestinians.

	The West Bank settlement of Ariel
	Photo by: AP

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas suspended direct peace talks with Israel in October 2010, after Netanyahu refused to extend the moratorium. Israeli and Palestinian negotiators met this month in Jordan for the first time in over a year, but there was no progress. 

Peace Now said the Israeli Housing Ministry last year issued tenders for an additional 1,577 West Bank apartments, whose construction had not yet started.

The figures exclude East Jerusalem, which in 2011 witnessed the highest number of construction plans in a decade, Peace Now said.

Some 6,350 apartments planned in Jewish areas of East Jerusalem passed various stages of approval, it said.
Israel regards all of Jerusalem, including the city's east which the Palestinians want as a capital of a future state, as its "eternal" and united capital, a move not recognized internationally.

The Israeli government last year also began procedures to legalize 11 unauthorized settler outposts, containing a total of 680 structures set up near authorized settlements, Peace Now said.

http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/peace-now-israel-began-building-1-850-new-houses-in-west-bank-in-2011-1.406473

Israeli legislators admit to leaking info on army’s movements to right-wing settlers

Monday January 09, 2012 00:37 by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC News

At least two Israeli Members of the Knesset (Parliament) have admitted to having divulged information about the Israeli military’s tactics and movements to right-wing settlers, at a time when the settler movement has been increasing its number and frequency of attacks.

Uri Ariel (image by Israel Matzav)

In recent weeks, Israeli settlers associated with the right-wing ‘pricetag’ movement (aimed at making Palestinians ‘pay a price’ for every threatened removal of an illegal outpost by the Israeli government) have increased their attacks on both the Palestinian population of the West Bank and the Israeli military force occupying the West Bank.

Now, right-wing legislators in Israel have openly stated their support for the right-wing settlers, admitting to having provided them with information that may have been used in the attacks on the military bases and personnel.

Uri Ariel with the National Union party admitted last week to leaking information, and on Sunday coalition chairman and member of the Likud party Ze'ev Elkin also admitted to leaking information to the settlers.

The admission came on the same day that five right-wing Israeli settlers were charged by Jerusalem's District Prosecutor with illegally tracking the movements of the army in order to target commanders and bases for attacks.

No charges have been filed against the two legislators, and none are planned.

http://www.imemc.org/article/62797

Settlers 'attack 2 children' in Hebron

Published Sunday 08/01/2012 (updated) 09/01/2012 21:20

 

(MaanImages/Stringer)

HEBRON (Ma'an) --Israeli settlers in Hebron attacked two Palestinian children in the West Bank city on Sunday, their family said.

The group threatened Muhammad Abu Eisha, 12, and his brother Ibrahim, 11, with a knife before striking the children in the Tel Rumeida area, their father, also named Muhammad, told Ma'an.

Israeli soldiers did not apprehend the group, he said.

Hebron is split into Palestinian Authority and Israeli military controlled zones. Around 800 Jewish settlers live among 30,000 Palestinians in the parts of the ancient city that are under Israeli control, including Tel Rumeida.

The settlers are trying to intimidate the remaining Palestinians in order to push them from their homes and take over the entire area, Muhammad Abu Eisha said.


http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=451042

Israeli soldiers 'tour Al-Aqsa compound'

Published Sunday 08/01/2012 (updated) 09/01/2012 13:51

 

(MaanImages/Moti Milrod, File)

JERUSALEM (Ma'an) -- Uniformed Israeli soldiers entered the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound on Sunday, the Al-Aqsa Foundation for Waqf and Heritage said.

Describing the forces as "behaving aggressively," the foundation said ten soldiers walked around the compound with a tour guide.

Such incidents are a violation of the sanctity of the compound and set a dangerous precedent, the organization said.

An Israeli army spokeswoman said she was not familiar with any official visit by troops.

The Al-Aqsa compound, containing the mosque and the Dome of the Rock, is the third holiest site in Islam and abuts the site where Jews believe the ancient Second Temple stood, attracting the far-right to pose the rebuilding of the Jewish site on the sanctuary.

The flashpoint site is under the custody of the Waqf (Islamic Endowment) authorities, and visits by Israeli extremists have been roundly condemned by Palestinian officials.

http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=450982