12 may 2015
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) called for quickly ending the siege on Gaza so that construction materials can be entered to the strip for resuming reconstruction projects.
Special Representative of the Administrator of UNDP Frode Mauring said, in a press conference on Tuesday morning, “The siege on Gaza must be lifted so that the UNDP can enter construction materials into Gaza and resume its reconstruction projects”.
MAuring stressed that the unity government should start Gaza reconstruction, saying that the UNRWA will support such projects for the sake of the refugees.
“We cannot get reconstruction funds quickly, but we depend on the international community to support the process,” he added.
He reviewed the supports gained from countries and organizations for Gaza reconstruction and pointed out that the unity government has been supporting the UNDP in Gaza through the Gaza reconstruction committee since the reconstruction has begun.
He underlined that the UNDP backups sustainable development in Gaza by achieving reconciliation.
Mauring also stressed the need to activate the unity government’s role in opening the crossings and ending the siege.
Special Representative of the Administrator of UNDP Frode Mauring said, in a press conference on Tuesday morning, “The siege on Gaza must be lifted so that the UNDP can enter construction materials into Gaza and resume its reconstruction projects”.
MAuring stressed that the unity government should start Gaza reconstruction, saying that the UNRWA will support such projects for the sake of the refugees.
“We cannot get reconstruction funds quickly, but we depend on the international community to support the process,” he added.
He reviewed the supports gained from countries and organizations for Gaza reconstruction and pointed out that the unity government has been supporting the UNDP in Gaza through the Gaza reconstruction committee since the reconstruction has begun.
He underlined that the UNDP backups sustainable development in Gaza by achieving reconciliation.
Mauring also stressed the need to activate the unity government’s role in opening the crossings and ending the siege.
Israeli occupation forces have reportedly opened fire at Palestinian farms in the eastern part of the Gaza Strip, burning a large amount of wheat crops.
No casualties were reported, as the farmers fled the region two days ago, after a limited Israeli incursion. Along the previous two weeks, Palestinian farmers, whose farms lie near the eastern borders of the Gaza Strip, have been reporting Israeli occupation opening fire at them.
Medical sources also reported that several farmers were wounded during the same time.
Related: PCHR-Gaza: Israeli Buffer Zone Policies Typically Enforced with Live Fire
Farmers in the central area of the Strip told Days of Palestine that Israeli military activities in the area caused the burning of their wheat crops along the eastern borders.
“From Monday morning until Tuesday morning, we have been hearing Israeli occupation forces firing bullets and watching them firing light bombs above our farms near the borders,” Hani Ali said.
“At the same time, we heard sounds of sonic booms and saw fighter jets flying in the skies,” he further stated, adding, “I expect these activities were military drills.”
No casualties were reported, as the farmers fled the region two days ago, after a limited Israeli incursion. Along the previous two weeks, Palestinian farmers, whose farms lie near the eastern borders of the Gaza Strip, have been reporting Israeli occupation opening fire at them.
Medical sources also reported that several farmers were wounded during the same time.
Related: PCHR-Gaza: Israeli Buffer Zone Policies Typically Enforced with Live Fire
Farmers in the central area of the Strip told Days of Palestine that Israeli military activities in the area caused the burning of their wheat crops along the eastern borders.
“From Monday morning until Tuesday morning, we have been hearing Israeli occupation forces firing bullets and watching them firing light bombs above our farms near the borders,” Hani Ali said.
“At the same time, we heard sounds of sonic booms and saw fighter jets flying in the skies,” he further stated, adding, “I expect these activities were military drills.”
Major General Sami Turgeman voices concerns about Gaza ahead of stepping down from position, says there is currently no replacement for Hamas to lead Gaza.
GOC Southern Command Major General Sami Turgeman made sure to say what he really thinks about the Gaza conflict before stepping down from his position.
In a meeting with authority heads from all over Israel at Kibbutz Nahal Oz in the south, Turgeman said that it would not be possible to defeat Hamas with a one month long operation – such as the most recent Operation Protective Edge.
"Gaza has an independent authority that functions like a country; there is a government and an annual plan, with executive bodies and inspection authorities. Within the country there is a ruler that is called Hamas which knows how to exercise power over the other authorities. As of now, there is no substitute ruler to replace Hamas in the strip" said Turgeman.
Turgeman noted that "the only replacement for Hamas is the IDF and authoritarian chaos. Other than Hamas there is no other axis that could control, (while) the (Palestinian) Authority cannot rule and this should be taken as an indisputable statement.
"There are additional terror organizations in the strip and the campaign against them continues, and in between the fighting and the 'rounds' there are periods of silence. But its not bang and we're done. Most of the citizens in the strip see Hamas as the only solution to there problems. Whoever thinks there could be a national uprising – it doesn't look likely. The chances it could happen are not high."
The major general, who will be stepping down from his position in two months, stressed that since Israel disengaged from Gaza in 2005 the strategy has been prevention and aversion. "We have no goal that we want to achieve there," said Turgeman. "The only goals are prevention, to prevent chaos and a humanitarian crisis. Therefore, it's not possible to take actions that are against the strategy and this is the state's position."
Turgeman said that Hamas is also interested in quiet, but at the same time urges military buildup. "Whoever thinks that the struggle between us is just a military one does not understand the issue. Hamas does everything in order to exhaust our society - that is part of their success. Hamas did everything in order to entangle us into using force against them in order to affect the next war.
"If Hamas was surprised by anything during Operation Protective Edge it was that we used aggressive force, more than they expected, because the likes of the Goldstone Report gave them a sense of security," said Turgeman. When it comes to finding a solution, Turgeman says that "you have to choose from the various alternatives."
"In my opinion, periods of quiet must be created as much as possible with the knowledge that once in a while there will be a confrontation, and we shouldn't be surprised that once every few years it will happen. "I hope that after Operation Protective Edge the quiet will last a long time, but we must understand the country's alternatives. What this implies is that this is the reality we chose, if this is the policy, than you cannot expect that we'll go out for these types of operations and expect to defeat Hamas," says Turgeman.
Reflecting on last summer's confrontation, Turgeman noted that "Hamas infiltrated 45 terrorists into Israeli territory. Part of these forces' mission was to hurt anyone, soldier or civilian - (it) doesn't matter. That didn't happen because of our defense in the field. It's a big challenge, because there are towns on the fence and next to the fence.
I went into this operation with the concept that evacuating the population was a victory for Hamas and so we weren't in a rush to get to that point. Hamas has returned to building its military force. I don't know any military that doesn't start building its force after a war. We did that, too."
Turgeman further said regarding the 51-day conflict that "we assumed there would be rocket fire at central Israel and at strategic sites… Hamas wants to achieve an image of victory through its underground tunnels. It's very difficult to deal with these channels because there's no technology that can locate them in time. Fortunately, we are making significant progress.
"I don't know how the next operations will look. It will take more than a month for a significant achievement and we have to prepare ourselves for such a reality. For Hamas, the number of dead and amount of our attacks are not a measure of success or lack of success. What matters is that it didn't lose and that it stayed in power."
Turgeman praised local authorities in the south, saying that coordination during the conflict had been good.
Shai Hajaj, head of Merhavim Regional Council, said of Turgeman's statements that "it's clear that terror operatives are committing terrorism now, during a 'ceasefire', and they are preparing for future conflicts. And it's clear to everyone that the next conflict, whether in the north or south, will be difficult.
"As mayors, we must ensure in advance and do everything we can for our residents to be prepared. The civilian resilience during Operation Protective Edge was what permitted the fighting to continue. Wars today take place on the home front. The battlefield is the home front. And so we must ensure suitable protection for the home front."
Israeli General: ""Israel and Hamas have common interests."
The general responsible for Israel's border with the Gaza Strip says that continued rule by Hamas is necessary for its stability, Israeli media reported Tuesday.
"The alternative would be the Israeli military and chaos in governance," top-selling Yediot Aharonot quoted Major General Sami Turgeman as telling heads of southern Israel local authorities in the Gaza border area on Monday.
The military spokesman's office told AFP that it had no transcript of Turgeman's remarks and therefore could not verify them.
The statement come in stark contrast to general rhetoric of current right wing Israeli politicians, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who has consistently gained support through vocal condemnation of the Hamas movement.
Israel launched a 50-day war on Hamas in Gaza last year, in which about 2,200 Palestinians were killed, the majority civilians, and 73 died on the Israeli side, most of which were soldiers in combat.
Rightwing politicians, including members of Netanyahu's cabinet, criticized an August 26 truce, saying that the military should have kept up its offensive until Hamas was removed from power.
Netanyahu is in the process of trying to get a center-right government confirmed by a restive parliament, and is hoping to entice hardline former foreign minister Avigdor Lieberman to reverse his decision to take his Yisrael Beitenu party into opposition.
Lieberman said his departure from Netanyahu's coalition was related to a dispute over 'principles.
During negotiations, Lieberman had reportedly demanded that Netanyahu commit to the ousting of Hamas as the de facto power in Gaza, but stepped out of the coalition partially due to his belief that Netanyahu had no intention of doing so.
Turgeman's remarks show an alternative narrative regarding Hamas. Yediot quoting Turgeman as saying, "The struggle against Hamas is not a military war, "Anyone who thinks that the struggle between us and Hamas is just a matter of applying military force against one another doesn't correctly understand the situation.
"We have an interest in someone being responsible for the strip, because otherwise there will be chaos there and the state of security there will be far more problematic," he said.
"Israel and Hamas have common interests, of peace and quiet for growth and prosperity, even in the present situation."
Hamas is under severe economic pressure as a result of an Egyptian crackdown on smuggling through tunnels under the border as well as a seven year Israeli blockade placed on the strip.
The blockade was imposed following the victory of Hamas in the 2006 Palestinian elections and the subsequent 2007 clashes between Fatah and Hamas, which left Hamas in control of the Strip and Fatah in control of the West Bank.
Foreign diplomats and aid agencies have voiced concern that a weakened hold on power could prompt Hamas to resume fighting or cause it to lose ground to more radical Islamist groups.
Aid agencies have also repeatedly warned that tensions would remain high inside of the Gaza Strip if Israel did not ease the blockade to allow reconstruction after last summer's war.
Turgeman predicted a continued build-up of Hamas's armed capabilities and renewed Gaza fighting "every few years."
"The alternative is to try to find periods of quiet, as much as possible," Turgeman said, arguing against rightist proposals that Israel retake sovereignty over the coastal enclave.
Also of interest: Israeli Soldiers Describe 'Losing Their Sense of Morality' During the Gaza Conflict
Miko Peled: the General's Son
GOC Southern Command Major General Sami Turgeman made sure to say what he really thinks about the Gaza conflict before stepping down from his position.
In a meeting with authority heads from all over Israel at Kibbutz Nahal Oz in the south, Turgeman said that it would not be possible to defeat Hamas with a one month long operation – such as the most recent Operation Protective Edge.
"Gaza has an independent authority that functions like a country; there is a government and an annual plan, with executive bodies and inspection authorities. Within the country there is a ruler that is called Hamas which knows how to exercise power over the other authorities. As of now, there is no substitute ruler to replace Hamas in the strip" said Turgeman.
Turgeman noted that "the only replacement for Hamas is the IDF and authoritarian chaos. Other than Hamas there is no other axis that could control, (while) the (Palestinian) Authority cannot rule and this should be taken as an indisputable statement.
"There are additional terror organizations in the strip and the campaign against them continues, and in between the fighting and the 'rounds' there are periods of silence. But its not bang and we're done. Most of the citizens in the strip see Hamas as the only solution to there problems. Whoever thinks there could be a national uprising – it doesn't look likely. The chances it could happen are not high."
The major general, who will be stepping down from his position in two months, stressed that since Israel disengaged from Gaza in 2005 the strategy has been prevention and aversion. "We have no goal that we want to achieve there," said Turgeman. "The only goals are prevention, to prevent chaos and a humanitarian crisis. Therefore, it's not possible to take actions that are against the strategy and this is the state's position."
Turgeman said that Hamas is also interested in quiet, but at the same time urges military buildup. "Whoever thinks that the struggle between us is just a military one does not understand the issue. Hamas does everything in order to exhaust our society - that is part of their success. Hamas did everything in order to entangle us into using force against them in order to affect the next war.
"If Hamas was surprised by anything during Operation Protective Edge it was that we used aggressive force, more than they expected, because the likes of the Goldstone Report gave them a sense of security," said Turgeman. When it comes to finding a solution, Turgeman says that "you have to choose from the various alternatives."
"In my opinion, periods of quiet must be created as much as possible with the knowledge that once in a while there will be a confrontation, and we shouldn't be surprised that once every few years it will happen. "I hope that after Operation Protective Edge the quiet will last a long time, but we must understand the country's alternatives. What this implies is that this is the reality we chose, if this is the policy, than you cannot expect that we'll go out for these types of operations and expect to defeat Hamas," says Turgeman.
Reflecting on last summer's confrontation, Turgeman noted that "Hamas infiltrated 45 terrorists into Israeli territory. Part of these forces' mission was to hurt anyone, soldier or civilian - (it) doesn't matter. That didn't happen because of our defense in the field. It's a big challenge, because there are towns on the fence and next to the fence.
I went into this operation with the concept that evacuating the population was a victory for Hamas and so we weren't in a rush to get to that point. Hamas has returned to building its military force. I don't know any military that doesn't start building its force after a war. We did that, too."
Turgeman further said regarding the 51-day conflict that "we assumed there would be rocket fire at central Israel and at strategic sites… Hamas wants to achieve an image of victory through its underground tunnels. It's very difficult to deal with these channels because there's no technology that can locate them in time. Fortunately, we are making significant progress.
"I don't know how the next operations will look. It will take more than a month for a significant achievement and we have to prepare ourselves for such a reality. For Hamas, the number of dead and amount of our attacks are not a measure of success or lack of success. What matters is that it didn't lose and that it stayed in power."
Turgeman praised local authorities in the south, saying that coordination during the conflict had been good.
Shai Hajaj, head of Merhavim Regional Council, said of Turgeman's statements that "it's clear that terror operatives are committing terrorism now, during a 'ceasefire', and they are preparing for future conflicts. And it's clear to everyone that the next conflict, whether in the north or south, will be difficult.
"As mayors, we must ensure in advance and do everything we can for our residents to be prepared. The civilian resilience during Operation Protective Edge was what permitted the fighting to continue. Wars today take place on the home front. The battlefield is the home front. And so we must ensure suitable protection for the home front."
Israeli General: ""Israel and Hamas have common interests."
The general responsible for Israel's border with the Gaza Strip says that continued rule by Hamas is necessary for its stability, Israeli media reported Tuesday.
"The alternative would be the Israeli military and chaos in governance," top-selling Yediot Aharonot quoted Major General Sami Turgeman as telling heads of southern Israel local authorities in the Gaza border area on Monday.
The military spokesman's office told AFP that it had no transcript of Turgeman's remarks and therefore could not verify them.
The statement come in stark contrast to general rhetoric of current right wing Israeli politicians, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who has consistently gained support through vocal condemnation of the Hamas movement.
Israel launched a 50-day war on Hamas in Gaza last year, in which about 2,200 Palestinians were killed, the majority civilians, and 73 died on the Israeli side, most of which were soldiers in combat.
Rightwing politicians, including members of Netanyahu's cabinet, criticized an August 26 truce, saying that the military should have kept up its offensive until Hamas was removed from power.
Netanyahu is in the process of trying to get a center-right government confirmed by a restive parliament, and is hoping to entice hardline former foreign minister Avigdor Lieberman to reverse his decision to take his Yisrael Beitenu party into opposition.
Lieberman said his departure from Netanyahu's coalition was related to a dispute over 'principles.
During negotiations, Lieberman had reportedly demanded that Netanyahu commit to the ousting of Hamas as the de facto power in Gaza, but stepped out of the coalition partially due to his belief that Netanyahu had no intention of doing so.
Turgeman's remarks show an alternative narrative regarding Hamas. Yediot quoting Turgeman as saying, "The struggle against Hamas is not a military war, "Anyone who thinks that the struggle between us and Hamas is just a matter of applying military force against one another doesn't correctly understand the situation.
"We have an interest in someone being responsible for the strip, because otherwise there will be chaos there and the state of security there will be far more problematic," he said.
"Israel and Hamas have common interests, of peace and quiet for growth and prosperity, even in the present situation."
Hamas is under severe economic pressure as a result of an Egyptian crackdown on smuggling through tunnels under the border as well as a seven year Israeli blockade placed on the strip.
The blockade was imposed following the victory of Hamas in the 2006 Palestinian elections and the subsequent 2007 clashes between Fatah and Hamas, which left Hamas in control of the Strip and Fatah in control of the West Bank.
Foreign diplomats and aid agencies have voiced concern that a weakened hold on power could prompt Hamas to resume fighting or cause it to lose ground to more radical Islamist groups.
Aid agencies have also repeatedly warned that tensions would remain high inside of the Gaza Strip if Israel did not ease the blockade to allow reconstruction after last summer's war.
Turgeman predicted a continued build-up of Hamas's armed capabilities and renewed Gaza fighting "every few years."
"The alternative is to try to find periods of quiet, as much as possible," Turgeman said, arguing against rightist proposals that Israel retake sovereignty over the coastal enclave.
Also of interest: Israeli Soldiers Describe 'Losing Their Sense of Morality' During the Gaza Conflict
Miko Peled: the General's Son
11 may 2015
A number of Israeli military vehicles carried out, on Monday morning, a limited invasion into an area east of Gaza city, and fired a number of rounds of live ammunition on farmers in southern Gaza.
Media sources said the soldiers briefly advanced into Palestinian lands in the Shejaeyya area, east of Gaza city, fired several rounds of live ammunition, and withdrew back to their base, across the border fence.
In addition, soldiers stationed on military towers, across the border fence, opened fire on Palestinian farmers in their lands, east of the al-Qarara town, in Khan Younis, in the southern part of the coastal region, forcing them to leave.
The army caries out repeated invasions, and attacks, targeting the Palestinians, their homes and lands, especially in areas close to the border fence.
Also on Monday morning, soldiers released two fishers, kidnapped on Sunday, while in Palestinian waters close to the shore, north of Gaza city.
Media sources said the soldiers briefly advanced into Palestinian lands in the Shejaeyya area, east of Gaza city, fired several rounds of live ammunition, and withdrew back to their base, across the border fence.
In addition, soldiers stationed on military towers, across the border fence, opened fire on Palestinian farmers in their lands, east of the al-Qarara town, in Khan Younis, in the southern part of the coastal region, forcing them to leave.
The army caries out repeated invasions, and attacks, targeting the Palestinians, their homes and lands, especially in areas close to the border fence.
Also on Monday morning, soldiers released two fishers, kidnapped on Sunday, while in Palestinian waters close to the shore, north of Gaza city.
10 may 2015
Israeli navy ships opened fire, on Sunday morning, on fishing boats in Palestinian territorial waters, in northern Gaza, causing damage to one boat, before the soldiers kidnapped two fishers.
Nizar Ayyash, head of the Palestinian Fishers Syndicate, told the Radio Bethlehem 2000 that the navy kidnapped Hatem Abdul-Rahman Sultan, 33, and Mohammad Amin Sultan, 25, and took them to an unknown destination.
The two were kidnapped after several rounds of live ammunition hit their fishing boat in the Sudaniyya Sea, north of Gaza.
The Israeli navy carries out daily attacks and violations against Palestinian fishers in Gaza territorial waters; the attacks include arrests and confiscation of boats.
The repeated Israeli attacks led to scores of casualties, including several fatalities.
Nizar Ayyash, head of the Palestinian Fishers Syndicate, told the Radio Bethlehem 2000 that the navy kidnapped Hatem Abdul-Rahman Sultan, 33, and Mohammad Amin Sultan, 25, and took them to an unknown destination.
The two were kidnapped after several rounds of live ammunition hit their fishing boat in the Sudaniyya Sea, north of Gaza.
The Israeli navy carries out daily attacks and violations against Palestinian fishers in Gaza territorial waters; the attacks include arrests and confiscation of boats.
The repeated Israeli attacks led to scores of casualties, including several fatalities.
9 may 2015
Two Palestinian farmers from Khan Younis got injured Saturday afternoon by Israeli Occupation Forces’ (IOF) bullets in northern Gaza Strip.
The spokesman of the Palestinian Ministry of Health, Dr. Ashraf al-Qudrah, told the PIC reporter that the wounded whose cases were described as moderate were transferred to European Gaza Hospital.
Local sourced revealed that both of the farmers were working on a tractor plowing a land in Beit Lahia north of the blockaded enclave when they got shot by Israeli bullets.
The spokesman of the Palestinian Ministry of Health, Dr. Ashraf al-Qudrah, told the PIC reporter that the wounded whose cases were described as moderate were transferred to European Gaza Hospital.
Local sourced revealed that both of the farmers were working on a tractor plowing a land in Beit Lahia north of the blockaded enclave when they got shot by Israeli bullets.
Intensive flight of Israeli aircraft has been reported overnight in the skies of the Gaza Strip, Quds Press said.
Israeli unmanned aircrafts have extensively hovering overnight over the eastern areas of Gaza city at late hours yesterday, the sources added.
Two surveillance balloons were also launched over Joher Deek village southeast of Gaza City.
Since the ceasefire agreement that ended the Israeli 51-day aggression on Gaza, human rights defenders have accused Israel of routinely violating the terms of the agreement.
Israeli unmanned aircrafts have extensively hovering overnight over the eastern areas of Gaza city at late hours yesterday, the sources added.
Two surveillance balloons were also launched over Joher Deek village southeast of Gaza City.
Since the ceasefire agreement that ended the Israeli 51-day aggression on Gaza, human rights defenders have accused Israel of routinely violating the terms of the agreement.
8 may 2015
File
Medical sources have reported that a Palestinian teen was shot, and seriously injured, by Israeli army fire west of Beit Lahia, in the northern part of the Gaza Strip.
The sources that a 17-year-old Palestinian was shot with a live round to the head, fired by Israeli soldiers stationed on military towers, across the border fence, northwest of Beit Lahia.
The wounded Palestinian was instantly moved to the Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, where he was admitted to surgery.
Israeli soldiers frequently open fire of farmers trying to enter their own lands close to the border fence, in the northern and eastern parts of the coastal region.
Two Gazans wounded by Israeli gunfire
A 17-year-old young man on Friday evening suffered serious bullet injuries when Israeli soldiers opened fire at him in the northern border area of the Gaza Strip.
A spokesman for the health ministry said that the young man was targeted as he was walking in a border area to the north of Beit Lahiya district, noting that he was rushed to al-Shifa hospital for medical treatment.
For its part, the Palestinian interior ministry said that one fisherman was wounded when Israeli gunboats on the afternoon of the same day opened machinegun fire at fishing boats off the coast of Gaza.
Medical sources have reported that a Palestinian teen was shot, and seriously injured, by Israeli army fire west of Beit Lahia, in the northern part of the Gaza Strip.
The sources that a 17-year-old Palestinian was shot with a live round to the head, fired by Israeli soldiers stationed on military towers, across the border fence, northwest of Beit Lahia.
The wounded Palestinian was instantly moved to the Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, where he was admitted to surgery.
Israeli soldiers frequently open fire of farmers trying to enter their own lands close to the border fence, in the northern and eastern parts of the coastal region.
Two Gazans wounded by Israeli gunfire
A 17-year-old young man on Friday evening suffered serious bullet injuries when Israeli soldiers opened fire at him in the northern border area of the Gaza Strip.
A spokesman for the health ministry said that the young man was targeted as he was walking in a border area to the north of Beit Lahiya district, noting that he was rushed to al-Shifa hospital for medical treatment.
For its part, the Palestinian interior ministry said that one fisherman was wounded when Israeli gunboats on the afternoon of the same day opened machinegun fire at fishing boats off the coast of Gaza.
The UNDP on Thursday said it has cleared a quarter of a million tons of rubble generated in 270 hard-hit locations as a result of the Israeli 2014 summer aggression on the Gaza Strip.
The UNDP stated that it has been removing the debris generated in tattered areas across the war-torn coastal enclave and has so forth successfully removed a quarter million tons of rubble from a total of 270 locations.
The removal of the debris comes as a direct result of the $14-million-deal struck between the UNDP’s Program of Assistance to the Palestinian People and the US Agency for International Development (USAID), Sweden and Japan to remove the rubble generated by the latest Israeli onslaught on the war-torn strip.
As part of the project, UNDP has grinded about 60 tons of rubble, which would be used in road reconstruction.
UNDP estimates that the 51-day Israeli military onslaught on Gaza resulted in the total destruction of 18,000 Palestinian housing units and the displacement of at least 108,000 civilians.
An Israeli 51-day offensive on the blockaded coastal enclave last summer took away the lives of over 2,323 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and reduced thousands of civilian homes to rubble.
The UNDP stated that it has been removing the debris generated in tattered areas across the war-torn coastal enclave and has so forth successfully removed a quarter million tons of rubble from a total of 270 locations.
The removal of the debris comes as a direct result of the $14-million-deal struck between the UNDP’s Program of Assistance to the Palestinian People and the US Agency for International Development (USAID), Sweden and Japan to remove the rubble generated by the latest Israeli onslaught on the war-torn strip.
As part of the project, UNDP has grinded about 60 tons of rubble, which would be used in road reconstruction.
UNDP estimates that the 51-day Israeli military onslaught on Gaza resulted in the total destruction of 18,000 Palestinian housing units and the displacement of at least 108,000 civilians.
An Israeli 51-day offensive on the blockaded coastal enclave last summer took away the lives of over 2,323 Palestinians, mostly women and children, and reduced thousands of civilian homes to rubble.
7 may 2015
Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) advanced into Palestinian lands to the east of Rafah, in southern Israeli-besieged Gaza Strip and leveled lands amid arbitrary shooting.
Local sources told the PIC reporter that four Israeli military bulldozers advanced into lands to the east of al-Shawkeh neighborhood in Rafah for a limited distance estimated at 150 meters.
The Israeli bulldozers leveled and razed lands amid intermittent firing at agricultural lands. No casualties have been reported.
The IOF opened its machineguns fire at the eastern outskirts of the blockaded enclave three times this week and arrested three Palestinian minors for trying to cross the security fence east of Rafah.
This comes as Israel has violated the ceasrefire hundreds of time, in observers call "a one-sided" ceasefire".
Local sources told the PIC reporter that four Israeli military bulldozers advanced into lands to the east of al-Shawkeh neighborhood in Rafah for a limited distance estimated at 150 meters.
The Israeli bulldozers leveled and razed lands amid intermittent firing at agricultural lands. No casualties have been reported.
The IOF opened its machineguns fire at the eastern outskirts of the blockaded enclave three times this week and arrested three Palestinian minors for trying to cross the security fence east of Rafah.
This comes as Israel has violated the ceasrefire hundreds of time, in observers call "a one-sided" ceasefire".
Israeli soldiers opened fire, on Thursday at dawn, on a number of Palestinian farmers east of Deir al-Balah, in Central Gaza, while navy ships opened fire on fishing boats in Gaza territorial waters.
Media sources said the soldiers fired dozens of rounds of live ammunition into Palestinian agricultural lands, south of Deir al-Balah, forcing the farmers to leave their lands fearing addition military escalation.
The sources stated that the live rounds were fired from military towers, surrounding the Kissufim base, across the border fence with Gaza.
In addition, Israeli navy ships fired rounds of live ammunition targeting a number of fishing boats, in Palestinian territorial waters.
One of the boats was damaged nearly 4 miles from the Gaza coast, and the fishers had to swim back to shore, to avoid further navy fire.
The Israeli army and navy conduct daily assaults and violations against the Palestinians, their lands and property in different parts of the besieged coastal region.
Media sources said the soldiers fired dozens of rounds of live ammunition into Palestinian agricultural lands, south of Deir al-Balah, forcing the farmers to leave their lands fearing addition military escalation.
The sources stated that the live rounds were fired from military towers, surrounding the Kissufim base, across the border fence with Gaza.
In addition, Israeli navy ships fired rounds of live ammunition targeting a number of fishing boats, in Palestinian territorial waters.
One of the boats was damaged nearly 4 miles from the Gaza coast, and the fishers had to swim back to shore, to avoid further navy fire.
The Israeli army and navy conduct daily assaults and violations against the Palestinians, their lands and property in different parts of the besieged coastal region.
6 may 2015
Israeli military boats on Wednesday afternoon opened fire at Palestinian fishing boats near the shore of the central Gaza Strip, security sources said.
Local security sources said Israeli boats opened fire at boats near Deir al-Balah. No injuries were reported.
An Israeli army spokeswoman did not immediately return a call seeking comment.
Local security sources said Israeli boats opened fire at boats near Deir al-Balah. No injuries were reported.
An Israeli army spokeswoman did not immediately return a call seeking comment.
Two Palestinian children were injured as a leftover Israeli explosive device blew up in eastern Gaza City on Wednesday.
Medical sources said that two children were injured when ordnance left from the latest Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip went off in the Shuja'eyya neighborhood of eastern Gaza City.
In September, three people were killed and two injured by unexploded ordnance in the neighborhood, Ma'an News Agency reports.
Over 7,000 unexploded ordnance were left throughout the Gaza Strip following last summer's war between Israel and Palestinian militant groups, according to officials of the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for the Palestinian territories (OCHA).
Although Gaza police explosives teams have been working across the territory to destroy the ordnance and prevent safety threats to locals, lack of proper equipment due to the seven-year Israeli siege, as well as lack of resources, have hindered the effort.
Even before the most frequent Israeli assault, unexploded ordnance from the 2008-9 and 2012 offensives was a major threat to Gazans.
A 2012 report published by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights said that 111 civilians, 64 of whom were children, were casualties to unexploded ordnance between 2009 and 2012, reaching an average of four every month in 2012.
Medical sources said that two children were injured when ordnance left from the latest Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip went off in the Shuja'eyya neighborhood of eastern Gaza City.
In September, three people were killed and two injured by unexploded ordnance in the neighborhood, Ma'an News Agency reports.
Over 7,000 unexploded ordnance were left throughout the Gaza Strip following last summer's war between Israel and Palestinian militant groups, according to officials of the UN Humanitarian Coordinator for the Palestinian territories (OCHA).
Although Gaza police explosives teams have been working across the territory to destroy the ordnance and prevent safety threats to locals, lack of proper equipment due to the seven-year Israeli siege, as well as lack of resources, have hindered the effort.
Even before the most frequent Israeli assault, unexploded ordnance from the 2008-9 and 2012 offensives was a major threat to Gazans.
A 2012 report published by the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights said that 111 civilians, 64 of whom were children, were casualties to unexploded ordnance between 2009 and 2012, reaching an average of four every month in 2012.
5 may 2015
As a former sniper with the Israeli army, I am calling for for an investigation of the events that took place in Gaza last year
The conflict in the Gaza Strip in the summer of 2014 was the most violent and destructive round of fighting experienced in Gaza in recent years. According to the UN, 2,205 Palestinians lost their lives, 18,000 homes throughout Gaza were damaged or destroyed and 108,000 Palestinians were left homeless. This unprecedented scale of death and destruction is not a matter of chance and should surprise no one – it is the result of a deliberate change in recent years in the way the Israeli army (IDF) conducts its wars.
This change began in 2005, when Professor Asa Kasher and Major General (res.) Amos Yadlin published a paper called “Military Ethics of Fighting Terror: An Israeli Perspective.” This paper offers a radically changed perspective on the IDF’s obligation to avoid harming innocent lives. It defines a “hierarchy of lives” with four levels. The lives of Israeli citizens come first, followed by the lives of IDF soldiers. The lives of enemy civilians come next and enemy combatants come last. This hierarchy determines that the army’s duty is to do everything in its power to prevent harm to IDF soldiers, even if it causes probable harm to the lives of innocent Palestinian civilians in Gaza.
This doctrine shaped the IDF’s mode of action in Gaza and influenced the rules of engagement Israeli soldiers received last summer during Operation Protective Edge, as indicated in over 60 soldiers’ testimonies collected by Breaking the Silence. One testifier described the rules of engagement as follows: “The instructions are to shoot right away. Whoever you spot – be they armed or unarmed, no matter what. The instructions are very clear. Any person you run into, that you see with your eyes – shoot to kill. It’s an explicit instruction.” Instructions of this kind were given to soldiers of all ranks.
A second doctrine that shaped the IDF’s approach during Protective Edge was the “Dahiya Doctrine”, adopted by the IDF since the Second Lebanon War in 2006. In an interview in 2008, the IDF’s current Chief of Staff, Gadi Eizenkot (then head of the army’s Northern Command), described the doctrine bluntly: “What happened in the Dahiya quarter in Beirut in 2006 will happen in every village from which they fire at Israel. We will apply a disproportionate amount of force and cause massive damage and destruction. As far as we are concerned, these are military bases.” Major General (res.) Dr. Gabriel Siboni argued: “When the next confrontation breaks out, the IDF will need to act quickly, resolutely, and with unprecedented force against the threat and actions of the enemy, in order to harm and punish, on levels that will require long and expensive rehabilitative processes.”
In line with this rationale, IDF actions included destruction that had no correlation to the level of risk to the forces or to Israeli citizens. Such actions were designed to exact a heavy price and increase Israel’s deterrence against Gaza. For example, one soldier testified about a heavy bombardment after the forces began withdrawing from Gaza, when a ceasefire was about to take hold: “After we left, I heard a boom. I looked back and I saw an air bombardment, and they told us, ‘Yeah, there’s going to be a cease-fire, so we want to have “the final word” before we leave.’”
These doctrines shaped the IDF’s conduct during all stages of combat in Gaza. Principles like the “purity of arms” and the “value of human life,” which once stood at the basis of the IDF’s code of ethics, were abandoned.
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The extremely permissive rules of engagement last summer point to a fundamental change in the norms that guide IDF combat, which peaked during Operation Protective Edge. According to senior IDF officials, it will continue to shape the IDF’s approach in future conflicts.
The IDF has declared the establishment of an investigative team charged with examining any deviations from IDF protocol during the operation. During my army service, I was exposed to the IDF’s investigative mechanisms. I am now a member of Breaking the Silence, an organization that has been observing the IDF’s policies in the occupied Palestinian territories for nearly 11 years. I know that these mechanisms are not capable of investigating the wider policy that guides the IDF’s actions. At best, only some junior soldiers will be held responsible for isolated incidents.
Therefore, we call for an extensive and thorough investigation of the events that took place in Gaza in the summer of 2014. This investigation must be conducted by an external and independent entity authorized to investigate the political and military leadership that developed and approved these policies – not just the soldiers who carried them out.
Ron Zaidel served as a sniper in the Nahal Brigade of the IDF and is currently a researcher at Breaking the Silence.
The conflict in the Gaza Strip in the summer of 2014 was the most violent and destructive round of fighting experienced in Gaza in recent years. According to the UN, 2,205 Palestinians lost their lives, 18,000 homes throughout Gaza were damaged or destroyed and 108,000 Palestinians were left homeless. This unprecedented scale of death and destruction is not a matter of chance and should surprise no one – it is the result of a deliberate change in recent years in the way the Israeli army (IDF) conducts its wars.
This change began in 2005, when Professor Asa Kasher and Major General (res.) Amos Yadlin published a paper called “Military Ethics of Fighting Terror: An Israeli Perspective.” This paper offers a radically changed perspective on the IDF’s obligation to avoid harming innocent lives. It defines a “hierarchy of lives” with four levels. The lives of Israeli citizens come first, followed by the lives of IDF soldiers. The lives of enemy civilians come next and enemy combatants come last. This hierarchy determines that the army’s duty is to do everything in its power to prevent harm to IDF soldiers, even if it causes probable harm to the lives of innocent Palestinian civilians in Gaza.
This doctrine shaped the IDF’s mode of action in Gaza and influenced the rules of engagement Israeli soldiers received last summer during Operation Protective Edge, as indicated in over 60 soldiers’ testimonies collected by Breaking the Silence. One testifier described the rules of engagement as follows: “The instructions are to shoot right away. Whoever you spot – be they armed or unarmed, no matter what. The instructions are very clear. Any person you run into, that you see with your eyes – shoot to kill. It’s an explicit instruction.” Instructions of this kind were given to soldiers of all ranks.
A second doctrine that shaped the IDF’s approach during Protective Edge was the “Dahiya Doctrine”, adopted by the IDF since the Second Lebanon War in 2006. In an interview in 2008, the IDF’s current Chief of Staff, Gadi Eizenkot (then head of the army’s Northern Command), described the doctrine bluntly: “What happened in the Dahiya quarter in Beirut in 2006 will happen in every village from which they fire at Israel. We will apply a disproportionate amount of force and cause massive damage and destruction. As far as we are concerned, these are military bases.” Major General (res.) Dr. Gabriel Siboni argued: “When the next confrontation breaks out, the IDF will need to act quickly, resolutely, and with unprecedented force against the threat and actions of the enemy, in order to harm and punish, on levels that will require long and expensive rehabilitative processes.”
In line with this rationale, IDF actions included destruction that had no correlation to the level of risk to the forces or to Israeli citizens. Such actions were designed to exact a heavy price and increase Israel’s deterrence against Gaza. For example, one soldier testified about a heavy bombardment after the forces began withdrawing from Gaza, when a ceasefire was about to take hold: “After we left, I heard a boom. I looked back and I saw an air bombardment, and they told us, ‘Yeah, there’s going to be a cease-fire, so we want to have “the final word” before we leave.’”
These doctrines shaped the IDF’s conduct during all stages of combat in Gaza. Principles like the “purity of arms” and the “value of human life,” which once stood at the basis of the IDF’s code of ethics, were abandoned.
READ MORE
The testimonies of Israeli soldiers provided to group
Netanyahu 'has never believed in two state solution'
Cameron says Israel was right to defend itself over Gaza attacks
The extremely permissive rules of engagement last summer point to a fundamental change in the norms that guide IDF combat, which peaked during Operation Protective Edge. According to senior IDF officials, it will continue to shape the IDF’s approach in future conflicts.
The IDF has declared the establishment of an investigative team charged with examining any deviations from IDF protocol during the operation. During my army service, I was exposed to the IDF’s investigative mechanisms. I am now a member of Breaking the Silence, an organization that has been observing the IDF’s policies in the occupied Palestinian territories for nearly 11 years. I know that these mechanisms are not capable of investigating the wider policy that guides the IDF’s actions. At best, only some junior soldiers will be held responsible for isolated incidents.
Therefore, we call for an extensive and thorough investigation of the events that took place in Gaza in the summer of 2014. This investigation must be conducted by an external and independent entity authorized to investigate the political and military leadership that developed and approved these policies – not just the soldiers who carried them out.
Ron Zaidel served as a sniper in the Nahal Brigade of the IDF and is currently a researcher at Breaking the Silence.
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