26 dec 2015
Palestinian activists and families of slain anti-occupation protesters slammed the Israeli occupation for executing their children and harvesting their organs after withholding their bodies for weeks.
A number of families refused to succumb to Israeli conditions to bury their slain sons and daughters without carrying out postmortem autopsy.
Other families succumbed to Israeli terms due to the pressure exerted by the occupation authorities and their eagerness to bury their children and bid them last farewell at the soonest time possible.
Head of the Quds Center for Legal Assistance in Nablus, Saher Sarsour, held the Israeli occupation accountable for stealing Palestinians’ organs.
“Israel has a long history of harvesting the organs of detained Palestinian cadavers. There should be a mechanism of some sort or a third party to carry out the autopsy and prove whether certain organs were stolen and whether people were cold-bloodedly killed from a zero distance,” Sarsur said.
The families of the killed Palestinians face tough conditions set by Israel in return for the bodies of their dead children, which some have accepted while others have rejected, while the international community remains silent regarding this inhumane Israeli practice.
One condition set by Israeli authorities is that families receive the bodies and bury them during the night, which prevents the family from conducting an independent autopsy to figure out the cause of death.
In many cases, Palestinian families are also forced to sign a number of documents written in the Hebrew language, which they do not understand.
Sarsur added that the Israeli occupation turned Palestinian cadavers into bargaining chips, ordering families to shell out fines amounting to $14,000 in the event they violated conditions of the delivery of the bodies.
At least 315 Palestinians have been withheld by the Israeli occupation authorities, 50 among whom detained since the outbreak of the Jerusalem Intifada in early October.
A number of families refused to succumb to Israeli conditions to bury their slain sons and daughters without carrying out postmortem autopsy.
Other families succumbed to Israeli terms due to the pressure exerted by the occupation authorities and their eagerness to bury their children and bid them last farewell at the soonest time possible.
Head of the Quds Center for Legal Assistance in Nablus, Saher Sarsour, held the Israeli occupation accountable for stealing Palestinians’ organs.
“Israel has a long history of harvesting the organs of detained Palestinian cadavers. There should be a mechanism of some sort or a third party to carry out the autopsy and prove whether certain organs were stolen and whether people were cold-bloodedly killed from a zero distance,” Sarsur said.
The families of the killed Palestinians face tough conditions set by Israel in return for the bodies of their dead children, which some have accepted while others have rejected, while the international community remains silent regarding this inhumane Israeli practice.
One condition set by Israeli authorities is that families receive the bodies and bury them during the night, which prevents the family from conducting an independent autopsy to figure out the cause of death.
In many cases, Palestinian families are also forced to sign a number of documents written in the Hebrew language, which they do not understand.
Sarsur added that the Israeli occupation turned Palestinian cadavers into bargaining chips, ordering families to shell out fines amounting to $14,000 in the event they violated conditions of the delivery of the bodies.
At least 315 Palestinians have been withheld by the Israeli occupation authorities, 50 among whom detained since the outbreak of the Jerusalem Intifada in early October.
Head of Israel's Higher Arab Monitoring Committee Ahmed Baraka said that the Israeli government seeks to outlaw all Arab political parties and groups after banning the northern branch of Islamic Movement last month.
The recent Israeli decision to outlaw the Islamic Movement does not only target the Islamic group but all the Arab movements and political parties in Israel, he said.
He expressed the Committee's rejection of the Israeli decision, considering it illegal and targeting all Arabs.
It was an Israeli political measure par excellence, he stressed.
Protests against Israel’s illegal decision against the Islamic Movement and its restrictions on Arab movements and groups will continue, Baraka pointed out.
Earlier last month, the Israeli security cabinet outlawed the Islamic Movement in Israel headed by Sheikh Raed Salah, accusing it of inciting violence. The Islamic Movement rejected the claim and challenged the government to prove it.
The recent Israeli decision to outlaw the Islamic Movement does not only target the Islamic group but all the Arab movements and political parties in Israel, he said.
He expressed the Committee's rejection of the Israeli decision, considering it illegal and targeting all Arabs.
It was an Israeli political measure par excellence, he stressed.
Protests against Israel’s illegal decision against the Islamic Movement and its restrictions on Arab movements and groups will continue, Baraka pointed out.
Earlier last month, the Israeli security cabinet outlawed the Islamic Movement in Israel headed by Sheikh Raed Salah, accusing it of inciting violence. The Islamic Movement rejected the claim and challenged the government to prove it.
Director of the Jerusalem Endowment and al-Aqsa Affairs, Sheikh Azzam al-Khatib, said the calls launched by Israel’s alleged temple mount organizations to raise the Israeli flag over al-Aqsa Mosque shall never see the day.
He said such sacrilegious schemes against al-Aqsa aim at fueling Muslims’ anger and fanning the flames of the simmering tension across Occupied Jerusalem.
“Any attempt to harm al-Aqsa would herald a religious war in the entire region, for the Mosque is part and parcel of Muslims’ faith,” he added.
“Only Muslims have sovereignty over al-Aqsa. The Israeli flag shall be raised nowhere in the 144 dunums covered by al-Aqsa Mosque,” he further vowed.
He called on the Israeli occupation authorities to take serious action against such calls launched by fanatic Israelis.
Meanwhile, the Islamic Endowment department denounced the launch of a drone equipped with a camera over Muslims’ the holy al-Aqsa Mosque.
Al-Khatib warned of the serious repercussions of such a practice by the Israeli settlers, holding the Israeli occupation authorities responsible for such a violation, which is the fifth of its kind during the past couple of years.
Al-Khatib said the occupation police claimed they arrested the settlers who launched the drone but they gave no further details on the matter.
He warned of the possibility of installing dangerous devices on such drones and slamming them into al-Aqsa.
Al-Khatib added that the Endowment Department sent a report to the Jordanian Endowment Department due to the serious nature of the practice.
He said such sacrilegious schemes against al-Aqsa aim at fueling Muslims’ anger and fanning the flames of the simmering tension across Occupied Jerusalem.
“Any attempt to harm al-Aqsa would herald a religious war in the entire region, for the Mosque is part and parcel of Muslims’ faith,” he added.
“Only Muslims have sovereignty over al-Aqsa. The Israeli flag shall be raised nowhere in the 144 dunums covered by al-Aqsa Mosque,” he further vowed.
He called on the Israeli occupation authorities to take serious action against such calls launched by fanatic Israelis.
Meanwhile, the Islamic Endowment department denounced the launch of a drone equipped with a camera over Muslims’ the holy al-Aqsa Mosque.
Al-Khatib warned of the serious repercussions of such a practice by the Israeli settlers, holding the Israeli occupation authorities responsible for such a violation, which is the fifth of its kind during the past couple of years.
Al-Khatib said the occupation police claimed they arrested the settlers who launched the drone but they gave no further details on the matter.
He warned of the possibility of installing dangerous devices on such drones and slamming them into al-Aqsa.
Al-Khatib added that the Endowment Department sent a report to the Jordanian Endowment Department due to the serious nature of the practice.
Hamas and Islamic Jihad have strongly denounced the Palestinian Authority (PA) for allowing its security forces on Friday to suppress a protest march called for by the Palestine Liberation organization (PLO) factions in Ramallah city.
Senior Islamic Jihad official Khader Adnan, who is a member of the national committee of freedoms, condemned the assault on the participants in the march as a blatant violation of the Palestinians' right to resist the occupation.
Plain-clothes officers from the PA presidential guard violently attacked on Friday afternoon the participants in the march and prevented them from walking to the military barriers near Beit El settlement near Ramallah and al-Bireh cities to protest the Israeli ongoing violations and crimes against the Palestinian people.
Adnan also deplored the PA security forces for assaulting journalists during the march and confiscating their cameras to prevent them from covering their violations.
He called on the PA to give its people a free hand to negotiate the occupation in their own way, stressing that the occupation can only be confronted through resistance and intifada (uprising).
For his part, Hamas official and lawmaker Basem al-Za'arir accused the PA of protecting Israel's security, describing its assault on protesters marching to Beit El checkpoint in Ramallah as "contrary to the Palestinian people's will."
Za'arir added that "the PA wants to send a reassurance message to the occupation that it will continue to do what it should do to protect its security."
In the same context, head of the Palestinian National Initiative Mustafa al-Barghouthi described what happened to the Ramallah march as "unacceptable and against the national consensus about the intifada."
Barghouthi, who was one of the participants in the march, called on the PA officials who were responsible for subduing the marchers to reconsider their anti-national positions.
"What happened was strange and contrary to the consensus. We were surprised to see the security apparatuses preventing the march from heading to Beit El checkpoint," he told al-Aqsa satellite channel on Friday.
Senior Islamic Jihad official Khader Adnan, who is a member of the national committee of freedoms, condemned the assault on the participants in the march as a blatant violation of the Palestinians' right to resist the occupation.
Plain-clothes officers from the PA presidential guard violently attacked on Friday afternoon the participants in the march and prevented them from walking to the military barriers near Beit El settlement near Ramallah and al-Bireh cities to protest the Israeli ongoing violations and crimes against the Palestinian people.
Adnan also deplored the PA security forces for assaulting journalists during the march and confiscating their cameras to prevent them from covering their violations.
He called on the PA to give its people a free hand to negotiate the occupation in their own way, stressing that the occupation can only be confronted through resistance and intifada (uprising).
For his part, Hamas official and lawmaker Basem al-Za'arir accused the PA of protecting Israel's security, describing its assault on protesters marching to Beit El checkpoint in Ramallah as "contrary to the Palestinian people's will."
Za'arir added that "the PA wants to send a reassurance message to the occupation that it will continue to do what it should do to protect its security."
In the same context, head of the Palestinian National Initiative Mustafa al-Barghouthi described what happened to the Ramallah march as "unacceptable and against the national consensus about the intifada."
Barghouthi, who was one of the participants in the march, called on the PA officials who were responsible for subduing the marchers to reconsider their anti-national positions.
"What happened was strange and contrary to the consensus. We were surprised to see the security apparatuses preventing the march from heading to Beit El checkpoint," he told al-Aqsa satellite channel on Friday.
25 dec 2015
Mahdiyya Mohammad Ibrahim Hammad 38
Israeli soldiers killed, on Friday evening, a Palestinian woman while driving her car near the main entrance of Silwad town, northeast of the central West Bank city of Ramallah.
The slain Palestinian woman has been identified as Mahdiyya Mohammad Ibrahim Hammad, 38. She is a married mother of four children.
Although the Israeli army claimed “she attempted to ram soldiers with her car,” eyewitness confirmed she was at least 30 meters away from the military roadblock, when the soldiers opened fire on her.
They added that the woman was not even speeding when the soldiers opened fire on her car, and that the army fired many live rounds at her.
Following the shooting, the soldiers left the woman to bleed to death, and held her body for more than two hours before handing her to the Palestinian side, near the Beit El military roadblock.
The family said the funeral ceremony and procession will be held on Saturday, after the noon prayers in Silwad.
The Palestinian Health Ministry said Hammad was shot with two live rounds in her face, five rounds in the chest and two in the pelvis.
Also on Friday, the army killed a young Palestinian man, identified as Hani Rafeeq Wahdan, 22, east of Gaza City. Wahdan was shot with a live round in the head.
The Palestinian Health Ministry said 137 Palestinians, including 26 children and 7 women, have been killed by Israeli fire since October 1, while more than 15000 have been injured, including 4500 who were shot with live fire and rubber-coated metal bullets.
Israeli soldiers killed, on Friday evening, a Palestinian woman while driving her car near the main entrance of Silwad town, northeast of the central West Bank city of Ramallah.
The slain Palestinian woman has been identified as Mahdiyya Mohammad Ibrahim Hammad, 38. She is a married mother of four children.
Although the Israeli army claimed “she attempted to ram soldiers with her car,” eyewitness confirmed she was at least 30 meters away from the military roadblock, when the soldiers opened fire on her.
They added that the woman was not even speeding when the soldiers opened fire on her car, and that the army fired many live rounds at her.
Following the shooting, the soldiers left the woman to bleed to death, and held her body for more than two hours before handing her to the Palestinian side, near the Beit El military roadblock.
The family said the funeral ceremony and procession will be held on Saturday, after the noon prayers in Silwad.
The Palestinian Health Ministry said Hammad was shot with two live rounds in her face, five rounds in the chest and two in the pelvis.
Also on Friday, the army killed a young Palestinian man, identified as Hani Rafeeq Wahdan, 22, east of Gaza City. Wahdan was shot with a live round in the head.
The Palestinian Health Ministry said 137 Palestinians, including 26 children and 7 women, have been killed by Israeli fire since October 1, while more than 15000 have been injured, including 4500 who were shot with live fire and rubber-coated metal bullets.
24 dec 2015
European experts and academics have announced the launch of the Center for NGOs and Policy Studies (CNPS) in London and Brussels, which primarily aims to expose Zionist lobbies in Europe and the US.
The announcement was made following a closed meeting held on Wednesday in the Belgian capital Brussels by a galaxy of European experts and academics versed in the field of lobby groups and their influence on policy makers in Europe and the US.
The CNPS, which is considered the first of its kind in this arena, aims, among other things, to delegitimize and blacklist the Zionist lobbies and their institutions, debunk their objectives and activities, and expose their funding sources.
The announcement was made following a closed meeting held on Wednesday in the Belgian capital Brussels by a galaxy of European experts and academics versed in the field of lobby groups and their influence on policy makers in Europe and the US.
The CNPS, which is considered the first of its kind in this arena, aims, among other things, to delegitimize and blacklist the Zionist lobbies and their institutions, debunk their objectives and activities, and expose their funding sources.
Secretary-General of the Islamic Jihad Movement, Ramadan Shallah, on Thursday called on the Palestinian Authority (PA) to cease security coordination and end peace talks with Israel.
Speaking in a televised speech from a conference held in Gaza to mark the Birthday of Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him), Shallah said the Jerusalem Intifada has restored Palestinians' self-esteem and determination.
"The universal message sent by the Intifada tells the world that Palestine and Occupied Jerusalem are unforgettable," he said.
Shallah hailed the Palestinian anti-occupation youths who have stood on their ground in Occupied Jerusalem, the West Bank, and the blockaded Gaza Strip, along with the diaspora and refugees.
Shallah called on the Fatah Movement to combine forces with the Palestinians and boost the national liberation struggle.
He said Israel's anti-Palestine scheme has failed to gain the support of Jews across the world.
"Every time a war is waged on Gaza, a counter-migration starts to flow," he said.
"Israel has also failed to establish the self-proclaimed Jewish state and to wipe out the Palestinian people from the world map," he added.
"Israel has never managed to dampen Palestinians' spirits. Israel can no longer win wars as it previously did. The wars on Gaza and Lebanon are undeniable proofs," Shallah further stated.
Speaking in a televised speech from a conference held in Gaza to mark the Birthday of Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him), Shallah said the Jerusalem Intifada has restored Palestinians' self-esteem and determination.
"The universal message sent by the Intifada tells the world that Palestine and Occupied Jerusalem are unforgettable," he said.
Shallah hailed the Palestinian anti-occupation youths who have stood on their ground in Occupied Jerusalem, the West Bank, and the blockaded Gaza Strip, along with the diaspora and refugees.
Shallah called on the Fatah Movement to combine forces with the Palestinians and boost the national liberation struggle.
He said Israel's anti-Palestine scheme has failed to gain the support of Jews across the world.
"Every time a war is waged on Gaza, a counter-migration starts to flow," he said.
"Israel has also failed to establish the self-proclaimed Jewish state and to wipe out the Palestinian people from the world map," he added.
"Israel has never managed to dampen Palestinians' spirits. Israel can no longer win wars as it previously did. The wars on Gaza and Lebanon are undeniable proofs," Shallah further stated.
Israel's Students for Temple Mount Organization called on the newly-appointed police inspector general Roni Alsheikh to raise the Israeli flag over a police station at Muslims' the holy al-Aqsa Mosque.
The request also comes at a time when an Israeli MK from the Jewish Home party suggested a bill to allow Israelis to pray at al-Aqsa Mosque.
Students for the Temple Organization sent a letter to the Israeli police inspector general voicing hope to see the Israeli flag flying over al-Aqsa.
According to the Israeli law, the Israeli flag must be raised over all government institutions.
The police said the request is being considered and an answer would be soon sent to the concerned parties.
Meanwhile, five MKs signed a bill calling for allowing Jews to pray at al-Aqsa Mosque.
Prominent Islamic figure in 1948 occupied Palestine and deputy head of the Israeli-outlawed Islamic Movement, Sheikh Kamal al-Khatib, warned of such Judaization bids, saying al-Aqsa Mosque will forever remain for Muslims' only.
The request also comes at a time when an Israeli MK from the Jewish Home party suggested a bill to allow Israelis to pray at al-Aqsa Mosque.
Students for the Temple Organization sent a letter to the Israeli police inspector general voicing hope to see the Israeli flag flying over al-Aqsa.
According to the Israeli law, the Israeli flag must be raised over all government institutions.
The police said the request is being considered and an answer would be soon sent to the concerned parties.
Meanwhile, five MKs signed a bill calling for allowing Jews to pray at al-Aqsa Mosque.
Prominent Islamic figure in 1948 occupied Palestine and deputy head of the Israeli-outlawed Islamic Movement, Sheikh Kamal al-Khatib, warned of such Judaization bids, saying al-Aqsa Mosque will forever remain for Muslims' only.
Two Israeli settlers on Wednesday evening launched a drone equipped with a camera over Muslims’ the holy al-Aqsa Mosque.
According to the Director of al-Aqsa Mosque, Sheikh Omar al-Kiswani, the plane kept hovering over Bab al-Rahma and the walls of al-Aqsa before it was detected by the supervision staff.
Al-Kiswani warned of the serious repercussions of such a practice, which is the fourth of its kind during the last couple of years.
Al-Kiswani held the Israeli occupation police responsible for such practices by the Israeli settlers.
“It has become easy (for the settlers) to install explosive devices into planes and slam them into the holy al-Aqsa,” Sheikh al-Kiswani added.
According to the Director of al-Aqsa Mosque, Sheikh Omar al-Kiswani, the plane kept hovering over Bab al-Rahma and the walls of al-Aqsa before it was detected by the supervision staff.
Al-Kiswani warned of the serious repercussions of such a practice, which is the fourth of its kind during the last couple of years.
Al-Kiswani held the Israeli occupation police responsible for such practices by the Israeli settlers.
“It has become easy (for the settlers) to install explosive devices into planes and slam them into the holy al-Aqsa,” Sheikh al-Kiswani added.
An Israeli medic said on his Twitter page Thursday that field medical crews do not provide treatment to what he called “terrorists”, and stated that, in Hebron, he provided treatment to wounded Israelis “but I did not provide any treatment to the terrorist although he suffered more serious wounds.”
The medic said he wanted to be clear in his message when he said, “To all who ask, when I got to the scene today in Jaffa Gate, I helped the wounded [Israelis], but not the hateful terrorist, although he suffered more critical wounds.”
In another Tweet, the Israeli medics said, “When you go to the site of a stabbing attack, and you realize that the victim suffered a serious injury, and the terrorist was shot and also suffered a serious injury, who do you help? Now you answer me.”
There have been many reports, some captured on video, showing Israeli medics ignoring wounded Palestinians, and leaving them to bleed to death, in direct violation of International Law.
Many Israeli medics also carry automatic machine guns despite the fact that whenever they operate in the occupied territories many fully armed soldiers always accompany them.
Palestinian medics said in response to the news that such a statement by a medic, a person who vows to help any person who needs help, regardless of his faith, race, tone of skin or any other aspect, validates various reports regarding wounded Palestinians who bled to death while Israeli medics refrained from providing them with the urgently needed medical treatment.
Nearly a month ago, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and his office, accused the Palestinian Red Crescent of refusing to provide medical aid to wounded Israelis and soldiers, but after his claimed were refuted, he rescinded his accusations. Nearly two weeks ago, Palestinian news agencies published a video of Red Crescent medics rescuing a wounded Israeli soldier.
In October, when questioned about what appeared to be a practice of treating wounded Israelis first while ignoring Palestinians, the head of Magen David Adom said that the medics are not given instructions from above to do that. But he said they would continue to use different-colored body bags for Israeli and Palestinians who are killed, saying, "We need to distinguish between terrorists and Jews, and so we decided to put terrorists in black bags to distinguish."
The medic said he wanted to be clear in his message when he said, “To all who ask, when I got to the scene today in Jaffa Gate, I helped the wounded [Israelis], but not the hateful terrorist, although he suffered more critical wounds.”
In another Tweet, the Israeli medics said, “When you go to the site of a stabbing attack, and you realize that the victim suffered a serious injury, and the terrorist was shot and also suffered a serious injury, who do you help? Now you answer me.”
There have been many reports, some captured on video, showing Israeli medics ignoring wounded Palestinians, and leaving them to bleed to death, in direct violation of International Law.
Many Israeli medics also carry automatic machine guns despite the fact that whenever they operate in the occupied territories many fully armed soldiers always accompany them.
Palestinian medics said in response to the news that such a statement by a medic, a person who vows to help any person who needs help, regardless of his faith, race, tone of skin or any other aspect, validates various reports regarding wounded Palestinians who bled to death while Israeli medics refrained from providing them with the urgently needed medical treatment.
Nearly a month ago, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and his office, accused the Palestinian Red Crescent of refusing to provide medical aid to wounded Israelis and soldiers, but after his claimed were refuted, he rescinded his accusations. Nearly two weeks ago, Palestinian news agencies published a video of Red Crescent medics rescuing a wounded Israeli soldier.
In October, when questioned about what appeared to be a practice of treating wounded Israelis first while ignoring Palestinians, the head of Magen David Adom said that the medics are not given instructions from above to do that. But he said they would continue to use different-colored body bags for Israeli and Palestinians who are killed, saying, "We need to distinguish between terrorists and Jews, and so we decided to put terrorists in black bags to distinguish."