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On Tuesday morning (28/08/12), Israeli occupation forces demolished 5 tents and 3 wells in Znota and two tents in Susiya, south of Hebron. Settlers also burned 3 cars near the town of Seir, situated east of Hebron.

Local sources said that a force of Israeli soldiers, accompanied by a bulldozer, demolished 5 tents and 3 wells in Khirbet Znota and, over the course of the demolition, beat a number of citizens who were protesting against this action.

According to sources, this property is owned by Oudah Abu Sharkh, Adeis Abu Sharkh, Nabil Smamrh and Mohammed Khaled Smamrh. In Susiya, two tents, which were home to Mohammed Moussa and … Continue reading

Further arrests took place in Beit Ommar last night, following on from nighttime raids which saw two youths taken early on Tuesday morning. Four IDF jeeps and two vans, with a large force of occupation soldiers, entered Beit Ommar from the Gush Etzion colony at approximately 04:00AM on Wednesday, 29th August 2012. Four houses were raided, with four arrests being made. Yousif Mohamed Awad, who, despite being only seventeen years old, has previously served three-and-a-half years in an Israeli prison was again arrested, as was Shadi Ahmad Akhalil, who is eighteen years old. The home of Abdul Qader Mohammed Akhalil was also raided, and his two sons Khuwaylid … Continue reading

In Um Elkhair, a village in the South Hebron Hills, the people face a daily existential struggle caused by the Israeli occupation.

What strikes you the most when entering this area is the coexistence, separated by few meters, of two totally different worlds. The chain-link fence holds back leafy green trees and bushes, which give way to a rocky, dry and barren landscape. The discrepancy between water supplies for Palestinians and colonists is a nationwide problem but in few places is it as stark as Um Elkhair.

While the colonists have lush, green gardens the locals Palestinians have no other option then to travel over 2 km, daily, to get water for … Continue reading

An Israeli court rejected on Tuesday, the 28th of August, accusations of negligence over the 2003 killing of American activist Rachel Corrie, who was crushed to death by an Israeli army bulldozer in the Gaza Strip.

Corrie’s family filed the lawsuit in the northern Israeli city of Haifa in 2005, accusing Israel of intentionally and unlawfully killing their 23-year-old daughter and failing to conduct a full and credible investigation.

In a lengthy ruling read out to the court, the judge said the state was not responsible for any “damages caused” as they had occurred during what he termed war-time actions. He called Corrie’s death a “regrettable accident”.

“I reject the suit,” the … Continue reading

At 04:00AM on Tuesday, 28th August 2012, Israeli soldiers raided homes in Beit Ommar and arrested two Palestinian youths. The victims were Mohamed Awad, 13, and Moayad Al Teer, 19. Witnesses report that six military jeeps took part in the raids, in which the boys were taken to an unknown location. Both boys are students, one still in school and the other at university. Awad, despite his extremely young age, has already spent time in prison after an arrest earlier this year. He was jailed for one month and made to pay a fine of 2000 shekels ($500) before his release. Minors are commonly taken by … Continue reading

On March 7, 2012, 15-year-old Zain Hisham Abu Maria was brutally arrested during a night raid, around 3.30 a.m. Soldiers grabbed him by his feet and hands while he was still in his bed, took him out, and blindfolded and arrested him. Now, nearly six months later, he is still in prison, accused of throwing stones. Zain has been told by the Judge that he is facing four years in prison. His next court meeting is scheduled to take place next week.

Zain is said to be a clever student. His fellow classmates keep a picture of him on his desk as a memory of their classmate who should be at … Continue reading