Tuesday, August 28, 2007

"a stab in the back of resistance"

The Al Quds Brigades, the armed wing of the Islamic Jihad, issued a
press release on Monday slamming the Palestinian Preventive Security
Force, loyal to Fateh movement, for handing to Israel a soldier who
entered Jenin earlier in the day and was captured by members of the
Brigades.
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P.A Security Forces - Archive
One of the leaders of the Brigades stated that members of the brigades
in Jenin, in the northern part of the West Bank, managed to capture an
Israeli officer who infiltrated into the city.
“But our fighters were surprised to see members of the Preventive
Security Force surrounding them and taking the soldier away”, the
leader stated, “the soldier was wearing his military uniform, he was
moved to the security headquarters in the city before four Israeli
jeeps entered the city and the preventive security forces handed the
soldier to them”.
The Brigades considered handing the soldier back to Israel as a
rejected act which resembles “a stab in the back of the resistance”,
since the soldier was wearing his military uniform and wasn’t just a
civilian who lost his way.
The Brigades also said that the Palestinian leadership must protect the

residents from the occupation weaponry instead of protecting the
occupation soldiers from the resistance.
Moreover, the Brigades stated that only two days ago Israel
assassinated one of it prominent leaders in Jenin.
“Protecting Israeli soldiers and Special Forces is a stab against
resistance fighters who are targeted by those soldiers”, the Brigades
said, “We will retaliate soon enough”.
Israeli sources reported that the officer was on his way to an Israeli
settlement in the northern part of the West Bank and accidentally drove

into Jenin.
The sources added that the officer was not harmed, and that he was
driving without his firearm, but the Palestinian police said that they
confiscated his weapon.
Moreover, Hamas leadership in the Gaza Stip slammed the Palestinian
Security Forces fo handing the soldier back to Israel and described
this act a a disgrace to the security forces as the ISraeli army is
ongoing with its crimes against the Palestinians.

Monday, August 27, 2007

can you believe it?

Palestinians gathering around an IDF officer's car on Mon. which was torched after he entered in the West Bank town of Jenin. (AP)


Last update - 21:21 27/08/2007
Livni: Rescue of IDF major proves PA's strength
By Avi Issacharoff, and Amos Harel Haaretz Correspondents, Haaretz Service and The Associated Press


Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni on Monday praised the Palestinian Authority for rescuing an Israel Defense Forces officer who inadvertently entered the West Bank city of Jenin. "This operation proves that the Palestinian government and its forces are growing stronger in the field relative to the terrorist organizations," Livni said, during a meeting with Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayad. Livni stressed that the rescue of the IDF officer is an example of how security deterioration can be prevented, and how Israel and the Palestinians can avoid harm to both sides.



Livni and Fayad also discussed regional developments, including the Middle East summit scheduled to take place in the fall. The pair agreed on renewing the activity of currently defunct joint Israeli-PA committees on economic and environmental issues. The PA security forces engaged in a gun battle with Islamic Jihad militants Monday, in order to protect the IDF major who accidentally drove into the West Bank city of Jenin. The major was evacuated from the area unharmed, and handed over to the IDF. In October 2000, shortly after the start of the Second Intifada, two IDF reservists were killed by a Palestinian mob who lynched them after they entered Ramallah by mistake. The incident began Monday when a PA policeman noticed the officer, who was in uniform, driving in central Jenin. The policeman stopped him and called additional security forces to the scene. In the meantime, a crowd gathered in the area, and tried to assault the IDF officer. PA police evacuated him from the area, and took him to the PA security forces' headquarters in Jenin. Islamic Jihad militants then opened fire on the headquarters, sparking a gun battle with PA security forces. Local residents torched the major's car, which was left behind when he was evacuated to the security headquarters. An initial IDF inquiry into the incident found that the officer's near fatal error was due to his having violated a series of army safety procedures. The inquiry noted that the officer drove alone on the road from the West Bank settlement of Shavei Shomron to that of Mevo Dotan. Army regulations, however, demand that personnel traveling there do so in a convoy and in bullet-proof vehicles. Apparently the IDF soldiers at the Shavei Shomron checkpoint did not stop the officer, as he told them he had permission for his journey. At the following junction, where the IDF does not have a permanent checkpoint, the officer should have turned left and driven westward - while in fact he continued straight ahead. It is not known whether the officer was armed at the time. Palestinian sources claim the mob that surrounded him took his handgun, though the officer himself argues that he had no weapon on him, despite regulations requiring him to have one. The IDF's Central Command was to launch a more comprehensive probe on Monday night. IDF sources said the officer will most likely be given a disciplinary hearing in an army court for the incident. Also Monday, IDF troops shot and killed a Palestinian near the security fence between the Gaza Strip and Israel, the army and Gaza medical staff said. The middle-aged Palestinian was found, unarmed, in a no-man's land along the fence south of the Karni border crossing with Israel, Palestinian doctors said. Palestinian sources identified him as Farid Abu Zaher, a 43-year-old farmer. The IDF said, however, that troops suspected the man had tried to lay an explosive and saw him climbing the fence. When the man saw the troops, he jumped off the fence and began to flee. The soldiers fired at him and saw he was hit. The soldiers did not know if he was armed, the military said. Palestinian militants frequently lay explosives against patrolling troops in the area, the army said. Incidents of unarmed Palestinians approaching the fence have increased since Hamas wrested control of the Gaza Strip in June. On Sunday, six Palestinians apparently looking for work tried to cross the fence into Israel, but were caught and detained by the IDF. Israel has virtually sealed off Gaza since the Hamas takeover, allowing through only essential supplies, and allowing in only a few Gazans, including people requiring specialized medical treatment and several dozen Palestinians with work and study permits abroad. Israel withdrew in 2005 from the Gaza Strip, where 1.4 million Palestinians live. Earlier Monday, Israel Air Force aircraft fired a missile at a rocket launcher in the northern Gaza town of Beit Hanun. Palestinian witnesses said that the missile destroyed the targeted launcher. They added that no one had been injured in the strike. The IDF confirmed they had carried out an airstrike. The Islamic Jihad militant group said it fired a rocket toward Israel from the area. No injuries or damage were reported in Israel. Earlier Monday, an armed Palestinian man opened fire at IDF troops in the Ein Beit Ilma refugee camp in Nablus. The troops returned fire and hit the armed man. The militant's condition was not immediately clear. On Sunday, Gaza militants fired three Qassam rockets toward Israel. All three landed in open areas in the western Negev, causing no injuries or damage. Shots were also fired toward an IDF post near kibbutz Nahal Oz on Sunday. Also Sunday, IDF sappers detonated an explosive device uncovered near kibbutz Kerem Shalom.

no comment

Infant dies at Erez Crossing
Date: 26 / 08 / 2007 Time: 14:36

Gaza – Ma'an – A one-year-old Palestinian infant died while waiting with his family at the Israeli-controlled Erez Crossing, between Israel and Gaza, on Sunday.The family were waiting to be transported to Israel for medical treatment.Director of ambulances and emergencies in the Palestinian ministry of health, Dr Muawiya Hassanein, said that Ibrahim Ali Abu Nahil died due to the long wait at the crossing.Dr Hassanein said that the child was suffering from heart disease and died in his father's arms while waiting in the hot summer sun to go to hospital.

Sunday, August 26, 2007

another child assassinated

Family of assassinated child reveals barbaric conduct of Israeli soldiers
Date: 26 / 08 / 2007 Time: 12:14


Mahmoud Al Qarnawi (MaanImages)Tulkarem – Ma'an – The Israeli occupying forces shot intensively at a child on Friday, while he was sitting in a fig tree in Seida village, near the northern West Bank town of Tulkarem. 11-year-old Mahmoud Al Qarnawi was left bleeding on the ground by the Israeli troops. When his mother asked the soldiers if her son was alive, they said "maybe".The child had Israeli citizenship, but was visiting his relatives in the Palestinian West Bank village.Ma'an's correspondent in Tulkarem met with Mahmoud's family. They said that Israeli Special Forces had shot and killed the child.Mahmoud's sister, 16-year-old Ruqaiya, said she had watched as Mahmoud was murdered."Terrifying"Ruqaiya said, "I heard the sounds of intensive shooting behind the house, I opened our gate to see what was happening and one of the soldiers shot at me. But I wasn't hurt. I sat in a room and minutes later my mother came."I went outside with my mother to witness the most terrifying thing I have seen in my life."Ruqaiya continued, "Mahmoud was on the ground under the fig tree. He was moving but without sound or speech. There was a lot of blood around him."My mother asked one of the soldiers "is my son alive?" and he answered her in an ironic way in Arabic "maybe he is still." They stayed until he died and then left," she said.Ruqaiya added that the soldiers refused to allow her to drag her brother's body away. "They threatened me, they said they will kill me, but I insisted on removing him from under the tree."His head was open because of the bullet wounds. The scene was terrible."The soldiers then asked me to remove my other brother, Siddiq, aged 22, who was also injured and bleeding. The soldiers then dragged him for seven metres before treating him."A local lady said that the soldiers interrogated one of the other boys from the Al Qarnawi family, Safwat. "They questioned him and beat him. After that they got a football and began playing in the garden."The Israeli forces alleged that Siddiq is 'wanted' for resisting the occupation.

Friday, August 17, 2007

Al-Walaja demonstration against the Wall and destroyed trees (1)




(c) Anne Paq/ Activestills.org
Al Walaja, arbres detruits a cause de la constrution du Mur, 15/08/2007
Al Walaja, destroyed trees because of the constrution of the Wall, 15/08/2007.


18/08/2007

Retour aux manitestations.
Cette semaine j'ai appris que les beaux arbres de Walaja, un village a cote de Bethlehem, sont en train d'etre coupes pour la construction du Mur, et quand on sait combien les arbres sont rares en Palestine, cela fait vraiment mal. Je m'y etais promenee il y a a peine un mois.
Des arbres vieux de deux cent ans qui permettaient aux Palestiniens de souffler un peu.
Je suis allee photographier il y a deux jours les arbres morts, et aujourd'hui je me suis jointe a la manifestation non-violente. Un international a ete arrete, et les soldats ont violemment repousse les manifestants, y compris les cameramans et photographes. Tout cela devant la colonie de Har Gilo qui s'etend de plus en plus, sous la protection des soldats.

Back to demonstrations and the harsh reality of the occupation and colonisation.
This week I heard about the cutting of trees in the village of Wallaja, located not far from Bethlehem. I went there and it was a very painful scene to see. First trees, especially high trees, are not so numerous in Palestine and second, I have been walking around there less than one month ago. I remember how pleasent it was. Palestinians used to go there to breathe a bit and have some nice time outdoors. I found Palestinians collecting the dead wood and blaming the mayor of Cremisan that apparently made a deal with the Israelis about the location of the Wall.
Today i went to the non-violent demonstration in al-Wallaja. One international was arrested (once the demonstration was over and there was no one to prevent it) and the soldiers violently pushed back the demonstrators, as well as the cameramans and photographers. All this in front of the the colony of Har GILO, which expands more and more under the protection of the Israeli soldiers.


AL-Walaja demonstration and destroyed trees (2)





(c) Anne Paq/Activestills.org
Al Walaja, arbres detruits a cause de la constrution du Mur, 15/08/2007
Al Walaja, destroyed trees because of the constrution of the Wall, 15/08/2007.

Tuesday, August 14, 2007

WEBSITE

(c) Anne Paq/activestills.org Kids from the photo group of Images for life


Desolee de cette absence, j'etais en break, une pause tres necessaire et salutaire. je reviens en forme mais sans appareil photo et ordinateur. alors la frequence de mes posts risque de se ralentir.

en attendant allez faire un tour sur le site de mon projet Images for Life dans le camp de refugies de Aida.




nous allons le completer par plus de photos et de portraits tres bientot...



sorry for this long period without posting, I badly needed a break. I come back in a better shape however my camera and laptop broke down. so i guess my posts will be uneven.

anyway i will try to continue. in the meantime, check the new website of the project I coordinate in Aida refugee camp.




It will be updated soon with more pictures and portraits from our participants.