Flotilla ship 'painted' to cover bullet holes

BETHLEHEM — The Turkish organizers of a Gaza-bound aid boat said Saturday that Israeli authorities painted over "thousands of bullets" in one of their recently returned ships.

Huseyin Oruc of the Foundation for Human Rights and Freedoms and Humanitarian Aid told Reuters upon the Mavi Marmara's return that "When they captured the boats, the Israelis hid all of this proof on the outside of the boat."

Reporters, according to the BBC, said the ship did appear to have been freshly painted.

Turkish prosecutors will board the vessels Monday to look for evidence of what happened during the raid on the flotilla, which was trying to reach Gaza with 10,000 tons of humanitarian aid.

Nine Turkish nationals were killed aboard the ship on 31 May. It was then sequestered at the Ashdod port.

Source

Israeli Navy opens fire at Lebanese fishing boat

BETHLEHEM — The Israeli army confirmed Sunday that a naval vessel opened fire at a Lebanese fishing boat over the weekend, Israeli media reported.

An army statement said no damage or injury was caused, Israeli daily Haaretz reported.

On Saturday, the Lebanese army issued a statement saying an Israeli gunboat “fired several bursts toward Lebanese territorial waters” off Lebanon’s southern coast at 4a.m., NOW Lebanon reported.

The incident follows recent increased tensions along the border following clashes on Tuesday in the border village of Aadeisha, during which one Israeli soldier, two Lebanese soldiers and a journalist were killed.

The clashes, the fiercest since the second Lebanon war in 2006, were reportedly ignited when Israeli forces attempted to uproot a tree to install surveillance equipment.

At the time, a Lebanese army spokesperson said that Israeli forces were attempting to uproot a tree on the Lebanese side, while the Israeli army said it was on Israeli territory.

Source

VIDEO - Inside Story - Blue Line tensions [report on clashes at Lebanon-Israel border]

Trouble is brewing at the Israel-Lebanon border. At least five people were killed and several others wounded. The Lebanese army has confirmed that it opened fire on Israeli forces for reportedly crossing the border fence and cutting trees in its territory. So, in this tense situation in a highly volatile region, could a new war be averted?

55 arrests and home demolitions continue in West Bank

Israeli occupation forces constantly wage arrest campaigns, most recently in the city of Hebron a few days ago (Reuters)

By Awad Rajoub - Hebron

Israeli occupation forces launched an arrest campaign at dawn on Thursday in the town of Jalbun, east of Jenin in the northern West Bank, while Israeli bulldozers resumed demolishing homes and facilities especially in northern West Bank. Meanwhile, settlers broke into the area of Joseph's Tomb in Nablus, claiming prayers.

 
The chairman of the town council, Omar Abu al-Rub, confirmed that large numbers of occupation Forces and military vehicles stormed the town at dawn on Thursday, launching wide scale raid campaigns that involved more than thirty homes.
 
The raids ended on Thursday morning with the arrest of about fifty people. While most have been freed, eight remain under arrest, Abu al-Rub said.
 
Israeli occupation forces also arrested five Palestinians from the village of Assira in Nablus, and another from the town of Deir Estia in the occupied West Bank.
 
Meanwhile, some five hundred settlers arrived at the city of Nablus at dawn on Thursday, under the pretext of performing religious rites at Joseph's Tomb.
 
The visit was preceded by mobilization of the occupation forces, which have spread around the region and the roads to ensure the arrival of the settlers.
 
The Palestinian Prisoner Affairs minister, Issa Karake, said Friday that the Government of Israel has arrested 12 thousand Palestinian children since the occupation began in 1967.
 
He explained that the children detained by Israel were subjected to torture, extortion and unfair judicial proceedings during trial, pointing out that Israel's goal is the destruction of entire generations of young boys through detaining children, 90% of whom have suffered of maltreatment and torture during their detention and interrogation.

Hundreds homeless as Israeli units raze Al Araqib village in Negev (Al Jazeera)

Home Demolitions:

In addition to the arrests, the Israeli army continued to evacuate and demolish more homes and facilities in the northern West Bank town of Al Fariseya, Ghassan Douglas - in charge of settlements’ files in the northern part of the West Bank - said.

In a telephone interview with Al Jazeera, Douglas said that Israeli bulldozers along with Israeli occupation forces demolished at least 15 homes and a facility belonging to the local population, adding that they are still in the region probably to complete the demolition processes.

He added that dozens of homes and other facilities may face threat of evacuations and demolitions in the area of the northern Jordan Valley, especially the area of Ain Beida and Bardala, in order to evacuate the area of the Palestinian population.

Israeli occupation forces demolished 65 buildings, including homes, horse stables, sheep pen and left more than 15 Palestinian families homeless.


Source

Israeli forces ransack Palestinian homes at midnight, kidnap three boys

Israeli occupation forces arresting a Palestinian boy

Israeli forces entered the town of Azzun shortly after midnight on Friday morning and took three 14-year-old boys from their homes, head of the municipal council said.

Local official Ahmad E’mran said the town, west of Qalqiliya, was targeted during a night raid, and that a total of five homes were entered and three teenagers taken to an unknown location.

E'mran identified the boys as Nehad Ibrahim, Hamedu Abu Haniyeh and Raed Radwan.

He noted that the homes of Sa’eed Al-Shallu and Mus’ab Al-Drar Radwan were also entered and searched, with families reporting the homes as ransacked.

An Israeli military spokeswoman said three young Palestinians were detained on Thursday evening, saying they were suspected of hurling rocks that damaged Israeli military vehicles on a patrol in the area.

She said the boys were identified and military personnel later entered the town and searched for the teenagers. All three were taken into Israeli custody and were held for questioning. 


Source 

Former US Cabinet member humiliated by Israeli officials because of Arab last name

'Special treatment.' Shalala (Courtesy of University of Miami)

Prof. Donna Shalala, Clinton's secretary of health, arrives in Israel in order to fight academic boycott against Israel, claims she was held at Ben-Gurion Airport just because she has Arab last name.

This is not how she imagined her visit to Israel. Prof. Donna Shalala, who served as the US Secretary of Health and Human Services for eight years under Clinton and is currently the president of the University of Miami, was held for two-and-a-half hours at Ben Gurion Airport during which she underwent a humiliating security debriefing because of her Arab last name – all this despite the fact that her hosts notified the airport ahead of time that she is a VIP.
 
The fact that Shalala arrived in Israel as part of an official delegation of the heads of universities fighting against the academic boycott against the Jewish State also seemed not to help her.

Shalala, 69, was born in the US to Lebanese immigrant parents. She is considered a true friend of Israel and has visited the country many times in the past.
 
She recently arrived in Israel as a guest of the American Jewish Congress with the objective of increasing collaboration among universities in Israel, the US, and the Palestinian Authority. During their visit, members of the delegation met with Israeli President Shimon Peres, Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon, and Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad.

Passengers at Ben Gurion Airport (Ynet archive) 

The official visit ended on July 12, but Shalala stayed on for another two days for a private visit.

The AJC claims that it notified the Israel Airports Authority of Shalala's VIP status as is customary prior to her departure. However, the IAA claims that it has no record on file for Shalala prior to her arrival.

When Shalala arrived at the airport, she was not recognized as a VIP and was even afforded what she claims to be "special" treatment because of her Arab last name. She claims she was held for two-and-a-half hours during which she was asked invasive and humiliating personal questions. Despite the delay, she managed to board the flight to the US. Officials who spoke with her said she was deeply offended by the treatment she received.

Source