1 injured as Israeli ordnance explodes in Gaza

Ma'an - GAZA CITY – A resident of Jabalia refugee camp in northern Gaza was injured Sunday when an ordnance left by the Israeli army exploded, medics said.

The 25-year-old was transferred to Kamal Adwan hospital in critical condition.

United Nations Mine Action Service works in Gaza to destroy unexploded ordnance left behind by Israeli forces. In March, the agency began a program to destroy white phosphorus left behind during Operation Cast Lead, Israel's three-week offensive on the Strip launched in December 2008.

Israeli occupation forces demolish Tulkarem playground

Ma'an - TULKAREM – Israeli bulldozers demolished a local playground in the northern West Bank district of Tulkarem on Saturday, locals said.

Bulldozers entered Far'un village supported by soldiers and began the demolition, while Palestinian children threw stones at them, villagers said.

Residents said soldiers had ordered residents to demolish the area themselves within seven days. Further, they were told that the village would bear the cost of the demolition if Israeli forces carried it out.

The play area had cost $150,000 to build, locals added.

An Israeli military spokeswoman referred inquiries to the Civil Administration, who did not answer calls seeking comment.

In an earlier raid by Israeli forces, seven families were ordered to stop building on the eastern side of the village, and told to demolish buildings under construction.

The residents issued with the orders were identified as Nahed Saleh U’beid, Marwan Asq Allah Ammar Fawzi Tiam, Abed Ar-Rahman Rashid Hattab, Hamdan Drubi, Muneer Abdallah Omer and Ali An-Nuri.

Settlers set fire to farmlands near occupied Nablus

Ma’an - NABLUS – Residents of the Huwwara village south of Nablus said Thursday that settlers set dozens of dunums of farm lands on fire, destroying crops.

PA official responsible for settlement-observation in the northern West Bank Ghassan Doughlas said the fields were in the At-Tira area of Huwwara village, and had destroyed some crops.

"Lighting fields on fire is a provocative act perpetrated by settlers seeking bury the peace process," the official said, calling on representatives of the Middle East Quartet to ensure that Israel took responsibility for the actions of its settlers.

The fire was the latest in a long string of recent arson and vandalism carried out by the illegal settler population in the West Bank, mainly in the northern area.

On Wednesday, settlers reportedly harvested the olives of Palestinian trees and subsequently damaged several, and on Monday settlers set fire to a mosque in the Bethlehem-area village of Beit Fajjar. Israeli police said an investigation had been opened into the latter incident, but no arrests had been made by Thursday, despite calls for action in joint Israeli-Palestinian protests.

One week earlier, witnesses said a settler was behind the wheel of a hit and run in Qalqiliya district. No charges were laid.

Israeli occupation forces injure child, journalists during protest

Ma'an - HEBRON – A group organizing rallies against settlement activity in the Hebron village of Beit Ummar said a child sustained burns and two journalists suffered bruises on Saturday following clashes between demonstrators and Israeli forces.

Palestine Solidarity Project Spokesman Mohammad Awad said 15-year-old Mohammad Jamal Khalil Abu Hashem sustained burns to his legs after Israeli forces fired a tear-gas canister toward him. Awad further said photojournalists Yousri Al-Jamel and Husam Abu A'llan sustained bruising "after they were harshly pushed by the Israeli army," a statement read.

Awad said demonstrators had set fire to five cardboard props representing the settlements surrounding Beit Ummar before clashes broke out near the Karmi Tsur settlement.

An Israeli military spokesman said he was not aware of injuries, and said Israeli forces deployed riot dispersal means when "50 rioters began hurling rocks at forces."

(VIDEO) Viva Palestina aid convoy leaves Ankara

(VIDEO) Israeli Navy intercepts Gaza-bound aid ship

Israeli naval forces intercepted a boat carrying nine activists bound for the Gaza Strip, encountering no resistance as they took control of the vessel and escorted it to shore, the Israeli military and foreign ministry said....