http://www.imemc.org/content/view/23235/1/
Non-violent march in Bil'in village met by Israeli military violence
IMEMC & Agencies - Friday, 15 December 2006, 14:37

In the weekly protest against the Israeli Annexation Wall, held today in the village of Bil'in, a group of villagers, internationals and Israelis gathered in the village after noon prayers to march down to the site of the Israeli annexation Wall construction in the village. This week's protest focused on Palestinian internal unity, and called on factions to end the internal divisions.


There were about 250 participants in today's march, including about 50 Israelis and internationals.

According to Abdullah Abu Rahme, a local organizer with the Popular Committee Against the Wall, once the march reached the gate in the Wall, Israeli soldiers hidden in the bushes began to fire tear gas and rubber-coated bullets into the crowd, injuring two Palestinians. As the Israeli army began their assault on the peaceful protest, some of the protesters began to retreat to the village, but the other part continued on toward the Wall. About fifteen people managed to cross the Wall in the area where construction is not completed, but they were fired at by Israeli soldiers stationed there, and retreated back.

"After the march, the army invaded the village and fired concussion grenades and teargas. Lately, they have been invading the village every Friday after our weekly protest", said Abu Rahme. He continued, "This is a clear attempt by the Israeli military to stifle our right to non-violently protest the unjust Israeli annexation Wall that is being built on our land." As of this report, the Israeli military is still in the village, occupying a number of houses and using those homes as sniper-posts.

The two people who were injured were taken to Sheikh Zaid hospital. One was injured from a rubber-coated bullet in the arm, and the other had been hit in the chest by a rubber-coated bullet.

The protests in Bil'in have taken place each Friday for the last two years, with villagers maintaining a commitment to resist the construction of the Wall on their village land using non-violent means.

http://www.imemc.org/content/view/23232/1/
35 Palestinians injured in Hamas-Fateh clashes
Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies - Friday, 15 December 2006, 14:35

Number of Palestinians injured in the Hamas-Fateh clashes in Ramallah arrived to 35 residents, members of Hamas and Fateh, including four who suffered serious wounds. The Ramallah clashes took place after hundreds of Hamas supporters took off to the streets after Friday prayers, to protest the assassination attempt against the Palestinian Prime Minister, Ismail Haniyya.

Hamas sources said that after Hamas supporters organized their protest and took off to the streets starting from Jamal Abdul-Nasser mosque in Ramallah, members of the Force 17, policemen, and Aqsa brigades fighters, opened fire in an attempt to stop the protest.

Fateh said that Hamas fighters initiated the conflict that led to the Ramallah clashes.

France Presse news agency reported that dozens of Hamas fighters surrounded the house of Dahlan and nearby areas.

Palestinian president, Mahmoud Abbas, ordered hundreds of security personnel to deploy in Ramallah in a bid to prevent further clashes.

Also, sources close to Hamas stated that a Hamas member, a student of Al Najah University in Nablus, was seriously injured after Fateh gunmen opened fire at him.

More than 10 Hamas supporters injured in Ramallah protest
Ghassan Bannoura – IMEMC & Agencies, 13:49

Palestinian sources reported that at lest 10 Hamas supporters were injured in internal clashes, during a protest in Rammallah city north of the West Bank on Friday afternoon.

Scores of Hamas supporters took off to the streets starting from Jamal Abbdul-Nasser mosque in the city, the protest was organized in solidarity with the Palestinian Prime Minster Ismail Haniyya, and as condemnation of the failed assassination attempt against Haniyya on Thursday night while crossing the Rafah border crossing coming from Egypt.

Palestinian police, presidential gourds, and number of Aqsa brigades, the armed wing of Fatah, confronted the protest in an attempt to stop it, firing live rounds at the crowd, injuring at lest 10 Hamas supporters, including 4 who are in a very critical conditions, medical sources in Rammallah reported.

In a related incident clashes between Hamas and Palestinianpolice broke out in Gaza city on Friday afternoon after Hamas fighters opened fire at a police post in the city center, the fight lasted for few mints; no injuries were reported.

Palestinian President Mahmod Abass ordered the presidential gourds security forces to deploy in Ramallah and Gaza to prevent any contact between Hamas and Fatah supporters, Palestinian media sources reported.

Shortly after the assassination attempt of Hannia, unknown gunmen opened fire at Ja'far Dughlas, 23, Hamas activist in Al Najah National University in the northern west Bank city of Nablus late Thursday night, local sources reported.

Dughlas was moved to a nearby hospital after sustaining critical wounds in the abdomen, doctors have managed to stabilize, medical sources reported.

http://www.imemc.org/content/view/23234/1/
Dahlan: “Accusing me of attempting to kill Haniyya, a clear lie, a bid for my assassination”
Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies - Friday, 15 December 2006, 14:09

Palestinian legislator, and senior Fateh leader, Mohammad Dahlan, said during a Friday press conference that accusing him by Hamas leaders of attempting to assassinate Prime Minister, Ismail Haniyya, is a clear lie and an an attempt to cover-up the crime that led to the death of three children in Gaza.

Dahlan stated that Hamas gunmen were the ones who fired lat Monday at the vehicle of Major Baha' Balousha, killing his three children on their way to school, instead of him; the three children are Osama, 10, Ahmad, 6, and Salam, 3 years old.

He added that Hamas knows the killers of the three children, and is covering the case because the attackers are members of Hamas.

Also, Dahlan stated that surveillance cameras at the Rafah Borders Crossing showed Hamas gunmen breaking into the crossing causing damage to the property.

Commenting on the direct accusation voiced by Hamas against Dahlan and linking him with the attack against Haniyya, Dahlan said that “this is a new scandal by Hamas”.

He also accused the Hamas-led Palestinian government of participating in chaos and insecurity, and demanded Hamas “to admit to its mistakes”.

“I am not afraid, no worried that I might die”, Dahlan stated, “I was wanted by Israel, and was chased by the soldiers, but I was never worried”.

Earlier on Friday, Hamas directly accused Dahlan and members of the Presidential Security Guards of planning and carrying the attack against Haniyya after he crossed into the Gaza Strip through the Rafah Border Crossing.

Ismail Radwan Hamas media spokesperson, said that the group that fired at Haniyya was led by Dahlan who planned the attack, according to Radwan.

Palestinian Chief negotiator, Dr. Saeb Erekat, slammed that statements of Hamas and considered them an invitation for the murder of Dahlan.

He added that the deadly shooting in Gaza and Ramallah are signaling further violence and bloody internal clashes, and said that accusations should stop and that all parties should investigate all of the incidents.

On the ground, at least 31 Palestinians were injured in the West Bank city of Ramallah during armed clashes the took place between Fateh and Hamas gunmen.

http://www.imemc.org/content/view/23219/1/
Hamas accuses Dahlan, presidential security of attempting to assassinate Haniyya
Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & Agencies - Friday, 15 December 2006, 12:54

After the shooting incident targeting the convoy of Palestinian Prime Minister, Ismail Haniyya of the Hamas, which took place shortly after he was allowed back in to the Gaza Strip, Hamas accused Fateh legislator Mohammad Dahlan and members of the presidential security forces at the Rafah Border Crossing of attempting to assassinate Haniyya.

Hamas' media spokesperson Ismail Radwan said in a press release from Gaza that Haniyya survived an assassination attempt carried out “by a spiteful group led by Mohammad Dahlan who prepared and planned this attack”, according to Radwan.

Hamas accused the presidential guards of attacking the Prime Minister’s convoy.

The Islamic Jihad said the attempt to assassinate the Prime Minister is an attempt to lead the Palestinian people to a serious internal fighting.

Radwan added that the government will chase this group, which planned its attacks through members of the presidential guards and fired at the convoy of Haniyya, according to him.

Radwan demanded that President Mahmoud Abbas uncover the plot and withdraw the presidential guards from the Rafah Crossing and the streets.

“They are not fit to protect the people”, Radwan stated. “They fired at the Prime Minister, and the Palestinian people”.

Meanwhile, Hamas legislator Mosheer Al Masry demanded that Dahlan should be prosecuted “for the crimes he committed since he is the leader of the coup and launched war against the government”, Al Masry stated.

One of Haniyya's companions was killed in the attack carried out by unknown gunmen last night, while Abdul-Salam, the son of Haniyya, and Haniyya's political advisor Ahmad Yousef were injured. The slain companion was identified as Abdul-Rahman Nassar.

The rival formal-ruling Fatah party condemned the attack and said that it only serves an Israeli agenda.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and several Fateh leaders slammed the attack against Haniyya. Abbas said that he will personally follow the development regarding this issue in order to expose and apprehend the assailants.

Updated from:
Palestinian PM escapes an assassination attempt, Hamas accuses top Fatah leader
George Rishmawi-IMEMC & Agencies, Friday, 15 December 2006 10:32

Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniya escaped an assassination attempt when a group of gunmen opened fire at his convoy as he was entering the Gaza Strip through the Rafah border crossing, Thursday near midnight.

Haniya’s bodyguard, Ahmad Nassar was killed in the incident, and his son, Abd El-Salam and his political advisor Ahmad Yousef were wounded in the attack.

Haniya arrived to Rafah border crossing on Thursday cutting short his visit to some Arabic and Islamic countries where he collected funds for the government, from Qatar, Iran and Sudan.
Israel refused to allow Haniya to enter the money with him to the Gaza Strip.

http://www.imemc.org/content/view/23226/1/
PCHR weekly report on Israeli violations
Saed Bannoura - IMEMC - Friday, 15 December 2006, 13:03

The Palestinian Center For Human Rights, in Gaza, published its weekly reports on the Israeli violations in the occupied territories during the period between December 7 and December 13, and revealed that Israeli forces continued their violations and attacks against the people and their property.

The center reported that two Palestinian residents were killed when an explosive dropped by the army went of near them. One woman died from a heart attack when the Israeli forces stormed her house and hurled a sound bomb near her.

Also, at least eleven Palestinian residents, including two children, were shot and injured by Israeli military fired in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.

Soldiers carried at least 27 invasions in into several Palestinian cities, villages and refugee camps in the occupied West Bank and took prisoner 40 residents.

Also, Israeli troops broke into and searched two local Radio stations in Hebron, in the southern part of the West Bank, causing damage to equipment and property.

One Palestinian woman was injured in Nablus, in the northern part of the West Bank, after she was attacked by a dog released by the soldiers during an invasion to the city.

Troops continued their strict siege over the Palestinian occupied territories and totally isolated the Gaza Strip from the rest of the world. All border crossings in the Gaza Strip remained closed which is considered a form of collective punishment against the people.

The Gaza Strip remained without medical supplies as a result of the closure, while hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were not allowed to leave the Gaza Strip, among them residents who need further medical treatment abroad, the PCHR reported.

Troops also continued to bar Palestinian fishermen from fishing since five months, and repeatedly fired at fishing boats at the Gaza shore.

In the occupied West Bank, soldiers resumed the closure of dozens of checkpoints and install additional roadblocks restricting the movement of the Palestinian residents.

The construction of the annexation Wall in the West Bank continued leading to further isolation and annexation of Palestinian orchards and residents.

During the period of this reported, soldiers continued to construct a section of the Annexation Wall near Azzoun Atma village, south of Qalqilia, in the northern part of the West Bank. More lands were seized for the construction of the Wall which will seal the town from its agricultural areas.

The Israeli military continued its violent reactions against peaceful protests against the Annexation Wall and attacked Israel, Palestinian and International peace activists protesting in Bil'in village, near Ramallah city, in the northern part of the West Bank.