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The Israeli authorities have ratcheted up security measures on Palestinian laborers who work at the Barkan settlement in the occupied West Bank.
On Sunday, two Israeli settlers were killed and a third was injured in a shooting attack inside an industrial zone near the Jewish-only Barkan settlement.
Laborers who spoke to Anadolu Agency on Tuesday said they now had to undergo hours-long searches when going to work at Israeli factories located in the settlement.
"Before the shooting [on Sunday], we would enter [Barkan] in 15 minutes; now I have to wait at the entrance of the industrial zone for an hour and a half before I can to get to work," Muayed Amer, a Palestinian laborer, told Anadolu Agency.
The Israeli army detained a total of 378 Palestinians last month, including 10 women and 52 children, according to three Palestinian advocacy groups.During September, 104 Palestinians were detained in Jerusalem; 56 in Ramallah and Al-Bireh (in the central West Bank); 73 in Hebron (southern West Bank); and 16 in the Gaza Strip, according to a joint statement released Tuesday by the Commission for Prisoners and ex-Prisoners' Affairs, the Palestinian Prisoners' Society, and the Al-Dameer Association for Human Rights.The remainder were arrested in different cities throughout the Israeli-occupied West Bank.Israel wants ‘public apology’ to allow US student inThe statement also pointed out that the Israeli authorities had issued 38 “administrative detention” orders over the same period.Under Israel’s longstanding policy of administrative detention, suspects can be held indefinitely without trial or charge.The three advocacy groups went on to put the number of Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails at some 6,000, including 430 in administrative detention.This number also includes 52 women and 200 minors, according to the three groups’ joint statement.UNRWA slams Israeli plans to close Jerusalem office
378 Palestinians detained in September: Advocacy groups
Laborer Mohamed Hassan, for his part, said workers were now forced to wait “for hours” -- even though they had work permits -- until being allowed to enter their places of employment on the settlement.
Following Sunday’s shooting, the assailant -- a former Palestinian worker from the West Bank city of Tulkarm -- managed to flee the scene and is now the target of a manhunt by police.
The Israeli government has conditioned a public apology from a U.S. student, who is allegedly linked to a global boycott campaign against Israel, to be allowed entry into the country, Israeli daily Haaretz reported.Last week, Israeli authorities denied entry to Lara Alqasem despite having a student visa from the Israeli consulate in Miami.''If Alqasem comes forward tomorrow morning with her own voice, not with all sorts of lawyers' wisecracking and statements that could be construed this way or another – and declares that supporting BDS, she thinks today is illegitimate and she regrets what she did on this matter, we will consider our stance,” Minister of Strategic Affairs Gilad Erdan said on Twitter on Tuesday.The Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement is a global campaign devoted to pressuring Israel -- economically and politically -- to end its ongoing violations of international law.Israeli officials argue that Alqasem, who was planned to join the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, supports the BDS and took part in campaigns boycotting Israel.The U.S. student has been detained at Israel’s Ben-Gurion airport since she arrived in the country.Her first appeal against the Israeli decision to deny her entry was denied last week. A second appeal is expected to be heard in the coming days.UNRWA slams Israeli plans to close Jerusalem officeIsrael detains mother of West Bank shooterPalestinian women suffer abuses in Israeli jailsIsrael detains mother of West Bank shooter
Israel wants ‘public apology’ to allow US student in
UN refugee agency UNRWA on Tuesday decried as “irresponsible” Israeli plans to close the agency’s offices in the occupied East Jerusalem.“UNRWA is carrying out operations within the framework of the UN Charter and bilateral and multilateral agreements which are still valid as well as relevant resolutions of the UN General Assembly," UNRWA spokesman Christopher Gunness told Jordan’s Petra news agency.He said the refugee agency has been authorized by the UN to provide protection and aid to Palestinian refugees in the occupied territories, including East Jerusalem.“Such messages by top elected figures in Israel are irresponsible and very serious,” he said.Last week, Israel’s Jerusalem municipality announced plans to remove the UN agency from the occupied city.According to Israeli Channel Two, U.S. President Donald Trump's recent decision to end financial aid to UNRWA has encouraged Israel to take move.Three Palestinians martyred along Gaza-Israel buffer zoneThe broadcaster said that the Israeli move was planned in coordination with the U.S. administration and will soon be presented to the Israeli government for approval.In September, the U.S. State Department announced that Washington would “no longer commit funding” to UNRWA.The U.S. had been UNRWA's largest contributor by far, providing it with $350 million annually -- roughly one quarter of the agency's overall budget.Established in 1949, UNRWA provides critical aid to Palestinian refugees in the blockaded Gaza Strip, the Israeli-occupied West Bank, Jordan, Lebanon and Syria.Jerusalem remains at the heart of the Middle East conflict, with Palestinians hoping that East Jerusalem -- occupied by Israel since 1967 -- might eventually serve as the capital of an independent Palestinian state.'Turkey stepped up when US cut aid to Palestine': UN
UNRWA slams Israeli plans to close Jerusalem office