Jewish settlers early Wednesday vandalized a dozen private vehicles
Scores of Jewish settlers early Wednesday vandalized a dozen private vehicles in the Palestinian village of Karyout in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, according to a local official.
“Settlers stormed the village, located south of Nablus, and slashed the tires of several cars parked in the area before painting racist slogans on them,” Ghassan Daghlas, a Palestinian official in charge of settlement affairs, told Anadolu Agency.
Jewish settlers, he added, had recently stepped up their attacks on Palestinian villages, since the region’s farmers are currently busy harvesting their olive crops.
Olive production -- from an estimated 27 million olive trees -- represents a primary source of income for over 100,000 Palestinian families in the West Bank.
A professor at the University of Florida appealed Tuesday for the release of a former student who has been held by Israeli authorities for a week.Lara Alqasem, a U.S. citizen, has been in Israeli custody since arriving at Ben Gurion International Airport last Tuesday with a valid student visa hoping to study law, human rights and freedom of travel at Hebrew University in Jerusalem.Israeli officials are denying 22-year-old Alqasem entry based on allegations that she supported the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, which urges businesses, educational institutions and celebrities to cut ties with Israel.The movement has long been criticized by Israeli officials, and the Israeli parliament, known as the Knesset, passed a law in 2017 allowing authorities to deny entry to individuals who make public calls for a boycott of Israel.Dror Abend-David, who taught Alqasem at the University of Florida, said he is "one of many people," including her former professors, who think she should be released and allowed to study immediately.Merkel briefs Palestinian leader on her talks in Israel"Everyone who taught her was very impressed with her," he told Anadolu Agency. "There’s a very active group of professors here on campus who are working for her."One of the proposals being floated, Abend-David said, is a reevaluation of the university's study abroad program in Israel.That could effectively make Israel's policy of denying entry to BDS supporters an own goal.When asked if he thought Israeli officials could ironically be accomplishing BDS' goals for the movement, Abend-David pointed to two works of Soviet-era Russian literature that he said "made the point that bureaucrats don’t see irony".Israel tightens security on Palestinian West Bank workersHebrew University President Asher Cohen told Israel's Army Radio that Israel's actions could harm the university's anti-BDS efforts and could end up serving the movement instead, according to the Times of Israel. Israel earlier Tuesday conditioned Alqasem's release on her issuing a public apology for her alleged support of the global boycott.''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.Israel wants ‘public apology’ to allow US student inHer 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.The U.S. State Department on Tuesday punted on questions about Alqasem's case, saying it is up to Israel to decide who it allows into the country.Israeli officials and their supporters have regularly alleged the BDS movement is inherently anti-Semitic. But when asked if he thought Alqasem was anti-Semitic herself, Abend-David was unequivocal in his response.“Lara was not anti-Semitic in any way, shape or form," he said. "She has been kind and polite and helpful with no hint that she felt badly of Israel or anyone who is connected with that country.”
US professor urges release of student held in Israel
According to Palestinian figures, more than 650,000 Israeli settlers now live on 196 Jewish-only settlements (built with the Israeli government’s approval) across the West Bank, in addition to more than 200 settler “outposts” (built without its approval).
In a related development, the Israeli army rounded up 24 Palestinians in overnight raids carried out across the occupied territory, a Palestinian NGO said Wednesday.
“Fourteen Palestinians were detained after Israeli forces raided their homes in the northern West Bank city of Tulkarm,” the Palestinian Prisoner's Society said in a statement.
Two fuel-laden trucks entered the blockaded Gaza Strip on Tuesday from Israel via the Kerem Shalom commercial crossing.According to an Anadolu Agency correspondent at the scene, the trucks were seen heading towards Gaza’s sole functioning electricity plant.While Palestinian officials have been tight-lipped regarding the source of the fuel, Al Jazeera reported earlier that it had been provided by Qatar.Last week, Israeli daily Haaretz reported that a deal had been struck with Qatar regarding means of funding fuel procurements for Gaza.Since 2007, the Gaza Strip has groaned under a crippling Israeli blockade that has deprived its roughly two million inhabitants of several vital commodities, including food, fuel and medicine.Merkel briefs Palestinian leader on her talks in IsraelIsrael tightens security on Palestinian West Bank workers378 Palestinians detained in September: Advocacy groups
Fuel allowed into Gaza for sole functioning power plant
Another six Palestinians were detained in the West Bank cities of Nablus, Qalqilia and Jericho, the NGO added, along with four others in Hebron (Al-Khalil) and East Jerusalem.
The Israeli army frequently carries out sweeping arrest campaigns in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, which ostensibly target Palestinians "wanted" by the Israeli authorities.
According to Palestinian figures, roughly 6,400 Palestinians are currently languishing in Israeli prisons, including scores of women and hundreds of minors.
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.378 Palestinians detained in September: Advocacy groupsLaborer 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. Israel wants ‘public apology’ to allow US student inUNRWA slams Israeli plans to close Jerusalem office
Israel tightens security on Palestinian West Bank workers