Saeb Erekat
Palestinian authorities will not be deterred from seeking International Criminal Court action against Israel, an official said on Monday, despite the Trump administration's plan to shut their de facto embassy in Washington in response.
Senior official Saeb Erekat said his office had been informed that the United States would close the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO) mission, a move he described as designed "to protect Israeli crimes".
"We reiterate that the rights of the Palestinian people are not for sale, that we will not succumb to U.S. threats and bullying," Erekat said in a statement.
"Accordingly, we continue to call upon the International Criminal Court to open its immediate investigation into Israeli crimes."
An Israeli warplane on Friday struck an area near the city of Beit Hanoun in the northeastern Gaza Strip without causing casualties.According to an Anadolu Agency correspondent based nearby, the warplane targeted an area from which Palestinian activists had reportedly been flying incendiary kites.No casualties were reported in connection with Friday’s airstrike.Since March 30, when Palestinians began holding regular rallies along the Gaza-Israel buffer zone, activists have been flying incendiary kites and balloons over the buffer zone into Israeli territory.Gazan youth dies of injuries sustained near buffer zoneAccording to Israeli officials, the improvised aerial weapons have caused a number of fires inside Israel resulting in significant material damage -- but no deaths or injuries.Meanwhile, more than 170 Palestinian protesters have been martyred -- and thousands more injured -- by Israeli army troops deployed along the other side of the buffer zone.Protesters demand the “right of return” to their homes in historical Palestine -- from which they were driven in 1948 -- and an end to Israel’s 11-year blockade of the Gaza Strip.Israel bans Al-Tamimi from traveling abroad
Israel warplane strikes NE Gaza
A Palestinian youth died of his wounds Friday after having been shot and injured earlier by Israeli army troops while taking part in ongoing rallies along the Gaza-Israel buffer zone, according to a Palestinian medical source.Fayez Hamdouneh Hamadeh, 20, succumbed to gunshot injuries he sustained in mid-July while taking part in demonstrations east of the Jabalia refugee camp, Ayman as-Sahbani, head of the emergency ward at Gaza City's Al-Shifa Hospital, told Anadolu Agency.Since the rallies began on March 30, more than 170 Palestinians have been martyred -- and thousands more injured -- by Israeli army troops deployed along the other side of the buffer zone.Protesters demand the “right of return” to their homes and villages in historical Palestine from which they were driven in 1948 to make way for the new state of Israel.They also demand an end to Israel’s 11-year blockade of the Gaza Strip, which has gutted the coastal enclave’s economy and deprived its more than million inhabitants of many basic commodities.Israel won’t distinguish btwn Lebanon, Hezbollah in warIsrael concludes wargames envisaging war with HezbollahIsrael to close embassy in ParaguayUS urged Israel not to hit targets in Iraq: ReportIsraeli minister: no knowledge of Trump ordering Assad killed
Gazan youth dies of injuries sustained near buffer zone
Turkey attaches great importance to the economic development of Palestine, Turkish Trade Minister Ruhsar Pekcan said on Wednesday."We support the industrial zone which will be built in Jenin, and we invite Turkish and Palestinian businesspeople to invest in the Jenin Industrial Free Zone," Pekcan told reporters after a meeting of the Turkey-Palestine Economic Cooperation Council in the capital Ankara.She said that the meetings of the cooperation council would improve economic relations between the two countries.Israeli court orders demolition of Bedouin hamlet"After peace, the most important step for the region is to provide a developed and strong economic structure for our dynamic youth."She noted that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan also attached great importance to Palestine's development.Palestine National Economy Minister Abeer Odeh underlined that the meeting was important to strengthen the Palestinian economy."Turkish investors should come to Palestine to take advantage of the opportunities," she added.
'Turkey cares about Palestine's economy'