OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, 27 May - The Israeli occupation army invaded and occupied Palestinian cities under heavy military attacks recurrently since Saturday. Bethlehem was occupied at dawn today for the second time in 24 hours, Tulkarem was invaded seven times in the past 48 hours and Qalqilya was reoccupied today after 3 hours of Israeli army withdrawal. The Israeli army continues to occupy all three cities. Israeli soldiers also invaded Um al-Sharayit area in Ramallah and Hebron city today and carried out home raids and arrests.
Four Palestinian civilians were killed yesterday, including a child, in Israeli military attacks on Tulkarem and Khan Younis and dozens others were wounded, some critically.
A tight military closure continues to be imposed on all Palestinian cities, villages and refugee camps, isolating them from one another and from the outside world. All entrances/exits are closed with sand piles and cement blocks, including side routes, making movement in and out of the various Palestinian areas practically impossible.
Bethlehem
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The Israeli army invaded Bethlehem (Bethlehem, Beit Sahour, Beit Jala and Deheishe, al-Azza, Ayda refugee camps) at dawn today from all sides using a large number of tanks and armored vehicles for the second time in 24 hours. More armored vehicles were brought in at 9:00 am and the Israeli army continues to occupy the city (8:00 pm local time)
A curfew was imposed on the residents of Bethlehem, while Israeli soldiers invade homes and arrest people randomly. Deheishe refugee camp was subjected to wide-scale arrests. Over 100 people were placed in open spaces in the refugee camp. Among the arrested is Muhammad al-Mughrabi, a Fateh activist. Several women were interrogated in their homes in the refugee camp.
Dozens were arrested throughout Bethlehem - The Old City, Hazaza Mount, Beit Sahour, Bab al-Ziqaq, Rakhma, Dar Salah. Witnesses reported that Israeli soldiers open fire and fire sound bombs in the surroundings of homes before invading them and forcing the inhabitants out under humiliating measures.
Bethlehem municipality was occupied and Israeli soldiers spread around the Church of Nativity. Israeli soldiers occupied the roofs of several buildings and residents were placed in one room, mainly at the entrance of Beit Sahour. Bethlehem TV and Radio Bethlehem 2000 were raided, their employees physically attacked and transmission cut off.
Israeli bulldozers leveled vast areas of land cultivated with olive trees in Za'tara and Beit Ta'mar villages, southeast of Bethlehem. At least 200 olive trees were destroyed as well as fences surrounding land and water networks that feed the whole area. Israeli soldiers also destroyed the villages’ infrastructure - electricity and telephone networks and roads.
The Israeli occupation authorities had previously confiscated over 740 dunums (1dunum=1000m2) of land cultivated with olive trees in the same area, in order to construct a by pass road leading to the settlement ('Har Homa')established recently on Mount Abu Ghneim.
Witnesses reported that the current military invasion is much wider than that of the day before last. On Saturday evening, the Israeli army invaded Bethlehem and surrounding areas, demolished (Islamic Jihad activist)Muhammad Shehada's home and carried out home raids and arrests after imposing a curfew on vast areas of the city. The Israeli army withdrew from Bethlehem Sunday dawn only to invade again Monday morning.
Saturday's invasion of Bethlehem was the first since the Israeli army withdrew on 10 May after an occupation of the city, which lasted 40 days.
Qalqilya
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Two 10-year old girls were wounded while in their homes in al-Qur'an area in Qalqilya today during an Israeli army invasion of the city only 3 hours after withdrawal.
The Israeli army invaded and occupied Qalqilya yesterday morning and placed its residents under curfew for the second time in 48 hours. The Israeli army invaded the city from all 3 entrances under intense fire and shelling while helicopters roamed the sky above. Israeli soldiers fired live ammunition and sound bombs towards Palestinian civilians to force them into their homes. Residents were warned through loud speakers that they would be subjected to death if they left their homes.
The Israeli army continues to occupy Qalqilya and to impose a curfew on its residents. Israeli soldiers raid homes and carry out random arrests, mainly in al-Naqar and al-Qur'an quarters.
Hebron
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The Israeli army at noon today invaded Beit Ummar, north of Hebron city, under intense fire and carried out random arrests. Over 50 people were arrested. Among the arrested is the head of Beit Ummar municipality and his deputy. Several cars parked on either side of the roads were destroyed on purpose.
The Israeli army reached the center of Hebron city and al-Sheikh residential quarter.
Ramallah
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A number of Israeli armored vehicles entered at 1:00 pm local time today Um al-Sharayit area, southeast Ramallah. The area was besieged by the Israeli army. House-to-house raids and arrests were carried out. Fifteen people were arrested. Witnesses reported that the Israeli army advanced further towards the center of al-Bireh. All entrances to Ramallah, including side routes were completely blocked this afternoon.
Since last night, Israeli military reinforcements were carried out at the entrances of Ramallah and al-Bireh, which were closed using cement blocks and sand piles. Israeli tanks and armoured vehicles also reached Ein Arik junction (Area A) under intense heavy machine gun fire last night.
Israeli soldiers yesterday fired tear gas bombs at students in Deir Ibzigh village, west of Ramallah, while students were sitting exams. Several students suffered from severe breathing problems and shock. Israeli soldiers also attacked those attempting to cross through Deir Ibzigh military roadblock. Dozens of youths and children were held near an Israeli armored vehicle for several hours and refused entry into Ramallah.
The Israeli army also expanded the military roadblock established at Surda village, north of Ramallah, yesterday. Witnesses reported that Israeli soldiers placed sand piles forcing people to walk a distance of over 1000 meters on foot to reach public cars to Bir Zeit and neighboring villages or vice versa. Additionally, Palestinian civilians are subjected to humiliating measures at the military roadblock and many are prevented from crossing for no apparent reason.
Israeli soldiers chased those attempting to cross through Qalandya military roadblock yesterday using (al-Kassarat) side route and arrested a number of youths. Witnesses at the crossing described the situation as "unbearable" and "devastating", as movement is becoming practically impossible and not without life risks.
Tulkarem
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The Israeli army invaded Tulkarem once again before noon today and carried out home raids and random arrests. The invasion was the seventh in 48 hours. The Israeli army continues to occupy the city.
At dawn yesterday, the Israeli army shelled residential areas and attacked homes with heavy machine gun fire during a third invasion of the city, which led to the death of Palestinian civilian Wakid al- Qutub, 53 years old, while in his home in Khdouri area near the Nablus-Tulkarem road
A curfew continues to be imposed on the residents of Far'on town and Shweiki suburb, while a tight military closure is imposed on al- Sha'rawiya, al-Kufrayat and Wadi al-Safeer villages. The Israeli army carried out searches yesterday evening in the western sector of Far'on and raided and vandalized several of its homes.
Gaza Strip
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Three Palestinian civilians, including a mother and child, were killed yesterday and at least 25 were wounded, some critically, in Israeli military attacks that targeted various residential areas in the Gaza Strip. Military attacks and invasions, especially in the north and south, has become a daily occurrence.
Kamila Abu Is'id, 45 years old, and Anwar Abu Is'id, 12 years old, were killed in Israeli military attacks while herding cattle in Jahr al- Dik area, east of al-Maghazi. The area was subjected to intense Israeli shelling with tank missiles.
Palestinian youth Muhammad Abu al-Kheir, 17 years old, from al-Dalta area in Khan Younis was killed yesterday by missile shrapnel in the head when Israeli tanks based in 'Jani Tal' settlement shelled homes in the area with tank missiles. Similar attacks were carried out in the area on Saturday evening. Al-Amal residential quarter, the western refugee camp and al-Namsawi area were also shelled intensively.
Seven Israeli tanks at dawn today demolished a Palestinian security location near al-Mintar crossing, east of Gaza City. Israeli bulldozers also destroyed surrounding agricultural land.
Palestinian youth, Muhammad al-Lolahi, 19 years old, from Ariba area in Rafah was wounded yesterday evening when Israeli soldiers beat him up for no apparent reason. Al-Lolahi suffered from head wounds and was carried to hospital.
The Gaza Strip was divided into isolated areas.
Jenin
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The Israeli army at dawn yesterday invaded al-Hadaf area west of Jenin refugee camp within a distance of hundreds of meters. Dozens of tanks and armoured vehicles continue to be based at the entrances of the city and its refugee camp and fire sound and light bombs intermittently.
The residents of a number of villages along the 'green line' (Faqou'a, Jalabon, Beit Qad, Anin, al-Tiba, Zabouba, Rummana, Bartama) were placed under curfew since yesterday evening, while military reinforcements were carried out at their entrances.
Jerusalem
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The residents of Beit Sorik and Bado villages yesterday stood in front of Israeli occupation bulldozers attempting to construct a new road along 'Haradar' settlement that cuts through Beit Sorik village and another that cuts through Bado village, under the excuse of "security of the settlement".
Head of the village's council, Muhammad Qandil, said that the bulldozing activities will eat up around 10 dunums (1dunum=1000m2) of agricultural land in Beit Sorik (around 150 residents dependent on the land for a living) and will harm over 290 dunums of agricultural land on either side of the intended road.
The residents are convinced that the Israeli occupation activities aim at expanding the mentioned settlement and confiscating as much land as possible under false pretexts.
Beit Sorik is situated northwest Jerusalem and is the closest to the 'green line'. It covers an area of 5500 dunums in addition to 2500 dunums confiscated in 1948 by the Israeli occupation authorities. Since 1980, Palestinian land is gradually being confiscated for the sake of the settlement's expansion.
Nablus
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The Israeli army tightened the imposed military closure and carried out military reinforcements at the entrances of Nablus yesterday. Crossing in or out of Nablus or its surrounding villages is not only a long and painful process but also a very dangerous one.
Hear Palestine is a free press service offering daily mailings from the occupied Palestinian territories. Material is analysed and compiled from the Arabic press, radio and television transmissions, and direct interviews by Karma Abu-Sharif.
