Nablus seige continues into 4th day

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"Operation Hot Winter," the seige of Nablus: day 3 & 4:
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mourners carry and pray in front of the body of Anan al-Teibi, 42, who was killed by occupation forces on monday for violating curfew in nablus

monday, approximately 100 demonstrators marched in jaffa, south of tel aviv in the palestinian territories conquered in 1948, in protest of the occupation army's assaults on nablus. the demonstrators were israeli-arabs as well as israeli jews and included members of israeli leftist and peace groups. they chanted and held signs reading, “Occupation is illegal, remove the siege!”, “Nablus people, don’t despair, we will end the occupation yet!”, and “Dismantle the Border Guard, get out of the Territories now!”, “Nablus: hospitals and schools under siege”, “300,000 Nablus people under curfew-shame!”, “The IDF is the biggest terrorist organization in the Middle East!”, “We must put an end to the madness of Israel”, “We mourn Anan a-Tibi, 50 year old Nablus inhabitant who was this morning murdered by the occupation forces while walking unarmed in the streets of his city”.

tuesday, on the third day of 'operation hot winter,' in nablus, the occupation forces withdrew from the city. residents explored the damage and found doors to homes destroyed, and shops invaded and heavily damaged. a source from one the of the palestinian resistance groups claims that none of the targets of the incursion were seized and are all safe. occupation forces reported that they seized five palestinian men.

IWPS report and pictures on the nablus siege:

tuesday, the palestinian islamic women's union as well as other groups, helped to deliver more than 500 food packages to families under curfew in nablus.

wednesday, following the withdrawal of occupation forces the previous day, occupation re-invaded nablus as "operation hot winter" carried on. this time, at least ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY military vehicles entered the city including armoured bulldozers. once again, nablus' three hospitals were attacked, and military jeeps were positioned surrounding the hospitals, to prevent medical treatment for palestinians injured in clashes with soldiers.

palestinian ambulances were banned from moving around the hospitals and entering the buildings. the curfew has continued and the educational services in the city, including primary and university classes are canceled. residents in nablus' aqaba neighborhood were forced to evacuate their homes which were then occupied by soldiers, to be used as military posts. two schools, the thafir al masri school and the al fatimiyah school, were re-occupied and are being used as military bases and interrogation centers.

occupation forces have continued its arrest campaign and have seized the relatives of "wanted" palestinians. this including seizing the mother of Amin Labbada, as well as relatives of Sufian Qanadilo and Mahdi Abu Ghazala. in addition, ten more palestinians were seized. included in these raids were tyhe abduction of Mahir Kharraz, a father of three and Ahmed Yusef Qa'u, 30, a medical student. also, at least five palestinian demonstrators were injured when they were shot with rubber-coated metal bullets when occupation forces atatcked on al-itihad street near nablus national hospital.

video report on the 1st day of incursion (4 min):

video report on second day of incursion (4 min):

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IN THE WEST BANK:
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tuesday, israeli news paper ha'aretz reported that israeli human rights group peace now has uncovered that several occupation colonial settlements in the west bank have annexed land designated as nature reserves. the report, based on a comparison of aerial photographs of settlements and nature reserve maps, argues that 1,900 dunums of nature reserve land (1 dunums = 1,000 km x 1,000 km) has been stolen by settlement construction.

tuesday, occupation forces invaded bethlehem, ramallah and al-khalil (hebron) and seized nine palestinians, said to be activists with islamic jihad and hamas.

tuesday, occupation forces invaded jenin, invaded numerous homes and attempted to assassinate or seize a member of fatah's al-aqsa martyrs brigades. Mahmoud Abu Sorour, known as Meibara, escaped the raid after his home was attacked. during his escape Mahmoud broke his hand, and was shot at by occupation soldiers. a cousin of Mahmoud was also attacked and his cousin and others were detained and interrogated

tuesday, occupation forces invaded al-khalil (hebron) and seized a palestinian member of parliament. Hatem Qafisha was taken from his home, and is now the 42nd palestinian politician to be seized by occupation forces since their siege on the hamas-led government. Hatem was recently released on december 15th after two years of detainment in occupation jails. where he was given no trial and charged with no crime.

an israeli activist is forced off of an occupation bulldozer as he tried to help prevent the razing of palestinians lands in umm salamuna village

tuesday, occupation forces razed palestinian farm land in umm salamuna village, south of bethlehem in order to create space for the ongoing construction of the Apartheid Wall. hundreds of grape vines and apricot trees were razed. local residents joined by activists with the international solidarity movement attempted to block the bulldozers and were brutally attacked by occupation forces. palestinian and international demonstrators were beaten, and attacked with concussion grenades and tear gas. two elderly palestinian farmers were injured, one having is arm broken. additionally, occupation forces seized the head of the village counsil named Rashid Zaqatka, as well as his son Mahmoud, and a third family member, Adil. additionally, six solidarity demonstrators were seized, four of whom are israeli, one japanes and one american. the activists were able to stall the bulldozers of two hours before they were attacked and abducted. following the completion of the bulldozer work, occupation soldiers detained all of the villagers present claiming to have lost a pair of binoculars. in umm salamuna village, occupation forces are annexing 700 dunums and confiscating 270 additional dunums (1 dunumn = 1,000 km x 1,000 km). ISM report and pictures from the demonstration: ISM update on the detained demonstrators:

israeli and international activists stand on an occupation bulldozer attempting to help prevent the razing of palestinians lands in umm salamuna village

tuesday, colonial settlers in al-khalil (hebron) attacked an italian film crew from RAI conema TV and aided the seizure of their palestinian cameraman, Raed Alhelo, 32. the italians were filming a documentary about schools in israel and in palestine. the settlers attempted to stop the filming, and when occupation police arrived on the scene, they seized the palestinian cameraman. the cameraman was accused of attacking the settler despite eyewitness testimony to the contrary. one of the settlers involved in the attack is David Wilder, a spokesman for hebron settlers. Wilder and other settlers were motivated to attack the crew because the italians and palestinians were recording incidents of colonial settlers attacking palestinian children. the crew was told that after they paid a 1000 NIS fine ($240 USD) the cameraman could be released. the fine was paid, and he remains in custody. ISM report on the attack:

the bodies of three islamic jihad fighters killed by occupation forces in jenin are displayed for mourners

wednesday, occupation special forces invaded jenin refugee camp and assassinated THREE palestinian fighters. the soldiers entered the camp in a civilian car with palestinian plates and shot Ashraf Sadi, Muhammad Abu Nasah and Ala' Breiki. Ashraf and Muhammad are said to be leaders with islamic jihad's al-quds brigades, while Ala, acting as the driver, is also said to be a fighter with the al-quds brigades. the three men were chased by occupation forces and ambushed by a second contingent of soldiers. Ashraf was able to exit the car and fire at the soldiers before being shot dead. following their assassination, a large contingent of over 30 military vehicles invaded the city with air support from attack helicopters. islamic jihad has threatened retaliation for the assassinations and called the actions of the occupation forces, evidence of an "all out war" on the palestinian people. in related news, in a report just issued by the national institutions office in jenin, occupation forces carried out 40 invasions of jenin during the month of febuary. that amount to more than one invasion a day, every day.

the bodies of three islamic jihad fighters killed by occupation forces in jenin are carried through the streets by mourners.

wednesday, israeli newspaper ha'aretz has reported that a member of the israeli parliament, Otniel Schneller, has leaked plans to build a massive expansion of a colonial settlement in between jerusalem and ramallah. the planned construction in east jerusalem, near qalandia checkpoint, would contain 11,000 housing units and include construction plans for a tunnel to allow colonial settlers to travel from the new settlement to the already built colonial settlement of beit el, east of ramallah. this would constitute the largest construction project on occupied land since 1967. the settlement would be designated for ultra-orthodox israeli jews. the israeli housing ministry has denied any knowledge of these plans.

wednesday, occupation bulldozers demolished a palestinian home in a-tur, near jerusalem.

wednesday, colonial settlers attacked and injured three palestinian shepherds in al-khalil (hebron). the settlers from sham'a colonial settlement attacked the shepherds causing moderate to severe injuries.

wednesday, occupation forces invaded marda village, north of silfit, and seized nine palestinians. several homes were invaded and the following were seized: Tawfiq Nash'at Khafash, Muhammad Ahmed Najeh Khafash, Na'el Ahmed Najeh Khafash, 'Izat Sa'di Khafash, Tamer Muhammad Suleiman, Basem Muhammad Suleiman, Amir Nasfat Hjeir, Muhammad 'Abdullah Hjeir and 'Abdel-Qader Saleh Samri.

wednesday, occupation forces invaded attill village, shweika, and illar village, both north of tulkarem, and seized two palestinians from their homes. in attill, occupation forces seized Sa'ad Abu Khalil, 16 and invaded the home of Jamil Abdullah. in illar village, occupation forces seized Munadil Shomarin, 19.

wednesday, occupation forces invaded numerous areas in the west bank and seized 15 additional palestinians.

Illegal construction approved in the Modi'in Illit settlement
Report, B'Tselem, 28 February 2007

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IN THE GAZA STRIP:
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tuesday, occupation warships opened fire on palestinian fishermen and farmers located near gaza's coastal border. the occupation naval forces fired at palestinian fishermen off the coast of tal al-sultan, west of rafah. additionally, occupation forces fired at farmers located east of gaza's demolished airport in southern rafah.

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FROM THE RESISTANCE:
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monday, the al-aqsa martyrs brigades, the main military wing of fatah, in conjunction with both the al-quds brigades, the military wing of islamic jihad and the abu ali mustafa brigades, the military wing for the popular front for the liberation of palestine, threw at least two explosive devices at military vehicles involved in the nablus invasion. the brigades report that the devices were thrown in the al yasmina area, and that one set the vehicle on fire with occupation soldiers still inside.

tuesday, the al-quds brigades, the military wing of islamic jihad, launched six home made rockets at the occupation military base at kisufim, on gaza's eastern border. the brigades also launched two home made rockets at "strategic posts" in ashkelon. the brigades also launched one home made rocket at sderot. the brigades announced that the launchings were a continuation of 'operation red rose,' and in response to the assassination of their leader mahmoud obeidah as well as the invasion of nablus.

tuesday, a palestinian threw a molotov cocktail at a car belonging to a colonial settler near beit estia village, southeast of qalqiliya. no one was injured.

tuesday, the al-aqsa martyrs brigades, the main military wing of fatah, launched two home made rockets at sderot.

wednesday, an israeli car was fired at while passing al taibe village northeast of ramallah. the car was slightly damaged with no injuries reported.

wednesday, the al-quds brigades, the military wing of islamic jihad, launched one home made rocket at ashkelon, and two home made rockets at sderot. the brigades reported that the operation was in retaliation for the assassination of three islamic jihad activists in jenin.

wednesday, the al-aqsa martyrs brigades, the main military wing of fatah, launched five home made rockets at ashkelon and other targets in the western negev desert. the brigades reported that the operation was in retaliation for the assassination of three islamic jihad activists in jenin.