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For Benjamin Netanyahu AQSA NEWS | ISSUE 59 | NOVEMBER 2015 /foapeaceinpalestine @friendsofalaqsa @friendsofalaqsa Boycott Campaigns BDS victory in Iceland’s capital AQSAFriends of Al-Aqsa newspaperNEWS since 1997 Page 22 Israeli soldiers attack Egypt floods Gaza’s tunnels Palestinian rights supporter journalists in the West Bank 2 with seawater 3 wins leadership of UK party 5 Tensions mount in Jerusalem Fears of third intifada in Palestine In recent weeks, ten- excessive force against sions have been rapidly Palestinians, including a increasing in Jerusalem, the number of extrajudicial West Bank and Gaza. Vio- killings. During October, lent confrontations at Al- over 60 Palestinians were Aqsa, sparked by the daily killed and over 2,000 were trespass by extremist Is- injured by live ammuni- raeli settlers accompanied tion and rubber-coated by fully armed soldiers and steel bullets. Many of those police have created an ex- killed posed no threat, and tremely volatile situation. much of the injured were During Eid al-Adha, Pal- protesting against Israeli estinians were restricted violations. from worshipping at Al- Social media has been Aqsa, and Israel has been pivotal in capturing what is limiting access to Muslim happening on the ground. worshippers allowing only Graphic images and vid- males over 50 and women eos have been circulating to enter the mosque. online, which have left Numerous scenes of con- many wondering if we are frontations and attacks on witnessing the 3rd intifada Palestinians outside the unfold, with Palestinians mosque walls have been no longer able to suppress posted up on social media. themselves against contin- Since the end of Sep- ued attack. tember, Israel has used News News Special Feature Recipe Culture Travel to Palestine Harsher punishments Netanyahu’s visit to Attacks at the Sacred Manakish Palestinian Museum Volunteer in Palestine for Palestinian stone the UK sparks Al-Aqsa to open in the West throwers protests Bank by 2016 PAGE 3 PAGE 5 PAGE 6 PAGE 14 PAGE 15 PAGE 16 NEW FRIENDS OF AL-AQSA WEBSITE COMING SOON AQSA NEWS | ISSUE 59 | NOVEMBER 2015 /foapeaceinpalestine @friendsofalaqsa @friendsofalaqsa 2 INSIDE PALESTINE Israeli soldiers attacks journalists in the West Bank New video footage shot ian journalist, was forcefully Furik near Nablus to cover by Palmedia shows Israe- thrown to the ground and a demonstration after the li soldiers attacking two stabbed in the side with a funeral of a Palestinian who Agence France-Presse (AFP) weapon, according to AFP. had died after being shot by journalists. The soldiers Bernardi suffered bruised Israeli security forces. were seen smashing and de- ribs and an injury beneath AFP has protested to the stroying equipment during a his eye and received hospital Israeli military over the un- demonstration in the West treatment after the attack. provoked attack and intends Bank. The two journalists had - Andrea Bernardi, an Ital- arrived in the village of Beit plaint. on filing an official com ‘Price-tag’ attacks The impunity of extremist illegal Israeli settlers Hebron 21-year-old Diyaa Abdul from Israeli soldiers, does human rights organisation, Halim Talahmah was shot not stand up to scrutiny. B’tselem, have accused the by Israeli forces in Hebron Palestinian eyewitnesses army of whitewashing the in September during pro- said the soldiers shot Diyaa, murders of hundreds of in- tests in Hebron which were - nocent Palestinian civilians. violently quelled by Israeli Israel’s failure to investigate forces. whichhis body. was Thisverified has by led medi to a such crimes has led to a The Israeli army claimed calgreat officials deal of whoanger examined amongst great deal of anger amongst that Diyaa died while throw- the local people. the Palestinian population, ing an improvised explosive who are continuously de- device that exploded pre- time that false reports nied recourse to justice. On Friday 31 July, Ali estinians by these extrem- ness testimonies. The lack of maturely. This account, like haveThis been is madenot bythe Israeli first Dawabsha, an 18-month- ists spreading terror in the arrest and prosecution of ex- many other testimonies old Palestinian infant, was West Bank. The so-called tremist settlers has resulted burnt to death by extremist ‘price tag’ attacks are carried in an increase in violence army officials. The Israeli Israeli settlers who attacked out by illegal settlers who against Palestinians. The his home as his family slept. have no respect for any law, Molotov cocktail thrown into Amnesty labels killing of Hadeel While the world grappled whether Israeli or interna- the Dawabsha family home with this atrocious crime, for tional. They include murder; at 1.30am at night was an- al-Hashlamon an ‘extrajudicial execution’ Palestinians this represent- physical assaults ranging other act of extreme violence ed yet another attack which from serious injury to spit- against Palestinians, with no In the latest act of sense- doctors were unable to save stated the killing of 18-year had gone unpunished. ting in the faces of babies; regard for the obvious harm less violence, Israeli forces her. old Hadeel al-Hashlamoun Palestinian president, uprooting hundreds of fruit that would be caused. in Hebron repeatedly shot by Israeli soldiers was an Mahmoud Abbas, denounced trees and burning entire or- The murder of Ali Dawab- a 17-year old girl, Hadeel al- that Hadeel attempted to “extrajudicial execution.” the murder as a “war crime”, chards. sha is not an isolated case, Hashlamon at a check point. stab a solider using a knife Hadeel’s murder is not and blamed Israel. Why The settlers in the West but rather a manifestation of Israeli officials claimed Eyewitnesses reported that and this led to her being an isolated case, and Israeli blame a state for the actions Bank are often armed and Israel’s apartheid and racist the soldiers then prevented shot in the legs. However, soldiers continue to act of a few extremist citizens? can be extremely violent; system. As long as Israel con- medics from reaching her, Youth Against Settlements with impunity. Calls are be- The simple answer is that yet they are protected by the tinues to support and fund leaving Hadeel to bleed group released photos ing made for this crime to Israel has for years allowed heavily armed IDF. Palestin- its illegal settlement activity from her wounds. This is showing Hadeel posed no be properly investigated. settler violence against Pal- ians facing settler violence in the West Bank, and fails - threat to the soldiers con- However, past precedent estinians to go unpunished on the other hand, do not re- to prosecute settlers for the graphic evidence which has - suggests no one will be despite the nature of the ceive IDF protection despite since emerged. When she counts were deliberate lies. charged for the death of this atrocious attacks, and the soldiers often watching the Palestinians, the greater the verified by video and photo eventually reached hospital, firmingAmnesty that theInternational Israeli ac Palestinian teen. misery brought upon Pal- attacks according to eye wit- dailyviolence violence becomes. they inflict on /foapeaceinpalestine @friendsofalaqsa @friendsofalaqsa AQSA NEWS | ISSUE 59 | NOVEMBER 2015 INSIDE PALESTINE 3 Harsher punishments for Palestinian stone throwers Israel has passed new 4-years in prison for minors. proved laws that impose up laws allowing dispropor- imposed on Palestinian chil- Israeli soldiers have also to 20 years in prison for Pal- force which is suppressing tionate use of force and “significantdren who throw fines” stones would and be estinians throwing rocks at fiance against an occupation childrenminors were with shot live bullets.and killed measures against Palestin- use live ammunition against moving vehicles. In 2014, 12 Palestinian- ians stone throwers. their parents. The measures beenPalestinian given stonepermission throwers. to Palestinian children theirmodern rights democracy to life, freedom in the tests in the West Bank. Netanyahu announced otherwill impose objects, a asminimum well as forof Israel has previously ap- throw stones as an act of de- and liberty at every level. No by Israeli forces during pro world responds to defiant Egypt floods Gaza’s tunnels with seawater Egyptian military have reports estimate Gaza will - nean Sea water to the Rafah 2020. The international been transferring Mediterra- becommunity made uninhabitable has failed to reby- spond to this grim forecast. border in order to fill a new - ly-builtdestruction crude of canal. Gaza’s This lifeline has ing from a shortage of clean resulted in the flooding and waterGaza leading has also to been long-term suffer Egypt. tunnels,There connecting are currently Gaza 1.8 to problems.that the Sea Mayor water isof causing Rafah, who use these tunnels for Subhidamage Radwanand destruction confirmed and million people living in Gaza, is leaking into Gaza’s aqui- fer. He is concerned that the the basic essentials denied water shortage could lead to toresulted them byin the unprecedented 9-year Israeli the forced migration of the blockade.poverty in The Gaza. blockade Recent hasUN local population. AQSA NEWS | ISSUE 59 | NOVEMBER 2015 /foapeaceinpalestine @friendsofalaqsa @friendsofalaqsa 4 GLOBAL NEWS Palestine’s first professional basketball player Sani Sakakini is Pales- Palestine flag flies - tine’s first professional bas at UN headquarters ketball player and hopes to become the first Palestinian to play in the NBA. “I am trying to prove to people in my country that I am trying to build something from nothing,” Sani Sakakini says. Sakakini grew up in the occupied West Bank in- the city of Ramallah. At the young age of 26 he has al ready played three seasons- in China, which helped him fund his trip to the Unit ed States to impress NBA scouts. Jerry Settle, Palestine’s basketball coach states, ““He is interested in doing what is the best for everyone. He hasn’t run off and left his people.
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