Tag Archive for West Bank

| October 8, 2013
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World Bank: Lifting Israeli restrictions would help Palestinian economy

 

Not giving all of the West Bank to the Palestinians, restricts their economy by $3.4 billion annually, reports the World Bank.

By TOVAH LAZAROFF

 

 

The Palestinian GDP in the West Bank could increase by at least 35%, $3.4 billion annually, if Israel lifted its restrictions on Palestinian access and movement in Area C, the World Bank said in a report it issued Tuesday morning.

A Palestinian farmer in the West Bank ploughs his land.

A Palestinian farmer in the West Bank ploughs his land. – Photo: REUTERS/Baz Ratner

“Access to Area C will go a long way to solving Palestinian economic problems,” said Mariam Sherman, the outgoing World Bank Country Director for the Palestinian territories.

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Category: Israel News | Tags: , , ,
| September 28, 2013
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Renegade French Diplomat Recalled After Striking Policeman

 

Recalled to France: Envoy wasn’t being diplomatic when she punched Border Policeman after being pulled from truck delivering U.N. aid.

By REUTERS

 

 

 

Israel and France have averted a diplomatic crisis by agreeing that a French diplomat, who hit an IDF soldier after she was dragged from a vehicle delivering aid to Palestinians, should return to Paris.

Renegade diplomat, Marion Castaing attacks Policeman

The incident in the West Bank one week ago had the potential to escalate, with Israel considering expelling her and aid groups privately pressing Paris and other European countries involved to protest at the treatment of their diplomats.

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Category: Israel News | Tags: , , , , , ,
| September 27, 2013
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Human Rights Watch tells Israel: Stop displacing Bedouins

 

Human rights organization calls on Israel to stop its attempts at displacing West Bank Bedouin families, citing last week’s confrontation of IDF soldiers clashing with diplomats on an aid mission.

By AFP

Human Rights Watch on Thursday urged Israel to stop trying to displace Bedouin families in the West Bank, where the army last week manhandled European diplomats on an aid mission.  

Bedouin village (Archives) – Photo: Elior Levy

“The Israeli military should end its unjustified attempts to forcibly remove a decades-old community,” the New York-based watchdog’s Middle East director Joe Stork said in a statement.

“Israeli forces didn’t just rough up diplomats, they demolished every single building in Makhul and ordered the residents to leave and never come back,” he said. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: , ,
| September 24, 2013
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IDF officials accuse PA of ‘incompetence’ after 2 Israeli soldiers murdered

IDF officials say Abbas’ PA security forces have done little as far as arresting terrorists recently, & that no one has yet been tried by a Palestinian court over the past year.

By and

 

Senior Israeli security sources on Monday accused the Palestinian Authority and its security services of “complete incompetence” in fighting terrorism, following the killing of two Israel Defense Forces soldiers in the West Bank over the past few days.

PA forces in Jenin

Palestinian members of the National Security Forces loyal to President Mahmoud Abbas take part in a training session in the West Bank city of Jenin, Thursday, March 29, 2012.

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Category: Israel News | Tags: , , ,
| September 23, 2013
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Palestinian sniper kills Israeli soldier in near Hebron

IDF imposes closure on West Bank town in wake of terrorist attack. Shooting occurs one day after another IDF soldier was murdered by Palestinian coworker from Bat Yam restaurant.

Minister Bennett demands gov’t rethink commitment to prisoner release.

By and Gili Cohen 

 

An Israeli soldier was killed on Sunday in a shooting attack near the West Bank city of Hebron.

A Magen David Adom Ambulance.

A Magen David Adom ambulance. – Photo: Yaron Kaminsky

The victim was named as Staff Sergeant Gal (Gabriel) Kobi, 20, of Tirat Hacarmel. He was evacuated to the Hadassah Hospital Ein Karem for treatment, and died of his wounds. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: , , , ,
| September 22, 2013
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EU demands Israel to explain seizure of Palestinian aid & abuse to diplomats

EU diplomats accuse IDF soldiers of manhandling them while attempting to deliver aid to Palestinians.

Foreign Ministry official calls EU’s actions a ‘provocation’, illegal & IDF responded to physical attack.

By and Reuters

 

The EU ambassador in Israel called the Foreign Ministry Deputy Director-General for Europe Rafi Shutz on Saturday, to express concern over an altercation that took place between EU diplomats and Israeli soldiers in the West Bank on Friday.

Khirbet al-Makhul

Israeli soldiers pull a Palestinian off a truck loaded with items European diplomats wanted to deliver to locals in the West Bank herding community of Khirbet al-Makhul, September 20, 2013.

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Category: Israel News | Tags: , , , ,
| September 21, 2013
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IDF seizes EU diplomats’ supplies & French diplomat dragged out of truck

IDF reportedly drags French diplomat out of truck then seizes aid supply.

Reporter sees IDF soldiers throw sound grenades at group of EU diplomats, aid workers, & locals in West Bank.

By Reuters

Israeli soldiers seized on Friday a truck full of tents and emergency aid that European diplomats had been trying to deliver to Palestinians whose homes were demolished this week, Reuters reported.

French diplomat dragged out of truck – Photo: Reuters

Soldiers were reportedly throwing sound grenades at a group of diplomats, aid workers and locals in the West Bank, and pulling a French diplomat out of the truck before driving away with its contents. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: , , , , , ,
| September 12, 2013
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Palestinian mob attack Israeli forces at Joseph’s Tomb as hundreds of Jews pray

Palestinian stone-throwers target IDF soldiers  when 1,400 Jewish worshippers enter West Bank holy site under tight security.

Live fire from Palestinians force soldiers to respond leaving one Palestinian hurt.

By Gili Cohen

 

 

Clashes erupted early Thursday between Palestinians and Israeli security forces at Joseph’s Tomb in the northern West Bank, as some 1,400 Jewish worshipers gathered for prayers at the holy site.

Jews praying at Joseph's Tomb

Jews praying at Joseph’s Tomb – Photo: Moti Milrod

The worshipers entered the compound near Nablus under tight security, supervised by both Israel Defense Forces soldiers and Border Police forces. Entrance to Jews is restricted to special circumstances only. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: , , , ,
| September 2, 2013
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Gov’t to explore upgrading Israel’s Civil Laws in Area C

 

PM Netanyahu seeks incorporating Israel’s Personal Laws in the Area C sections of the West Bank as it is applicable in the rest of Israel.

By TOVAH LAZAROFF
 

 

The government is looking into upgrading through military orders all personal laws for Israelis living in Area C, starting with the workplace, to ensure that they match those legislated by the Knesset for citizens in the rest of the country.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu asked the Justice Ministry to start the task, at the end of a discussion on the labor law for working mothers in Judea and Samaria, held Sunday at the government’s weekly meeting, an official said.

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Category: Israel News | Tags: , ,
| August 16, 2013
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Palestinian survey: 20,000 Palestinians working in settlements

Palestinian Survey also finds the unemployment rate in the Gaza Strip was 27.9% compared with 16.8% in the West Bank.

By KHALED ABU TOAMEH

 

 

 

Unemployment in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip remains relatively high, according to a survey published by the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics on Thursday.

Palestinian construction worker

Palestinian construction worker – Photo: REUTERS

The survey also showed an increase in the number of Palestinians working in Israel and settlements.

The survey showed that the unemployment rate in the Gaza Strip was 27.9 percent compared with 16.8% in the West Bank in the second quarter of 2013.

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Category: Mid-East News | Tags: , , ,
| August 7, 2013
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Israeli scientists & ministers to PM: Don’t cut ties with EU

Academics & Ministers voice concern over Naftali Bennett’s suggestion of ending cooperation with the EU because of their new settlement guidelines.

‘Israel works in the global arena. The problems we are working on are relevant for the entire world. So is our industry, it’s int’l & it’s the engine of our economy.’

By , and

 

 

Israeli scientists warn that cutting ties with the European Union could cause irreparable harm to Israeli research. The researchers were reacting to Economy Ministry Naftali Bennett‘s call for the Israeli government to end all cooperation with the EU in response to new guidelines banning funding to Israeli entities with ties to West Bank settlements, East Jerusalem or the Golan Heights. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: , , , , ,
| July 26, 2013
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‘Quiet’ Arrest Turns Into Shootout in Jenin

One terrorist shot & hurt as terrorists & rock-throwers clash with soldiers in northern Samaria.

By Maayana Miskin

 

Terrorists launched an attack on an IDF unit in northern Samaria early on Friday morning, IDF sources have revealed.

Attackers opened fire on IDF troops near the Palestinian Authority-controlled city of Jenin. At the same time, other Arab attackers hurled rocks at the soldiers.

Soldiers were in the area to arrest a PA Arab man suspected of terror-related crimes.

Soldiers returned fire, hitting one attacker and wounding him. The wounded man was taken to a local PA hospital for treatment.

The troops managed to arrest the suspect they had come for despite the attack. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: , , , , ,
| July 25, 2013
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IDF snatches Palestinian suspected of shooting at Israeli buses in West Bank

Palestinian, thought be responsible for past shootings, was seen aiming his handgun at bus passing near Arab village.

By Gili Cohen

 

A Palestinian suspected of shooting at buses in the Judea and Samaria District of the West Bank was arrested Thursday by the Israel Defense Forces.

The gunman's possessions.

The gunman’s possessions. – Photo courtesy IDF Spokesperson’s Unit

 

According to authorities, an IDF soldier was riding a bus near the West Bank village of Hawara Thursday afternoon when he saw a Palestinian aiming a handgun at the bus. The suspect was about 15 meters away from the bus, the soldier reportedly told authorities. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: , , ,
| June 28, 2013
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Terror attack averted when sniper rifles with silencers seized by police

A major disaster has been averted with the 3 Palestinians men caught in possession of weapons in West Bank village.

By Itamar Fleishman

A Border Guard force arrested three Palestinians near the village of Al-Khader in the West Bank on Thursday. The three were carrying sniper rifles, silencers, telescopic sights, magazines and a pocketknife.

כלי הנשק שנתפסו. מעורר דאגה

Confiscated arms

They were turned over for questioning to security forces, who say they admitted they were planning a terror attack. The weapons were discovered during a search in the village after a Molotov cocktail was hurled at a Border Guard vehicle. The forces spotted a car with three men who raised their suspicion and ordered it to stop. Continue Reading »

Category: Israel News | Tags: , ,
| June 26, 2013
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Jordan’s king: Palestinians may launch Arab Spring if peace talks don’t resume

London-based Asharq al-Awsat newspaper reports King Abdullah II warning of ‘new intifada or a new cycle of violence and counter violence’ if Palestinians feel prospects for a peaceful settlement of their conflict with Israel have reached a dead end.

By Reuters

Jordan‘s King Abdullah believes that Palestinians could launch an Arab Spring-style revolt if they felt prospects for a peaceful settlement of their conflict with Israel had reached a dead end, a pan-Arab newspaper reported on Wednesday.

Jordan's King Abdullah speaks in Amman, February 20, 2011.

Jordan’s King Abdullah II – Photo: Reuters

He welcomed efforts by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry to revive Israeli-Palestinian peace talks, but warned of a narrowing window for peace due to Israeli settlement building, according to the report in the London-based Asharq al-Awsat newspaper. Continue Reading »

Category: Mid-East News | Tags: , , , ,
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