NY Times report: A little-noticed police action in Jerusalem last month was one of several incidents that led to the current crisis in which Israel is using violence against Palestinians in Gaza, East Jerusalem, and the West Bank.
The Israeli occupation is a constant, chilling presence in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, and among Palestinians living in Israel: children and adults are routinely abducted, Israeli housing is built on Palestinian land while Palestinian homes are demolished – just a few examples from one “average” day.
Israeli soldiers have killed 1, injured over 95, abducted at least 30 in ongoing invasions since Thursday in East Jerusalem; also imposed sanctions and collective punishment measures against the residents; invaded & ransacked dozens of homes, hospitals and clinics, assaulting physicians, nurses, patients… Part of Israel’s effort to displace Palestinians to create a new “National Garden” in the area…
A hospital anniversary celebration attended by “dozens of people,” sponsored by the Palestinian Authority, in occupied East Jerusalem was intolerable for Israel. The reason: it would include “Palestinian sovereign symbols such as: playing the Palestinian national anthem, political speeches on behalf of the PA and participation of Palestinian officials.”
The shut-down was ordered because an Israeli law forbids the PA “to hold an assembly or activity within the State of Israel.”
The world (except for Israel) considers East Jerusalem to be occupied, and its annexation to be illegal. That is, East Jerusalem is part of the occupied Palestinian territories.
Recently released Israeli documents show that Israel secretly funded an insurance company for settlers, in addition to planning for 20,000 new units in Ma’ale Adumim worth 3 billion shekels (over $800 million), an East Jerusalem settlement built on confiscated Palestinian land.
In addition, settlement activity in Hebron continues, and Israel is trying to have international human rights observers removed.
Other troubling new governmental actions and policies have also been adopted.
Saturday night, Israeli soldiers attacked many Palestinians participating in a wedding ceremony in the town of al-‘Ezariyya, southeast of occupied East Jerusalem, and abducted four young men.
The Shamasna family, which has lived in their home in East Jerusalem for 53 years, was forcibly evicted Tuesday by Israeli police, who then allowed three armed Jewish Israeli teenagers to take over the home.
![Ben & Jerry’s: Stop selling ice cream in illegal Israeli settlements! [ACTION ALERT]](https://israelpalestinenews.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/benjerrys-724x410.jpg "Ben & Jerry’s: Stop selling ice cream in illegal Israeli settlements! [ACTION ALERT]")
Phone Ben & Jerry’s Vermont headquarters this week at (802) 846-1500 (8:00 am to 4:00pm EDT) to demand an immediate stop to the marketing and sales of its “peace & love” ice cream in illegal, Jewish-only settlements in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem.
![Video shows Israeli policeman beating Palestinian truck driver [Video]](https://israelpalestinenews.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/PolicemanBeats-431x410.jpg "Video shows Israeli policeman beating Palestinian truck driver [Video]")
The Jerusalem Post reports that a video shows an Israeli policeman beating an East Jerusalem truck driver…
![Palestinian Memories: The Story of a Palestinian Mother and Her People [Video]](https://israelpalestinenews.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Awad.Huda-01.jpg "Palestinian Memories: The Story of a Palestinian Mother and Her People [Video]")
From WHTT.org: Rev. Alex Awad, tells the remarkable and inspiring story of his mother, Huda Awad, who was left a widow with seven children in 1948, during the Zionist takeover of Palestine. Alex gives a look at the Israeli/Palestine conflict as a Palestinian Christian. Alex’s older brother, Bishara, founded the evangelical Christian college, Bethlehem Bible College in 1979. Alex served as the pastor at the East Jerusalem Baptist Church and Dean of Student Affairs at Bethlehem Bible College…