Israeli soldiers attack wall protesters

Source: PressTV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=126719§ionid=351020202


Israeli soldiers injure three civilians and arrest eight for protesting against construction of a wall and attempting to stop military bulldozers from destroying Palestinian orchards.

Israeli soldiers attacked the anti-wall protesters with rifle butts and batons, injuring three international supporters and arresting eight others in the town of Beit Jala near Beth Lahm (Bethlehem), in southern West Bank.

Palestinians complain that the new section of the wall in Beit Jala, will surround a nearby settler-only road and destroy about 75 acres of land owned by Palestinian residents. The construction will reportedly destroy centuries-old olive trees and will "pass right through the front door of 35 families."

The town of Beit Jala alone has lost 3,200 of the 4,200 acres of Palestinian land due to illegal Israeli settlements and their roads.

Residents and the Municipality of Beit Jala challenged the legality of the wall in the Israeli supreme court of Justice after the Tel Aviv regime announced in 2006 its plans to construct the wall.

However, the Israeli court has so far failed to announce any decision on the case. Last month, the Israelis began constructing the wall.

USAID breaks Washington's pledge

Source: PressTV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail.aspx?id=126728§ionid=351020202


A US government aid agency has broken its pledge and is funding the construction of an Israeli planned road network in the occupied West Bank.

Palestinian researchers revealed on Sunday that the USAID has funded Israel in building 114 kms of roads, despite Washington's pledge six years ago that it would not assist in implementing what has been widely described as Israel's “apartheid road ” plan.

The building of the roads further embed the illegal settlements in the occupied lands in the West Bank and justify confiscating yet more Palestinian land for the new roads.

To date, the agency has paid for the construction of nearly a quarter of the segregated road network put forward by Israel in 2004, said the Applied Research Institute of Jerusalem (ARIJ).

According to human rights groups, Israel has reserved an increasing number of main roads in the West Bank for illegal Israeli settlers, so that they can drive more easily and quickly into Israel, making their illegal communities more attractive places to live in.