Palestine Today 081308

Wednesday August 13, 2008 16:05 by IMEMC News - Audio Dept

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Welcome to Palestine Today, a service of the International Middle East Media Centre, www.imemc.org, for Wednesday August 13th, 2008.

The Israeli army invades West Bank cities shooting a boy and kidnapping 6 civilians. Israeli army bulldozers have also demolished 3 houses, these stories and more coming up, stay tuned.

The Israeli army invaded Deheisheh refugee camp south of Bethlehem and started firing at random, injuring an unarmed Palestinian boy with shrapnel from a bullet. Medical sources reported that the boy was transferred to a local hospital and he is suffering from a moderate injury.

On Wednesday, a group of Israeli settlers attacked the West Bank city of Hebron, wounding a Palestinian child in the head. He was taken to a local hospital.

Meanwhile, Israeli bulldozers demolished three houses in Jerusalem. Eyewitnesses said that the bulldozers demolished the houses immediately, preventing family members from rescuing any of their belongings before the houses were destroyed.

The Israeli army justifies the demolition by claiming that the houses were built without the needed permission. However, since Israel occupied Jerusalem in 1967 it has rarely given its Palestinian residents any form of documentation for their land or homes or permission to build.

Continuing our daily coverage, Israeli army invaded Beit Jala a city nearby Bethlehem. Eyewitnesses reported that several military vehicles invaded the city and surrounded the residents of Rizqallah family kidnapping one of the family members and taking him to an unknown destination.

In the West Bank city of Tulkarem a number of Israeli vehicles invaded the city and nearby villages. Troops fired shots and searched and ransacked several civilian houses, leaving several properties damages.

In addition, Israeli troops invaded Yasuf village east of Salfit and searched a number of houses. Troops are also reported to have assaulted a 60 year old civilian causing him to be transferred to a local hospital

In Hebron, clashes between locals Palestinians and the Israeli military as twenty Israeli military vehicles and a number of bulldozers invaded the city. Israeli troops are reported to have shot rubber coated steel bullets and concussion grenades. Security sources reported that the Israeli troops conducted house to house searches, causing property damage and kidnapping four civilians.

On a separate issue, thousands of Palestinians and internationals attend Darwish's funeral in Ramallah, after his body arrived from the USA with a special Emirates airplane, then with special helicopters from Jordan at around 11:00 am.

Darwish was laid to rest at 14:00 in the front yard of the Cultural Palace in Ramallah, which will be named after him. He is an internationally respected cultural icon among the Palestinian and Arab people and well-known among international supporters of the Palestinian cause.

Darwish's works were translated into more than twenty languages and he also won several international prizes. He died on Sunday in a Houston hospital in the United States after going in for heart surgery.

Conclusion

Thank you for joining us from occupied Bethlehem. You have been listening to Palestine Today from the International Middle East Media Center, www.imemc.org. This report has been brought to you by Sofie Reid and Hussam Qassis

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