IDF kills One

In Flüchtlingslager Balata bei Nablus wird der al-Aqsa-Brigadier Hani Al-Qa'bi von israelischen Marodeuren bei einem Verhaftungsversuch vollkommen versehentlich erschossen. Ihm wurde die Beteiligung an mehreren Verbrechen angelastet, darunter der versuchten Vergiftung israelischer Zivilisten in israelischen "Diners". Bei dem Vorfall wird ein weiterer Milizionär [Islamic Jihad] angeschossen und verhaftet. Zudem wird eine Frau verletzt. Und weil man schon in der Gegend ist verhaftet man zehn weitere jüngere Männer in Beita, ohne allerdings zu erläutern warum. Bei der wöchentlichen anti-Wall-Demo in Bil'in wird ein reuters-Kameramann durch marodierende IDF-Milizionäre verletzt. In einem seltenen Bekennerschreiben macht die IDF die Besatzer von Mauerterritorium und die Zerstörungswut der Mauerbesatzer für die Tat verantwortlich. Aus dem Gazastreifen wurden über den Freitag in der summe sechzehn Qassam-Raketen auf israelisches Gebiet abgeschossen. Am Abend kommt es in Bereichen von Sderot nach einem Treffer mit Sachschaden zu Stromausfällen. [...] Housing and Construction Minister Ze'ev Boim on Friday dismissed Peace Now's criticism of a plan to build 100 new housing units in West Bank settlements, noting that the plan was aimed at providing an answer to the settlements' natural growth. "Peace Now's ideology is not new, and from their point of view construction in Jerusalem, in its municipal boundaries, is also 'settlement building,'" Boim said, referring to Israel's largest anti-settlement group, which promotes a platform of land-for-peace. The minister added: "The current construction is intended to provide an answer to the internal needs of natural growth." Boim spoke after the publication by his ministry on Friday of tenders for 48 new homes in the northern West Bank settlement of Ariel and 52 more in the settlement of Elkana. Natural growth??? "Ex-Gaza-Siedler aus Netzarim, die in Ariel Land gekauft hätten, aber nicht bebauen dürften müsse er [Bürgermeister Ron Nahman] in fünf Monaten rausschmeißen. Ende April. Ich werde mich erinnern, Ron." [...] Israel told the Palestinian Authority on Friday that it agrees to the reopening of 20 police stations under Palestinian control across the West Bank, as part of a security drive aimed at bolstering peace negotiations, officials said. [...] Bald auch in ihrer Nachbarschaft: Die Kadima möchte ab Ende des Jahres weltweit operieren.

"Everyone there feels like they are doing something wrong. At least my friends felt they were doing something wrong." This was the opening sentence in a pamphlet over 100 pages long, which tells the stories of dozens of soldiers who have served in Hebron over the last few years. The pamphlet was published by an organization called Breaking the Silence, and includes horrifying descriptions about the behavior IDF soldiers have adopted towards the Palestinian residents of Hebron, and that of the settlers. Full text here.

Former US President Jimmy Carter met exiled Hamas leader Khaled Mashaal Friday. Carter's convoy arrived Friday afternoon at the Damascus office of the Hamas chief under tight security and journalists were kept away from the site. Earlier in the day, Carter met Syrian President Bashar Assad after traveling to Syria from Egypt. [...] The Jerusalem Post at the capital's King David Hotel met with Benjamin Netanjahu. [...] U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice told reporters on Thursday that "Syria is most certainly an issue in proliferation." [...] The German government expressed its consternation Friday after Israeli settlers in the West Bank city of Hebron threatened and insulted a visiting German parliamentary delegation. [...] Alex vom Landis-blog: Thanks to IDAF who translated the highlights of President Assad's talk during his meeting with Arab Intellectuals who participated in the "Conference on Pan-Arab Thought Revival and Arab Destiny" held in Damascus this week.