Ministry of Health releases casualty statistics for November: 122 Palestinians killed, 559 injured
A report issued by the Palestinian health information center, part of the Ministry of Health, has given the death toll reached 122 Palestinians, killed during the month of November, in addition to 559 injured in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
The report, issued on Sunday, said that 105 Palestinians, or 86.1% of those killed were in the Gaza Strip, and 17 in the West Bank.
399 of the injuries were incurred in the Gaza Strip, some 71.4% of the total injuries, with 160 injured in the West Bank. The report also stated that 31 children were killed, all in the Gaza Strip. 129 Palestinians under the age of 18 were injured in the Gaza Strip.
18 women were killed during November, all from the Gaza Strip, and 92 women were injured.
The report stated that 24 of the Palestinians killed in the Gaza Strip arrived at hospital with their bodies torn to pieces. The report also mentioned that a huge operation was launched against the Gaza Strip by the Israeli forces under the name "Operation: Autumn Clouds". The operation targeted the northern area of the Gaza Strip, specifically Beit Hanoun, Beit Lahiya and Jabalia areas.
State of Palestine Ministry of Health http://www.moh.gov.ps
Haniyeh in Doha: Fatah have closed the doors of dialogue
Palestinian Prime Minister Ishmael Haniyeh has burdened the Fatah movement with the responsibility for "closing the doors of dialogue", over the formation of the national government. He also warned of the consequences of this breakdown on the Palestinian people and their interests.
Speaking to journalists in the Qatari capital, the Prime Minister accused the Fatah movement of retracting some of the understandings which Hamas and Fatah had agreed upon. He also stated that the dialogue had made significant progress toward establishing the government. "This government could have lifted the siege imposed on Palestinians", he concluded.
PM Haniyeh visits Al-Jazeera TV during his Middle East tour
Palestinian Prime Minister Ismael Haniyeh has visited the Al Jazeera Satellite Channel in Doha, Qatar. During his visit, the Prime Minister was warmly welcomed by the officials and employees of the channel, who expressed their appreciation of his visit, which they described as support of the media and freedom of journalism.
Haniyeh praised the role the channel plays in educating the public about Arab and Islamic opinion, and "the opening of horizons before the Arab nation”.
Hamas movement rejects ceasefire
The Hamas movement has announced the suspension of its participation in the ceasefire, stating that "the discussion of the issue in the current circumstances stands against Palestinians. The internal situation should be given the top priority."
In a statement issued in Gaza, the movement stated "the comprehensive truce should come as part of a comprehensive national program for the next stage. Maybe the truce can be part of it, but this time is needed to make sure it is mature and ready."
The movement has called on everyone to make the national interest more important than the interest of the factions, and to pay more attention to the internal situation. "We must get our own house in order, before we get busy in relations with the Israeli occupation, who have escalated the aggression against Palestinians after the cease of projectile launching", read the Hamas statement.
PLC deputy speaker calls on Palestinian factions to return to dialogue
Deputy speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council, Ahmad Bahar, has, on Saturday, called on Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, and the Palestinian factions to return to talks and construct dialogue "in a deeper way, since that is the only way out of the current crisis, instead of calling for the resignation of the government."
Bahar's call came while he was holding a meeting with a students' delegation, along with the PLC members Huda Na'im and Jamila Ash-Shanti. The delegation was oriented to the mechanism of the performance of the PLC and the obstacles the council encounters, which form part of the general hardships of the Palestinian people.
Dr Bahar stressed the importance of accomplishing national unity in Palestine, as the means to break the international siege and force the occupation to seek appeasement. He called on all parties "to go back to dialogue based upon the rules of impartiality and professionalism in composing a unity government", affirming that dialogue has not yet failed.
When the students asked him about the ratification of a law to support the rights of Palestinian youth, Dr Bahar told them that a legal study into the law is ongoing and invited them to prepare a proposal to be submitted to the law committee and then be discussed by the PLC.
Another 128 foreign passport-holders given "last permit" by Israeli border authorities
Another 128 passports belonging to spouses and children of Palestinian ID-holders who had applied for visa extensions have just been returned marked “last permit”, according to a press release from the Palestinian Campaign for the Right to Entry/ Re-Entry to the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
The campaigners state: "This is in addition to the 100 visa extension rejections issued last week by the Israeli Ministry of Interior (MoI) office at Beit El. Most of these foreign passport holders have to leave in the next two weeks, with some having 'minus' time left, and all are required to leave via Israeli controlled entry/exit points before the end of the year.
"Those who overstay their allotted time will be considered ‘illegal’ and are subject to immediate deportation from the Israeli occupied Palestinian territories (oPt). In an effort to avoid being considered ‘illegal’ and threatened with arrest by the Israelis, some families are opting to relocate abroad. The pattern of refusing visa renewals for family members is part of an overall Israeli effort that denies entry to foreign nationals seeking access to the oPt.
"The impact of Israel's practice includes the forced separation of spouses, parents from their children, educators and students from their schools, health care, NGO and humanitarian workers from access to needy communities, and business owners from their investments. According to the Palestinian MoI, hundreds of applications for Israeli visa extensions following Israeli guidelines were submitted in October and are still pending. Israel is also refusing to process an estimated 120,000 family unification residency applications.
"Every denial of entry and visa renewal refusal impacts an estimated 10 people, many of whom subsequently resort to moving to another country.”
"This is a silent ethnic cleansing", said Basil Ayish, a spokesperson from the Campaign for the Right of Entry/Re-Entry to the oPt.
"Sixty-year old Anita Abdullah from Ramallah, a Swiss national married to a Palestinian ID-holder, applied to the Ministry of the Interior for an extension before her visa expired on November 1st. Her passport was returned on November 19 with a one month extension marked 'last permit'. Both Anita, a freelance researcher, and her husband have lived and worked in Ramallah for over 12 years. Their children and Anita's 92-year old mother all live abroad. If forced to leave Anita and her husband will have no means to support themselves and will become dependant on their children. If Anita stays illegally she will be denied re-entry when she does leave."
Yousef Alhelou is a freelance Palestinian journalist based in Gaza. He can be contacted on ydamadan@hotmail.com
A report issued by the Palestinian health information center, part of the Ministry of Health, has given the death toll reached 122 Palestinians, killed during the month of November, in addition to 559 injured in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip.
The report, issued on Sunday, said that 105 Palestinians, or 86.1% of those killed were in the Gaza Strip, and 17 in the West Bank.
399 of the injuries were incurred in the Gaza Strip, some 71.4% of the total injuries, with 160 injured in the West Bank. The report also stated that 31 children were killed, all in the Gaza Strip. 129 Palestinians under the age of 18 were injured in the Gaza Strip.
18 women were killed during November, all from the Gaza Strip, and 92 women were injured.
The report stated that 24 of the Palestinians killed in the Gaza Strip arrived at hospital with their bodies torn to pieces. The report also mentioned that a huge operation was launched against the Gaza Strip by the Israeli forces under the name "Operation: Autumn Clouds". The operation targeted the northern area of the Gaza Strip, specifically Beit Hanoun, Beit Lahiya and Jabalia areas.
State of Palestine Ministry of Health http://www.moh.gov.ps
Haniyeh in Doha: Fatah have closed the doors of dialogue
Palestinian Prime Minister Ishmael Haniyeh has burdened the Fatah movement with the responsibility for "closing the doors of dialogue", over the formation of the national government. He also warned of the consequences of this breakdown on the Palestinian people and their interests.
Speaking to journalists in the Qatari capital, the Prime Minister accused the Fatah movement of retracting some of the understandings which Hamas and Fatah had agreed upon. He also stated that the dialogue had made significant progress toward establishing the government. "This government could have lifted the siege imposed on Palestinians", he concluded.
PM Haniyeh visits Al-Jazeera TV during his Middle East tour
Palestinian Prime Minister Ismael Haniyeh has visited the Al Jazeera Satellite Channel in Doha, Qatar. During his visit, the Prime Minister was warmly welcomed by the officials and employees of the channel, who expressed their appreciation of his visit, which they described as support of the media and freedom of journalism.
Haniyeh praised the role the channel plays in educating the public about Arab and Islamic opinion, and "the opening of horizons before the Arab nation”.
Hamas movement rejects ceasefire
The Hamas movement has announced the suspension of its participation in the ceasefire, stating that "the discussion of the issue in the current circumstances stands against Palestinians. The internal situation should be given the top priority."
In a statement issued in Gaza, the movement stated "the comprehensive truce should come as part of a comprehensive national program for the next stage. Maybe the truce can be part of it, but this time is needed to make sure it is mature and ready."
The movement has called on everyone to make the national interest more important than the interest of the factions, and to pay more attention to the internal situation. "We must get our own house in order, before we get busy in relations with the Israeli occupation, who have escalated the aggression against Palestinians after the cease of projectile launching", read the Hamas statement.
PLC deputy speaker calls on Palestinian factions to return to dialogue
Deputy speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council, Ahmad Bahar, has, on Saturday, called on Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, and the Palestinian factions to return to talks and construct dialogue "in a deeper way, since that is the only way out of the current crisis, instead of calling for the resignation of the government."
Bahar's call came while he was holding a meeting with a students' delegation, along with the PLC members Huda Na'im and Jamila Ash-Shanti. The delegation was oriented to the mechanism of the performance of the PLC and the obstacles the council encounters, which form part of the general hardships of the Palestinian people.
Dr Bahar stressed the importance of accomplishing national unity in Palestine, as the means to break the international siege and force the occupation to seek appeasement. He called on all parties "to go back to dialogue based upon the rules of impartiality and professionalism in composing a unity government", affirming that dialogue has not yet failed.
When the students asked him about the ratification of a law to support the rights of Palestinian youth, Dr Bahar told them that a legal study into the law is ongoing and invited them to prepare a proposal to be submitted to the law committee and then be discussed by the PLC.
Another 128 foreign passport-holders given "last permit" by Israeli border authorities
Another 128 passports belonging to spouses and children of Palestinian ID-holders who had applied for visa extensions have just been returned marked “last permit”, according to a press release from the Palestinian Campaign for the Right to Entry/ Re-Entry to the Occupied Palestinian Territory.
The campaigners state: "This is in addition to the 100 visa extension rejections issued last week by the Israeli Ministry of Interior (MoI) office at Beit El. Most of these foreign passport holders have to leave in the next two weeks, with some having 'minus' time left, and all are required to leave via Israeli controlled entry/exit points before the end of the year.
"Those who overstay their allotted time will be considered ‘illegal’ and are subject to immediate deportation from the Israeli occupied Palestinian territories (oPt). In an effort to avoid being considered ‘illegal’ and threatened with arrest by the Israelis, some families are opting to relocate abroad. The pattern of refusing visa renewals for family members is part of an overall Israeli effort that denies entry to foreign nationals seeking access to the oPt.
"The impact of Israel's practice includes the forced separation of spouses, parents from their children, educators and students from their schools, health care, NGO and humanitarian workers from access to needy communities, and business owners from their investments. According to the Palestinian MoI, hundreds of applications for Israeli visa extensions following Israeli guidelines were submitted in October and are still pending. Israel is also refusing to process an estimated 120,000 family unification residency applications.
"Every denial of entry and visa renewal refusal impacts an estimated 10 people, many of whom subsequently resort to moving to another country.”
"This is a silent ethnic cleansing", said Basil Ayish, a spokesperson from the Campaign for the Right of Entry/Re-Entry to the oPt.
"Sixty-year old Anita Abdullah from Ramallah, a Swiss national married to a Palestinian ID-holder, applied to the Ministry of the Interior for an extension before her visa expired on November 1st. Her passport was returned on November 19 with a one month extension marked 'last permit'. Both Anita, a freelance researcher, and her husband have lived and worked in Ramallah for over 12 years. Their children and Anita's 92-year old mother all live abroad. If forced to leave Anita and her husband will have no means to support themselves and will become dependant on their children. If Anita stays illegally she will be denied re-entry when she does leave."
Yousef Alhelou is a freelance Palestinian journalist based in Gaza. He can be contacted on ydamadan@hotmail.com