Palestine News Network

Israeli soldiers arrested two Palestinians and five Internationals during an anti-wall nonviolent protest on Wednesday morning in Al-Walajeh village near the southern West Bank city of Bethlehem. On Tuesday, Israeli army bulldozers started to uproot trees owned by local farmers to make way for the new section of the wall that Israel has been building for three year there.

The Water Sanitation and Hygiene Group (EWASH) issued a report saying that even though Israel announced last year that it will ease the blockade; Gaza Strip residents still don’t have clean water running from their taps as up to 95% of water for domestic supply in the Gaza Strip is still below the minimum WHO standard for drinking water and unfit for consumption.

The Canadian ship the Tahrir pulled out of the Gaza Freedom Flotilla Two over the weekend, as only French ship the Dignity El Karameh and the Swedish-Norwegian-Greek ship Juliano remain to break the blockade of Gaza. The Tahrir finally gives up after Greek Port officials ask the activists to provide new documents that had never previously been mentioned nor required.

The Israeli parliament is set to vote on a bill that will impose sanctions on people or organizations that call for a boycott of Israel or its settlements. The Israeli parliament’s legal advisor, Eyal Inon, was set to make a statement against the bill on Monday, saying the new law will damage freedom of expression.

Tomorrow, Palestinians will commemorate the seven year anniversary of the International Court of Justices (ICJ) ruling that the Israeli built wall and settlements in the Occupied Territories were against International law and International human rights and called for the dismantling of the wall. The Israeli government has ignored these calls repeatedly.

A year after the first Gaza Freedom Flotilla was attacked by Israel in international waters leading to the deaths of nine activists, the Free Gaza Movement is organising a second flotilla which is currently experiencing difficulties in Greece as the government there is refusing to allow the boats to leave port, citing fears for the safety for the passengers on board.

The Palestinian leadership is more committed than ever to obtaining statehood through the United Nations General Assembly. But despite this commitment, there is worry that success in New York might not necessarily mean success in Nablus or Hebron. There are many reasons the UN route is the correct strategy for Palestinians today.

Palestinian hip-hop group DAM took the stage at the Ramallah Cultural Palace Saturday night in front of hundreds of fans. DAM, which means blood in both Hebrew and Arabic and is short for “Da Arabian MCs,”. The show meant to bring together artists from the West Bank in the spirit of a growing youth movement, said DAM member Suhell Nafar.

Israeli troops took control of the Free Gaza movement MV Rachel Corrie aid ship while its sealing to the Gaza Strip to deliver aid and break the Siege. According to the Israeli army soldiers took control of the ship without any clashes with the 20 people on board the ship. MV Rachel Corrie was rerouted to the Israeli sea port of Ashdod near the Gaza Strip.

Music is the language of the people, one of the signs of excellence and growth believes the Edward Said National Conservatory of Music. The programs and projects of the Conservatory clearly aim at improving the musical life for all age and socio-economic groups in the provinces of Palestine. It targets the disadvantaged to discover their talents as well as those with means.