Palestine

BETHLEHEM, West Bank (AP) — Business is bouncing back in Bethlehem after two years in the doldrums during the coronavirus pandemic, lifting spirits in the traditional birthplace of Jesus ahead of the Christmas holiday.

Streets are bustling with tour groups. Hotels are fully booked, and months of deadly Israeli-Palestinian fighting appears to be having little effect on the vital tourism industry.

13 Dec 2022; MEMO: The Israeli occupation government is in the process of determining the ownership of a church in the Old City of occupied Jerusalem at Russia's request, broadcaster Kan has revealed.

13 Dec 2022; MEMO: Israeli occupation forces have "executed" more than 52 children since the start of the year, Wafa news agency reported the Palestinian Authority (PA) saying.

This came in a report submitted by the PA Minister of Foreign and Expatriates Affairs, Riyad Al-Malki, to the Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict, Virginia Gamba.

12 Dec 2022; MEMO: The Palestinian Health Ministry said a girl child was killed by an Israeli sniper last night in Jenin City, north of the Occupied West Bank, The Palestinian Information Centre reports.

According to local sources, 16-year-old Jana Zakarnah was found dead on the roof of her home after an Israeli sniper targeted her and fatally injured her in the head.

12 Dec 2022; MEMO: Palestinian Prime Minister, Mohammad Shtayyeh, on Monday, called for an international investigation into the killing of a Palestinian girl by Israeli Forces in the Occupied West Bank, Anadolu News Agency reports.

Jana Zakarneh, 16, died on Sunday after being shot by Israeli Forces during a military raid in the West Bank city of Jenin.

Shtayyeh termed the girl's killing as "another crime to be added to the horrifying crimes committed by Occupation Forces against children."

RAMALLAH, Dec 12 (NNN-WAFA) – A 16-year-old Palestinian girl was killed, after Israeli soldiers stormed the northern West Bank city of Jenin, Palestinian medics and eyewitnesses said.

In a statement, the Palestinian Ministry of Health said that, the girl, Jana Zakarneh, 16, from the city of Jenin, was killed, after seven gunshots were fired on her by Israeli soldiers.

12 Dec 2022; MEMO: Israel's use of administrative detentions, imprisonment without charge or trial, is an 'open-ended life sentence' against Palestinians, Palestinian Member of Parliament Ahmad Attoun said yesterday.

Calling for urgent action to stop the Israeli violations, Attoun said Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails need serious support and their cause needs to be prioritised.

09 Dec 2022; MEMO: The Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, has denounced Israel's prevention of 200 Christians from the besieged Gaza Strip from visiting holy sites in the cities of Jerusalem and Bethlehem to celebrate Christmas, Anadolu news agency reported.

"The Zionist ban is a flagrant violation of the Christians' rights to practice their religious rites, depriving them of their natural right to access places of worship" the Movement said in a statement.

06 Dec 2022; MEMO: The Palestinian Ministry of Finance announced that it will today pay only partial salaries to most civil and military employees for the thirteenth month in a row.

"The date for paying public employees' salaries is tomorrow, Tuesday, as follows: 80 per cent of the November salary for all employees, with a minimum limit of 2,000 shekels [$587]," the ministry said in a statement.

05 Dec 2022; MEMO: The Israeli Occupation authorities demolished the Arab village of Al-Araqeeb for the 210th time on Monday.

According to a statement made to an Anadolu correspondent by Aziz Al-Turi, a member of the Local Committee for the Defence of Al-Araqeeb, "The Israeli forces stormed the village of Al-Araqeeb and demolished its homes for the 210th time."

Al-Turi reiterated that the people "will rebuild their village, as they always do."