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Occupation magazine - Activism Home page  back Print  Send To friend Fayyad calls upon Nablus residents: defy closure of `terrorist` mall Ma`an News Agency/Turkish Weekly July 10-11, 2008 http://www.turkishweekly.net/news.php?id=57299 http://www.maannews.net/en/index.php?opr=ShowDetails&ID=30467 http://www.maannews.net/en/index.php?opr=ShowDetails&ID=30476 http://www.maannews.net/en/index.php?opr=ShowDetails&ID=30456 http://www.maannews.net/en/index.php?opr=ShowDetails&ID=30453 Original titles: Israeli crackdown on `Hamas` institutions in Nablus continues Fayyad: Israeli decision to close Nablus mall void Head of Nablus municipal council urges strength to residents from prison Nafha Association ordered to close; calls measure arbitrary and unjust Fatah calls for crisis unit to tackle Israeli crackdown in Nablus Nablus - Ma`an - Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad called on residents of Nablus to reopen their stores in the Nablus Mall. The Israeli army told shop owners this week that the property rights to the Nablus mall will be transferred to Israel as of 15 August. The army said they will imprison anyone who enters the building for 5 years. The mall, they claimed, is being used to fund terrorist activities. Fayyad called the closure of the mall by Israeli soldiers this week invalid, and has affirmed to residents of Nablus that the Palestinian government is committed to compensating all the losses caused by Israeli forces. Speaking in front of the closed mall to a group of civilians on Thursday, Fayyad confirmed that he has been personally following up on the case, as well as that of a number of other institutions that have been closed by Israel this week. Fayyad stated that “we consider the actions of the Israeli army as invalid, and ask that Israel respect this decision, based on agreements between the PA and Israel.` He continued saying that he would like to `send a message to the international community` and tell them that the PA is `insisting to walk within our principles until freedom is achieved.` Residents requested that Fayyad develop some specialized economic projects for Nablus, which has suffered a great deal under the occupation, in order to reduce unemployment and poverty. Also present for Fayyad`s speech were Governor of Nablus Jamal Muhaisin, and Deputy to the Mayor of Nablus Nihad Al-Masri, Representative of Islamic and National factions’ committee Shaher Sa`id, Regional leader of the Chamber of Commerce in Nablus Mahmoud Hashem. ============================================================= Nablus – Ma`an – Head of the municipal council of Nablus, Adly Yaish, called on the residents of the city to sand against the latest Israeli attacks. Yaish who is currently in the Israeli Megiddo Prison, said in a telegram that it is important to support the city during this time, since the Israeli attacks aim at destroying the community by preventing people from offering essential services. So far, Yaish said in the telegram, he is impressed with the factions in Nablus `and the good news of the residents` solidarity with the municipality.` He commented that everyone is `taking the needed steps to protect the municipality and all of the organizations of the city that are coming under a repeated Israeli attacks since last Sunday.` He indicated that charitable and civil service organizations are taking the brunt of the current Israeli attacks, which could have a devastating effect on the living situations of the residents who have been under a siege for eight years. Yaish concluded by that the recent attacks should strengthen the determination of service staff to continue with their good work and keep the city running. =============================================================== Nafha Association ordered to close; calls measure arbitrary and unjust Date: 10 / 07 / 2008 Time: 22:04 Nablis hold photos of prisoners in Israeli jails during April protest [Ma`anImages] Archive Bethlehem - Ma`an - `Yes for having strong and effective Palestinian civil society organizations…No to the Israeli arbitrary unjust measures,` says a press release issued by the Nafha Association for Defending Human and Prisoners Rights. The Nablus Association was one of a number that were ordered shut down this week, during raids and property confiscation carried out by Israeli forces. The Nafha offices were attacked at dawn on Tuesday, and according to the press release, all property was confiscated. In addition, said the statement, the army has `issued a military order signed by the commander of the Israeli army forces for the West Bank, imposing the closure of the society for two years, based on the accusation that the association promotes terrorism.` The Nafha Association maintains that it is a `civil institution that provides legal, social and media-related services to all prisoners and their families in northern West Bank towns, regardless of their political background or beliefs.` The Association said that the incident is an example of `a general Israeli policy, which started by escalating (doubling) the sentences handed down to prisoners in Israeli military courts.` They also warn that `this will not be the last measure [enacted by Israeli forces] if it is not faced with a serious and responsible stand by all parties.` Nafha plans to protest the Israeli decision by presenting a plea to members of the Israeli government and then to the Israeli High Court. The Association calls upon President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Salam Fayyad to personally interfere in the case and exert pressure on Israel to retract their decisions. =========================================================== Nablus - Ma`an - The Fatah movement in Nablus has called on the Ramallah-based government to set up a crisis unit to tackle the Israeli crackdown on so-called Hamas institutions in the West Bank city. For four consecutive days Israeli troops have targeted institutions, such as media outlets, medical centres, governmental centres and schools in the city, claiming they are Hamas-affiliated and are `funding terrorist activities.` A shopping mall in the city centre, containing 50 shops and businesses has also been closed down a the Israeli authorities claim head of the mall`s administration, Adli Yayish, is affiliated to Hamas. Fatah issued a statement, condemning the ongoing Israeli attacks in Nablus, saying they were ` an attempt to tear down the infrastructure of life in Nablus.` They called on the international community to take a stand against such Israeli practices. =================================================== Nablus – Ma`an – The Israeli army continued its campaign against alleged Hamas-affiliated institutions in Nablus for the fourth consecutive day on Thursday, despite local and international criticism. Health and media associations were targeted, with Israeli forces closing the headquarters of the Hamas-affiliated Al-Afaq Television Station in Nablus, confiscating equipment. Sajed Abu Salha the 21-year-old security guard at the building said that Israeli soldiers raided the building and its mosque at 1am. Palestinian security sources said that more than 50 Israeli military vehicles stormed the city in the early hours of Thursday morning, breaking into the Ar-Rahma clinic in Fesal Street and the At-Tadamon clinic in the Rafidya neighbourhood, confiscating computers and medical equipment from the clinics. Eyewitnesses told Ma`an`s correspondent that Israeli forces also raided the headquarters of the Women`s Associations in An-Najah Street in the west of the city, as well as a building where the Islamic Bank is located. Meanwhile, also on Thursday morning, local sources said that Israeli forces confiscated three school buses belonging to the Islamic School and the Reyad As-Salehin School and the Wahat Al Eman school. On Tuesday the Israeli army stormed the Nablus Mall, confiscating documents related to funding projects as well as computers and cameras. The Nablus Mall has 50 shops and offices, including the Al-Itiman company, which has a capital of 4 million Jordanian Dinars (5.64 million US dollars). Israel says this company funds Hamas and `encourages terrorism.` The head of the Mall administration Adli Yayish has been in Israeli custody for a year and a half, accused of being affiliated to Hamas. The Israeli army commander in Nablus issued an order that anyone who now enters the Nablus Mall will be imprisoned for five years. The order will come into effect on August 15. The Israeli army issued a statement transferring the ownership of the Nablus Mall to the Israeli authorities from August 18. Nablus governor Dr Jamal Muheisen called on citizens not to abide by the Israeli closure of the mall and to reject all Israeli assertions that it is owned by Hamas. He said that 70 merchants and 4,000 Palestinians investors, from the Muslim, Christian and Samarian communities had business interests in the Nablus Mall. He told Ma`an that the attacks on Nablus aimed to strike at the Palestinian National Authority and its institutions to undermine their efforts to improve the security situation in Nablus. Israel`s legal authorities have recently approved such raids on Hamas-affiliated Islamic charities in the West Bank, in a bid to curb Hamas` rising popularity. Israeli Forces have been carrying out similar raids in the Hebron, Qalqilyah and Ramallah areas since the beginning of the year, but the legal sanction means the campaign will now be expanded to other parts of the West Bank. A.K. Links to the latest articles in this section Attacks on New Israel Fund, Critical Groups, Threaten Civil Society Report to UN on suppression of Palestinian human rights activism No Treatment in Gaza, No Security Risk, but Israel Prevents a Seriously ill Man from Getting Treatment