February 19, 2010

Prominent Hamas man Mahmoud al-Zahar warned the West on Friday that assisting the \’Zionist enemy\’ will end in confrontation, Israel Radio reported.\n\nDuring a sermon in a Gaza mosque, al-Zahar called on the West to forbid Israel from using their land to enter Arab countries and kill Palestinians, as, he claimed, was the case with the assassination of Hamas man Mahmoud al-Mabhouh.

Demonstrators participating in rally protesting the Israel\’s West Bank separation fence dismantled a section of the barrier on Friday, during a rally marking five years since the beginning of the Bil\’in protests.\n\nAbout a thousand people took part in the rally, which was also attended by Palestinian Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, Palestinian parliament member Mustafa Barghouti as well as Fatah strongman Nabil Shaath.

U.S. Jewish leaders pressed Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Salam Fayyad on incitement and the need to keep Israel a Jewish state.\n\nAt a meeting Thursday in Jenin between Fayyad and a visiting delegation from the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, Alan Solow, the chairman of the Jewish umbrella group, said the actions of the Palestinian leadership set back the cause of peace.

Israeli police will investigate sexual harassment charges against religious Zionist leader Rabbi Mordechai \”Motti\” Elon.\n\nThe decision was reached Thursday following meeting of the police, Israeli Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein, state Prosecutor Moshe Lador and the head of Police Investigations and Intelligence, Maj.-Gen. Yoav Segalovitz\n

An Israeli soldier on patrol was injured when a remote-controlled explosive detonated on the Israeli side of central Gaza\’s security fence.\n\nFollowing Thursday\’s explosion, Israeli soldiers searched the area and discovered a second explosive device, which was detonated at the scene by army sappers, the Israel Defense Forces reported.\n\n\”The IDF sees Hamas as responsible for maintaining the peace and quiet in the Gaza Strip,\” the IDF said in a statement.