Following the disappearance of two Israeli teenagers, Israeli troops have been causing upset near Hebron in the West Bank including at least one death, (in a Ramallah refugee camp) although the disappearance has been blamed on the Gaza-based Hamas, who have offered no evidence to support this as yet. Concurrently, military exercises have greatly increased homelessness and danger to life for citizens near Yatta and other parts of occupied West Bank. An Israeli spokesman denied on the BBC that the incursions were collective punishment, claiming that they were justified as the West Bank was now linked to Gaza (and therefore to Hamas) through the new Hamas/PA coalition.
Israeli military training causes widespread disruption:
< http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=704481>
[with photos] BETHLEHEM (Ma‘an) 13 June -- Hundreds of Israeli soldiers
have been undertaking military training exercises in the south Hebron hills
for the past five days, causing widespread restrictions and disruptions for
local Palestinian residents. Operation Dove, a peace group which works in
the area, said Thursday that hundreds of soldiers have deployed by military
bases near the villages of *Jinba* and *Mirkez.* The Israeli soldiers have
set up tents to sleep in and store military equipment and are deploying in
groups within nearby villages to carry out training exercises. Local
Palestinians have suffered restrictions on their freedom of movement during
the training, with several agricultural fields damaged by the troops.
Shepherds reported being chased away with their flocks by Israeli soldiers,
while others say they were assaulted, Operation Dove said. During the
night, local villagers say the Israeli soldiers have been using explosives
and have even entered the villages, frightening residents. http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=704481
Defense Ministry: Army to keep expelling Palestinians from firing zones
< http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/.premium-1.598265>
Haaretz 12 June by Jonathan Lis -- The army plans to continue expelling
Palestinians from military firing zones in Area C of the West Bank, which
is under total Israeli control, Deputy Defense Minister Danny Danon told
the Knesset on Wednesday. “It’s not pleasant to remove people from their
homes, but what can we do when these are designated firing zones?” he said.
“Whoever is in an area that doesn’t belong to him that has been declared a
firing zone will have to be evacuated from there, and yes, we plan to
remove more people.” Danon was responding to an urgent parliamentary query
by MK Tamar Zandberg (Meretz) following a Haaretz report that an Israel
Defense Forces official acknowledged the IDF uses training zones in the
West Bank to displace Palestinians. Zandberg addressed her query to the
Defense Ministry, asking how the officials' admission was congruent with
the state’s argument that live-fire zones are designated solely for
military purposes. http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/.premium-1.598265
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