Late at night in the West Bank, Israeli soldiers open fire on Palestinian farmers working nr. the separation wall n. of Tulkarm, injuring 2. The IDF conducts late-night raids and house searches in 2 villages each nr. Qalqilya and Bethlehem, issuing arrest summons to 10 Palestinians; patrols during the day in al-‘Arub r.c. and 1 village nr. Hebron, 2 villages nr. Ramallah, and 1 nr. Jenin. IDF troops violently disperse Palestinian, Israeli, and international protesters at weekly demonstrations against the Israeli occupation in 5 areas nr. Ramallah (Bil‘in, Ni‘lin, Nabi Salih, Silwad, and outside Ofer Prison) and Kafr Qaddum nr. Qalqilya; 2 Palestinians are injured with live ammunition. Israeli settlers attempt to attack al-Ibrahimi Mosque in c. Hebron, but Israeli soldiers intervene and secure the site. (MNA 7/24; WAFA 7/26; PCHR 7/30)
U.S. officials say that they do not plan on opposing convicted Israeli spy Jonathan Pollard’s scheduled parole in 11/2015, denying recent reports that some Obama admin. officials have been pushing for his early release as a means of improving relations with Israel. (HA, NYT 7/24; MNA 7/25)