Sunday, September 25, 2016

A Palestinian prisoner in Israel’s Ramon Prison dies of a stroke. He was severely beaten by Israeli guards in 2003, and his health has deteriorated ever since. Hours after his death, a group of Palestinian prisoners declares a 3-day hunger strike in solidarity with their deceased comrade. Israeli prison guards raid their cells, assaulting several of their leaders. (MNA, WAFA 9/25)

In the West Bank, Israeli border guards assault a Palestinian worker attempting to cross into Israel nr. Qalqilya. They cause moderate injuries and leave him with the broken leg he sustained after falling from the separation wall. Israeli forces demolish around 35 saplings in a nature reserve nr. Hebron. IDF troops violently disperse Palestinians gathering nr. Salfit to protest recent settlement expansion in the area; 1 Palestinian is arrested when he stands in front of a bulldozer. They also arrest 12 Palestinians during late-night raids in and around Bethlehem and Jenin, and nr. Hebron and Nablus; and patrol nr. Hebron and Nablus. Israeli settlers set fire to a Palestinian home under construction nr. Nablus, causing moderate damage. In East Jerusalem, Israeli forces arrest 7 Palestinians during late-night raids in Jabal Mukabir, Issawiyya, and Abu Dis. (MNA, WAFA 9/25; PCHR 9/29)

In a meeting with Israeli PM Netanyahu in New York, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump says that, if elected, he will “accept the long-standing Congressional mandate to recognize Jerusalem as the undivided capital of the State of Israel,” according to a Trump campaign press release. Netanyahu later meets with Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton, and she pledges to oppose “any attempt by outside parties to impose a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict . . . including the UN,” according to a press release from her campaign. (AJ, AP, HA, REU 9/25; HA 9/26)