PRESS RELEASE

The British charity Interpal, dedicated to alleviating the suffering of the Palestinians, has been notified by their bank, the Islamic Bank of Britain, that Lloyds TSB (their clearing bank) has given them the instruction to cease all dealings with Interpal with effect from 8 December 2008.

Bethlehem – Ma’an - Jordan’s King Abdullah summoned Israel’s prime minister and defense minister for a secret meeting in Amman on Tuesday to urge them not to escalate military action in the Gaza Strip.

RAFAH, (PIC)-- Hundreds of Gaza pilgrims marched to the Rafah border crossing to demand the concerned Arab countries to expedite the opening of the crossing and facilitate the procedures necessary to perform the pilgrimage rituals.

RAMALLAH, (PIC)-- Israeli transport minister Shaul Mofaz, a prominent figure in the Kadima party, called for resuming the policy of assassinations against the leaders of Hamas Movement, adding that Israel witnessed a sharp decline of its deterrence against Hamas during the past 18th months.

AMMAN, (PIC)-- The UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian refugees has announced that it would be forced to suspend its financial assistance to refugees in the Gaza Strip due to the lack of Israeli currency in Gaza banks.

OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, (PIC)-- The Israeli court in Jerusalem held Tuesday a hearing on the file of the Maghareba gate events and the indictment leveled against Sheikh Ra'ed Salah, the head of the Islamic Movement in the 1948 occupied lands, and four of his colleagues.

Israeli military detained on Wednesday four Palestinian residents from the West Bank city of Nablus, as the soldiers ransacked the detainees' houses.

Wednesday November 19, 2008 11:01 by IMEMC Staff - IMEMC & Agencies

GENEVA, (PIC)-- High commissioner for human tights Navanethem Pillay has demanded an immediate end to the Gaza Strip siege, charging that it went contrary to international laws and deprived the Strip inhabitants of their simplest rights.

Press release, Al Mezan, 18 November 2008

At around 9am on Tuesday, 18 November 2008, Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) attacked Palestinian fishing boats off the central Gaza Strip's shore. IOF continued to seal off the Gaza Strip for the thirteenth day in a row, allowing only a limited number of trucks loaded with commodities and food to enter the Strip. The IOF continue to ban the entry of fuel supplies, especially the industrial diesel necessary to run Gaza's power plant, causing blackouts across the Strip.

An international delegation including senior European parliamentarians returned yesterday to their home countries after successfully completing a three-day visit to the Gaza Strip. The delegation led by British peer Lord Nazir Ahmed and accompanied by former UK International Development Minister Clare Short and Baroness Jenny Tongue conducted a number of visits to schools, hospitals and refugee camps in the besieged Palestinian territory.