About 100,000 performed the first Friday prayers of the holy month of Ramadan at Al-Aqsa Mosque , according to the Islamic Endowments Department in Jerusalem.

Local sources said that thousands of our people from Jerusalem, the 48 territories, and various governorates of the West Bank, flocked since the early morning hours to perform the first Friday prayers of Ramadan in the Al-Aqsa Mosque, despite the restrictions imposed by the Israeli occupation forces.

This morning, the occupation forces prevented dozens of our people from entering Jerusalem through the Qalandiya military checkpoint, to perform the first Friday prayers of Ramadan at Al-Aqsa Mosque.

The occupation police also closed the intersections of streets and main roads with iron barriers, and deployed about 200 additional personnel in the streets and alleys of the Old City, and impeded the arrival of worshipers to Al-Aqsa Mosque, and launched a drone in its airspace, while its members climbed the roofs of buildings adjacent to the mosque.

Also, the occupation forces assaulted the family of Al-Maqdisi, Mohammed Al-Mazrawi, from Al-Issawiya town, while they were on their way to Al-Aqsa Mosque to perform Friday prayers.

Last night, the Israeli occupation authorities notified the demolition of seven graves under construction in the village of Al-Burj, southwest of Hebron .

Local sources stated that the Israeli occupation forces raided the village cemetery and ordered the demolition of seven under-construction graves belonging to the Al-Talhameh and Al-Faqih families, under the pretext of building in Area C.

The sources added that the cemetery is built on lands belonging to the Palestinian Ministry of Religious Endowments, and citizens have been using it for several years to bury their dead, which raised a state of fear among the people that the occupation forces would demolish and desecrate the cemetery.

The Israeli occupation authorities hand over the bodies of three martyrs from Ramallah, Nablus and Hebron who are being held by them.

According to the Public Authority for Civil Affairs, the bodies of the two martyrs , Tariq Youssef Maali (43 years old), from the village of Kafr Nima in the Ramallah district, and the martyr Karam Ali Salman (18 years old) from the town of Qusin in Nablus, will be handed over.

She pointed out that on Sunday, the body of the captive martyr Ahmed Abu Ali (48 years) from Yatta in Hebron will be handed over.

On Friday, thousands of Palestinians performed the first dawn prayer of the first Friday in the holy month of Ramadan , despite the obstacles imposed by the Israeli occupation forces.

Citizens flocked from different regions of Jerusalem and the occupied interior, and a few from the West Bank.

It is expected that tens of thousands will perform Friday prayers at the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque , and that the people of the West Bank will flock to the mosque in large numbers.

The Israeli occupation forces will tighten their measures in Jerusalem, the Old City, and the vicinity of Al-Aqsa Mosque, in particular, hours before Friday prayers.

And those forces will deploy hundreds of its members in various regions, allegedly trying to prevent any unusual events.

On Thursday, the Palestinian Journalists Syndicate strongly condemned the arrest and assault of colleague Hani Abu Rizk, correspondent of Al-Hayat Al-Jadeeda newspaper, by the Gaza police during his filming of the atmosphere of the first days of the blessed month of Ramadan in Al-Saraya Square in the center of Gaza City.

The Syndicate said in a statement that it looks with great concern at the arrest and assault on him by the police in Gaza despite him introducing them to the nature of his journalistic work, holding the Gaza police fully responsible for this arrest and assault that contradicts the freedom of journalistic work and the prohibition of assaulting journalists or obstructing their work. according to the text of its statement.

The Journalists Syndicate demanded an apology to the press body for this brutal attack, which is considered an attack on the entire press body.

She confirmed that she would not accept such an attack and would take all trade union measures to ensure that this attack against colleague Abu Rizk would not be repeated, calling on all human rights organizations to denounce this attack and put pressure on Hamas to ensure that such attacks will not be repeated.

Subsequently, the media office of the Ministry of Interior in Gaza condemned what it described as "lies" published by the Journalists Syndicate, about the arrest of what it described as a "citizen" after he assaulted a traffic police officer while the latter was performing his work at the Saraya intersection in the center of Gaza City, prior to the sunset prayer today. Thursday.

The office said: The union's behavior constitutes a cover for practices and behavior that violate the law, and calls for disruption of order and the promotion of chaos.

He added: The competent authorities continue to take legal measures against anyone who violates the law or hinders the police and security agencies from carrying out their duties.

Today, Thursday, government spokesman Ibrahim Melhem said, "The government decided to return the discounts to all teachers, and instructed the Ministry of Finance to make the necessary arrangements, starting next Sunday."

Melhem added, during a press conference, held at the Prime Minister’s Office in Ramallah, “The item related to the teachers’ allowance agreed upon will be implemented at a rate of 15%, provided that 5% is spent on the current month’s salary and the rest is paid in installments on the salary slip, provided that it is disbursed when capabilities become available and improvement.” Financial indicators as of 1-1-2023, according to the same mechanism that was agreed upon with all unions.

And he continued: "The value of the 5% bonus will be scheduled for the past January and February, starting from the next May and June."

Melhem confirmed that the government has responded to everything necessary to return school hours to normal, starting next Sunday morning, and the Ministry of Education has developed a program to compensate students for what they missed.

He said, "The government appreciates the announcement of the start of practical procedures for the elections of the Teachers' Union, after the proposed amendments to the internal system of the union were made last Tuesday, and that the Ministry of Education will provide everything necessary to hold the elections and complete the democratic process according to the schedule announced by the union."

He said, "We are very hopeful that teachers will respond to this initiative, so that we can contribute together to bridge the gaps in front of our enemy, who is lurking in our present and the future of our children on our land."

Melhem stressed that trade unions are a support for all the national struggle that we have been practicing for seventy years.

In turn, the teachers' movement announced its rejection of the government's announcement, and any initiative that does not include the full implementation of the demands, stressing that the abolition of previous penalties is not part of the movement's demands, and the continuation of the strike.

On Thursday evening, settlers destroyed agricultural crops for citizens under the protection of the Israeli occupation forces, east of Yatta, south of Hebron .

According to local sources, the settlers destroyed agricultural crops and released their herds of livestock into the fields of citizens in the Al-Zuwaidin community in Masafer Yatta.

The occupation forces detained three of the owners of these fields: Fayez al-Ka'abneh, Ziyad al-Basita, and Hasan al-Basita, before they were later released.

On Thursday, an Israeli military court sentenced a soldier to 27 months in prison for leaking information that harms "state security."

According to an Israeli military spokesman, the soldier was serving in Israeli intelligence and leaked security information.

He indicated that it was forbidden to publish more details.

Tens of thousands of Israelis demonstrated Thursday against the judicial reform that the government is discussing, and clashed with the police, who said they had arrested dozens of them.

The police explained that the arrests were made on charges of disturbing public order in Tel Aviv.

During the clashes, police used water cannons to disperse the crowds blocking Tel Aviv's Ring Road, an AFP journalist reported.

In Jerusalem, thousands gathered in front of the home of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to Israeli media sources.

Other demonstrations were held in Haifa (north) and Beersheba (south).

However, the Israeli police did not provide an estimate of the number of demonstrators.

The organizers of the demonstrations on Thursdays have been carrying out what they call a "day of resistance" for more than two and a half months, after Justice Minister Yariv Levin presented the reform project, which is causing widespread controversy and internal divisions.

Opponents of the project consider that it aims to undermine the judicial authority in favor of the political authority, warning that it constitutes a threat to the democratic system.

As for Netanyahu and his allies, the amendment constitutes an essential step for them to restore balance to the branches of power, especially since they see that the Supreme Court judges are politicized and enjoy higher power than that of elected representatives.

The Israeli government rejected a settlement proposal presented by President Isaac Herzog.

Herzog's project maintained the government's argument to limit the Supreme Court's ability to strike down basic laws, but proposed amendments to controversial points in the reform.

Today, Thursday, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine affirmed that the occupation’s decision to build 1,200 new settlement units in occupied Jerusalem, and the calls of the so-called “Temple groups” for extremists to storm Al-Aqsa Mosque and its courtyards, are a dangerous Israeli escalation, and open the door wide to a new confrontation that the occupation will not be able to control or control. stop its flames.

In a statement, the Front considered that these decisions are a practical and continuous implementation of the program of the successive occupation governments, which are based on killing, aggression, house demolitions, land confiscation, expulsion of the Palestinian population, and acceleration of settlement activity.

The front said: "The policy of confiscating Palestinian lands and building settlement units has not stopped. Although the step of announcing the construction of new settlements is an escalatory step in light of the aggressive occupation approach, in its general context it is expected and part of the comprehensive war waged by the occupation against the Palestinian presence."

She added, "However, it is surprising that some continue to bet on the American solution to the settlement, and on the possibility of the occupation agreeing to a solution that gives us our national rights."

The American news site "Axios" revealed, on Thursday, that a group of Jewish congressmen from the Democratic Party held a difficult meeting with the Israeli ambassador to Washington, Mike Herzog, two weeks ago and expressed their deep concern about the Netanyahu government's plan to weaken the Supreme Court, according to the site.

The report indicates that this high-level private meeting reflected the concern felt by the members (who met with Herzog) who are staunch supporters of Israel and represent a large American Jewish fan base about the judicial reform plan and how it might affect the relationship between the United States and Israel.

The group also echoed similar concerns expressed by the Biden administration about what the plan could mean for Israel's democracy.

US President Joe Biden reportedly expressed similar concerns to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a phone call earlier this week.

The site says, "The judicial reform plan, presented by the most right-wing government in Israel's history, has deepened political divisions in Israel and sparked protests, including within the ranks of the Israeli army, against the Netanyahu government."

According to the report, “The meeting, which included more than 20 Democrats, included harsh criticism of the plan, according to Israeli officials with direct knowledge of the meeting.” One congressman who attended the meeting told Axios, “The discussion was “frank and transparent,” as all attendees expressed their concerns. It reflected what many hear from their Jewish constituents: "It was not polemical," the representative said.

Rep. Brad Schneider (D-Illinois), who helped organize the meeting, called the meeting "emotional, and we've been raised with fear that some of the changes being discussed, if taken to extremes, could have a negative impact on Israeli democracy." , stressing that those who attended the meeting have a very close connection to Israel and a strong commitment to the relationship between the United States and Israel "because there is a special aspect to Israel as a Jewish, democratic state. And that has always had a special place in the relationship between the United States and Israel," the representative told Axios. .

Schneider is quoted as saying that members of Congress did not give the Israeli ambassador a "if, then" threat, but stressed that if the judicial reform plan is implemented without changes, it will be difficult to "talk about Israel in the same way."

Rep. Jake Auchinkloss (D-Massachusetts) confirmed during the meeting that he heard concerns from every corner of the Jewish community in his district and added that his constituents are worried about these reforms and their potential harm to Israeli democracy, a congressional aide with sociology said, who added that other lawmakers They expressed concerns that moving forward with these judicial reforms could have negative consequences for the relationship between the United States and Israel.

The site attributes to a member of Congress who attended the meeting saying, "The attendees expressed their fears that the judicial plan would impede the independence of the Israeli Supreme Court and, as a result, there would be less protection for the rights of minorities."

"The ambassador listened very carefully and committed that he would bring all of our concerns directly to the prime minister," the congressman told the site, and that "there were members in the room who represented ... a large number of the Jewish population within their districts and wanted to make sure that the prime minister understood that these were not just votes." are few and that many members of the Jewish community across the country are very concerned," the lawmaker said.

It is reported that the Netanyahu government announced on Monday that it will move forward with one of the main elements of the judicial plan, which includes changing the process for appointing judges and giving the government full control over appointments to the Supreme Court.

It is noteworthy that the US State Department summoned the Israeli ambassador, Herzog, on Tuesday, and reprimanded him for the judicial crisis and the statements of Finance Minister Israel Smotrich.

The ministry statement, a copy of which was received by Jerusalem, said that the Deputy Secretary of State, Wendy Sherman, met with the Israeli Ambassador to the United States, Michael Herzog, on Tuesday in Washington, DC, where "the Deputy Secretary of State conveyed the concern of the United States regarding the legislation passed by the Israeli Knesset to cancel important aspects of the disengagement law." of 2005, including a ban on settlement construction in the northern West Bank. They also discussed the importance of all parties refraining from actions or rhetoric that could further inflame tensions leading up to Ramadan and the Jewish holiday of Passover.

Jordan warned of the danger of "extremist racist" ideology, which was manifested in a "disgusting, reckless" manner in the statements of Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, according to a statement issued by the Foreign Ministry on Thursday.

According to the statement, Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi warned, during a phone call on Wednesday evening with European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, of "the danger of extremist racist ideology, which was manifested in a reckless and disgusting manner in Smotrich's statements and actions."

During an evening organized Sunday by an extremist Zionist group in Paris, Smotrich denied, from a rostrum hung a map of Israel that includes the Kingdom and the Palestinian territories, the existence of the Palestinians as a people and as individuals.

Al-Safadi called on the international community to take "a clear and direct stance against hate speech and incitement that fuel violence and conflict in occupied Palestine and violate common human norms and values."

He stressed that "the Israeli government bears responsibility for hate speech, racist incitement, and the disgusting behavior of the Israeli Minister of Finance and its consequences, and it must declare its rejection openly and clearly."

For his part, Borrell described Smotrich's statements as "dangerous and unacceptable," according to the same source.

He stressed "the need for the Israeli government to take a clear position confirming that these statements do not represent it."

He recalled the position of the European Union rejecting "all unilateral Israeli measures, and adhering to the two-state solution as a way to achieve peace."

On Wednesday, the Jordanian parliament voted by majority on a proposal to expel the Israeli ambassador from Amman in response to Smotrich's use of a map of Israel that includes the kingdom and the Palestinian territories, and his denial of the existence of the Palestinian people.

The vote came two days after Israel's ambassador to Amman, Eitan Surkis, was summoned to the Foreign Ministry to protest Smotrich's behavior.

The statements of the Israeli Minister of Finance faced sharp international criticism, even by Washington, which considered it "insulting" and "dangerous."
Video clips and pictures of Smotrich making those statements spread from a podium on which was hung a map of "Greater Israel" that includes Jordan and the Palestinian territories.

Jordan and Israel signed a peace treaty in 1994 that ended decades of war between them.

Large Palestinian crowds mourned today, Thursday, the body of the martyr Amir Imad Abu Khadija (25 years old), who was assassinated by an Israeli special unit in Izbat Shufa, southeast of Tulkarm .

The citizens left the hospital for the funeral of Abu Khadija's body, and the young men carried him on their shoulders, wrapping his body in the Palestinian flag.

The mourners took the martyr's body to the streets of the city, chanting, "With our soul and blood, we will sacrifice you, O martyr."

The general strike took place in the city of Tulkarem, mourning the death of the martyr Abu Khadija.

After the funeral of the body, the occupation forces closed all entrances to the village of Shufa, isolating it from its surroundings.

A citizen and his wife died, on Thursday, as a result of suffocation due to a gas leak in their residential apartment from a water heater in Al-Naser neighborhood in Gaza City.

According to the police spokesman in Gaza, Ayman al-Batniji, the police opened an investigation into the incident.

On Thursday morning, the Israeli occupation forces arrested two young men from the town of Al-Ram, north of occupied Jerusalem .

According to local sources, these forces surrounded a house in the town of al-Ram, arrested the two brothers Ahmed and Fadi Abu Gharbia, and took them to an unknown destination.

A 35-year-old man was killed, Thursday morning, as a result of a self-driving accident on Jaryut Road in Ramallah Governorate.

Colonel Louay Irzeigat, the media spokesman for the police , explained that the young man had been involved in a car accident with his vehicle, which he was driving on Jaryot Road, west of Ramallah, which resulted in his serious injuries, after which he was transferred to the hospital for treatment, where the doctors announced his death.

Colonel Arziqat confirmed that the Public Prosecution Office was informed and the traffic police investigated the accident to find out its causes.

The Higher Emergency Committee for the Prisoner Movement in the Occupation's Prisons confirmed, on Thursday morning, that it had forced the occupation to stop its measures against the prisoners, which it sought to impose on them.

The committee said in a statement that this came thanks to the unity of the prisoners and the support of their people for them, which enabled it to record a new victory in the pages of pride and steadfastness. according to the text of the statement.

The captive movement thanked the resistance, the Palestinian people as a whole, and everyone who supported them in the world, sending a message to the occupation, in which it said: "You must realize and understand well that the prisoners are not alone, and they are not an easy prey for every passer-by on our land."

On Thursday morning, a special Israeli force assassinated Amir Abu Khadija (25 years old), after besieging him inside a building in Izbat Shufa in Tulkarm .

According to the Ministry of Health, Abu Khadija arrived at the Martyr Thabet Thabet Hospital with a bullet wound to the head, which led to a complete laceration of the skull, an exit to the brain, and bullets to the lower extremities.

Abu Khadija is the founder and commander of the Tulkarem "Quick Response" battalion, which was established a few months ago.

According to local sources, Abu Khadija was martyred after he engaged in a clash with the Israeli force that surrounded him.

Eyewitnesses indicated that the occupation forces arrested a young man from the same place, whose identity was not known.

Today, Thursday, the Knesset Plenum approved, in the second and third readings, the “Basic Law: The Government” bill, which prevents the dismissal of a prime minister from office, and the announcement of his inability to carry out his duties, and it is the law that immunizes Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu , who is being tried on charges of corruption and breach of trust. .

The law was approved by a majority of 61 Knesset members who supported it, while 47 members opposed it. Two Knesset members from the Likud Party, David Bitan, and David Amsalem, were absent from the ratification session, and Moshe Abutbul, a member of the Knesset from Shas, was absent from the session. About the session, it was not for reasons related to disagreements within the government coalition, according to what was reported by the official Israeli radio, "Kan".

And the bill submitted by the head of the coalition, Ofir Katz, from the Likud party, and headed by him, was approved, and it stipulates that the judicial advisor to the government should be prevented from announcing that the prime minister is unable to carry out his duties, and that he be removed from office.

This amendment stipulates that the declaration of incapacity is only in the event of a physical or psychological inability of the prime minister to carry out his duties. In this case, the prime minister himself must announce his impossibility, or through a vote in the government and the support of 75% of the ministers for his impossibility.

And in the event that the prime minister opposes a vote on this in the government, the decision is transferred to the plenary assembly in the Knesset, where the impossibility must be supported by 90 Knesset members.

The amendment also stipulates that the Supreme Court cannot consider a petition demanding the declaration of inability or its approval, despite the fact that the Israeli government's legal advisor, Gali Baharav-Miara, has expressed her opposition to preventing the court from ordering judicial control, and expressing her legal position In this regard.

Source: Arab 48

At dawn on Thursday, the Israeli occupation forces launched a campaign of arrests among citizens in separate areas of the West Bank.

These forces carried out a large campaign of raids on a number of homes in the village of Madama, south of Nablus , especially the homes of the relatives of the recently arrested young man, Laith Nassar, who carried out the shooting in Huwwara, and destroyed their contents, without any arrests being recorded.

The occupation forces arrested the two young men, Nader Hamayel and Musa Maali, from the town of Beita, and the editor, Hamdi Khatatbeh, from the town of Beit Furik, in Nablus.

In Hebron , the young man, Muhammad Dandis, was arrested after storming his house in the Eisi area, west of the city, while the citizen Nasri al-Ju’beh and his son Malik were arrested after breaking into their house and destroying its contents.

The spiritual atmosphere infiltrated the ancient town of Hebron , whose alleys, streets and alleys were decorated with ropes of light, lanterns and crescent moons, from the entrance to the Kasbah Market to the Ibrahimi Mosque , to show its door in the month of Ramadan , which restores spirit and life to it.

Ghassan Al-Rajabi, Director of the Ibrahimi Mosque, said that preparations for the end of the month of Ramadan in the sanctuary are in full swing, pointing out that the Ministry of Awqaf will organize many activities, including presenting gifts to those present at the mosque, especially children, and distributing sweets, coffee, Suhoor and Iftar meals, as well as preaching programs distributed to the mosque. prayer time.

He added that the occupation hates the month of Ramadan and is trying in various ways to kill its joy, due to its full awareness of the importance of the religious sanctuary for Muslims, pointing to the occupation’s prevention of raising the call to prayer on a daily basis during the month of Ramadan, calling on the pioneers and visitors of the sanctuary to double their presence despite all the obstacles of the occupation and the electronic gates, an emphasis on His Arab Islamic identity.

return life

The owners of the shops in the ancient town of Hebron are optimistic about the holy month of Ramadan, to breathe life into it and revive its economy.

Subhi Al-Shawamreh, the owner of a Qatayef shop in the Old City, said that the movement is increasing with the advent of the blessed month of Ramadan, due to the return of merchants to opening the doors of their shops and selling at cost, with low prices and marginal profits, and this is what makes people return to it, explaining that visitors and pioneers accept Buying from his shop because it has a reputation and fame, because buying qatayef represents for them an essential item added to the iftar table, stressing that the month of Ramadan restores and renews life in the old town.

He explained that he sells a kilo of Qatayef for seven shekels, bearing in mind that the price of a kilo outside the old town of Hebron is no less than ten shekels, which represents a competitive option.

The magic of Ramadan

Bader Al-Daour, head of the Heritage Crafts Association, described that the month of Ramadan has magic, as it brings people back to the old town, and its streets are crowded and its alleys are filled with visitors and worshipers in the Ibrahimi Mosque and its mosques, after it was empty and empty for the rest of the year, stressing that it is a month of blessing, which reflects positively on its merchants. and its inhabitants.

He added, thousands of Hebron residents go to the Old City to shop from its shops during the holy month, and buy qatayef, pickles and Ramadan goods, where merchants work to reduce prices in order to attract visitors, stressing that the battle with the occupation and its settlers, who is trying to Judaize it and impose control over it, is a battle. Existence, and the Palestinian presence during the holy month is a strong message to the occupation proving the identity of the town that it is Arab and Islamic, and that its barriers and attempts to tighten will not deter them from intensifying their presence in the old town.

On Thursday, Palestinian factions blessed the victory of the prisoners inside the occupation prisons, after they decided to suspend the hunger strike that was to begin today in all prisons, after an agreement with the Israeli Prisons Service regarding the fulfillment of their demands.

Ismail Haniyeh , head of the political bureau of the " Hamas " movement, said in a press statement, "With the whiffs of the blessed month of Ramadan, the vessel of victories and conquests, our prisoners record a glorious page in the march of steadfastness and breaking the will of the occupier. And it has no other that bears indications of the future in resolving the battles of our people that it is waging on all fronts with this enemy. according to his expression.

For its part, the Islamic Jihad Movement said that it supports every step taken by the prisoners in their confrontation with the Prison Service, its procedures and policies.

And she added in a statement: "We will continue to stand by the prisoners and support them, and we warn the occupation against manipulating the prisoners' issue, their demands and their rights."

For his part, the official of the office of martyrs, prisoners and wounded in the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, Awad Al-Sultan, congratulated the captive movement and the Palestinian people for this victory, which was achieved after more than 38 days of disobedience inside the occupation prisons.

Al-Sultan said: "The captive movement defeated the so-called Prison Service and Ben Gfir and his government, and was able to restore its achievements that it achieved over many years with blood and sacrifices."

The Supreme Emergency Committee for the Prisoners' Movement decided, on Wednesday evening, to suspend the hunger strike, which began today and was to be completed on Thursday morning, with the addition of 2,000 prisoners.

This came after reaching an agreement with the Israeli Prisons Authority to stop the punitive and arbitrary measures against the prisoners, which were recently taken by the Israeli Minister of National Security, Itamar Ben Gvir.

The Prisoners' Authority and the Prisoners' Club indicated that a detailed statement will be issued by the Emergency Committee in the coming hours on what has been agreed upon.

On Wednesday, the Israeli occupation forces arrested Rasmi Jaber Sobeih, while he was passing through the Beit Janun " Erez " checkpoint, in the northern Gaza Strip .

Yesterday, the occupation forces arrested Ahmed Abu Awwad at the same checkpoint, after returning from a treatment trip.

Nine member states of the Security Council affirmed in a joint statement that settlements are illegal under international humanitarian law, and are ready to support any initiative aimed at restoring a just and lasting peace that allows Israelis and Palestinians to live side by side in dignity and security.

This came in a statement issued by the countries of Brazil, Ecuador, Gabon, Ghana, Japan, Malta, Switzerland, the United Arab Emirates and France, following a Security Council session on Israel's implementation of Resolution No. 2334 of 2016, which calls for an immediate and complete cessation of all settlement activities in the land. Occupied Palestinian Territories, including East Jerusalem” and “fully respect all their legal obligations in this regard.”

"We are now entering a period of religious holidays, and we appeal to all parties to refrain from further escalating tensions and to show maximum restraint," the statement said.

The nine countries deplore the high level of violence against civilians on both sides, including settler violence, urge the parties to prevent incitement to violence, and call on the parties to comply with international law, including international humanitarian law and human rights law, and to protect the civilian population.

And the statement continued: "We reiterate the Council's demand, Israel, to immediately and completely stop all settlement activities in the occupied Palestinian territory, including East Jerusalem," calling on Israel to stop the ongoing demolitions and seizures of Palestinian buildings, as well as the displacement of Palestinian families.

The countries welcomed last Sunday's meeting in Sharm El-Sheikh, which emphasized the importance of direct participation between the two sides, calling on all parties to respect the commitments they signed.

The countries stressed the urgent need to return the political horizon towards a two-state solution, and their full support for the efforts of Special Coordinator Winnisland, and those of others in the region to help resume talks on the basis of international law and relevant UN Security Council resolutions and agreed parameters.

An-Najah National University won the first prize at the professional level, and the first and second prizes at the student level, in the Palestine First Creative Packaging Design Competition 2022-2023.

This competition is being held for the first time in Palestine, organized by the Palestinian Center for Business Development and Prosperity, with the participation of 115 contestants from the northern and southern governorates, the Gaza Strip and the diaspora.

The results were announced during a ceremony held by the Palestinian Center for Business Development and Prosperity and the Palestinian Federation for Paper and Packaging Industries in the city of Jericho, where the names of the winners of the competition were announced in the presence of the Ambassador of Japan to the State of Palestine, Yuichi Nakashima, and the Special Representative of the Director of the United Nations Development Program / Assistance Program The Palestinian people, Yvonne Healy, as well as high-level personalities from various institutions.

Students from the Faculties of Fine Arts, Engineering and Information Technology from An-Najah University participated in the competition. In the professional category, Masa Jabi from the Applied Arts Department won the first place, for designing creative packaging for the Nabulsi soap with an attractive shape.

The team, which included the student Rawand Jamlan, an Indian from the Department of Energy and Environmental Engineering, and the student Ahmed Assaf from the Department of Mechatronics Engineering, won first place in the student category, for their design of a distinctive olive oil canister inspired by the shape of an olive tree branch that can be reused. In the same category, the student Sujood won Pole from the Department of Applied Arts won the second place for its attractive packaging design.

And bless A.D. Abdel Nasser Zaid, President of An-Najah University, made this achievement for the university students and the colleagues who supervised them. He expressed his pride in the participating and winning designs, which reflect the technical and qualitative skills and capabilities of the students. He thanked the sponsors and supervisors for hosting this competition and identifying the talents of Palestinian designers and giving them the opportunity to show their talents.

During the ceremony announcing the results, the chairman of the arbitration committee, M. Ayman Sobeih said that this award comes in recognition of the importance of the role of young men and women in the packaging and design sector, and a tool for nurturing the distinguished, and taking advantage of their creative ideas, to develop the packaging of various Palestinian products in the local and international market and raise their level, quality and competitiveness.

The Palestinian Center for Business Development and Prosperity also announced the adoption, implementation and networking of the winning designs with target markets, and their participation in regional and international competitions.

The students of the College of Arts were supervised by Dr. Hani Al-Fran, Head of the Applied Arts Department, and Prof. Sawsan Qaneer.

It is noteworthy that the competition is organized by the Palestinian Center for Business Development and Prosperity (PALPRO), with the support of the Investment Promotion and Industrial Cities Authority and the United Nations Development Program / Program of Assistance to the Palestinian People (UNDP/PAPP), with funding from the Japanese government, and in partnership with the Small Enterprises Center and the Palestinian Federation of Paper Industries. and packaging, the Palestinian Center for Packaging and Packaging, and the General Federation of Palestinian Industries.

The International Criminal Court (ICC) on Wednesday rejected the "threats" and actions announced against its prosecutors and judges involved in issuing an arrest warrant against Russian President Vladimir Putin on charges of war crimes during the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The Presidency of the Assembly of Member States of the Court, which constitutes its legislative body, said in a statement that it "regrets attempts to impede international efforts aimed at ensuring accountability for acts prohibited by public international law."

She indicated that there were "threats against the International Criminal Court, while it also announced measures against its prosecutors and judges."

She added that the association "reaffirms its unwavering support for the International Criminal Court."

Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev had vowed to target The Hague with a hypersonic missile as retaliation for the arrest warrant issued against Putin, according to Dutch media.

Moscow said on Monday it had opened a criminal investigation against the International Criminal Court's chief prosecutor, Karim Khan, and several judges over the "illegal" decision aimed at arresting Putin over the conflict in Ukraine.

On Friday, the court issued an arrest warrant for Russian President Vladimir Putin and the Russian Commissioner for Children's Rights, Maria Lvova-Bilova, on charges of "illegal deportation" of Ukrainian children, a war crime.

"The number of these children runs into the thousands," Khan told AFP.

However, Moscow considered those accusations "invalid".

More than 16,000 Ukrainian children have been deported to Russia since the Russian invasion that began on February 24, 2022, according to Kiev, with many placed in institutions and with foster families.

The Israeli army announced, this evening, Wednesday, that a "Drone" drone had crashed inside Syrian territory .

The Israeli army spokesman said: "The plane fell during a normal activity, and there is no fear of information leakage."

He indicated that the incident is under investigation.

The Israeli occupation forces arrested, this evening, Wednesday, a young man from occupied Jerusalem , after assaulting him.

According to local sources, these forces arrested the young man, Ahmed Najeeb Al-Awar, from Al-Thawri neighborhood, after assaulting him and spraying him with pepper gas.

And east of Ramallah , the occupation forces arrested the young man, Muhammad Ali Abu Janadi, from Aqabat Jaber camp, south of Jericho, at a pilot checkpoint at the so-called "Karamelo roundabout" near the town of Al-Taybeh.

Singer Stromaier , who is currently on a concert tour to promote his album "Multitude", has canceled three concerts he was scheduled to perform this week in eastern France, for "health reasons", according to what two production companies the singer deals with announced Wednesday.

The "Uguri Production" and "Mussar" companies indicated that the canceled concerts are one that was scheduled to be held on Wednesday evening in Zenith de Strasbourg, and two concerts that were supposed to be performed by the Belgian singer Thursday and Friday in Amneville (Moselle, East).

The amounts paid by those who purchased tickets for the concerts will be refunded to them.

Stromaier, 38, who hails from Brussels, is one of the French-speaking artists with the highest sales in the world.

The singer is very popular in France, as he won two Victoire Music Awards that were distributed in February, one of which is best for the album ("Multidod") and the second is the award for singer of the year.

After a stressful break from concerts to promote his 2013 album "Rasin' Carey", Stroumayer will return to concerts in 2022.

The Belgian singer is currently performing a European tour, with a number of upcoming concerts in December 2023. He is supposed to perform two concerts on March 29 and 30 in Zenith de Nantes (western France), according to the website that lists the concerts.