State of Palestine, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Media Department, April 14th 2015

RAMALLAH, (WAFA) - The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) called for resorting to other means to spare the blood of the Palestinian refugees in Yarmouk camp, and prevent more devastation and woes.

In a press statement that WAFA received a copy of, the PLO confirmed “It’s permanent position in refusing to be drawn into the midst of the ongoing conflict in Syria, and expresses its absolute refusal to be part of the ongoing armed conflict in al-Yarmouk Refugee Camp.”

It added, 'We refuse to be drawn into any armed campaign, whatever its nature or cover.'

The PLO confirmed that it will work in order to stop all forms of aggression and armed actions, in collaboration with all stakeholders, especially the international relief agency, UNRWA, and all parties that have a common interest not to drag the camp to more devastation and woes.

PLO concluded that, It “remains keen in its relations with all parties and confirms its refusal to be drawn into any military action of any kind.'

    Israeli Military Forces Raid Homes in Bethlehem

Bethlehem, (WAFA) – Israeli forces Sunday broke into the village of Beit Fajjar, to the south of Bethlehem and raided and searched resident’s homes, said security sources.

WAFA has been informed that a large military force broke into Beit Fajjar early morning and raided three houses that belong to three brothers, who were identified as Ahmad, Anwar and Muneer Thawabta. No arrests were reported.

    Settlers Storm al-Aqsa Mosque Yards, Assault Female Worshippers

JERUSALEM, (WAFA) – Israeli settlers, who stormed Al-Aqsa Mosque yards under Israeli police protection, assaulted on Saturday a number of Palestinian female worshippers, according to witnesses.

Witnesses said that Palestinian worshippers were attacked by settlers after attempting to fend off the former’s attempts to tour the yards of the Mosque. Settlers assaulted a number of women carrying copies of the Quran and used foul language against them.

Israeli police imposes restrictions on Palestinian worshipers’ entry, particularly women and youth. Police retains their identity cards prior to their entry in anticipation of any clashes and to be able to detain those who might be involved.

The city of Jerusalem has been a scene of ongoing violent and deadly incidents which skyrocketed following Israeli settlers' murder of 17-year-old Palestinian teenager Mohammad Abu Khdeir last July who was found torched to death in a wood in Jerusalem. Since then, violent incidents caused loss of lives at both Palestinian and Israeli sides.

    PNC head calls for quicker response to Yarmouk crisis

AMMAN (Ma'an) -- The head of the Palestinian National Council, Salim Zanoun, has called on the Palestinian leadership to speed up efforts to resolve the ongoing Yarmouk crisis.

Zanoun said that residents of the beleaguered refugee camp don't need discussion, but political and material support.

His comments were directed at the PNC's executive committee, the highest executive body of the PLO, which is composed of 18 members. The executive committee is elected by the much larger PNC, which has nearly 700 members.

Zanoun made his comment as he met with PNC members in Amman to discuss the crisis in Syria, among other issues.

He called on PNC members across the occupied Palestinian Territories to donate to residents of Yarmouk camp, saying it was "a national duty."

A one-week period has been set in which to raise donations, and Zanoun added that the council had so far raised 13,150 Jordanian Dinars ($18,600).

On Saturday, two senior UN officials were headed Saturday for Syria on an "urgent mission" to aid the thousands of civilians that remain trapped in Yarmouk.

Pierre Krahenbuhl, who heads the UN agency for Palestinian refugees UNRWA, is meeting Syrian officials to discuss the delivery of aid to the camp which has been stormed by Islamic State group militants.

He is also due to meet displaced refugees on Sunday at a school near the camp.

Also in Damascus, the UNRWA chief is to meet deputy special envoy Ramzy Ezzeldin Ramzy, sent on Friday by UN chief Ban Ki-moon who has warned of a "massacre" in the camp.

The visit is "prompted by UNRWA's deepening concerns for the safety and protection of some 18,000 Palestinian and Syrian civilians, including 3,500 children" still in the camp, the agency said in a statement.

Refuge in schools

According to Palestinian sources, some 2,500 of the remaining civilians have now taken refuge in Damascus schools.

"I don't have the strength to walk any more," said Umm Mohammed, a woman in her 70s, in a video distributed to media organisations by an activist, Rami el-Sayyed.

"I haven't left my house for fear of it being looted. But if they open the road, I don't want to stay any more," she said.

"We left Palestine and we're still suffering. What did the Palestinians do to deserve all this?"

Yarmouk, which is Syria's largest refugee camp lying seven kilometers south of Damascus, was initially attacked by IS on April 1, and the group subsequently took over up to 90 percent of the camp.

Armed Palestinian factions have fought back and Syria's air force has struck IS positions in the camp.

Although the PLO has publicly rejected involvement in a military campaign, citing a longstanding policy of non-interference in the internal affairs of Arab nations, on Saturday PLO envoy to Syria Ahmed Majdalani said the situation was out of the hands of the Palestinian leadership.

Majdalani told Ma'an that the resort to military action had been imposed on Palestinian groups by IS, and that negotiations would not be workable.

Fighting south of Damascus

In fighting south of Damascus, meanwhile, 35 people were killed as pro-government forces repelled an attack on a key military airport by IS-affiliated militants, a monitoring group said.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the attack targeted the outskirts of Khalkhalah military airport in Sweida province on Friday.

Syria's official news agency SANA said the army had "blocked attempts from IS terrorists to infiltrate" areas near the airport.

Khalkhalah lies along a major highway between Damascus and the regime-held city of Sweida, a stronghold of the Druze minority that has largely avoided the bloodshed of Syria's war.

The attack on Khalkhalah was the first by IS, but the airport has been previously targeted by rebels and Syria's Al-Qaeda affiliate, Al-Nusra Front.

In the northern city of Aleppo, at least 10 civilians were killed in rebel shelling of a Christian district and 10 others in regime bombardment of an area under rebel control, according to the Observatory.

More than 215,000 people have been killed in Syria's four-year war, which is increasingly dominated by extremist groups.

    Israel to release body of Palestinian who stabbed 2 Israeli soldiers

RAMALLAH (Ma'an) -- The Ministry of Civil Affairs and the Palestinian Liaison announced that Israeli authorities will on Sunday release the body of Muhammad Jasser Karakra, who was shot dead after he stabbed two Israeli soldiers.

Karakra, 27, was killed on Wednesday after stabbing two soldiers at the Sinjil junction near the Shilo settlement, north of Ramallah.

Israeli forces subsequently held his body, which they sent to an Israeli forensic institute in Tel Aviv.

Karakra's family said that his funeral will take place on Monday, following noon prayers, when the body is received from the Palestine Medical Complex in Ramallah.

One of the Israeli soldiers, 20, was critically injured after being stabbed in the neck. The other received minor injuries and then opened fire at Karakra, who sustained critical injuries before being pronounced dead.

Israeli army forces and ambulances afterwards arrived at the scene and gave first aid to the soldiers, who were taken in a helicopter to hospital for treatment.

Locals told Ma'an that Israeli forces also raided several areas surrounding Ramallah including Sinjil, Turmusayya, al-Luban al-Sharqiya, and al-Luban al-Gharbiya.

Israeli forces detained seven Palestinian youths and took them to identify the suspect's body, but none were able to identify him, witnesses said.

Some of the youths taken to identify the body said the suspect was injured with a bullet in the head, and that there was a "clean knife with no blood on it" next to him.

The Palestinian Liaison later identified Karakra.

The attack came less than a week after an Israeli soldier was stabbed near the Oranit checkpoint in southern Qalqiliya, receiving light wounds.

That attack was the first on Israeli military or civilians since early March when a Palestinian man drove his vehicle into a group of border police standing in front of an Israeli border police station between East and West Jerusalem, striking five people.

In the same time period, Israeli forces had shot and killed two Palestinians and injured around 170 Palestinians, the majority during attacks on protests as well as during raids, according to the United Nations.

    Israel Arrests 19 Palestinians in West Bank, Jerusalem

JERUSALEM, (WAFA) – The Israeli authorities Monday arrested at least 19 Palestinians during predawn and night raids in East Jerusalem and the West Bank, according to local and security sources.

In Jerusalem, at least eight Palestinians, including minors, were arrested by Israeli police in the neighborhoods of Shu’afat, Silwan and al-Issawiya.

They were identified as Anas Ebeid, Yazan Mehesen, Mousa Ebeid and Mohammad Kayed Mahmoud, Mohammad Ahmad Abu Khdeir, 16, Mohammad Nidal Abu Khdeir, 16, Mohammad al-Qaq, 15, and Morad Froukh, 15.

Meanwhile in Bethlehem, army arrested five Palestinians in the villages of Hosan, Jab’a and Doha. They were identified as Ismail Za’oul, Mohammad Za’oul, Omar Abu Sabha, Sa’ed Abu Sabha and Mohammad Mo’tasem al-Khatib.

Meanwhile, Israeli army stormed the village of Silwad, east of Ramallah, and arrested three local residents, who were identified as Ameer Hammad, 19, Nu’man Hammad, 19, and Ahmad Abu Zeina, 31.

Army also stormed Jenin, in the northern West Bank, and arrested 22-year-old Mohammad Jamal Abahreh, after raiding and searching his home. Another resident of Jenin, Mohammad Awwad, was also arrested while he was present in the Israeli military court of Salim to attend a hearing session for one of his relatives.

In the meantime, army forces broke into the village of Deir Samit, west of Hebron, and arrested a local resident after raiding and searching his home. He was identified as Hassan Huroub, 22. Army further broke into the nearby village of Beit Awwa at midnight, but no arrests were reported.

Almost daily, the Israeli military storms Palestinian populated areas across the West Bank to carry out arrests and summon individuals for interrogation, citing security purposes.