Non-tariff trade barriers are preventing Palestinians producers from competing in Israeli and East Jerusalem markets, reports a PALTRADE press release made available to Palestine Note.

Outside a Hebron butcher shop

Israel has extended its closure of the West Bank until Tuesday, Ma'an News Agency reports. 

The report came Saturday evening, hours before the closure was due to be lifted.  Restriction on entry into Al-Aqsa compound in Jerusalem could remain in place indefinitely.  The closure extension comes "in accordance with the directives of Minister of Defense, Mr. Ehud Barak, and following additional situation assessments adopted by the defense establishment, " said a statement from the Israeli military.

The closure extension is likely provoked by clashes with Israeli forces in Qalandiya and Beit Ummar Saturday.

The Israeli military insists those needing passage out of the West Bank for medical reasons as well as medical workers, religious workers, teachers, and other professionals will be permitted through checkpoints.  The Jerusalem Center for Civil and Economic Rights reports Israel continues to deny access to Al-Aqsa compounds to men under 50.


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West Bank Palestinians came out in droves on Thursday to attend the public square dedication of Fatah militant Dalal Mughrabi, New York Times reports. 

Fatah "martyrs" remembered

Three journalists were detained and several demonstrators were beaten by Israeli forces in Beit Ummar, Hebron Saturday, Ma'an News Agency report. Palestinians had gathered to protest the restrictions on access to agricultural lands confiscated by the Karmi Zur settlement.

Excerpt:

Chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat said Friday that PA President Mahmoud Abbas will not consider talks until Israel rescinds its decision to expand East Jerusalem settlements, reports Ma'an News Agency.

US envoy Mitchell with Israeli president Peres

Israeli forces used tear gas and physical force to corral Palestinian women attempting to push through a checkpoint at the Qalandiya crossing into Jerusalem from the West Bank, Al-Jazeera English reports.

This scuffle comes on the second day of a 48-hour security lock down of the West Bank.  This is the first time in more than a year that the West Bank has been closed for reasons other than a Jewish holiday.  The women gathered at the crossing chanted, "Jerusalem is Arab, our eternal capital."  Jerusalem stood as a multi-religious city of Christian, Muslim, and Jewish indigenous to the Middle East for hundreds of years before Israel was founded in 1948. 

The clash resulted in four protesters being detained, but there were no injuries.  AJE's Nour Odeh said from Ramallah of the lock down: "What this closure does is raise tensions and so we've seen clashes at the Qalandiya checkpoint."