Palestinians preparing to march in support of a bid for statehood at the UN later this month could get more than they bargained for: Israel has given security forces and civilian guards in West Bank settlements a license to shoot at protestors.
*Palestinian organizers insist that the rallies will be peaceful and will not approach Israeli settlers homes in the West Bank, but Israel is preparing for every eventuality, while in the streets there is talk of a third intifada, that some say might become as bloody and as violent as the first two.
With the help of the military, each Israeli settlement in the West Bank has marked a "red line" around its perimeter, said Shlomo Vaknin, an Israeli security officer, the Associated Press reported.
If Palestinians cross that line, the military will shoot but if there are no soldiers nearby, the settlements civilian guards can take the initiative and react, Vaknin added.
With some 400,000 settlers living cheek by jowl with the West Banks 2.5 million Palestinians, the population is bracing itself for violence, RTs Paula Slier reports.
For several months the Israeli army has been preparing an operation dubbed Summer Seeds, which is now in its final stages. The settlements civilian guards have been undergoing intensive security training and participating in drills alongside regular troops.
Some US $20 million has been spent on police training alone. About 28,000 police officers have been mobilized around the country, with Jerusalem one of the focal points of the operation. Many fear that most of the violence could erupt there.
Mass demonstrations are set for the time of the 66th UN General Assembly session scheduled on September 13 20, where Palestinians hope their state will receive official recognition.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said the decision to approach the UN came after Israel refused to abide by international agreements. Nevertheless, at a meeting held at his Ramallah headquarters on Wednesday, Abbas noted that "approaching the UN is not an alternative to the peace talks."
"I am pleased to note that the Palestinians stated and maintain this attitude that their appeal to the UN is not an alternative to achieving a solution with Israel through negotiations," Russias Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Monday, welcoming the statement made by Abbas.
Sergey Lavrov said that Russia sees no problem in recognizing the Palestinian state. Our country did it in the last century, and an ambassador of the State of Palestine is working in Moscow," the minister noted.
*Palestinian organizers insist that the rallies will be peaceful and will not approach Israeli settlers homes in the West Bank, but Israel is preparing for every eventuality, while in the streets there is talk of a third intifada, that some say might become as bloody and as violent as the first two.
With the help of the military, each Israeli settlement in the West Bank has marked a "red line" around its perimeter, said Shlomo Vaknin, an Israeli security officer, the Associated Press reported.
If Palestinians cross that line, the military will shoot but if there are no soldiers nearby, the settlements civilian guards can take the initiative and react, Vaknin added.
With some 400,000 settlers living cheek by jowl with the West Banks 2.5 million Palestinians, the population is bracing itself for violence, RTs Paula Slier reports.
For several months the Israeli army has been preparing an operation dubbed Summer Seeds, which is now in its final stages. The settlements civilian guards have been undergoing intensive security training and participating in drills alongside regular troops.
Some US $20 million has been spent on police training alone. About 28,000 police officers have been mobilized around the country, with Jerusalem one of the focal points of the operation. Many fear that most of the violence could erupt there.
Mass demonstrations are set for the time of the 66th UN General Assembly session scheduled on September 13 20, where Palestinians hope their state will receive official recognition.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said the decision to approach the UN came after Israel refused to abide by international agreements. Nevertheless, at a meeting held at his Ramallah headquarters on Wednesday, Abbas noted that "approaching the UN is not an alternative to the peace talks."
"I am pleased to note that the Palestinians stated and maintain this attitude that their appeal to the UN is not an alternative to achieving a solution with Israel through negotiations," Russias Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Monday, welcoming the statement made by Abbas.
Sergey Lavrov said that Russia sees no problem in recognizing the Palestinian state. Our country did it in the last century, and an ambassador of the State of Palestine is working in Moscow," the minister noted.
