By , JERUSALEM/GAZA (Reuters) - Many Palestinians see a ruling by the International Criminal Court that it has jurisdiction over the Palestinian territories as a belated chance of justice for victims of Israeli attacks.But for many Israelis, Friday’s ruling is worrying because they say they are the “good guys” defending themselves against Palestinian violence.The ruling, delivered by a pre-trial chamber of three ICC judges, could lead to criminal investigations of Israel and Palestinian militant groups including Hamas. No probe was expected in the near future, however.ICC prosecutor Fatou...…By , JERUSALEM/GAZA (Reuters) - Many Palestinians see a ruling by the International Criminal Court that it has jurisdiction over the Palestinian territories as a belated chance of justice for victims of Israeli attacks.But for many Israelis, Friday’s ruling is worrying because they say they are the “good guys” defending themselves against Palestinian violence.The ruling, delivered by a pre-trial chamber of three ICC judges, could lead to criminal investigations of Israel and Palestinian militant groups including Hamas. No probe was expected in the near future, however.ICC prosecutor Fatou...WW…

By , RAMALLAH, West Bank/GAZA (Reuters) - Palestinians expect to receive a first batch of COVID-19 vaccine by the weekend, officials said on Tuesday - at a time when more than a quarter of their Israeli neighbours have already been inoculated.Slideshow The Palestinian Authority (PA) has ordered Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine and hopes to administer it to 50,000 residents by March, after last week granting the drug emergency approval.The PA governs in the Israeli-occupied West Bank in coordination with Israel, whose vaccination campaign has been the world’s fastest. By Tuesday morning, 28% of...…By , RAMALLAH, West Bank/GAZA (Reuters) - Palestinians expect to receive a first batch of COVID-19 vaccine by the weekend, officials said on Tuesday - at a time when more than a quarter of their Israeli neighbours have already been inoculated.Slideshow The Palestinian Authority (PA) has ordered Russia’s Sputnik V vaccine and hopes to administer it to 50,000 residents by March, after last week granting the drug emergency approval.The PA governs in the Israeli-occupied West Bank in coordination with Israel, whose vaccination campaign has been the world’s fastest. By Tuesday morning, 28% of...WW…

By , , RAMALLAH, West Bank/GAZA (Reuters) - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas announced parliamentary and presidential elections on Friday, the first in 15 years, in an effort to heal long-standing internal divisions.The move is widely seen as a response to criticism of the democratic legitimacy of Palestinian political institutions, including Abbas’s presidency.It also comes days before the inauguration of U.S. President-elect Joe Biden, with whom the Palestinians want to reset relations after they reached a low under President Donald Trump.According to a decree issued by Abbas’s office,...…By , , RAMALLAH, West Bank/GAZA (Reuters) - Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas announced parliamentary and presidential elections on Friday, the first in 15 years, in an effort to heal long-standing internal divisions.The move is widely seen as a response to criticism of the democratic legitimacy of Palestinian political institutions, including Abbas’s presidency.It also comes days before the inauguration of U.S. President-elect Joe Biden, with whom the Palestinians want to reset relations after they reached a low under President Donald Trump.According to a decree issued by Abbas’s office,...WW…

By GAZA (Reuters) - Youssef Abu Amira, a Palestinian law school graduate, never let disabilities hold him back. Born without legs and with only partially developed arms, he has taken up a new challenge - karate.The 24-year-old orange belt showed his stick-fighting skills as he trained with his coach at Gaza’s Al-Mashtal Club for Martial Arts.“I wanted to prove to myself and the world that disability is in the mind and is not in the body and that nothing was impossible,” Abu Amira said.“I wanted to do karate so I can defend myself, and I dream of taking part in international...…By GAZA (Reuters) - Youssef Abu Amira, a Palestinian law school graduate, never let disabilities hold him back. Born without legs and with only partially developed arms, he has taken up a new challenge - karate.The 24-year-old orange belt showed his stick-fighting skills as he trained with his coach at Gaza’s Al-Mashtal Club for Martial Arts.“I wanted to prove to myself and the world that disability is in the mind and is not in the body and that nothing was impossible,” Abu Amira said.“I wanted to do karate so I can defend myself, and I dream of taking part in international...WW…

By GAZA (Reuters) - An array of Palestinian militant groups launched rockets into the Mediterranean Sea off the Gaza Strip on Tuesday at the start of what they called their first-ever joint exercise, which Israeli media described as a show of force organised by Iran.Gaza is run by Hamas and also home to other militant groups, including Islamic Jihad. The exercise was announced on behalf of a joint command set up by the groups in 2018.Eight rockets streaked through a cloudless sky in Gaza towards the Mediterranean after Abu Hamza, spokesman for Islamic Jihad, delivered a speech launching the...…By GAZA (Reuters) - An array of Palestinian militant groups launched rockets into the Mediterranean Sea off the Gaza Strip on Tuesday at the start of what they called their first-ever joint exercise, which Israeli media described as a show of force organised by Iran.Gaza is run by Hamas and also home to other militant groups, including Islamic Jihad. The exercise was announced on behalf of a joint command set up by the groups in 2018.Eight rockets streaked through a cloudless sky in Gaza towards the Mediterranean after Abu Hamza, spokesman for Islamic Jihad, delivered a speech launching the...WW…

By GAZA (Reuters) - A leaked Hamas memo showing Gaza’s ruling Islamist group wanted to curb Christmas celebrations among Gaza’s Muslim majority has upset the enclave’s tiny Christian community in the run-up to the holiday.Slideshow The ministry of religious affairs document, dated Dec. 15, called for “activities by the directorate of preaching and spiritual guidance to limit interaction with Christmas”.The leak went public last weekend, upsetting Palestinian Christians.“We set an example for the world in not having any sectarian problems, therefore, we were very upset,” said Samer Tarazi, a...…By GAZA (Reuters) - A leaked Hamas memo showing Gaza’s ruling Islamist group wanted to curb Christmas celebrations among Gaza’s Muslim majority has upset the enclave’s tiny Christian community in the run-up to the holiday.Slideshow The ministry of religious affairs document, dated Dec. 15, called for “activities by the directorate of preaching and spiritual guidance to limit interaction with Christmas”.The leak went public last weekend, upsetting Palestinian Christians.“We set an example for the world in not having any sectarian problems, therefore, we were very upset,” said Samer Tarazi, a...WW…

By Slideshow GAZA (Reuters) - The United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees paid the salaries of 30,000 Palestinian staff across the Middle East for last month, but a funding shortfall may still hinder payment in December, officials said on Wednesday.UNRWA finds itself in limbo after the U.S. election - President Donald Trump ended all U.S. payments, but while Palestinians hope President-elect Joe Biden’s administration will at least partially resume payments, that could take months.The agency said last month it had run out of money to pay salaries after two years of funding cuts by...…By Slideshow GAZA (Reuters) - The United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees paid the salaries of 30,000 Palestinian staff across the Middle East for last month, but a funding shortfall may still hinder payment in December, officials said on Wednesday.UNRWA finds itself in limbo after the U.S. election - President Donald Trump ended all U.S. payments, but while Palestinians hope President-elect Joe Biden’s administration will at least partially resume payments, that could take months.The agency said last month it had run out of money to pay salaries after two years of funding cuts by...WW…

By (This November 22 story corrects mortality figure in paragraph 4 to 0.5% instead of 0.05%)Slideshow GAZA (Reuters) - A sharp rise in coronavirus infections in the Gaza Strip could overwhelm the Palestinian enclave’s meagre medical system by next week, public health advisers said on Sunday.Gaza, where the dense and poor population of 2 million is vulnerable to contagions, has logged 14,000 coronavirus cases and 65 deaths, mostly since August.Seventy-nine of 100 ventilators for COVID-19 patients have been taken up, said Abdelraouf Elmanama, a member of Gaza’s pandemic task force.“In 10...…By (This November 22 story corrects mortality figure in paragraph 4 to 0.5% instead of 0.05%)Slideshow GAZA (Reuters) - A sharp rise in coronavirus infections in the Gaza Strip could overwhelm the Palestinian enclave’s meagre medical system by next week, public health advisers said on Sunday.Gaza, where the dense and poor population of 2 million is vulnerable to contagions, has logged 14,000 coronavirus cases and 65 deaths, mostly since August.Seventy-nine of 100 ventilators for COVID-19 patients have been taken up, said Abdelraouf Elmanama, a member of Gaza’s pandemic task force.“In 10...WW…

By , GAZA/REHOVOT, Israel (Reuters) - Palestinian and Israeli human rights groups voiced concern on Tuesday over the condition of a Palestinian who began a hunger strike 79 days ago against his detention without charge by Israel.Slideshow Maher Al-Akhras, 49, is now in an Israeli hospital suffering from heart pain and convulsions and has slipped occasionally into a coma, his wife said.A resident of the city of Jenin in the north of the Israeli-occupied West Bank, Akhras was taken into custody in July under an Israeli “administrative detention” order.Israel’s Shin Bet internal security...…By , GAZA/REHOVOT, Israel (Reuters) - Palestinian and Israeli human rights groups voiced concern on Tuesday over the condition of a Palestinian who began a hunger strike 79 days ago against his detention without charge by Israel.Slideshow Maher Al-Akhras, 49, is now in an Israeli hospital suffering from heart pain and convulsions and has slipped occasionally into a coma, his wife said.A resident of the city of Jenin in the north of the Israeli-occupied West Bank, Akhras was taken into custody in July under an Israeli “administrative detention” order.Israel’s Shin Bet internal security...WW…