Palestinians closed their shops and businesses throughout the West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem on Thursday August 29, to protest Israel's expansion of settlements, the wanton destruction of a Palestinian youth center in East Jerusalem by the Israeli army, the refusal by the Israeli army to hand over control of Hebron and the six month border closure and travel restrictions imposed on most Palestinians living in the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem. The Palestinian Authority also issued a call for mass prayers on Friday August 30, at the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem even though most Palestinians are barred from entering that part of Jerusalem. Reports say that Israel moved in large numbers of troops around Jerusalem to prevent anyone from entering the city. In another development the Canadian government officially protested Israel's demolition of a $41,000 playground paid for by Canadian taxpayers. The playground was part of a community youth center in a Palestinian quarter of Jerusalem that was destroyed by the Israeli army Tuesday night. "We find it to be regrettable and provocative and we are conveying that to the government of Israel," Canadian Foreign Affairs spokesperson Rodney Moore said. "We are not satisfied with the explanation provided by Israel to justify the actions taken," Moore added. The situation in Palestine is one of no war-no peace which the U.S. imperialists favor at the moment in order to prepare conditions to impose an imperialist peace. Unless the interference of the foreign imperialists is overcome no genuine peace is possible that will right the historic wrongs done to the Palestinian people. The Israeli state is behaving in the most arrogant manner possible as it thinks that U.S. imperialism will always be there to rescue it from the disasters of its own making. Shawgi Tell University at Buffalo Graduate School of Education [EMAIL PROTECTED]