Phone calls with Coloradans in Palestine: Nablus and Tel Aviv Rally
Interviewed by Bassem Hassan
Beth Daoud in Nablus
April 11, 2002
Q. What is the current situation there?
A. The building I’m in there was gunfire earlier today. Right now there is three internationals, right now, and more are supposed to come in soon. The three of us are going to walk around the Old City and witness the devastation there.
Q. Any news from Jenin?
A. No. I can give you more news from here. Mary Kelly, another American, has been at the main Nablus hospital and they are starting to bring in the dead bodies that have been laying in the street, and they’ve brought in 79 so far. There is so many bodies they’re now storing them in a refrigerated dairy truck. I don’t know the total count because there have been houses demolished and people crushed under the buildings.
Q. Is there still fighting in the Old town of Nablus?
A. Yes.
Q. Do you have any news from Brian, the rest of the group?
A. Yes, Nancy and Ben are going to be in Tel Aviv for the protest when Colin Powell arrives on Friday – that should be a big protest. There’s a group, from Israel, that is going to march to Jenin, Saturday, and I’m going to try to be with that group - get back to Jerusalem and then go with that group.
End of Call: We’ll all proud of you Beth. Keep your strength up.
Eric Blair in Jerusalem
April 11, 2002
Q. Where are you now?
A. In Jerusalem.
Q. Are you doing ok?
A. Yes, we’re doing fine.
Q. Any news?
A. We’ve been trying to organize a rally in Tel Aviv tomorrow. We’re trying to get more internationals involving.
Q. How is Brian?
A. Fine, he came back out from Bethlehem. He’s in Jerusalem now. He wants to go to Jenin, but that may not be possible.
[NOTE: 12 hours after this call we learned that Brian Wood was in a small Palestinian village just outside of Jenin. He was with more than a dozen international activists attempting to find a way into Jenin.]