Colorado Campaign for Middle East Peace * CCMEP

901 West 14^th Avenue, Suite 7 * Denver, CO 80204

May 3, 2002

MEDIA RELEASE  *  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Coloradan Larry Hales and New Yorker Kristen Schurr in Church:

011-972-673-464-10; 011-972-65-622-017;

011-972-67-403-272; 011-972-67-346-410

Outside of Church: Huwaida Arraf, 011-972-52-642-709;

   Georgie Reeves, 011-972-840-767

Colorado contact: 720-956-0700

Pictures of Larry Hales at:  http://www.ccmep.org/delegations/larry/pictures050102.html

COLORADAN JOINS 10 INTERNATIONALS IN NONVIOLENT RAID OF CHURCH OF NATIVITY

Group Plans to Stay in Solidarity with Palestinians Until Israeli Military Siege is Over

At about 6pm Thursday (Palestine time), a group of 24 international activists slipped past Israeli Defense Force roadblocks to enter Bethlehem's Manger Square. Running across the square, 11 were then able to enter the besieged Church of the Nativity through service doors to deliver food to the 160+ Palestinians who have been trapped in the church for almost a month. IDF troops caught and detained the other 13 activists.

"We took them completely by surprise," says Kristen Schurr, of New York City, who adds that she did not notice any shots fired at the group. One LA Times journalist also entered the church with the activists, who include US, Swedish, UK, and Irish nationals.

Schurr says the activists wanted to enter the church to deliver food to the trapped Palestinians, many of whom are sick and starving. They also wanted to call international attention to the fact that, while the Israeli government has restored some freedom of movement to Palestinian Authority President Yassir Arafat, the Israeli siege of the Church of the Nativity continues. She said the activists plan to remain in the church - one of the oldest and most important Christian shrines - until the Palestinians are allowed to leave without being arrested.

The effects of fierce fighting at the church were apparent when the activists entered, Schurr says. Fires are still burning, and the dead bodies of two Palestinians, killed by IDF gunfire this morning, remain in the church. However, the trapped Palestinians cheered the internationals when they entered. "People were excited, and happy to see us," says Schurr.

“When we got in we were given blankets and all the food and water are being equally shared,” said Coloradan Larry Hales.  “Unfortunately the situation inside is much worse than we anticipated.  Most of the people are literally starving, having not eaten anything in the last five days, except for a few boiled leaves from a tree in the courtyard.”  Hales called upon Americans to pressure politicians and Catholic church leaders and call upon them to get food, medicine into the Church of Nativity.

The International Solidarity Movement is a Palestinian-based organization dedicated to non-violent resistance to Israeli occupation. Founded two years ago, it encourages international peace activists to come to Palestine to provide non-violent support to the Palestinian resistance.

 

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