Colorado Campaign for Middle East Peace * CCMEP

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

720-956-0700 * ccmep@hotmail.com  * www.ccmep.org

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 1, 2002   

CONTACT INFORMATION:

Witnesses on the ground in Bethlehem:

Coloradan: Gary Anderson, 011-972-56-621-963

Coloradan: Nancy Stohlman, 011-972-56-501-412

British Citizen: Georgina 011 972 55 840 767

US Citizen: – Heather 011 972 67 270 398

Arabic/English - Bilal 011 972 52 814 992

Witnesses on the ground in Ramallah:

US Citizen: Huwaida Arraf 011 972 52 642 709

Palestinian NGO Leader: Mustafa Barghouti – 011 972 50 254 218

In Denver: Mark Schneider, 720-956-0700

US Civilians Shot by Israeli Military at Beit Jala Peaceful Protest

One Coloradan Was Eyewitness; Both Coloradans Spend Nights of Terror in Palestinian Refugee Camp

DIGITAL PHOTOS ARE AVAILABLE AT: www.ccmep.org or www.ccmep.org/palestine.html

Beit Jala – Palestine – Six internationals, including at least two from the US, were shot and injured by the Israeli military during a peaceful protest of over 100 internationals. According to Colorado eyewitness Gary Anderson, the 100 internationals were peacefully marching in Beit Jala (near Bethlehem) towards two Israeli armored personnel carriers and without warning the Israeli soldiers fired live ammunition at the crowd. Two journalists were directly hit in the chest. Six other internationals peaceful protestors were also hit. At least one international, an Australian, Kate Irving, remains in a Bethlehem hospital undergoing emergency surgery.

Palestinian Independent Media ( www.jerusalem.indymedia.org ) reports the following wounded:

- British citizen: Aisa Kiysue, Kunle Ibidun, Chris Dunham

- Australian citizen: Kate Irving (currently undergoing surgey)

- American citizen: Zaid Khalil, Paul Larudee

- Wounded have been taken to Al Huissen Hospital in Bethlehem.

- Word from the hospital staff is people were hit in the back of the head, face and one was hit in the upper thigh and knees. The Palestinian journalists were hit in the chest.

The brutal Israeli siege of most Palestinian territory continues. In Ramallah there are eyewitness reports of the Israeli military is attacking the main hospital and has invaded the Union of Palestinian Medical Relief Committees.

In response here in Denver there is a peace rally planned for Tuesday, April 2nd, 6pm at Lincoln Park on Broadway between West 14th & Colfax. More information: Daphne, 303-419-6653

# 30

  4/1/02:  Internationals Attacked with Live Gunfire, Palestine IndyMedia

4/1/02: BBC Audio Recording of Israeli Military Firing Upon Peaceful Internationals and BBC Reporters - you must have an audio player software

4/1/02: Download Video of Internationals Getting Shot by IDF in Beit Jala - Italian Indy Media

4/2/02: Farce and terror in the 'closed area' of Ramallah: Ghost town has a climate of fear, as peace protesters put themselves in the firing line and Bush policy shows a shift - Robert Fisk in Ramallah, The Independent

4/2/02: Israeli rifle fire injures seven foreigners including two Britons - Eric Silver, The Independent

 4/2/02: Foreign Peace Activists Injured - Joshua Hammer -  MSNBC

 4/3/02: Under Fire in Bethlehem - Nicholas Blincoe in Bethlehem, The Guardian

 4/3/02: Coloradans act as 'human shields' - Bruce Finley, Denver Post

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