[NOTE: Brian Wood, from Denver, has lived in Palestine since May,
2001. Below he recounts the story of a large group of
internationals, including three others from Colorado, who attempted
to visit Gaza, Palestine. Brian, like many in the group, were
attacked by Israeli soldiers; he was hit in the face and suffered a
wound in his mouth.]
Attacked at Erez
by Brian Wood
January 9, 2002
Palestine
On Dec. 26th, 2001, as part of an international campaign to end the
illegal military occupation of Palestinian land, 90 internationals
attempted to travel to Gaza for solidarity visits with Palestinian
organizations. This is a piece of land only 365 square kilometers in
total area, which borders Egypt, Israel, and the Mediterranean Sea.
1.2 million Palestinians have been given 60% of the total area while
7000 Jewish Israeli squatters maintain control of the other 40%. The
Israeli policy of land confiscation continues in Gaza, taking more
land for the few from those that have little or nothing.
We reached the Erez Crossing near Gaza City at 9:30 a.m. the 26th of
December. A French delegation with us was processed through the
border by the Israelis within a half-hour and was waiting inside Gaza
for the other half of the group. At 10:45, the group of us waiting to
be allowed entry began questioning the Israeli officials as to the
delay. They said there was a security situation inside Gaza that we
would read about later on the news; this was the initial reason given
for the delay. This delay turned into not being able to enter for
several hours, which by 11:30 turned into all day.
While awaiting the Israeli decision to allow us entry into
Palestinian Gaza, we were all standing/sitting outside of the bus.
After being given an initial signal that there was a security problem
inside Gaza, several military officials, including Captain Joseph
Levy, Head of the International Affairs Department at Erez Crossing,
hurriedly corralled all of us under a roof. They shouted, "Hurry!
Hurry! It is dangerous out here! Come under the roof!" Meanwhile, all
Israeli officials and police in the area stood around at ease. I
asked one policeman why they hurried us under the roof because of
immediate danger when they were all standing around like they were on
lunch break. He refused to answer the question three times. Suddenly,
after they hurried us under the roof, one Israeli solider began to
fire a few shots here and there with ease and complacency, as if to
create a "security situation." Our Palestinian bus driver speaks
Hebrew and overheard the arrangements being made to have the Israeli
soldier shoot so we would think there really was a problem. The
Israeli officials also kept referring to the mortars that were
apparently landing all around us saying, "Didn't you hear the
mortars?" This small artillery fire is easily heard from hundreds of
meters and not one of us heard even a firecracker go off.
Two hours after arriving, our passports were returned. We found that
many of us had been processed into Gaza and then back out, indicating
a mid-process decision. In conjunction with the dramatization of a
security problem inside Gaza and at the crossing itself, we felt very
deceived. So, 35 of us decided to cross the border by foot. What
followed was the worst display of humanity I have witnessed.
Captain Levy shouted warnings at us that we would be stopped
violently if we did not turn back. We all proceeded quietly. After a
few moments, he began to attack us. The first person was a woman in
her 50's that he pushed to the ground. He went person to person,
pushing us to the ground, strangling us, body slamming and punching
us. One French women in her 50's was thrown to the ground 4
consecutive times by Captain Levy while other officers were
physically trying to restrain him. I saw 25 year-old Sarah from
Britain flying through the air as Captain Levy threw her small frame.
She spent a day in the hospital for spinal observation, X-rays, and
checks for internal injuries before being released. She is currently
walking with a cane with great difficulty. Immediately after throwing
her his eyes locked with mine. His angered march towards me inspired
his right forearm to contact my jaw and chin, tossing my head back. I
kept walking ahead and he ran to the next person to unleash the anger
in his heart.
After five minutes of beatings, strangling,, and being thrown to the
ground while continuing to walk forward, the group was pretty well
stopped from proceeding. At that time, I stood towards the back of
the group and saw Captain Levy take three older women by their necks
and throw them to the ground one at a time. I have never seen so many
bodies flying around before in my life, especially older women.
The whole time Captain Levy and Co. were manifesting an Israeli
welcome upon us foreigners, other border police officers were firing
live ammunition from M-16s into the air. About 40 rounds were fired
as they stood very close to us; failed attempts to scare us off.
After they had stopped us from walking forward, one border guard of
Ethiopian decent pointed his M-16 at a British citizen saying if he
took one more step, " I shoot your leg!" Captain Levy threatened us
at least five times that we would all be shot [dead] if we decided to
move forward anymore. He also said that he would like to "smash all
our faces." He pulled his handgun twice on women and threatened
directly to shoot them. One was 35 and the other about 65. Kind
fella' who forgot to eat his Corn Flakes for breakfast! Makes a
person crabby!
After sitting on the ground to avoid further beatings, more and more
police were casually showing up, M-16 strapped around their bodies
and eating fruits. After many deliberations among our group and the
police, our buses showed up behind us. The police began grabbing the
men first and literally threw them back on the bus; most were dragged
along the ground after refusing to walk.
Concerning the media of this event, we had a half dozen still and
video cameras with us. These folks were filming and snapping shots
while we were being beaten. A moment later, the police began to
confiscate these cameras. All but one was returned to the owner and
most of the film was confiscated. One excellent video clip that we
managed to slip out was lost before we could take it to CNN or BBC to
be shown on the air. It was apparent none of the police involved
wanted to be on film for their behavior and they would make sure we
couldn't show anyone the footage.
Four border policeman with M-16s stood on the aisles of the bus,
giving us commands to sit, move, and shut up. They illegally detained
us for almost an hour without letting us use the toilets or get
drinks and without telling us if we were being charged with anything.
After the hour, these policemen remained on the bus as we drove away,
escorted by three or four police jeeps. Two French women were
detained and later released. Ten minutes down the road the bus was
ordered to stop the police on the bus got off. We continued back to
our hotel in the Bethlehem area.
As events were taking place, I was speaking by cell phone to the
Associated Press, describing what was happening around me in detail.
The journalist was mostly speechless as I described the vicious
attack of the Israeli police. I was not surprised to later read the
internet version of the events: one paragraph inserted into another
article with no detail and ending in an Israeli denial of using
violence against us. It was as if what happened to us did not exist.
Those of us who live here realize the black hole of information when
anything opposed to Israeli government or military measures occurs.
We experience it firsthand on a daily basis.
I thank the many of you who have written with great concern and
urgency in your messages about our well-being. The wounds inside and
outside my lip are mostly healed and I am experiencing no after or
side effects. Sara finished her scheduled time here and has returned
to England, though she is surely still walking with her cane. All of
us continue the journey with vivid memories of valiant attempts of
the Israeli military who were so concerned about our safety in Gaza
that they beat us and threatened to shoot us if we tried to enter.
In light of the increased bombing of civilian and Palestinian
Authority targets in Gaza in recent months, we find it significant
that Israel stopped such a large contingent of internationals from
entering Gaza when we would surely bear witness to what has taken
place there. The unprecedented act of denying internationals access
to Gaza heightens the already exasperated situation in Israel and
Palestine and demonstrates the political clout of Israel at this
point in history.