DAY 3: Israel Invasion Expands: Ramallah, Hebron, Bethlehem, Beit Jala, Aida Refugee Camp

DAY 3: Israel Invasion Expands: Ramallah, Hebron, Bethlehem, Beit Jala, Aida, Tulkarem, Qalqilya

Palestinian Doctors and Internationals Stop Israeli Military Invasion of Ramallah Hospital (credit: Adam Shapiro)Ú

Update 1:30am: We still have not heard about IDF moving further into Arafat's headquarters. We will update the site as soon as we hear further news.

As you are seeing in the news the Israeli military is promising to storm the Presidential compound. Irish national Caoimhe Butterly is still inside the compound!

We are incredibly concerned for her safety and we are asking you to call your respective governments to request the Israeli military cease the destruction and carnage in Ramallah.

×Irish National, Cohme, at a protest in Ramallah last month suffering from tear gas.

Israeli forces continue to move further into the compound and to shell and fire upon the building in which the President and a hundred other Palestinians are located. Cohme reported earlier that Israeli soldiers attempted to take positions near the entrance of the building, but were fired upon by Palestinian security.

[Ramallah] - Cohme (pronounced Kweeva) Buttterly an Irish national is serving as a medic in President Arafat's compound in Ramallah, which has been under siege by Israeli tanks and soldiers for 48 hours. Cohme entered yesterday afternoon as a volunteer medic to treat the wounded who were unable to receive medical attention, as Israeli forces fired upon Palestinian ambulances.

It is expected that Israeli forces will try to enter the building. The Palestinians inside are prepared to resist any incursion and will not give themselves up to the Israeli invaders.

Cohme can be reached at 972-59-542-717. For more information about conditions inside the compound, you can reach Adam Shapiro (who was inside the compound for 24 hours) at 972-52-642-709.

March 31, 2002, Center for Rapprochement

A sad Easter in Bethlehem. The whole town is being crucified. Beit Jala is already occupied. Tanks are all over the place. Israeli Snipers are on top of all high buildings that over look every street and corner of Bethlehem, Beit Sahour, and refugee camps. The smell of death and destruction is stronger each minute. People are worried, Scared, and defenseless.

People are working to be organized to minimize the suffering when the worse comes. People are not worried about being re-occupied. They are already. People are worried about how many innocent lives would it take for Sharon to be satisfied.

Yesterday, the international solidarity groups decided to share the same destiny of Palestinian civilians especially inside refugee camps. They shared with people their little homes, their worries, and their hopes. The group of 100 people from all over Europe, the United Sates and Canada decide to be at the forefront. Decided to be in the refugee camps, which might be the first place the Israeli tanks will move to from Beit Jala.

Yesterday the group accompanied with some Palestinians marched towards the Israeli tanks in Beit Jala. They wanted Israeli soldiers to know that Palestinians do not stand-alone. The wanted them to know that there are people who care. And that regardless if they think they have a green or a yellow light from the American government, they have to stop their aggression and atrocities against civilians. The message was clear: “when you decide to move in, you have to face us first”

Internationals are joining the local emergency preparations. Some will be available to accompany ambulances when needed. Others will be communicating with people all over the world to create more awareness. All will be shielding Palestinian civilians with their bodies.

Today, the group will join a demonstration in Beit Sahour. Will protest with Palestinians against the planned and executed massacres.

We know that we do not stand-alone. Some people decided to challenge this conspiracy of silence, to fight with Palestinians for peace and justice.

Let us all salute the peace makers.

For more information

Ghassan 052595319
PCR 2772018

11:30am: Internationals Witness Israeli Soldiers Invade Civilian Homes, March to Hospital

URGENT: UPDATE RAMALLAH

As of 11:30 international civilians are on scene where Israeli soldiers were storming into Palestinian homes. International civilians were demanding to see that soldiers were not harming Palestinian civilians. Soldiers verbally warned the civilians to go away and held them at gunpoint. But they stayed on the scene with a video camera. After 20 minutes the soldiers left this neighborhood comprised of apartment buildings full of families and children.

International civilian are now making there way towards Ramallah hospital to gather and attempt to march on the presidential compound in an effort to the stop brutal attacks going on now in Ramallah.

For more information contact
Witnesses on the ground in Ramallah:
Arabic / English - Huwaida 00 972 (0) 52 642 709
Mustafa Barghouti – 00 972 (0) 50 254 218
French - Claude 00 972 (0) 55 559 145
There are German and Italian speakers available as well

Witnesses on the ground in Bethlehem:
(for international dialing drop the 0 before the phone number)
English - Heather 00 972 (0) 67 270 398
English - Georgina 00 972 (0) 55 840 767
Arabic/English - Bilal 00 972 (0) 52 814 992
Italian - Francesca 00 39 3389 77 3899
There are French speakers available as well.

As of 11:30 international civilians are on scene where Israeli soldiers were storming into Palestinian homes. International civilians were demanding to see that soldiers were not harming Palestinian civilians. Soldiers verbally warned the civilians to go away and held them at gunpoint. But they stayed on the scene with a video camera. After 20 minutes the soldiers left this neighborhood comprised of apartment buildings full of families and children.

International civilian are now making there way towards Ramallah hospital to gather and attempt to march on the presidential compound in an effort to the stop brutal attacks going on now in Ramallah.

For more information contact
Witnesses on the ground in Ramallah:
Arabic / English - Huwaida 00 972 (0) 52 642 709
Mustafa Barghouti – 00 972 (0) 50 254 218
French - Claude 00 972 (0) 55 559 145
There are German and Italian speakers available as well

Witnesses on the ground in Bethlehem:
(for international dialing drop the 0 before the phone number)
English - Heather 00 972 (0) 67 270 398
English - Georgina 00 972 (0) 55 840 767
Arabic/English - Bilal 00 972 (0) 52 814 992
Italian - Francesca 00 39 3389 77 3899
There are French speakers available as well.

URGENT: IDF TRYING TO ENTER RAMALLAH HOSPITAL Israeli APC's and tank's are in the emergency entrance of Ramallah hospital. Palestinian doctors and international civilians are blocking the entrance. The Israeli military is trying to forcible gain access to Ramallah hospital.

March 31, 2002, The Palestine Monitor, A PNGO Information Clearinghouse
URGENT UPDATE
House to house searches, Detainment and Executions
A Worsening Crisis

The Israeli army continues to occupy cities in the West Bank; soldiers are currently engaged in house-to-house searches, indiscriminately detaining people and destroying property. The prisoners are being held in concentration camp like places in the nearby Israeli military base of Beit El, without water, food or shelter.

Even more worrying is what may happen to the arrested individuals. Israeli soldiers executed five Palestinian policemen the day before yesterday. The policemen, four of who were aged in their 50s and over, were found lying close to one another, with gunshots to their heads; before they were killed there was no gunfire coming from the building, they did not appear to be resisting the Israel soldiers who had surrounded and entered the building they were in. Four more corpses have just been found in another building in Ramallah; they were also executed in the same manner.

Doctors and Internationals Stop IDF

Two men were killed in a similar manner in Sayda, near Tulkaram.

The house-to-house searches and indiscriminate detaining of civilians present an imminent threat to the lives of many Palestinians.

It is also becoming obvious that Israel intends to re-occupy the whole of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Furthermore it appears Sharon is preparing to execute Mr. Arafat – a move which will cause an explosion in the whole region.

Throughout the past 19 months Sharon has been allowed to conduct his plan to kill the peace process, destroy the peace agreements, annihilate the Palestinian Authority and to reoccupy the West Bank and Gaza Strip. He has been able to do so because the international community has permitted him; he cannot be allowed to hurl us into a more dangerous situation.

The Grassroots International Protection for Palestinians (GIPP) has issued a call for people from all over the world to come to Palestine and participate in the defense of Palestinians whose lives are threatened by the Israeli military.

For more information contact the Palestine Monitor at +972 (0)59 208258

1:15pm: IDF Open fire on Civilians, Summary Executions, Invasion of Bethlehem Imminent

Update: Ramallah
- Volunteer medic Netta Golan is riding with ambulances in the Ramallah Tahta (lower) area. She helped retrieve the two bodies that international civilians saw brought into Ramallah hospital earlier. She says that there are two more bodies that they cannot get to.

- She observed soldiers conducting house to house searches and for people who did not open their doors they were broken down and she saw soldiers entering firing upon Palestinian civilians.

- Soldiers are holding Palestinian men on their knees and an Arab source (who must remain unidentified) says that the men are being divided into two groups: one group to be arrested and one group that is being summarily executed.

Update: Bethleham
Our mayor has just announced that we expect invasion within the next hour.

12 to 15 APC's and tanks are now at the Bethlehem checkpoint and one busload of soldiers. The soldiers are not allowing press to enter at gunpoint.

check http://jerusalem.indymedia.org for updates and details

For more information contact:
Witnesses on the ground in Ramallah:
Arabic / English - Huwaida 972 2 052 642 709
French - Claude 972 2 055 559 145
There are German and Italian speakers available as well

Witnesses on the ground in Bethlehem:
(for international dialing drop the 0 before the phone number)
English - Heather 00 972 (0) 67 270 398
English - Georgina 00 972 (0) 55 840 767
Arabic/English - Bilal 00 972 (0) 52 814 992
Italian - Francesca 00 39 3389 77 3899
There are French and Swedish speakers available as

March 31, 2002, The Palestine Monitor, A PNGO Information Clearinghouse

URGENT UPDATE
Imminent Humanitarian Crisis as Israel Re-Occupies West Bank
Internationals Take Action in Ramallah
March 31st 2001

As the Israeli army starts it process of reoccupation, they are creating a humanitarian crisis. The main problem is a lack of water as water tanks have been destroyed and the main water supply cut, electricity and telephones have also been cut, the injured and ill are unable to receive medical care, and food is in short supply. The assault on medical services continues, with instances of medics being arrested and beaten on the street.

Meanwhile the Israeli soldiers continue their massive scale house-to-house searches detaining men, destroying personal property and terrorizing the civilian inhabitants - nine Palestinians have thus far been executed.

As the plan to re-occupy is carried out, the assault on Palestinian infrastructure continues – both at the PA and civil society levels. The Ramallah Municipality has been attacked and burned, as have the Chamber of Commerce building, Al-Amal Rehabilitation Center, and others. This morning the Human Rights Organisation, Al Haq, was invaded; currently the army is invading Ramallah hospital.

Furthermore, in an attempt to prevent information about events on the ground from being reported, members of the press are being deliberately impeded from working.

The situation is dire - the Israeli army is carrying out a war against the Palestinian people. Sharon is implementing complete occupation of the West Bank, and it is probable that these criminal actions will continue for weeks.

Word has just reached us that 40 members of the Grassroots International Protection for Palestinians (GIPP), including nationals of France, Italy and Ireland, have managed to enter the PA headquarters (the ‘Muqataa’) and refuse to leave. This means that whatever happens to Mr. Arafat will also happen to them. 15 other internationals have joined medical teams and are moving around the town protecting the medical teams as they provide medical assistance.

Palestinians are calling for more people to come to Palestine as volunteers as we anticipate that the events occurring in Ramallah will also happen in other Palestinian areas.

For more information contact Juliana at The Palestine Monitor, +972 (0)2 5833510

The Israeli military is holding international civilians and three Palestinian medics on the grounds of the Presidential compound. They have been held there for over two hours. The military has requested that the international observers leave without the Palestinian medics. Fearing for the safety of the medical personnel the international civilians are not leaving.

For more information contact:
Witnesses on the ground in Ramallah:
(for international dialing drop the 0 before the phone number)
Arabic / English - Huwaida 972 (0) 52 642 709
English- Jim Davies 972 (0) 55 975 374
French - Claude 972 (0) 55 559 145
There are German and Italian speakers available as well.

Witnesses on the ground in Bethlehem:
(for international dialing drop the 0 before the phone number)
English - Heather 00 972 (0) 67 270 398
English - Georgina 00 972 (0) 55 840 767/ 00 972 (0) 674 5459
English – IMC Palestine 00 972 (0) 2 277 7558
Arabic/English - Bilal 00 972 (0) 52 814 992
Italian - Francesca 00 39 3389 77 3899
There are French speakers available as well.

Ten international civilians and three Palestinian medics have just been arrested and taken to the Beit El Israeli Military compound. Among the arrested is Jose Bove.

We need your help to flood the Israeli authorities with demands for justice.

Please call Peter Lerner the Israeli Defense Forces spokesperson and demand that the civilians and medics be released immediately and Israeli aggression against Palestinian civilians and medics cease.

Call and voice your protest!

phone: 00972 2 997 7017
mobile: 00972 (0) 56 234 090
fax: 00972 2 997 7339

The Israeli Commander of the Ramallah district

phone: 00972 2 997 0461
mobile: 00972 (0) 54 240 303

10:00pm: Internationals are still in the Presidential compound despite reports to the contrary.

We confirmed that the ten internationals and three Palestinian medics were taken to the Beit El Military Compound and then transferred to the Ofra settlement. The Israeli forces insist on holding the Palestinian medical workers and the foreign civilian's refuse to leave without their Palestinian companions.

[RAMALLAH] 50 International civilians entered Yasser Arafat’s Presidential Compound today, which is under continuous siege by the Israeli Forces. The group of Internationals is comprised of civilian volunteers from France, Brazil, Canada, Belgium, Britain, Ireland, Germany, and Israel who are here on a humanitarian mission. Thirty-four (34) international civilians remain inside. The group has stated that they will remain inside of the Presidential Compound until the siege is lifted; they remain in solidarity with all Palestinian people who are now under occupation and extend their demands to include the end of Israel’s occupation of the entire West Bank and Gaza Strip. The Israeli’s have cut power, phone lines and water supply to the compound. Food is also in short supply.

The 34 foreign civilians are asking for their respective ambassadors to urgently come to President Arafat's compound.

The city of Ramallah, where the group of internationals is currently based, is under closure and violent occupation by Israeli Forces. Power has been cut in most neighborhoods of Ramallah and water and food is in short supply in many homes, hospitals have had to resort to back-up generators and the transport of medicine and medical supplies has been disrupted. International witnesses have reported Israeli forces breaking in doors of homes and conducting mass arrests, where Palestinian’s have been bound and placed in torturous positions for extended periods, there have also been at least 14 extra-judicial executions performed by the Israeli Forces in the last 2 days. Medical personnel have been arrested by the Israeli’s and several ambulances have been confiscated, Israeli Forces also attempted to enter Ramallah Hospital earlier today but were kept out by a human blockade of conducted by the Internationals.

11:00pm Statement from Irish Citizen, Caoimhe Butterly, currently in Arafat Headquarters

"I urge all Irish citizens, government officials and diplomats to show courage in standing up against the brutal aggression used by the Israeli military against the Palestinian people and the war policies of the Israeli government. The Palestinian people desperately need our help and protection – I have witnessed the execution-style killings and the house to house searches and destruction the military has carried out in refugee camps and in cities. Only international action and the voices of people working for peace and justice can overcome these criminal Israeli actions."

"State terrorism and terrorism are two sides of the same coin of occupation. One cannot exist without the other and neither would exist without their foundation, which is occupation.

I call on all Israelis to raise their voices and act out against occupation – to stand in solidarity with the Palestinian people and their right to live free."

The international civilians and Palestinian Red Crescent Medics that were taken to Ofra settlement have now been removed to Givat Ze'ev and the internationals are being told that they will be taken bake to Jerusalem and the Palestinians will be returned to Ramallah, still under arrest.

Currently Ramallah is under martial law. Israeli military has adopted a 'shoot to kill' policy, foreigners are being told to leave as well as press.

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