DAY 6: Eyewitness Reports as Humanitarian Crisis Throughout West Bank Worsens, Israeli Atrocities Continue

Israeli tanks have occupied Bethlehem and have fired on the hotel in which three of our delegates are staying. Cindy, Dennis, Sharon and Sonia (Carla and Sharon's Mom) are in the hotel and are okay. Angelyn and Carla are also okay and are still in the Al Aiyda refugee camp.

The State Department wants to evacuate American citizens. This move actually plays into the hands of the Israeli military atrocities because it removes international observors from first hand witness of these atrocities.

The Louisville delegates join other international peace activists in the decision to remain in the country. "We do not desire to be evacuated. We desire them to stop this Israeli madness," said Sharon Wallace on behalf of the delegation.

CALL/FAX or EMAIL NOW
URGE THEM to intervene to stop the madness and restore calm and peace to the area by
1) pressure Israel to withdraw military forces from the West Bank and Gaza;
2) support U.N. peacekeepers in the area;
3) allow international civiian peace observers;
4) permit presence of domestic and foreign journalists in all occupied areas.

President George W. Bush
Phone: (202) 456-1111
Fax: (202) 456-2461
president@whitehouse.gov

Vice President Dick Cheney
(Ph & fax same as above)

Palestinian bodies about to be buried at mass grave at Ramallah Hospital, 4/2/02 (photo: Adam Shapiro)

Ramallah Hospital Burials... Condoleezza Rice
National Security Advisor
(Ph & fax same as above)

Secretary of State Colin Powell
Phone: (202) 647-6575
Fax: (202) 261-8577
secretary@state.gov

Senator Mitch McConnell
582-6304
local fax: 582-5326
DC fax: 202/224-2499
senator@mcconnell.senate.gov

Senator Jim Bunning
800-283-8983
Ft. Wright fax: 859/331-7445
post message at website
bunning.senate.gov(don't put www in front)
and select - send a message

Representative Anne Northup
582-5129
local fax: 582-5897
DC Fax: 202/225-5776
rep.northup@mail.house.gov

9:50am: Mass grave in Ramallah, Israeli Snipers Kill Woman, Arafat HQ under fire, out of food.

April 3, 2002, from Huwaida Arraf in Ramallah

Old Man in Ramallah Hospital, 4/2/02 (photo: Adam Shapiro)
Images from Ramallah Hosp... Friends, I apologize for not being able to send out these reports as often as needed. Again, please refer to the website that we are trying to keep updated as to what we are witnessing here on the ground in besieged Palestine - www.jerusalem.indymedia.org . If you are trying to reach us by phone, keep in mind that are lines are very busy and keep trying or leave a message when possible. My main number [from US add "011"] 972-52-642-709.

Quick update:

The presidential compound in Ramallah is currently being fired upon. We still have 34 foreign peace activists inside. There is a dire shortage of food and no water. They urgently need medical supplies. Please see the appeal below. Also posted on website.

Palestinian doctors were forced to dig a mass grave in the parking lot of the Ramallah hospital today to bury 25 of the dead bodies that have been retrieved over the past 4 days. Though it is difficult to get an accurate count of the dead due to the Israeli military preventing medical workers from operating, doctors were forced to make room in the hospital morgue. We have been unable to bury the dead properly due to the Israeli siege and their open shoot policy. Pictures available on website.

A 55-year old woman by the name of Widad Majed Nimr Safwan was shot dead by Israeli snipers as she left the Ramallah hospital this morning where she came for treatment of her broken leg. Widad left the Shiekh Khaled bin Zayed hospital at approximately 11am this morning, to have her dead body carried back by an Italian peace worker at 11:15am. Snipers shot Widad in the cheek and back of the neck.

PLEASE keep up the pressure on your respective governments. We really need help here.

12:30pm: 2000 Internationals at Protest near Ramallah

April 03, 2002, www.jerusalem.indymedia.org

2,000 people including internationals, Israeli and Arab civilians in 30 busses have arrived at Aram checkpoint located just before the Calandia checkpoint near Ramallah. Despite the horrible weather, rain, hail and wind they have attempted to through the siege of Ramallah to deliver humanitarian aid.

At Aram they were faced with an onslaught of tear gas so horrible that people are choking and have been made sick. Yet they are still committed to getting through and are still protesting at Aram with the demand to be allowed into Ramallah.

Israeli occupation forces have allowed one truck load of aid out of dozens that the human rights protesters brought to go through, loaded with aid.

Meanwhile on the ground in Ramallah there is one ambulances still free in the city attempting to provide assistance. We have internationals on that ambulance and more international civilians are going to try to attempt to deliver bread to families who have been unable to leave their homes for food or other assistance.

12:45pm: Eyewitness Account of International Protest near Ramallah

by Yehudith Harel

Dear all.

I just got back home from the checkpoint march. There was a big crowd of determined peace activists - more than 50 busses + private cars -circa 3000 people - Jews and Arabs, men and women from all over the country, representing the Anti War Coalition of all the Peace Movements and Organizations. We were determined to come there despite the heavy rain, to express our solidarity with [the Palestinian] plight and protest against the crimes of the Israeli

occupation.

The women who initiated this protest march were leading it - shouting slogans against the occupation, to End the war, to End the onslaught against the Palestinian people. We were calling for Two Sates, for a peaceful solution and Coexistence between the two peoples based on Equality for all. While waiting for the trucks to arrive - all of sudden the border police - or whoever those Uniform

wearing hooligans were - they started to shoot tear gas right into the middle of the crowd. The gas was very strong and they shot many many times. The smoke spread quickly in a heavy and concentrated form and people were choking. Me too. I couldn't breath at all. People started to run - some fell into the mud. I found

refuge in one of the neighboring Palestinian homes. The people there took care of me, soothed me and provided me with onion for later. After a while we gathered again and kept on standing and waiting and shouting slogans. About the time the trucks arrived - once again without any provocation that I could have witnessed - and I was standing close to the checkpoint in the first row - they

started shooting again. This time the police came out and started chasing the fleeing crowd - pushing people brutally -making some of them stumble an fall into the mud and hitting them with their sticks. The crowd started to distance itself from the checkpoint but they came after us, shooting new waves of tear gas being shot at us. I saw a woman faint and others were slightly injured. MK

Mohammad Barake's head was badly injured and Noa's hand was broken. They were taken to the hospital. A few activists were arrested but they were released after a short interrogation. The authorities claim that this was a violent and provocative action is an absolute lie. There was no violence whatsoever and no stones were thrown at the police. Obviously, after being attacked we defied our attackers by shouting at them slogans like: "Police State" , "The Fascism will not win" "Shame on you" - "You are a shame to Jewish people" etc. - Some activists shouted to them: "You behave like Nazis", which made them ever more angry and vicious. We do not know for sure what happened to the trucks of food and medication. We heard that the convoy got through but we need confirmation.*

We hope that our protest will strengthen your morale and that it will reach many closed ears and indifferent hearts in the world. Two Israeli "faces" surfaced today. One is the decent and humane face of the Israeli Anti war movement - an alliance of Israeli citizens - Jews and Arabs, adamant to struggle together for Justice for the two peoples. The second is the ugly and brutal face of the occupation mentality and practices threatening to crush us as well. We are committed to continue our joint struggle, side by side with you in our spirit, despite the physical barriers and the different methods. We know that eventually we will gain an upper hand. With Solidarity. Yehudith Harel

[* Ta'ayush had been organizing the food and medicines convoy. Through them we got direct contact with one of the truck drivers. It was confirmed that after much obstruction, going back and forth and a lot of waiting most of the goods in the end got to their destination - AK]

Eyewitness Account of International March near Ramallah

by Diaa Hadid, diaa@ittijah.org

Ittijah: Union of Arab Community Based Associations

Tel: +972-4-850 7110

Fax: +972-4-850 7241

5-6000 people - Israeli Peace Activists, Palestinians in Israel and Palestinian MK's in the Israeli Knesset marched to the Calandia checkpoint, with several aims: To ensure that urgently needed aid people here had collected - medicines and food - would enter Ramallah. For the Palestinians, to try to enter Ramallah, breaking the military closure around the city and protesting against the curfew and occupation; to protest America's open support for the clearly illegal occupation, and re-assault in the West Bank. We marched to Calandia with women leading, straight to the checkpoint, which is currently a big set of plastic and concrete blocks blocking off the main road into Ramallah, heavily guarded by armed soldiers and police. We began to push against the blocks. I was in the front line. The soldiers and police reacted by letting off sound bombs over our heads, which caused people to panic. Tear gas bombs were thrown at us. "Tear gas" causes a temporary inability to breath, then immense pain as the gas enters your lungs and eyes. With that, people dispersed, running for cover. From nowhere, onions were passed out. A few minutes later, people re-gathered. We marched to the checkpoint blocks again. The truck passed through into Ramallah after much bargaining and pleading.

By accident, one young Palestinian woman found herself on the other side of the checkpoint. She returned to us by climbing over the checkpoint. The soldiers and police began to argue with her (after she arrived to the other side of the checkpoint, our side). A policeman lost his temper and began to beat her, the green light for the police to throw more tear gas at the crowd, dispersing us again. The police were indiscriminately beating people - friends running away were smashed with batons, the police pushed an old man before me. The press was affected by the tear gas. It seemed that they had been specifically targeted. They were clearly marked with "TV" - it's impossible that the police didn't see that.

We ran away and re-gathered. The police began to organize themselves. They pushed aside their plastic barriers and began to chase us, throwing tear gas into the crowds and beating us with batons. We kept regrouping, chanting, waving Palestinian flags, standing in groups with our hands linked, refusing to be beaten into submission, refusing to use force. Police would stand behind us, beating us with their batons, abusing us, especially the Druze police, who kept abusing us in Arabic. If we reacted, they would beat us. If we ran, they would chase after us, throwing tear gas and beating us. One young man was caught. Around 5-6 policemen stood around him, beating him, kicking him, smashing their batons upon him. Then he was arrested. Towards the end of the protest, we stood at traffic lights, closer to Beit

Hanina. Again, chanting, grouping up, waving Palestinian flags. The police surrounded us, throwing more tear gas and beating who ever they could catch. We took refuge behind cars, in the grassy, muddy field below the road, anywhere we could. It was a war zone, but only one side was armed. We kept searching for each other, seeking familiar faces, to reassure ourselves. In pauses between teargas, sound bombs and violent police, we were hugging, sometimes crying. As we walked back to our buses, we could count the toll: around 30 injured, including three Palestinian MK's in the Knesset - Issam Makhoul, Ahmad Tibi and Mohammad Barakeh. Two young men arrested. One young man has his finger torn off when a tear-gas bomb exploded next to his hand. A woman had her head re-stitched after the police smashed over the head with his baton.

On the bus, we received a phone call that the medicines and food convey reached the NGO's. Some of the older Palestinian women on the bus began to weep.

12:55pm: Aid Truck Attacked in Ramallah

April 03, 2002, www.jerusalem.indymedia.org

The one aid truck the Occupation Forces they then attacked. Soldiers took out the medical aid and stomped it into the ground they took out sugar, flour and other food aid and dumped it out and threw tea gas again at the group. Earlier they shot at a UN convoy. Now they are beating the protestors with batons.

1:10pm: Re-Occupation, Curfews and Assaults on Civilians Continue
The Palestine Monitor, A PNGO Information Clearinghouse
April 3, 2002

Praying over the dead at Ramallah Hospital, 4/2/02 (photo: Adam Shapiro)

Images from Ramallah Hosp... The situation in the West Bank remains critical; Ramallah, Bethlehem, Beit Sahour, Tulkaram, Qalqiliya, and now Jenin are occupied by the Israeli military. Stories make their way out – even as the people are under curfew, in Ramallah the case for the last six days.

· In last night’s invasion of Jenin, Fadwa Abdullah, a 27-year-old nurse, was killed when Israeli tanks bombarded her house – her death brings the total number of doctors and nurses killed during the conflict to 17.
· Four other people were killed in the assault; six of the many injured are in serious condition.
· Nine people have been killed in Bethlehem since the Israeli army invaded the city.
· Yesterday, a woman from the Al Atrash family went in to labour, and attempted to get from her village to hospital in Bethlehem. Soldiers at a checkpoint stopped her, watched and waited while she gave birth in the car – her newborn baby died.
· A PRCS ambulance came under heavy fire while parked outside its clinic in Bethlehem.
· In Gaza, 50-year-old Jaber An-Nabahein from Breij refugee camp went to his local hospital when he had difficulty breathing. While attempting to transfer him to a hospital in Gaza City, the ambulance he was in was delayed at an Israeli military roadblock. After two hours of unnecessary delay Jaber died; up until the 26th of March, 38 people had died from being prevented access to medical care – in the past week we have lost count of the number of people who have died after being unable to receive medical care.

· About 100 people seeking shelter in the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem remain under attack inside the church. At least 20 wounded people are inside the church. They are receiving medical care from the nuns, as the Israeli army is preventing ambulances from transferring them to hospital. The nuns are not being uses as human shields by the Palestinians, as erroneously claimed by Israeli sources and media; they are rather trying to help the injured.
· Israeli troops have also attacked the Santa Maria church in Bethlehem, and have destroyed a mosque in Tulkaram; people report smoke rising from the Omar Ibn Al Khatab mosque, next to the Church of the Nativity – we can not confirm if the mosque is burning as it is too dangerous for people to move in the area.
· Also in Bethlehem, Israeli soldiers have taken over the Municipality building – and placed snipers on the roof.

The only way to save the situation is with the immediate deployment of an international presence – in any way, or any form possible.

For more information contact Juliana at the Palestine Monitor +972 (0)2 5834021 or +972 (0)2 5833510

Palestinian Flags at Mass Grave Site at Ramallah Hospital, 4/2/02 (photo: Adam Shapiro)

Ramallah Hospital Burial...
1:25pm: Aid Truck Attacked, 2000 Internationals Protest March at Aram Checkpoint, Update from Bethlehem

April 3, 2002, by Huwaida Arraf, Ramallah

1255: The one aid truck the Occupation Forces they then attacked. Soldiers took out the medical aid and stomped it into the ground they took out sugar, flour and other food aid and dumped it out and threw tea gas again at the group. Earlier they shot at a UN convoy. Now they are beating the protestors with batons.

1230: 2,000 people including internationals, Israeli and Arab civilians in 30 busses have arrived at Aram checkpoint located just before the Calandia checkpoint near Ramallah. Despite the horrible weather, rain, hail and wind they have attempted to through the siege of Ramallah to deliver humanitarian aid.

At Aram they were faced with an onslaught of tear gas so horrible that people are choking and have been made sick. Yet they are still committed to getting through and are still protesting at Aram with the demand to be allowed into Ramallah.

Israeli occupation forces have allowed one truck load of aid out of dozens that the human rights protesters brought to go through, loaded with aid.

Meanwhile on the ground in Ramallah there is one ambulances still free in the city attempting to provide assistance. We have internationals on that ambulance and more international civilians are going to try to attempt to deliver bread to families who have been unable to leave their homes for food or other assistance.

Bethlehem April 03, 2002
At least 30 Palestinians injured by IDF fire continue to take shelter in the three churches of Manger Square, including the Church of the Nativity, deprived of medical supplies and food and surrounded by the IDF. Among the injuries are four critical cases. An ambulance attempting to evacuate those critically injured was crushed en route to Manger Square by an Israeli tank in Wadi Ma’ali. Those trapped in the church are desperate for medical assistance and food but are unwilling to exit the churches for fear of immediate IDF aggression.

Yesterday two members of the Abda family were killed when their Bethlehem home near Manger Square was shelled. The victims, a mother in her 60s and her son, were taking shelter with the rest of their family from the IDF assault on Bethlehem. The survivors remain in the house with the bodies of their loved ones, unable to take steps for a proper burial due to the continuous IDF prescience in their neighborhood. International civilians in the area are considering a plan to escort the Abda family to safety with their deceased, as well as to deliver medical supplies to the injured people in the Manger Square churches.

1:30pm: IDF shelling Al Ammen Al-Weka'ai Security Building in Ramallah, 400+ people inside

April 03, 2002, www.jerusalem.indymedia.org

The Occupation forces are shelling a local security building Al Ammen Al Weka'ai [Preventitive Security]. This is a government building and there are 400+ people inside, 60 of whom are women. People reporting from the inside say that it is on fire and Huwaida Arraf is reporting that they are still hearing constant shelling very close to where they live near the city's main hospitals. It seems to be coming from the area of Amaari Refugee camp.

Please phone Neta Golan in the Presidential compound at 972 (0) 55 385 257

1:30pm: Update from Manger Square in Bethlehem

April 3, 2002

The Israeli occupation forces are still in Bethlehem until the moment of writing this report.

The number of the Martyrs is still unknown. The Israeli soldiers are not allowing Media people, Medics or food supplies to reach the town. More than 150 are taking refuge in the Church of the Nativity. Food and Medical supplies are cut for about 36 hours. The only ambulance that tried to reach them was crushed by Israeli tanks and the crew were lightly injured. In the church, so far there are 38 injured 4 of them are critical and one has been bleeding for a long time.

The Family of Sami Abdeh are suffering a serious problem. The Israeli soldiers shelled their house killing the mother (around 60 years old) and her son (around 38 years old). The house is full of children and they are in a hysterical situation. I have seen their pictures now on TV. The scene is horrible. This Family had to stay with their dead [unitelligible] since yesterday morning.

2:00pm: Urgent request: Internationals Come to Palestine NOW
April 3, 2002, From Palestinians working with the International Solidarity Movement...
www.palsolidarity.org or www.rapprochement.org

Urgent call for Internationals to come to Palestine. the International Solidarity Movement ISM calls upon who ever can come to Palestine to come. You are all needed now. ISM and GIPP groups in Ramallah and Bethlehem are doing great. They are the only protection for President Arafat, they are with families
in camps, joining Ambulances. your presence makes a difference. if you can find your way into Jerusalem we will do our best to get you in bethelhem or Ramallah.

3:45pm: Ambulance Unfer Fire in Ramallah

April 3, 2002, www.jerusalem.indymedia.org

An ambulance has just come under fire in Ramallah trying to get around IDF tanks and internationals and medical staff were told over a loudspeaker to stay inside the hospital and then the IDF proceeded to open live fire on the hospital. A CBS news television crew was forcibly escorted out of Ramallah by the IDF. As a result, the remaining news crews in the area are concerned that they too may be expelled from the area, a concern which is affecting their ability to cover breaking news to the best of their ability.

6:00pm: Eyewitness Account from the Bethlehem Area

Phone Call with Nisreen Kunkar in Beit Jala

April 3, 2002, by Brian Wood

The situation in the Bethlehem area is steadily declining. Below is a report received from Nisreen Kunkar, a resident of Beit Jala, by phone on Wednesday morning, 3 April 2002 at 9 a.m. Palestine time.

Eisa Daboub, married to a German citizen with 3-year old twin boys, was trying to make his way home in his car. Eisa is an employee of Tantur Ecumenical Institute, located on the Bethlehem-Jerusalem border, a study center operated by the Vatican. The Institute also facilitates numerous programs for peace and coexistence between Israelis and Palestinians, including an MA program in Conflict Transformation. While trying to make his way home, he encountered at least one tank in the road. Moments later the tank ran over the car. Eisa was still inside. This incident took place at least 24 hours ago (as of Wednesday 10 a.m. MST). Thus far, the Israeli military have turned back medical teams from recovering his body.

The Abdeh family in Bethlehem had their home shelled by tanks Tuesday, 2 April 2002. Sumaya Abdeh, 65, and her son Khalid, 38, were killed inside their home from this shelling. Another son, Sami, gave a telephone interview to Al-Jazeera satellite TV from inside the home. Sami reported that Israeli soldiers took over their home since the shelling and have placed snipers in various rooms. He is locked in one room of the house with the bodies of his mother and brother. The rest of the family—including several children—has been locked in the bathroom for the last 36 hours.

On Monday 2 April 2002, a pregnant woman from the village of Walajeh, 2 miles east of Bethlehem, went into labor. A family member attempted to take her by car to the Husseni Hospital, the main hospital in Bethlehem. The vehicle was stopped at an Israeli military checkpoint in Beit Jala and barred from passing. Her contractions continued and she gave birth at the checkpoint, in the car. Stopped from reaching the hospital and without any medical attention, the infant subsequently died on the spot where it was born.

Further evidence of the Israeli Military halting all attempts of the Palestinian Red Crescent Society from reaching the wounded, dying, and dead of Bethlehem is the fact that as of 9 a.m. (local time) Wednesday, 3 April 2002, the Husseini Hospital reported that not one injured person had arrived at the hospital. Husseni Hospital is the main hospital for residents of Bethlehem and the first option for treating the injured or dead. The exact number of deaths and injuries in the Bethlehem area are unknown, but at least 5 people have been killed and 50 injured in the last 4 days.

Finally, the main mosque in Bethlehem has been destroyed by fire. It is built directly across the plaza from the Church of the Nativity, where 300 civilians, journalists, and fighters are surrounded by the Israeli military. The Church of the Nativity is historically a place of refuge for Palestinians of Bethlehem during times of conflict.
Eyewitness accounts testify to seeing "hundreds of `burning bombs' being dropped from Apache helicopters in an area several hundred yards square, including the area of the Church of the Nativity and the main mosque." The projectiles were unknown to residents but described to be like small fire bombs. People on the ground assume this was the source of the fire that burned the mosque and the Catholic Santa Maria Church nearby.

Food supplies in Beit Jala "may last 10 more days," said Nisreen. If something doesn't change soon, there will be an even larger humanitarian diaster than that which is already occurring.

These atrocities happening right now in Bethlehem constitute practices of ethnic cleansing and genocide. As the world leaders spout condemnation on the Israeli government and military, little significant action has been undertaken to halt the massacres taking place. I fear for humanity that we will only mourn the losses after-
the-fact, rather than responding immediately to stop this genocide. I fear we—humanity—have learned nothing from the numerous genocides that have taken place in the last century and are, therefore, allowing another one to occur. Will you act?

You have this detailed information. Take it to your local representatives. Show them. Tell them. Demand they speak out now and call for an end to the illegal Israeli occupation of Palestinian land.

6:30pm: Israeli forces cut off all water supplies to Ramallah

April 3, 2002, The following two messages were posted today at The Electronic Intifada's Live From Palestine section at http://www.electronicintifada.net/diaries/

The occupation forces have turned off the water supplies to the WHOLE of Ramallah seriously endangering 120,000 people. This action is a grave breach of the Fourth Geneva Conventions. Please write and call the U.S. government immediately to demand specifically that the water be turned back on and that Israel be forced to end its occupation.

*U.S. Secretary of State
Colin Powell Direct line: (202) 647-1512
Public Affairs Bureau: (202) 647-6575
Email: secretary@state.gov

The Live from Palestine site is being updated all the time with information that you won't get in the mainstream media. Please use this information in all your contacts with government officials and the media.

Ali Abunimah
For The Electronic Intifada

*****************************************************************

Wednesday, April 3, 2002
Israeli military turns off water to all Ramallah
from Sam Bahour in Al-Bireh

Al-Bireh/Ramallah, Occupied Palestine -- We have been without water since this morning. I just confirmed that the Israeli Military has taken over the main pumping station located in Betounia, next to the Preventive Security Building that was heavily shelled 2 nights ago. They have tuned off the pumps to ALL of Ramallah. Our water department does not know if any damage was done to the pump.

We are calling on all to immediately bring this up in your media, talk shows, officials, etc. DEMAND ISRAEL TO LET PALESTINIANS HAVE ACCESS TO THEIR WATER. Ask your media to inquire with Israeli and U.S. officials.

The whole of Ramallah and Al-Bireh are now utilizing their 24hr reserve tanks on the roofs of their homes. This is all being done as other Palestinian cities are facing the same Israeli rampage that Ramallah is facing.

The situation is critical and needs immediate action.

Wednesday, April 3, 2002
Ramallah is without water
Rita Giacaman
Institute of Community and Public Health, Birzeit University.

Ramallah -- I hope you get this message soon. The situation in Ramallah is as follows: many parts of the town continue to be without water. Even with the problems of water solved, it will not reach most homes because 6 out of 9 electrical feeding stations are down.

No electricity means no water, no sewage pumping (serious for public health) and no ovens can work to bake bread, among other problems.

Five of the main feeding stations that provide electricity to Ramallah and 24 western villages are located in the Ramallah industrial zone. The electricity company is not allowed by the Israeli army to reach the area to fix the problems. The company was given the ok this morning to fix two other feeding stations in the Al-Bireh area, where the governorate and President Arafat are located, but as they go out this morning, they are being harrassed and believe they are in danger.

What we need is immediate intervention to get the feeding stations fixed in the industrial zone and in other areas. Without electricity, there will be no water and no bread and a major public health disaster. I hope you can work on this issue.

The information in this email comes from the electricity company. about 120,000 people in Ramallah and surrounding villages are without electricity at this moment.

6:40pm: Wounded Remain in Manger Square, Mosque Heavily Damaged, Ambulance Crushed, Aid Workers Shot At

April 03, 2002, www.jerusalem.indymedia.org

Wounded Palestinians remain in the churches at Manger Square, Bethlehem, waiting for the IDF to admit ambulances and other humanitarian aid. Many of the wounded fled across the square when the Umar Ibn al-Khattab mosque was heavily shelled by IDF tanks last night. The Mosque was so damaged people can no longer stay inside. While they have been cared for by the priests and nuns of the churches no official medical assistance has been able to reach them and the option of venturing out into the square for help is impossible due to the presence of Israeli snipers and nearby tanks who now have an official shoot to kill policy. Several of the injuries are critical and those trapped inside the churches are calling for immediate emergency assistance. Earlier this evening a family was being transferred to a medical center with x-ray facilities needed by a 4 year old girl with them. As they approached the medical center two tanks obstructed their path. They moved the canons of the tanks to point at the vehicles and the soldiers aimed their machine guns at them. Another tank came up the rear, effectively blocking them completely. A senior ranking officer then approached, speaking over a megaphone, requesting that the tanks halt. The family were then taken out of the car and removed to the nearby medical center. They were then interrogated for over one and a half hours with young man man of the group being physically abused. They were then informed that they were "not going anywhere until everyone in the Nativity Church has been killed."

This statement was recounted to us by a relative of the family. We cannot stress how concerned and frightened we are. We are witnessing abuses of human rights that are absolutely disgusting, perpetrated by Israeli soldiers against Palestinian civilians and again we demand immediate intervention from foreign governments to prevent the massacre we fear is imminent.

A group of eleven international civilians and one Palestinian man attempting to deliver medical supplies and food to the injured had to stop when the group came under fire upon embarking from Al-Husayn Hospital. Earlier in the day an Israeli tank crushed an ambulance en route to Manger Square in Wadi Ma’ali. Several journalists attempting to cover the situation from Manger Square were arrested in the Bethlehem municipality building this morning.

April 03, 2002 1241: URGENT: MEDICAL ASSISTANCE NEEDED: Internationals were unable to ride with the ambulance teams because the situation is to dangerous and the IDF ended our curfew on Israeli time which is one hour ahead. Dr. Ibrahim Kumri confirmed that the Red Cescent offices are surrounded and that one ambulance has been crushed by a tank and the others cannot move.

At least 30 Palestinians injured by IDF fire continue to take shelter in the three churches of Manger Square, including the Church of the Nativity, deprived of medical supplies and food and surrounded by the IDF. Among the injuries are four critical cases. An ambulance attempting to evacuate those critically injured was crushed en route to Manger Square by an Israeli tank in Wadi Ma'ali. Those trapped in the church are desperate for medical assistance and food but are unwilling to exit the churches for fear of immediate IDF aggression.

Yesterday two members of the Abda family were killed when their Bethlehem home near Manger Square was shelled. The victims, a mother in her 60s and her son, were taking shelter with the rest of their family from the IDF assault on Bethlehem. The survivors remain in the house with the bodies of their loved ones, unable to take steps for a proper burial due to the continuous IDF prescience in their neighborhood. International civilians in the area are considering a plan to escort the Abda family to safety with their deceased, as well as to deliver medical supplies to the injured people in the Manger Square churches.

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.

11:00pm: UPDATE: War in Bethlehem

April 03, 2002, www.jerusalem.indymedia.org

Israeli Soldiers attacking Bethlehem, 4/3/02

We had been notified that the army was allowing the transit of ambulances, after much international pressure, from Deheishe to Bethlehem.

The first time the ambulance was able to retrieve 6 corpses.

The medical team set out a second time for Bethlehem. As soon as they arrived there, the army blindfolded, tied, and undressed the doctor, driver, nurse and a wounded person inside the ambulance. They made them lie down on the floor for one hour and then arrested them, seizing the ambulance. We don't know where they have been taken at this time. The name of the driver is Jamal Balbul. We are trying to find out the names of the others in the ambulance.

11:30pm: Humanitarian Crisis Throughout the West Bank
The Palestine Monitor, A PNGO Information Clearinghouse
3rd April 2002

The Israeli army continues its aggression against the Palestinians throughout the West Bank– in Ramallah water is scarce, two hospitals and most houses have already run out. Medical staff cannot gain access to patients and patients cannot get to hospital. Arbitrary arrests and detention continue, attacks on civilians and civilian buildings and homes also continue, and in fact widen as currently Jenin, Bethlehem, Ramallah, Beit Jala, Qalqiliya and Tulkaram are all under Israeli full occupation.

Halimeh Al-Atrash, a 42 year-old woman from Walajee village near Beit Jala, lost her baby yesterday because of the draconian Israeli imposed closure. At 2:30 PM when she went into labor, her husband, Khaled, phoned for an ambulance. The Israeli army did not permit the Palestinian Red Crescent ambulance to transport her to hospital. After a failed attempt to have the Palestinians liaise with the Israeli DCO, Khaled eventually managed to get an Israeli ambulance to come to the other side of the military roadblock, where they were told they would be taken to hospital and receive medical treatment. Borrowing a private car they reached the roadblock and the inevitable search. The car was searched, Khaled was searched, his ID removed and checked and they waited. Informing the soldiers of the emergency nature of the situation made no difference – Khaled and Halimeh waited on one side of the checkpoint, and the ambulance on the other.

After being in labour for one hour, in a car at a military roadblock, surrounded by soldiers who did nothing to help, Halimeh gave birth – but the baby died.

Finally they were allowed get into the ambulance and were taken to the Israeli ‘Bikor Holim’ hospital – after another long drawn out search. Halimeh obviously needed medical care – she had lost a lot of blood and was in serious condition. At the hospital however, they were not allowed to receive treatment until they had paid 7000 shekels (approx $1500 US). Unable to afford this they were refused medical treatment and had to then travel to a Red Crescent hospital in East Jerusalem.

In other parts of the West Bank, the Israeli violence continued. In Bethlehem tanks and soldiers have surrounded many churches including the Church of the Nativity, where over one hundred people have taken refuge; already they have opened fire on these churches. Hospitals in Bethlehem were also surrounded all day – with no movement of ambulances until early this evening when one ambulance was permitted to make three journeys and retrieved the corpses of six Palestinians. The situation is similar in Jenin.

Palestinians who were ‘detained’ or arbitrarily arrested in the house-to-house searches carried out in Ramallah have begun to be released. They were held in terrible conditions, in the cold and rain for two or three days with no shelter and very little food, one man telling how he and 7 others had to share one tomato and a single apple. In another instance a man reports he and some others were “kept in a sewage hole”; the majority of these men and youths were normal, average citizens and had been dragged from their homes and held.

Thousands of Palestinians from inside Israel and Israeli peace activists demonstrated today from the Ram checkpoint to Qalandiya. At Qalandiya they were attacked by Israeli soldiers with tear gas and rubber bullets – but were able to get two truckloads of food and medical supplies through to Ramallah where they are currently being delivered to hospitals and those in need by Medical Relief.

However the West Bank remains in a state of crisis, and the country is at a standstill. 85% of the West Bank is under a 24-hour curfew, the education system is not functioning, people cannot work, and an already damaged economy is being further destroyed. An already terrible humanitarian situation deteriorates further.

For more information contact Juliana at the Palestine Monitor +972 (0)2 5834021 or +972 (0)2 5833510

April 3rd: War in Jenin

www.jerusalem.indymedia.org

April 03, 2002 Aljazeera correspondants have reported that Israeli tanks withdrew from the surroundings of the Jenin refugee camp after several failed attempts to invade it. Earlier tens of tanks attempted to enter the city of Jenin since dawn but were unable to do so due to fierce resistance of the Palestinian activists with light weapons. Earlier a female nurse and a four year old boy were killed by gunfire which had targeted houses there.

Aljazeera correspondant also reported that the Palestinian resistance were able to kill an Israeli soldier and wound three others while disabling two tanks and a bulldozer during the failed attempt in teh refugee camp. They were also able to capture 3 M-16 machine guns after surprising a group of Israeli special forces during their invasion.

April 3rd: War in Nablus

www.jerusalem.indymedia.org

AP is now reporting that tanks have entered Nablus Their estimates are 2-300 tanks deployed around the city. meeting resistance from Palestinian defenders.

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