Internationals in Arafat compound call for their Ambassadors
Huwaida Arraf [mailto:huwaidaa@yahoo.com], Sunday, March 31, 2002
From: Huwaida Arraf [mailto:huwaidaa@yahoo.com]
Sunday, March 31, 2002
For Immediate Release
***Press Release***
INTERNATIONALS IN WITH ARAFAT CALL FOR THEIR AMBASSADORS
[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.
For more information call-
Adam 972 52 481 261
Huwaida 972 52 642-709
972 55 851 896
972 55 975 374
For information on Israeli: Allegra: 972 50 387 570
For statement from Israeli see www.jerusalem.indymedia.org
_______________________________________________________________________
Last updated: Sun, 31 Mar 2002 19:15:29 -0800
http://www.jerusalem.indymedia.org/
2400: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.
2300:Statement from Irish Citizen, Caoimhe Butterly
"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."
Statement from Israeli civilian in Palestinian Presidential Compound
"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." - Neta Golan, Israeli
citizen
2200: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.
1930: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 authorites with demands for justice.
Please call the Israeli Defense Forces spokesperson Peter Lerner and the Comander of the Ramallah district and demand that the Palestinian and international civilians and medics be released immediatly and Israeli agression against Palestinian civilians and medics cease.
Call or fax 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
There are still 33 international civilians in the Presidential compound. IDF's Mofaz has said it was a "mistake" for IDF to allow the internationals to enter the compound (Ha'aretz).
The Israeli military has entered the town of Qalkylia and the Ramallah
hospital Khalid. Al-Jazeera is reporting that students and teachers have
been arrested at Bir Zeit University.
URGENT: UPDATE BETHLEHAM
2200:12 tanks have mobilised around Ayda camp. Occupation forces have positioned tanks across from the Paradise Hotel directly beside Azza refugee camp. There has been intermittent shelling into the camps and snipers have taken up strategic locations. There are international civilians spread out in the camps and they are available for interviews.
1930 North Bethlehem: A curfew has been imposed around Bilal
Mosque & Azza amp; Carritas Street. Large tank movements have been
reported in the area.
1800 North Bethlehem: We have heard reports of a large number of tanks
at the North Bethlehem checkpoint so we went to investigate. Ultimately,
we were denied access to the checkpoint and told to leave the area.
We spoke with a family who told us that two tanks
had just driven by their home, and then moved back north again. We saw
an armored personnel carrier [APC] moving around south of the checkpoint
on Hebron Road, indicating that they may be scouting routes to enter the
city.
East of the checkpoint, an IDF patrol [http://jerusalem.indymedia.org/news/2002/03/1725.php ] who was interfering with this Palestinian family.
In Bethlehem and Ayda Camp, Palestinian militants are preparing for the presumed invasion.
1600: We are seeing IDF helicopters flying over Bethlehem, ostensibly scouting the area and seeing what is going on and in response to the suicide bombing in the nearby Efrat settlement. There are many tanks near the Bethlehem checkpoint. The sky is overcast and many people are closing their stores and shops and heading home. We have sent a team to do a tank check at the checkpoint.
*
URGENT FROM PALESTINE
Friends as you may be hearing, seeing or reading the situation in Palestine
is desperate. Israeli forces have invaded almost every area of Ramallah
and we are under heavy tank shelling and gun fire. An unidentified number
of people are dead and scores are injured. Ambulances have been prevented
access and soldiers are opening fire on them.
There are international civilians in the areas under
fire witnessing the carnage of the Israeli soldiers wreaked on the Palestinian
people. Other internationals have been beaten down for trying to get into
Ramallah to help Palestinians.
We extend a plea from the Palestinians and the international
witnesses to all of our friends abroad to immediately phone and/or fax
your representatives and respective governments to demand urgent and decisive
action to stop Israel's brutal offensive on the Palestinian people
Gather, march, and protest in the streets!
We need the
voices of all good people around the world!
PLEASE ACT NOW!
For more information contact:
(for international dialing drop the 0 before the phone number)
Witnesses on the ground in Ramallah:
Arabic / English - Huwaida 972 052 642 709
French - Claude 972 055 559 145
There are German and Italian speakers available as well
Wintesses on the ground in Bethleham:
(for international dialing drop the 0 before the phone number)
English - Heather 972 067 270 398
English - Georgina 972 2055 840 767
Arabic/English - Bilal 972 052 814 992
Italian - Francesca 00 39 3389 77 3899
There are French and Swedish speakers available as well.
***The martyrdom bombing operations could be turned into Palestinian Ideology ***
By keep going with the martyrdom proposals and making it as an ideology
for what is including of expanding sectors. However, before a period of
time two young beautiful girls knocked this door where these did one of
the martyrdom operations. In additions to this, today this cycle goes on
by its completion beside other political roles of the Palestinian woman
fighters. This action shows its commentary role and its permanent attendance
in the Palestinian scene. By noticing the diversity of the political social
and economical fields. At the moment where the woman’s role has overcame
her existence at home by taking care of the household and taking care of
children. Far away from this, that means now she is at the battle imposing
her refusal with all the means. Thus, in order for the woman to express
her daily suffering which is considered as a real reflection from the reality
of the Palestinians, plus this calls for all sectors of the society, specially,
the social one including the biggest one which is the women sector that
forms more than one a half of the society. The long history of the Palestinians
has witnessed the woman while playing role in politics, labor and economy.
So during the whole struggle, she has proven that in many historical stations
where she kept on this struggle by all her returns to formulate an effective
history in expressing her continues existence. Therefore, the martyrdom
operations are not becoming any more for men but also for women. detail
[http://www.jerusalem.indymedia.org/news/2002/03/1900.php
]
Do you want to do something to protest the Israeli occupation and aggression
in the Occupied Territories?
If you want to do something to protest the Israeli occupation and aggression
in the Occupied Territories, here is a list of phone and fax numbers [http://jerusalem.indymedia.org/news/2002/03/1908.php
] to keep some of the actors in the occupation busy dealing with your protests!!!
Make them know that they are all personally responsible for their role
in the occupation.
Interviews with Local Palestinian and Foreign Activists Interviews conducted by Bryan Atinsky of IMC Israel. Helping give voice to those on the ground. Links can also be found in the IMC Palestine newswire.
Bilal Salameh [http://www.radio4all.net/stream.php/stream.m3u?sf=http://radio4all.net/pub/radio/bilalindy.mp3&data ]
Georgina Reeves [http://www.radio4all.net/stream.php/stream.m3u?sf=http://radio4all.net/pub/radio/Georgina1.mp3&data
]
Eyewitness Report from Al Biereh
The US and Israel will torture the word terrorism for months and years
to come, but the Palestinian resistance, armed and otherwise, that the
Palestinians will embark on for years to come will be all the more legitimate
and justified given the terror of 37 year of military occupation and 18
months of aggression led by an Israeli war-criminal cabinet. Frankly, I
do not think that Palestinians will give a damn from now on how the powers-to-be
term their struggle.
And as for the suicide bombings that Sharon has
bluffed the world into believing he is stopping with his aggression, well,
painfully they will increase, to the disliking of all, even those under
the occupation. More and more Palestinians will now equate life and death
and undertake actions that reflect such a mental and physical condition.
details [http://jerusalem.indymedia.org/news/2002/03/1467.php
]
Israeli Execution Policy
When this came over the newswire earlier this afternoon we were stunned
to say the least. This takes Israeli policy into new realms. Assasinations
and executions happen regularly, what makes this situation different is
the public nature of the crime. The IDF has no restraint either official
or moral.
LAW\'s assessment suggests that these five officers
have been executed.
LAW emphasizes that extra-judicial executions constitute
willful killings, which are a grave breach of the Fourth Geneva Convention
and as such constitute war crimes subject to universal jurisdiction. Under
Article 8 of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, these
grave breaches constitute war crimes. Whatever policy the Israeli government
chooses to implement, it must by within the limits imposed by international
humanitarian and human rights law. details [http://jerusalem.indymedia.org/news/2002/03/1443.php
]
International Remains Inside President Arafat's Compound
[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.
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.
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.
[ Older Stories ] [http://www.jerusalem.indymedia.org/archives/display_by_date.php ]
Last updated: Sun, 31 Mar 2002 19:15:29 -0800
senden