By the ISM Media Team
On Wednesday the 27th of June 2007, at around 10pm, Palestinian fighters exploded three bombs in defense of their city, Nablus, injuring six Israeli soldiers. The Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF), as a response to this act of self-defense, have sieged the city. Around 100 IOF jeeps are currently in and around the Nablus area, at least eighty of them within the old city. The old city has been completely sealed off by the IOF, power has been partially cut and house to house searches have began for fighters, weapons and ammunition. Barriers to vehicle movement are being bulldozed and two helicopters have been seen over the area.
One home, owned by the Tabuk family, has already been demolished and another home, the Safadi house, was attacked by the IOF resulting in extensive property damage and the arrest of Annan Tabuk (23), Raheb Shaab and Mamoun Safadi. Five boys in all have been injured in the old city, Machmoud Rajab and Achmed Damooni sustained unknown injuries, while the three others, Walid Omar (14), Hamed Mustafar (18) and Rami Abu-Shab (14) were shot in the leg with rubber bullets.
The IOF is restricting access to the Rafidia hospital, the Watani hospital and is currently occupying the Al-Kindi school, which like many homes in the old city is being used as a military base. Areas in Nablus which are currently heavily occupied are the, Neytsmeen neighborhood, Hosalartroud neighborhood, Al-Qurrion neighborhood, Habeleh neighborhood , Balata Refugee camp and the city center. Earlier in the day the IOF prevented oxygen tanks from reaching patients at the Rafidia hospital for several hours and harassed every patient in the hospital for their identification including those suffering from kidney failure and those recovering from heart attacks.
When called and asked why the IOF was sieging the city, a representative from the District Command Office for Nablus elaborated on the situation saying, “I can’t explain you”.