Israeli Military Attacks Civilian Houses in Nablus

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

This morning, international Human Rights Observers based in the Nablus area witnessed the direct aftermath of what the Israeli military is calling an “arrest operation” – a path of destruction and houses destroyed by gunfire and grenades. To the Palestinians of the Al Maskew and Al Shabir neighborhoods of Nablus, it seemed more like collective punishment for sheltering the fleeing Hamas fighter. Contrary to media reports from the Israeli military, the people of the neighbourhood claimed that the dead fighter did not live in the houses that were attacked by the military.

According to eyewitnesses, at approximately 12:30 last night the Israeli Occupational Forces approached the Al Maskew and Al Shabir neighborhoods of Nablus, which are located close to the Askar refugee camp. A Hamas fighter, Amjad Hanawi had entered the area and was being pursed by the Israeli military. The IOF remained in the neighborhoods until 6 AM and Hanawi was killed at approximately 5:00 AM. There was extensive property damage to 3 apartment buildings, both the interior and the surrounding yards.

At 11:30 this morning, nine Human Rights Observers visited the homes and the families to determine the extent of the damage and get eyewitness accounts. According to them, the Israeli military entered the homes and forced everyone to leave during the night. The men at this time were naked and not allowed to put on clothes, whereas the women were forced to undress while they were outside. The military were attacking from two nearby houses, to the east and west of the buildings. This was clear from the large holes left from grenades shot from M-16 rifles into the apartments, which were at either an upwards or downwards angle, but level with the apartments. There was also damage from explosions which left a wide spray of damage, much like a grenade or fragmentation explosive of some type. Bullet holes were everywhere and all the windows were smashed. According to the families, the Israelis had emptied the homes and continued to fire explosive devices into them, causing extensive property damage in a form of collective punishment. According to eyewitnesses, this all occurred after the wanted man had been killed.

The wanted man had been shot by the Israeli military while jumping over a wall outside the buildings, after which a bulldozer approached and buried him beneath the wall. While doing this the bulldozer did extensive property damage to the surrounding houses.

The ISM condemns this blatant violation of International Law and human rights. The practice of targeted assassination is condemned by the international community, as is the principle of collective punishment.

Bil’in demonstrators: 14-year-old hit in the head by rubber bullet

From Ha’aretz

A 14-year-old demonstrator was hit by a rubber bullet in the head in clashes with security forces during what has become Friday’s weekly protest against the separation fence near the West Bank of Bil’in, demonstrators said. The teen was taken to hospital and his uncondition is still unknown.

Five Israel Defense Forces troops were also lightly injured in the clashes. At least 15 protesters were injured and three were arrested during the clashes in the security fence area in the West Bank village.

Among the wounded was the chairman of the Bil’in council who fainted after inhaling teargas. The demonstrators claimed that they were beaten by soldiers and policemen, and that security forces threw stun grenades at protesters without provocation.

Around 100 Israelis and Palestinians participated in the demonstration against the construction of the separation fence in the area, and some of them succeeded in stopping construction work on it.

The Israel Defense Forces said that the protesters blocked one of the engineering vehicles in the area. The IDF said that when the protesters refused to get away from it, they had to use special means to disperse the demonstrators.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/644420.html

Bil’in Boy Shot in Head with Rubber Coated Bullet

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Today, Friday November 11, 2005, in the village of Bil’in, the Israeli army attacked a peaceful gathering of Palestinian, Israeli and International peace activists who were dancing and singing blocking construction of Israel’s separation wall which annexes large parts of the West Bank, including 60% of Bil’in’s agricultural land. During the attack on demonstrators, soldiers shot Mohammed Suleiman Burnat a 16-year old Palestinian in the head with a rubber coated steel bullet. The boy is currently in hospital

The Palestinians of Bil’in and other areas in the West Bank were joined by approximately 150 Israeli and foreign peace activists, at today’s demonstration.

For the last ten months, Bil’in has launched an ongoing non-violent campaign against the annexation barrier supported by hundreds of Israeli and International activists, and met by violence and collective punishment from the Israeli army. Israel designed the current route of the barrier to annex 60% of Bil’in’s agricultural land, and expand the settlement of Modi’in Elite. Plans for Modi’in Elite’s expansion have yet to be approved by the Israeli government.

Settlers Attack Olive Pickers in Tel Rumeida

Armed settlers from Tel Rumeida today repeatedly attacked 4 Palestinian families as they tried to harvest their olives in Tel Rumeida today.

The Palestinians, accompanied by 4 members of the Christian Peacemaker Teams and 3 ISMers were initially attacked in the morning, by a group of settler kids throwing stones.

By the afternoon, Baruch Marzel and three other adult settlers with assault rifles arrived. One of the settlers (wearing plain clothes) produced a military I.D. and demanded that the Palestinians and internationals left the olive groves and one of the families’ houses near which some of them were standing. They began yelling, throwing stones at, and pushing the internationals. Meanwhile three soldiers arrived and forced the Palestinians to leave the olive groves, whilst ignoring the violence of the settlers. During this, several people were hit with stones and an Australian woman from the ISM was pushed and slapped.

Once the settlers had forced everyone to retreat behind the house of one of the Palestinian families, they broke into the house and started to destroy it. They began throwing its contents and the rubble they created at the Palestinians and internationals outside.

Eventually 10 police and border police officers arrived (who had been called to the scene by one of the Palestinian men). The Palestinians then complained about the attacks they had suffered and at the failure of the soldiers present to even attempt to protect them. Once told that there was also video evidence to support these complaints, the police promptly arrested the Palestinian lawyer who was speaking with them. The settlers were not arrested.

Boy Shot Dead by IOF in Nablus

Ayer, 8 de noviembre de 2005, hacia las 5 de la tarde. Recibimos una llamada de teléfono que nos dice que hay movimientos militares en las montañas del norte de Nablus. Parece que hay dos hombres heridos y uno desaparecido. Venimos todos al apartamento de ISM a coger linternas y otras cosas útiles, como cámaras, y desde allí cogemos taxis para ir a la zona montañosa donde se están produciendo los movimientos. Una vez allí, se nos comunica que los dos hombres heridos están ya en el hospital y que el desaparecido podría estar herido.

Nos bajamos de los taxis y encontramos el lugar en silencio, sin movimientos, sin vehículos, no parece que hubiese nadie por la zona. Continuamos subiendo por un atajo, siempre subiendo, subiendo, y continuamente llamamos el nombre del hombre, “Mohamed!” y “Internacionales!” o “Médicos internacionales!”. Decidimos que no es buena idea usar luces que podrían atraer la atención de soldados, porque no estamos seguros de que no vaya a haber soldados aún escondidos por la zona. La luna nos ilumina el camino.

Cuando llegamos al final de la carretera decidimos separarnos en dos grupos; uno seguirá subiendo por el camino y el otro bajará por la ladera, por donde hay vegetación donde podría estar el hombre escondido. Yo me voy con el grupo que sigue hacia arriba y al cabo de unos minutos, se nos une un hombre. Es el tío del hombre – en realidad el hombre es un chico de 14 años. Se une a la búsqueda y después de doblar un recodo y subir unos cien metros más, uno del grupo ve a alguien, tumbado. Algunos hombre, incluido el tío, identifican al chico y gritan y lloran. Alguien dice “miradle el pulso” pero alguien replica “está bien muerto”. Al levantarle, su cabeza cuelga y sangra en abundancia. Uno le lleva en brazo y otro llama al otro grupo; las ambulancias están ya esperando abajo en el punto donde no pueden avanzar más por culpa de una barrera formada con piedras.

Algunos de nosotros entonces volvemos a la montaña porque se nos dice que podría haber otro hombre escondido en la zona, puede que herido. Después de unos quince minutos se nos dice que efectivamente, está herido y ya en el hospital. El nombre del chico es Mohammed Abusalha y tiene catorce años. El funeral será mañana aquí en Nablus a las 10 de la mañana.