IDF troops bar foreign activists' Gaza solidarity mission

By Reuters




GAZA - Israeli soldiers fired shots in the air on Wednesday to prevent foreign activists entering the Gaza Strip to carry out a solidarity mission with Palestinians, organisers and witnesses said.

Two French activists were detained and at least three other members of the group were punched in the face by Israeli soldiers during the incident at the Erez Crossing, they said.

An Israeli spokesman at Erez, Yoram Barak, said the shots were fired "to discourage them not to continue".

He said he was not aware of Israeli soldiers punching the activists but said some of them had pushed the soldiers.

There were no reports of serious injuries during the incident, which illustrated how easily tensions can spill over into violence at the volatile lines of confrontation between Israeli and Palestinian-controlled territory.

Organisers said about 90 members of the mission, including activists from France, Britain and the United States, had their passports stamped at the Israeli side of the crossing. But then they were told to wait before being denied permission.

Their two-day visit was intended to tour Palestinian refugee camps in the Gaza Strip and dozens of houses destroyed by Israeli army forces during incursions into Palestinian areas.

Israel says it bulldozes houses and fields to deprive gunmen of cover from which to shoot at Jewish settlements.

The soldiers dragged some of the activists when they laid down on the ground in protest. Some were punched and cameras were taken away, said Huwaida Arraf, a coordinator of the International Solidarity Movement and an organiser of the trip. Barak said the soldiers told the group not to cross the border. "We appealed to them 'Please stop it'," he said, adding that some pushed the soldiers and tried to force their way in.

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Grassroots International Protection for Palestinians (GIPP)
INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY MOVEMENT

December 26, 2001
For Immediate Release


INTERNATIONAL GROUP ATTACKED AT EREZ

[Erez] Ninety foreign civilians traveling on a solidarity visit to
Gaza were blocked entry by the Israeli military at Erez today, after
being processed and given initial permission to enter. The
international group was comprised of American, Belgian, British, and
French citizens.

Protesting the Israeli Army decision not to let the group enter Gaza,
where they were scheduled to tour Gaza City, Khan Younis and Rafah,
including the refugee camps, and meet with Dr. Haidar Abdel Shafi,
Director of the Red Crescent, one half of the group decided to walk
through Erez.

With hands up in the air the group proceeded to walk, but were met
with a violent Israeli response. Soldiers began firing shots and
then descended upon the group, punching the men and body-slamming the
women. The internationals sat down to try to avoid injury, but to no
avail. All of the personal cameras in the group were confiscated and
a number of cameras were broken. Israeli soldiers also verbally
threatened to shoot and kill all of the foreign civilians. Members
of the group were then dragged and forcefully thrown onto their tour
bus. Two French civilians were detained.

"We were going to Gaza to support the Palestinian people, and to
conduct a fact-finding mission so as to present more objective
information to the media and to our fellow patriots at home. We were
also carrying with us humanitarian supplies for the people of Gaza.
Expressing our right to freedom of movement, not just for ourselves,
but also for the Palestinians who are kept caged in Gaza, we decided
to cross the checkpoint in order to complete our visit. All of a
sudden, shots were fired directly over our heads and we were
descended upon by soldiers, who were punching, pushing and throwing
us to the ground. We sat down to avoid their blows, but they kept
hitting, kicking and pushing. When the soldiers noticed that we were
filming the attack, they took and broke our cameras and confiscated
our film. Finally, they started dragging us, one by one, and threw
us on the bus, where we were kept under guard by Border Police. Many
of us sustained injuries, including cuts and bruises, and at least
three people require medical attention." (Statement by the
international group)

The entire group will lodge formal complaints through their
respective embassies. For more information, please contact Huwaida at
052-642-709 or Samir 055-385-257