INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY MOVEMENT

For immediate release Thursday 27 December 2001

PRESS RELEASE

Manchester women injured by Israeli soldier

Sarah Irving, a resident of Hulme in Manchester was detained in hospital overnight with a pelvic injury after she was pushed to the ground by an Israeli solder. She is part of a group of thirty UK nationals undertaking a two week human rights visit.

Yesterday morning, December 26 at about 11.30 am (GMT) Ms Irving was pushed against a concrete crash barrier and fell to the to the ground at Erez border crossing in North East Gaza . She was trying to visit a Palestinian refugee camp in the Gaza Strip [1]. Shots were fired into the air as the soldiers dragged some of the group back onto the bus in which they arrived. They were driven off and later released from the bus.

By early evening Ms Irving was experiencing great pain and she was taken by ambulance to the Hospital at Beit Jala in the West Bank near where she was staying. She was released this morning. An X-ray showed no fracture but she needs crutches to walk. Due to a lack of medical supplies in the Palestinian hospital no crutches were available. Ms Irving will return to Britain New Years day.

Sarah Irving said
“The doctors have been great, very supportive, but what happened to me is nothing like the brutality which the Palestinians have to endure everyday from these same soldiers”
ENDS

CONTACT: Media liaison in UK Andrew Wood: 07973 953 446


Editors Notes

The International Solidarity Movement calls on Israel to implement UN resolutions and abide by international law.

[1] Ms Irving is one of thirty Uk nationals who are visiting the Occupied Territories to actively intervene to stop violence, especially to Palestinians. Sarah Irving, age 25 from Hulme works for a publishing company.

[2] Other activities in which Ms Irving have participated include:

Sunday, (December 23) in the West Bank city of Nablus the Britians pasted banners and posters on to a Israeli tank protesting at the killing of a Palestinian Deeb Al-Sqrawi by a tank shell. There were no arrests. The tank drove off. The demonstration opposed Israeli occupation and US armament.

Saturday They marched through Nablus past Israeli tanks with banners calling for an end to Israeli occupation. They were welcomed by the Governor of Nablus, Mahmoud Al-aloul Al-jihad.

Friday, They removed an army roadblock at the village of Diristya and Kesel Haris about 15 km (10 miles) from Nablus. The roadblocks were of rubble, rock and concrete piled six feet high across the road to prevent traffic from passing. The campaigners used shovels and other hand tools. Police arrested an Israeli settler for assaulting UK nationals. For independent reporting at roadblocks call AP reporter Abed Khabeisa 00 97 25 02 66 819 or Reuters photographer: 00 97 25 77 87 976.
Thursday, roadblocks in Hares and Yassouf villages in the Salfit region near Nablus roadblocks were removed. A US national was arrested and released after 5 hours.

Wednesday the campaigners visited local people who told of the hardships they face, and brutality when they resist. In the Salfit area, where roadblocks were removed on Thursday, most villages are cut off and are effectively under siege. Villagers told campaigners they couldn't get to work, school or hospital.
Tuesday, They sat between Israeli tanks and the compound of Palestinian President Yasser Arafat. Shots were fired. Arafat later meet with them.

[2]Israel has occupied the Palestinian Territories of West Bank and Gaza Strip for over 34 years. In contravention of Article 49 of the Geneva Convention.