LATEST FROM PALESTINE
INDEPENDENTE | 31.03.2002 20:52
UPDATE: RAMALLAH
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 & 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 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. 1400: An hour has passed and we seem to be fine. A local Palestinian has just returned from near the checkpoint and counted 38 tanks massed in that area.
So now we are just waiting. We do expect that, like Ramallah, our power will be cut. If and when that happens the communications from IMC Palestine will go down. We have made arrangements to maintain some level of reporting from a Jerusalem office but the difficulties will be great. We at IMC Palestine wish to thank those reporters and individuals who have taken the time to call us and even in the event of a power cut we will have telephone communications for as long as our batteries last.
1300
Our mayor has just announced that we expect invasion within the next hour.
12 to 15 APC's and tanks are now at the Bethlehem checkpoint and one busload of soldiers. The soldiers are not allowing press to enter at gunpoint.
Witnesses on the ground in Bethlehem:
(for international dialing drop the 0 before the phone number)
English - Heather 00 972 (0) 67 270 398
English - Georgina 00 972 (0) 55 840 767
Arabic/English - Bilal 00 972 (0) 52 814 992
Italian - Francesca 00 39 3389 77 3899
There are French and Swedish speakers available as
URGENT: IDF TRYING TO ENTER RAMALLAH HOSPITAL
Two bodies just brought past the tanks. A force of 70 internationals and all of the doctors are continuing to block the entrances of both hospitals directly across from each other.
Israeli APC's and tank's are in the emergency entrance of Ramallah hospital. Palestinian doctors and international civilians are blocking the entrance. The Israeli military is trying to forcibly gain access to Ramallah hospital.
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
Georgina Reeves
URGENT: UPDATE RAMALLAH
As of 11:30 March 31, 2002 international civilians are on scene where Israeli soldiers were storming into Palestinian homes. International civilians were demanding to see that soldiers were not harming Palestinian civilians. Soldiers verbally warned the civilians to go away and held them at gunpoint. But they stayed on the scene with a video camera. After 20 minutes the soldiers left this neighborhood comprised of apartment buildings full of families and children.
International civilian are now making there way towards Ramallah hospital to gather and attempt to march on the presidential compound in an effort to the stop brutal attacks going on now in Ramallah.
For more information contact
Witnesses on the ground in Ramallah:
Mustafa Barghouti - 00 972 (0) 50 254 218
Arabic / English - Huwaida 00 972 (0) 52 642 709
French - Claude 00 972 (0) 55 559 145
There are German and Italian speakers available as well
Witnesses on the ground in Bethlehem:
(for international dialing drop the 0 before the phone number)
English - Heather 00 972 (0) 67 270 398
English - Georgina 00 972 (0) 55 840 767
Arabic/English - Bilal 00 972 (0) 52 814 992
Italian - Francesca 00 39 3389 77 3899
There are French and Swedish speakers available as well.
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
Alert: March 30 - 2330 Ramallah
Update 1:30am: We still have not heard about IDF moving further into Arafat's headquarters. We will update the site as soon as we hear further news.
As you are seeing in the news the Israeli military is promising to storm the Presidential compound. Irish national Caoimhe Butterly is still inside the compound!
We are incredibly concerned for her safety and we are asking you to call your respective governments to request the Israeli military cease the destruction and carnage in Ramallah.
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
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 & 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 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. 1400: An hour has passed and we seem to be fine. A local Palestinian has just returned from near the checkpoint and counted 38 tanks massed in that area.
So now we are just waiting. We do expect that, like Ramallah, our power will be cut. If and when that happens the communications from IMC Palestine will go down. We have made arrangements to maintain some level of reporting from a Jerusalem office but the difficulties will be great. We at IMC Palestine wish to thank those reporters and individuals who have taken the time to call us and even in the event of a power cut we will have telephone communications for as long as our batteries last.
1300
Our mayor has just announced that we expect invasion within the next hour.
12 to 15 APC's and tanks are now at the Bethlehem checkpoint and one busload of soldiers. The soldiers are not allowing press to enter at gunpoint.
Witnesses on the ground in Bethlehem:
(for international dialing drop the 0 before the phone number)
English - Heather 00 972 (0) 67 270 398
English - Georgina 00 972 (0) 55 840 767
Arabic/English - Bilal 00 972 (0) 52 814 992
Italian - Francesca 00 39 3389 77 3899
There are French and Swedish speakers available as
URGENT: IDF TRYING TO ENTER RAMALLAH HOSPITAL
Two bodies just brought past the tanks. A force of 70 internationals and all of the doctors are continuing to block the entrances of both hospitals directly across from each other.
Israeli APC's and tank's are in the emergency entrance of Ramallah hospital. Palestinian doctors and international civilians are blocking the entrance. The Israeli military is trying to forcibly gain access to Ramallah hospital.
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
Georgina Reeves
URGENT: UPDATE RAMALLAH
As of 11:30 March 31, 2002 international civilians are on scene where Israeli soldiers were storming into Palestinian homes. International civilians were demanding to see that soldiers were not harming Palestinian civilians. Soldiers verbally warned the civilians to go away and held them at gunpoint. But they stayed on the scene with a video camera. After 20 minutes the soldiers left this neighborhood comprised of apartment buildings full of families and children.
International civilian are now making there way towards Ramallah hospital to gather and attempt to march on the presidential compound in an effort to the stop brutal attacks going on now in Ramallah.
For more information contact
Witnesses on the ground in Ramallah:
Mustafa Barghouti - 00 972 (0) 50 254 218
Arabic / English - Huwaida 00 972 (0) 52 642 709
French - Claude 00 972 (0) 55 559 145
There are German and Italian speakers available as well
Witnesses on the ground in Bethlehem:
(for international dialing drop the 0 before the phone number)
English - Heather 00 972 (0) 67 270 398
English - Georgina 00 972 (0) 55 840 767
Arabic/English - Bilal 00 972 (0) 52 814 992
Italian - Francesca 00 39 3389 77 3899
There are French and Swedish speakers available as well.
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
Alert: March 30 - 2330 Ramallah
Update 1:30am: We still have not heard about IDF moving further into Arafat's headquarters. We will update the site as soon as we hear further news.
As you are seeing in the news the Israeli military is promising to storm the Presidential compound. Irish national Caoimhe Butterly is still inside the compound!
We are incredibly concerned for her safety and we are asking you to call your respective governments to request the Israeli military cease the destruction and carnage in Ramallah.
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
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