UPDATE: RAMALLAH
1545: An ambulance has just come under fire in Ramallah trying to get around IDF tanks and internationals and mediacal staff were told over a loudspeaker to stay inside the hospital and then the IDF proceeded to open live fire on the hospital.

1255:The one aid truck the Occupation Forces they then attacked. Soldiers took out the medical aid and stomped it into the ground they took out sugar, flour and other food aid and dumped it out and threw tea gas again at the group. Earlier they shot at a UN convoy. Now they are beating the protestors with batons.

1230: 2,000 people including internationals, Israeli and Arab civilians in 30 busses have arrived at Aram checkpoint located just before the Calandia checkpoint near Ramallah. Despite the horrible weather, rain, hail and wind they have attempted to through the siege of Ramallah to deliver humanitarian aid.
At Aram they were faced with an onslaught of tear gas so horrible that people are choking and have been made sick. Yet they are still committed to getting through and are still protesting at Aram with the demand to be allowed into Ramallah.
Israeli occupation forces have allowed one truck load of aid out of dozens that the human rights protesters brought to go through, loaded with aid.
Meanwhile on the ground in Ramallah there is one ambulances still free in the city attempting to provide assistance. We have internationals on that ambulance and more international civilians are going to try to attempt to deliver bread to families who have been unable to leave their homes for food or other assistance.


0130: The Occupation forces are shelling a local security building Al Ammen Al Weka'ai [Preventitive Security]. This is a government building and there are 400+ people inside, 60 of whom are women. People reporting from the inside say that it is on fire and Huwaida Arraf is reporting that they are still hearing constant shelling very close to where they live near the city's main hospitals. It seems to be coming fromthe area of Amaari Refugee camp.
Please phone Neta Golan in the Presidential compound at 972 (0) 55 385 257

April 01, 2002 1600:
The situation in Ramallah has deteriorated dramatically in the past few hours.
Explosions are occurring throughout the city.
Israeli soldiers are trying to forcible evict an Italian Peace Delegation headed by MEP Luisa Morgantini from the offices of the Union of Palestinian Medical Relief Committees. The army has destroyed a building next to the UPMRC. Witnesses describe how five Palestinians and two Italians were made to kneel on the ground at gunpoint. Anti-aircraft missiles have been used against buildings. Anti- tank missiles have been used against Palestinian gunman. Red cross ambulances are attempting to deliver food and medical supplies to the Presidential compound they have been denied access for over two hours. The Israeli army has set up equipment around the compound which is interfering with communications from those in the compound to the outside world. There is a dire shortage of food inside the compound and there is no running water. The international civilians have again reiterated their plea for their ambassadors to come to Ramallah immediately.

Twelve international civilians are at the hospital and have been all day to preventing Israeli forces from entering. The three Palestinian medics arrested yesterday were released late in the night in an unknown location. They had to make their way home on foot. The ten French civilians are now in Jerusalem and are being deported. the group includes Jose Bove.

Ashraf in Ramallah
The world is seeing what is happening. History is repeating itself. It’s a fascist world. This is fascism, how they [the Israeli soldiers] are dealing with people, detaining them in big schools and interrogating each one, writing numbers on them.
And the shocking thing is this silence about what they are doing.
These Israeli operations are targeting innocent civilians. People are terrified. The Israeli soldiers are shooting everything. Life here has totally stopped; it’s dead.