Al-Bireh/Ramallah, Occupied Palestine -- We have been without water since this morning. I just confirmed that the Israeli Military has taken over the main pumping station located in Betounia, next to the Preventive Security Building that was heavily shelled 2 nights ago. They have tuned off the pumps to ALL of Ramallah. Our water department does not know if any damage was done to the pump.

We are calling on all to immediately bring this up in your media, talk shows, officials, etc. DEMAND ISRAEL TO LET PALESTINIANS HAVE ACCESS TO THEIR WATER. Ask your media to inquire with Israeli and U.S. officials.

The whole of Ramallah and Al-Bireh are now utilizing their 24hr reserve tanks on the roofs of their homes. This is all being done as other Palestinian cities are facing the same Israeli rampage that Ramallah is facing.

The situation is critical and needs immediate action.

Sam Bahour

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Ramallah -- I hope you get this message soon. The situation in Ramallah is as follows: many parts of the town continue to be without water. Even with the problems of water solved, it will not reach most homes because 6 out of 9 electrical feeding stations are down.

No electricity means no water, no sewage pumping (serious for public health) and no ovens can work to bake bread, among other problems.

Five of the main feeding stations that provide electricity to Ramallah and 24 western villages are located in the Ramallah industrial zone. The electricity company is not allowed by the Israeli army to reach the area to fix the problems. The company was given the ok this morning to fix two other feeding stations in the Al-Bireh area, where the governorate and President Arafat are located, but as they go out this morning, they are being harrassed and believe they are in danger.

What we need is immediate intervention to get the feeding stations fixed in the industrial zone and in other areas. Without electricity, there will be no water and no bread and a major public health disaster. I hope you can work on this issue.

The information in this email comes from the electricity company. about 120,000 people in Ramallah and surrounding villages are without electricity at this moment.

Rita Giacaman
Institute of Community and Public Health, Birzeit University.