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ISM ENTERS CHURCH OF NATIVITY
by International Solidarity Movement (ISM) • Thursday May 02, 2002 at 10:03 AM
Bethlehem

10 ISM Members managed to enter the besieged Church with food and supplies

Press Release
International Solidarity Movement Enters Church of Nativity With Food

BETHLEHEM (May 2, 2002) - Ten members of the International Solidarity Movement (ISM) entered

the besieged Church of Nativity at about 5:45 pm, walking past Israeli occupation soldiers.

A further thirteen persons, working as decoys were arrested by the Israeli soldiers. All

those inside are determined to remain until the Israelis lift their siege on the city of

Bethlehem.

The ISM conceived of an intricate plan to move past Israeli soldiers outside the Church in

several separate but coordinated groups carrying placards denouncing the ongoing Israeli

occupation. In a move orchestrated with contacts within, two ISM teams were able to reach

the Church and enter its main door before Israeli soldiers could respond. Every member

carried with them food and other critical supplies badly needed by the Palestinians holed up

inside. The Israeli army has denied the Palestinians, besieged since April 1, 2002,

sufficient amounts of food.

This consitutes the latest in a series of success by the ISM to defy the Israeli occupation

and to demonstrate to the world that the international community takes a firm stance against

the illegal Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory. In light of the failure for the

international community, namely the United States and the United Nations to act to help

protect the Palestinian people and secure their universal rights, the ISM has had to operate

on its own. Prior to this, the ISM has twice circumvented Israeli occupation forces to place

activists inside of President Arafat's compound in Ramallah.

Those inside and their respective nationalities are as follows:
Nauman Zaidi (USA), Robert O'Neill (USA), Alister Hillman (UK), Allan Lindgaard (Denmark),

Stefan Coster (Sweden), Erik Algers (Sweden), Larry Hales (USA), Mary
Kelly (Ireland), Kristen Schurr (USA), and Jacqueline Soohen (Canada)

Those detained by the Israeli army are as follows:
Jeff Kingham (USA), Kate Thomas (UK), Marcia Tubbs (UK), John Caruso (USA), Nathan Musselman

(USA), Nathan Mauger (USA), Trevor Bammgartner (USA), Jo Harrison (UK), Johannes Walilstram

(Sweden), James Hanna (USA), Thomas
Kootsoukos (USA), Ida Fasten (Sweden), Huwaida Arrad (USA)