Update on Nablus Alert! We Need Your Help!
August 21, 2004

British, Austrian, United States and German Arrested by Israeli Army:

Hooded, Hand-cuffed and Threatened with Beatings by Israeli Soldiers


"You won't recognize your own faces," warned an Israeli soldier


In Balata refugee camp, Saturday evening approximately 7:00pm, four
internationals, from Germany, the United Kingdom, the United States
and Austria entered a home that had been occupied by the Israeli
Army last week. The had come to bring water, food and medicine for
the Walweel family. They were accompanied by a Palestinian medic.
The four were immediately grabbed by Israeli soldiers occupying the
home.

Tom Greenwood, from United Kingdom, Uwe Claussnitzer,
from Germany, and Franz
Bortenschager, from Austria, had hoods placed over
their heads and their hands tied behind their backs. The Israeli
soldiers then forced the three internationals to kneel with their
heads against a wall of the house. They remained in this position
for an hour. When they tried to speak the Israeli soldiers told
them "to shut-up" and if they spoke they would bash their heads into
the wall and wouldn't recognize their own faces.

After one hour of being forced to kneel with their hands tied and
heads hooded, Israeli jeeps arrived, threw teargas and concussion
grenades toward the house and then took Tom, Uve and Franz away in a
military jeep. It is not known as to where they have been taken.

Aaron, from the United States, was released. The Israeli soldiers
told him that he was "the lucky one." He was ordered to go to
Huwara police station and if he did not show-up, the soldier told
Aaron, "we will find you and beat the ….out of you."

After the three were taken away a 13 year-old boy was shot in the
mouth by an Israeli soldier and an UMPRC ambulance was fired upon
with live ammunition. A medic was shot in the chest at close range
with a rubber bullet. At least eight have been injured today.

Balata Camp has been invaded and occupied by the Israeli Army,
houses have been occupied and ransacked and civilians killed and
injured in the past week. The old city in Nablus was also invaded
at 2:00am this morning where internationals are witnessing the
violence and attempting to secure the safety of the numerous
families with homes occupied and property destroyed.

Please call the Israeli Army: Demand they release the three
internationals and end the killing and injuring of civilians and
destruction of Palestinian homes in Nablus and surrounding refugee
camps.

Israeli Army Telephone Numbers:

country code: 972

IDF DCO Nablus 2 5486301 and 2 5486302 and Ofer Mey 56-234017
IDF DCL Nablus 2 5486218 fax 2 5486218 and David Glass 56 23 4181
Raeid Mantzor 2 9400086 mobile 51 785482
Itay Lipkovitz 2 5486218 mobile 56 234167
HQ GA in Territories
3 6977621 or 3 6977622 or 3 6977623

(if calling within the Occupied Palestinian Territories or within
Israel you must put a "0" before the number)
ISM Media Office: 972-277-4602 or 972-547-358-579