Monday, 17 March 2003

NEWS
**Tulkarem: 2 Killed in Explosion that Shook Saida Village
**Al-Nusseirat: 7 Civilians Killed, Including Toddler in New Israeli
Massacre
**Beit Lahya: 3 Palestinians Killed in Israeli Attack
**Ramallah: Occupation Soldiers Arrest Youth from Evel Coffee Shop
**Jenin: Curfew and Arrests in City and Refugee Camp; Invasion of Toubas
**Nablus: Palestinian MP Arrested from the City
**Israel Threatens to Demolish Al-Namsawi Quarter
**Hebron: 4 Residents Wounded, Over 13 Arrested
**Bethlehem: Curfew Imposed on Al-Khader; Arrests in City
**Tulkarem: Home and Store Set on Fire; 5 Residents Arrested

FEATURES
**Youth Killed while Rescuing the Wounded
**Nightly Terror in Qifin
**Deir al-Balah: Soldiers Invade Haddad Family Home 7 Times
**Israeli Investigators Threaten to Rape Detainees, Arrest their Wives

************************************************************************
Sunday, 16 March 2003
Occupation Bulldozers Crush to Death American Activist in Rafah - The
Israeli occupation army killed yesterday an American member of the
International Solidarity Movement for the protection of the Palestinian
people, intentionally and in cold blood. Two Palestinians were killed in
Khan Younis and Rafah for no reason. Several homes were damaged in al-Salam
quarter in Rafah.
The American activist Rachel Corrie (23 years old), was buried under the
sand and crushed with an Israeli bulldozer after she and other members of
the international solidarity movement stood in front of occupation
bulldozers to prevent them from demolishing and bulldozing the home of
resident Samir Nasrallah in al-Salam quarter, southeast of Rafah.
Corrie was transferred to Abu Youssif al-Najar Hospital in Rafah after her
colleagues from the international protection group managed to stand in the
way of the bulldozer and to dig her body out of the sand.
Dr. Ali Moussa, General Director of the hospital, said that Corrie was
killed in cold blood by Israeli bulldozers. She was subjected to deadly
wounds after the claws of the bulldozer crushed her face and chest.
The resident Nasrallah, owner of the house in which Corrie stayed during the
past month, located along the border strip separating Palestine and Egypt,
said that Corrie and her colleagues as usual stood in the face of occupation
machinery bulldozing safe homes, using loud speakers and carrying signs in
English with "International Solidarity Movement" written on them, in an
attempt to prevent the demolition of safe homes.
Nasrallah said that Corrie was exhausted and sat down with her speaker in
front of his home, when an Israeli bulldozer ran her over, burying her under
the sand and then crushing her with the front claws of the bulldozer.
Jozi (25 years old), one of the members of the International Solidarity
Movement present at the location said that he and other members of the group
screamed loudly at the soldier driving the bulldozer and dug Corrie out with
their own hands, and then took her immediately to hospital where she died
affected by her serious wounds.
Corrie's colleagues at the hospital screamed and cried hysterically when
they heard the news of her death, holding one another, while her friend
Elise passed out after screaming in pain and sadness at the loss of her
friend.
The hospital witnessed an atmosphere of deep sadness at the death of the
young activist. The residents gave their condolences to her brothers and
sisters in the solidarity group, holding them closely in attempt to ease
their pain.
Dr. Moussa said, "Rachel arrived in Rafah with 8 of her colleagues within a
delegation of the popular international solidarity groups, to stand in the
face of Israeli bulldozers demolishing homes in al-Salam quarter in Rafah,
south of the Gaza Strip."
Witnesses reported that "an Israeli bulldozer dumped a pile of sand over her
head before crushing her with the front of the bulldozer as she tried to get
herself out of the pile of sand."
Dr. Moussa said, "Corrie arrived in hospital suffering from fractures in the
skull and chest and died straight away."
Palestinian and international witnesses said that the Israeli armored
bulldozer "buried the activist when she sat on the floor in an attempt to
prevent the demolition but the bulldozer ignored her, buried her and then
crushed her."
Ali al-Shi'ar, one of the witnesses told Reuters that the American activist
was sitting on the floor in front of the bulldozer that belongs to the
Israeli army when a large amount of sand was dumped over her.
Nicholas Dior, Corrie's colleague said the bulldozer dumped sand over her
and continued to crush her.
The Israeli army commented by saying this was "a regrettable accident" but
that Corrie and other protesters were acting irresponsibly by "placing
themselves intentionally in an area of fighting".
A military official said that vision from the bulldozer was limited
especially on the ground immediately in front of the armoured bulldozers
used by the Israeli army.
Issa Abdel Hadi (18 years old) was killed yesterday evening and 4 others
were wounded in an Israeli military attack on al-Amal quarter, west of Khan
Younis. Israeli occupation soldiers based in a nearby military camp waged an
attack on the residential area with heavy machine gun fire. Witnesses
reported that occupation soldiers killed Abdel Hadi in cold blood and that
the area was quiet before the one-sided unexplainable attack (See Feature
Below).
In Rafah, the resident Ahmad al-Najar (43 years old) was killed in Tel
al-Sultan area, hit in the head with live ammunition. Al-Najar was also
killed in cold blood for no reason.
The occupation army had caused material damage in al-Salam quarter in a
random and sudden military attack and attempts by bulldozers to demolish
homes, prevented by members of the International Solidarity Movement.
On another front, an Israeli soldier was critically wounded when Palestinian
fighters opened fire at a military location near 'Neveh Dkalim' settlement,
west of Khan Younis. Armed confrontations followed the attack.
The residents of Qatna town, northwest of Jerusalem, stood in the way of
Israeli bulldozers attempting to demolish 11 homes yesterday. Confrontations
broke out between the residents and occupation soldiers. The occupation army
brought in more military forces but the families refused to evacuate their
homes.
In Nablus, a curfew was imposed on Madama village, yesterday morning.
Thousands of Palestinian workers were prevented from reaching their work
within the 'green line' and in the industrial area of Beit Hanoun from the
Gaza Strip.
Salah al-Din road was closed and military measures tightened on main roads
in the Gaza Strip.
In Hebron, 4 residents were wounded and another was arrested while
occupation soldiers attempted to enforce a curfew on the residents. The
occupation army reportedly is carrying out extremely oppressive measures
against the residents of the city.
************************************************************************

NEWS
******

*Tulkarem: 2 Killed in Explosion that Shook Saida Village*

Two youths were killed this afternoon in an explosion that went off in one
of the garages in Saida Village, north of Tulkarem. The garage has been
closed since it was raided by occupation soldiers during the wide-scale
military operation in the village last week.

The two youths are members of al-Aqsa Brigades:
- Muayad al-Ashqar (20 years old)
- Tamer al-Ashqar (22 years old)

In an official statement, Fateh accused the occupation army of planting
explosives in the garage during the invasion of the village.

4 others were moderately wounded by shrapnel in the explosion that shook the
village:

- Maamoun al-Ashqar (18 years old)
- Mohammad Oda (15 years old)
- Mohammad al-Ashqar (16 years old)
- Unknown

************************************

*Al-Nusseirat: 7 Civilians Killed, Including Toddler in New Israeli
Massacre*

7 Palestinians civilians were killed, at dawn today, and several others were
wounded, some critically, in a new massacre committed by the Israeli army
during an invasion of al-Nusseirat refugee camp.

- Iyad Abu Ruzeiq (18 years old)
- Ilham al-Assar (3 years old)
- Omar Darwish (13 years old0
- Omar Abu Youssif (16 years old)
- Ibrahim Othmani (25 years old)
- Sa'id al-Taweel (27 years old)
- Mohammad al-Sa'afin (28 years old), after demolishing his home on
top of him. His brother critically wounded.

Over 20 people were wounded, including 3 in critical condition transferred
to al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. Dr. Mu'awiya Hasanein, General Director
of emergency unit in al-Shifa Hospital said that all the injuries were in
the head, which reveals the intention of the Israeli army to kill without
mercy.

Over 30 tanks and armoured vehicles invaded the western sector of the
refugee camp under intense tank fire, from 'Netsarim' settlement. Attack
helicopters covered the invasion.

Witnesses reported that occupation soldiers besieged a number of homes in
the western refugee camp and al-Hasayna area.

Occupation soldiers delayed the movement of medical teams attempting to
rescue the wounded.

Occupation soldiers also blew up the home of al-Sa'afin family made of 4
floors and inhabited by 5 families on top of Mohammad al-Sa'afin who refused
to hand himself over to the Israeli army. His brother was wounded.

At noon today, the resident Wael Barhoum (25 years old) was wounded with
live ammunition in the shoulder during the funeral of Mohammad Abdel Hadi in
the city of Khan Younis. Witnesses reported that Israeli soldiers based in
the surroundings of 'Neveh Dkalim' settlement opened machine gun fire
randomly at a crowd of people taking part in the funeral. Abdel Hadi was
killed last night after he was hit with a live bullet in the stomach.

************************************

*Beit Lahya: 3 Palestinians Killed in Israeli Attack*

Two Palestinians were killed this morning in Israeli fire in al-Salatin area
in Beit Lahya.

- Ramiz al-Sadoudi (19 years old)
- Shadi al-Akhras (23 years old)

Three others were critically wounded during the Israeli invasion of Beit
Lahya. 5 armoured vehicles and 3 bulldozers were used in the invasion to
besiege the home of Abdel Karim al-Sabi'.

While withdrawing this afternoon, Israeli soldiers opened fire intensively
towards homes and residents in al-Atatira area, north of Beit Lahya. An
unidentified youth was killed and over 10 were wounded, including one in
critical condition. The youth was hit with a bullet in the head and missile
shrapnel throughout the body.

************************************

*Ramallah: Occupation Soldiers Arrest Youth from Evel Coffee shop*

Israeli soldiers raided Evel coffee shop in Ramallah this afternoon and
arrested at least one youth. The soldiers stole several mobile phones that
belong to those who were present inside the coffee shop.

************************************

*Jenin: Curfew and Arrests in City and Refugee Camp; Invasion of Toubas*

The Israeli occupation army, at dawn today, imposed a curfew on the city of
Jenin and its refugee camp during a military invasion. A number of residents
were arrested during the wide-scale invasion of the city. Several homes were
raided and searched. Among the arrested: Mohammad Arqawi, Ahmad Hathnawi and
Ahmad Fahmawi.

The occupation army, at noon today, invaded Toubas town and imposed a tight
siege on the residents. Several armoured vehicles invaded the town from two
sides and waged a campaign of raids and searched in the northern sectors of
the town. A heavy military pr3esence is reported in the town, where an
ongoing Israeli military campaign is taking place.

************************************

*Nablus: Palestinian MP Arrested from the City*

Israeli occupation soldiers, at dawn today, besieged the home of Husam
Khader, member of the Palestinian Legislative Council, in Balata refugee
camp after imposing a siege on the camp.

Occupation soldiers besieged 7 homes adjacent to Khader's home and blew up
their front doors with dynamite. Khader's home was invaded and his family
was forced out. Occupation soldiers opened fire inside the home and
destroyed its belongings brutally, as well as attacked members of the family
and verbally abused them.

Khader's brother Ghassan who was present in the house at the time said that
the soldiers stole the computer and mobile phones and all personal papers
that belong to the Husam Khader.

The member of the Legislative Council was arrested while in his pyjamas,
prevented from changing his clothes. Khader, who was exiled to the south of
Lebanon in 13-1-1988, is also head of the Defence Committee for the rights
of Palestinian refugees.

************************************

*Israel Threatens to Demolish Al-Namsawi Quarter*

The Israeli occupation army distributed a general warning to the residents
of al-Namsawi residential quarter, west of Khan Younis this morning,
concerning its intention to demolish the whole of the residential quarter.

Dozens of families are under threat of becoming homeless once again after
they were forced out of their homes, demolished in various areas by the
occupation army.

************************************

*Hebron: 4 Residents Wounded, Over 13 Arrested*

At least 4 residents were wounded today with metal bullets in the Old City
of Hebron and the surroundings of al-Ibrahimi mosque in Hebron. Among the
wounded are two school girls:

- Hanin Abu Ramliya (11 years old) hit with a metal bullet in the
leg
- Maysaa Jaber (11 years old) hit with a metal bullet in the abdomen
- Adnan Abu Ubeid (32 years old)
- Abdel Hai Matriya (12 years old)

A curfew continues to be imposed on the Old City of Hebron and the
commercial centre of the city after it was lifted for a number of hours
today.

Over 13 residents were arrested in Ithna, Doura and Sourif in Hebron today.
Occupation soldiers raided several homes and brutally destroyed their
belongings. Many were forced out of their homes under the threat of weapons.

************************************

*Bethlehem: Curfew Imposed on Al-Khader; Arrests in City*

Israeli soldiers arrested today 3 residents from the City of Bethlehem, 2
from al-Doha and a third from Deheisheh refugee camp. The arrested:

- Mohammad Khamis (30 years old) from Deheisheh refugee camp
- Mohammad Hamdan (18 years old)
- Raed Ayesh (17 years old)

This morning, the Israeli army imposed a curfew on the old quarter of
al-Khader Village and later at noon on the rest of the village. Several car
keys were confiscated and shop owners forced to close their shops under the
threat of weapons.

************************************

*Tulkarem: Home and Store Set on Fire; 5 Residents Arrested*

Israeli occupation soldiers, this morning, arrested 5 residents from
Tulkarem refugee camp during an invasion of the camp under intense and
random fire. The arrested:

- Iyad al-Shafi'i (27 years old)
- Ghaleb al-Tab'ouni (24 years old)
- Ahgmad al-Tab'ouni (22 years old)
- Amer al-Tab'ouni (18 years old)
- Mohammad al-Tab'ouni (20 years old)

The last 4 are brothers.

Tanks and armoured vehicles invaded the refugee camp after midnight under
intense fire and light and sound bombs.

Occupation soldiers also raided the home of Saleh Nassar and fired a missile
at the home, setting it on fire along with a store owned by the same
resident underneath his home.

An Israeli tank, this morning, crossed Tulkarem al-Sha'rawiya road and
stopped in al-Jaroushiya town, north of Tulkarem. Residents are prevented
from movement towards Tulkarem or in the opposite direction.

************************************************************************

FEATURES
**********

*Youth Killed while Rescuing the Wounded*

WAFA - When Mohammad Abdel Hadi (18 years old) left his home in al-Amal
refugee camp yesterday evening in an attempt to rescue one of the wounded,
he himself became the target of an Israeli sniper.

Issa Abdel Hadi (55 years old), Mohammad's father said that his son was at
home when they head the sound of intense fire coming from the adjacent
military base in the surroundings of 'Jani Tal' settlement established on
the residents' land. He looked out of the window to find out what was going
on and found a wounded youth lying on the floor and calling for help. As
soon as he left the house towards the wounded youth, bullets targeted him
and he fell on the ground covered in his blood.

The father continued while trying to hold his tears back, "Mohammad is not
the first to pay the price for his humanitarianism. He was added to a long
list of people, the last being the America 'Shaheeda' Rachel Corrie, who
faced the occupation bulldozer with her body to prevent it from demolishing
homes in al-Salam refugee camp in Rafah despite the army's knowledge of her
work with the solidarity movement protecting the Palestinian people."

Abdel Hadi said his home is subjected daily to Israeli fire, since it is
located in the front row of homes facing the settlement blocs, only 150
meters away. He says the area is subjected to one-sided fire since it is
overlooked by Israeli locations located on a higher level.

Mohammad Abdel Hadi was the last to be wounded after 3 other youths standing
near his home were wounded, near a group of children who were playing
football in a playground in front of residential buildings, to the west of
al-Amal quarter.

Ali al-Shami (31 years old) who was wounded with two bullets in the back and
leg confirms that the area was quiet and suddenly the Israeli army waged an
intense military attack directed towards the children. He says, "I asked my
friends Ashraf Khasir and Wali Kallab to leave the place and when we turned
back to the refugee camp, bullets started falling all around us as if we
were the ones being targeted. So we took the floor and started to crawl away
from the area."

Al-Shami adds, "Whenever we tried to lift our heads, the attack intensified.
My friend Walid was hit in the stomach and then I was hit in the back and
Ashraf in the leg. We kept bleeding for over 2 hours without anyone being
able to reach us. Each time an ambulance attempted to approach us, fire was
opened at it insensitively."

The wounded al-Shami says, "I can not believe that I am still alive."

Al-Shami lies in hospital next to his friend Khadir, while their third
friend Walid was placed in the "intensive care" unit. One of his kidneys was
removed.

This is how 2 hours of continuous fire ended, simply because an Israeli
sniper was thirsty for Palestinian blood.

************************************

*Nightly Terror in Qifin*

WAFA - The nightly Israeli military attacks on the town of Qifin in Tulkarem
transferred the lives of the residents in the town to nights of terror.

The town of Qifin, north of Tulkarem, is subjected to tight Israeli military
measures, and brutal practices by the soldiers daily that start with night
time and continue until dawn. Thousands of residents suffer from a constant
state of fear and panic.

The residents of the town say that several armored vehicles and jeeps invade
the town daily with the fall of dark and Israeli soldiers start to fire
sound bombs to terrorize the sleeping residents.

The residents also report that Israeli soldiers raid and search several
homes picked in a random manner and subject the inhabitants to extremely
humiliating and provocative measures.

Israeli occupation soldiers raided the homes of Sami Ta'ma, Mohammad Sbah
and Othman Horani the night before last and broke their front doors. Jewelry
was also stolen from the home of Horani during searches.

The residents said that occupation soldiers fire light bombs as well as loud
sound bombs amidst screams through loud speakers intended to scare and
terrorize the residents.

Agricultural areas to the west of the town, near Baqa al-Sharqiya, north of
the city, witness wide-scale bulldozing activities and destruction for no
apparent reason.

More military roadblocks were set up at the main and side entrances of the
town. Occupation soldiers subject passing residents to tight searches and
prevent them in most cases from continuing their routes to their work
destinations or homes.

************************************

*Deir al-Balah: Soldiers Invade Haddad Family Home 7 Times*
Hassan Jaber (Al-Ayam daily newspaper)

Silence had overcome al-Mahatta quarter, east of Deir al-Balah City, when
occupation soldiers invaded the home of Izzidin Haddad.

The family was woken up to voices of soldiers but they were mesmerised in
their places and refused to open the door. When the soldiers started to
smash the windows and break the doors down, the family was forced to open
the door for dozens of soldiers who forced their way into the house and
started to carry out wide-scale searches.

Haja Um Ahmad says, "As soon as we opened the main door, dozens of soldiers
stormed in screaming loudly, then they kept us in the courtyard of the house
and started to search."

She adds, "The soldiers forced all members of the family into one room and
based themselves at the windows and roof and directed their machineguns
towards surrounding areas before others started to interrogate my husband
and the children concerning the presence of armed people in the house."

The Haddad family home located 100 meters to the north of 'Kfar Darom'
settlement was subjected to several raids, searches and abuse.

Um Ahmad says, "The soldiers of the occupation invaded our home 7 times
during the Intifada, and when they arrived last time they waged a wide-scale
campaign of torture despite the fact that the area was completely calm."
She says, "Members of the family (12) are subjected to a campaign of torture
and abuse during raids, which terrifies the children during the night."

She confirms that with each raid, the soldiers cut off telephone lines and
confiscate mobile phones in order to prevent the family from communicating
with anyone.

Occupation soldiers follow limited steps with each raid. Members of the
family are forced into one room, prevented from drinking or from going to
the toilet except with the permission of the leader of the army patrol.

The same house was subjected to Israeli military attacks, which forced the
family to evacuate the rooms facing the settlement and to live permanently
in one of the internal rooms despite the vast space in the house.

The invading soldiers occupied the house until dawn. As the soldiers
withdrew, they threatened to shoot members of the family if anyone looked
out of the window.

Um Ahmad wondered, "Where do we go? We have no where to go. We built this
house hoping to live in stability but they [occupation soldiers] turned our
lives into hell and destruction."

She adds, "Every night we feel fear and worry and expect them to come to us
at any moment, it's a terrifying feeling."

Haja Um Ahmad believes that occupation soldiers act with a show of force and
oppression due to the lack of any force preventing them.

She wondered again, "Where do we go? Where are the human rights
organisations? Where is world conscience? Where? Where?"

The occupation army occupied 8 homes in the surroundings of 'Kfar Darom'
settlement and transferred them into military locations.

The occupation army had demolished hundreds of homes completely and
thousands partially in the surroundings of the Jewish settlement and
military bases in the area during the Intifada in an attempt to punish the
residents for supporting Palestinian resistance fighters.

Despite continuous provocations, the residents insist on remaining in their
homes.

Um Ahmad says, "We will never leave. We will stay here no matter what they
do. We have no other choice."

************************************

*Israeli Investigators Threaten to Rape Detainees, Arrest their Wives*
Hassan Abdel Jawad (Al-Ayam daily newspaper)

Nadi al-Asir (the Palestinian Detainee Centre) reported that torture against
the detainees under interrogation has reached an extremely dangerous level,
with no legal or humanitarian prevention. The centre pointed out that 90% of
Palestinian detainees are subjected to tough measures and internationally
illegal torture methods in breach of the Geneva Convention and human rights
values.

Issa Qaraqi', head of Nadi al-Asir, said interrogators in al-Maskoubiya
detention and interrogation centre (the Russian Compund in Jerusalem)
threatened to rape and sexually abused the detainee M.B. (21 years old) as a
tool to obtain confessions from him.

Qaraqi' said that the detainee gave a testimony under oath, in which he said
that one of the interrogators, called Soli, said to him, "We will start the
investigation with you like women, since men's interrogation did not work
with you."!

According to the testimony, "The investigator from his seat touched my body
and said to, "I will rape you", and then started to feel my body in a sick
way, which pushed me to stop him by force."

The detrained said that he fainted while the interrogator tried to rape him,
for half an hour, and then he asked to be shown to a doctor. The
investigators refused at first, but when he insisted on seeing a doctor, the
latter slapped him on the face brutally and said to him, "Northing is wrong
with you, just have a couple of glasses of water."

On another front, Qaraqi' revealed that the Israeli intelligence in
al-Maskoubiya apologised to the detainee Mahmoud al-Wardiyan (25 years old0,
from Bethlehem who was arrested on 14 January 2003, concerning the torture
used against him. They admitted that they "mistakenly" used tough methods
against him before it was revealed that he has no connection to the
accusations directed against him.

Al-Wardiyan was subjected to torture in al-Maskoubiya, including severe
beatings, being placed on a chair for long periods of time, prevention from
sleep and going to the toilet.

Qaraqi' confirmed that there is an inhumane and ill-mannered escalation in
the methods of interrogation, such as the arrest of wives of detainees as
part of pressuring the detained.

The detained Aqla Shanayta (29 years old) from Bethlehem was placed under
interrogation for 8 days handcuffed to a chair. The interrogators threatened
to arrest his wife and to demolish his home as a way of exerting pressure on
him.

Qaraqi' added that the policy of medical neglect against the detained
patients and wounded during interrogation is used as a tool to get
information, referring to the detainee Mohammad Jaber (22 years old) from
Deheisheh refugee camp, who complained about being subjected to severe
physical attacks as well as being tied to a chair for 2 days. Jaber is a
patient who underwent brain surgery. He was not offered any medical
assistance and torture was practiced against him without any consideration
for his medical condition.