Oppressed to Oppressor - the atrocities unfold

Oppressed to Oppressor - the atrocities unfold

By Selwyn Manning – first published on Spectator.co.nz

While Israel has sealed off the Palestinian cities of Bethlehem and Ramallah to journalists and the outside world, information and news of atrocities is getting through via independent and alternative means. Here is an account of the inhumanity that is being orchestrated against civilians and innocents.

The Italian Catholic Priest Father Jack of the Latin Church was shot and killed by an Israeli sniper while the Father was inside the Church of St. Maria. Six other nuns were reported injured.

Gaza City: the occupation forces prevented an ambulance to proceed to the hospital carrying Jaber AlNabaheen (50) who had lung disease detaining the ambulance until he died. Hamza Ramoon (34) of Hebron, was shot from short range by IDF soldiers, his body was seen dragged and taken away by IDF soldeirs. From Khan Younis, Palestinian child Fayez Salah (13) was shot by IDF soldeirs stationed at the Al Namsawi residential area. Indymedia reporters on the ground in the Dehaishe refugee camp report: "URGENT UPDATE: At the ibda'a computer center we are experiencing massive fighting going on outside. We can hear clearly a tank rolling by the building and there is massive tank fire, mortar fire and gun clashes. It appears that the IDF have entered dehaishe via the ibda'a entrance. We are all on the floor as the very loud shots occur outside. Time is 2:37AM."

Tolkarem: IDF soldeirs killed Palestinian Ghaleb Abdulatif Khaleel (35) when they opened heavy machinegun fire towards civilians in Balaa Village near Tolkarem, and injured 3 other people.

Ramallah: A Jewish terrorist organization took responsibility for assassinating two Palestinian civilians, while driving on the road between "Ma'aleh Ephraim" and "Kokhav Hashahar" two illegal Jewish settlements built over Palestinian lands. Wedad Hamed (58) was shot by IDF soldiers. She
was killed in cold blood while she was on her way to the Ramallah Hospital, while Muhammad Hussein Muhammad (32) and Ayyoub Mahmoud Abu Musalam (42) were killed early yesterday and Wafa reporter said that their bodies were riddled with hundreds of bullets. Jenin: during the invasion into the City of Jenin and its surrounding refugee camps, the occupation soldiers killed the Nurse Roqaya Fathi Jammal (24) and Hani Atiya Abu Rmele (18) from Jenin Refugee Camp.

April 2 2002 11:20PM Bethlehem: IDF has bombed the mosque at Manger Square, 5 dead, at least 30 wounded - all civilians. IDF is preventing ambulances from entering the scene. 300 people, including families, fighters and journalists, are being held prisoners in the three churches of the square. IDF threatens to bomb them if they do not surrender.

3:00PM: Battles continue to rage throughout Bethlehem. Palestinian resistance is striking against IDF tanks. A church has been destroyed and a priest has been killed by IDF. As IDF troop movements increase in and around Bethlehem, a protest of 150 internationals was attacked with live gunfire. Eight people are injured, one is seriously injured. Several Indymedia workers have been wounded. Click here for real-video coverage of the protest and shooting...

Father Albino Bizzotto: "The situation is dramatic in Ramallah and the international Community should do something to stop this absurd bloodshed. The sufferance of the civil population is indescribable." Father Albino said the centre of Ramallah is in total chaos and that gunfire is continuous. He has been in the Palestinian territory defending the rights of civilians to a peaceful existence for years: "We are here in support of peace and against the occupation of the Territories" Fr. Bizzotto said.

Italian MP Luisa Morgantini was captured by Israeli soldiers in Ramallah Tuesday afternoon: "The soldiers with the armed vehicles, search for the Palestinians suspected of being part of the Intifada armed group." Israeli soldiers had burst into a building in Ramallah. The Israeli soldiers, in combat uniform, penetrated into a humanitarian association office, there they found Luisa Morgantini. The soldiers were looking for "terrorists". But inside this building they found only a few Italian pacifists and Palestinian civilians. "The soldiers said that two armed Palestinians were close by in the building and that they were using us as human shields," Morgantini said. Later that night the IDF released her and she is now in Ramallah's general hospital.

Birzeit University Appeals For Help - April 02, 2002 "The range of inhumane violations being currently committed by the Israeli occupation forces include the illegal re-occupation of the cities of Ramallah and Al Bireh, massacres, mass arrests, bombings of residential areas, destroying of roads, schools and buildings, terrorizing of all the inhabitants of the area, and the denial of food, water, electricity and other basic needs to thousands of Palestinian families.

"Birzeit University students, staff and faculty living in the Ramallah, Al Bireh and Birzeit area have been greatly affected by the "state" terrorism being perpetrated by the State of Israel.

"On Friday March 29, 2002, all male residents between the ages of 15 and 45 in one section of Al Bireh were told to assemble in a nearby school. The majority of them were forced to remain in the school throughout the day and night. The next morning some of those held throughout the night were released while others where placed on busses and taken away. Their whereabouts are yet unknown, and there is no information as to the number of those arrested although estimates have reached 500 including several staff and students from the University.

"On Saturday March 30, 2002, the Israeli army entered several homes, randomly destroying belongings, arresting individuals, and shooting others in cold blood. One of the homes illegally entered was housing six University students. The students were arrested, their books torn up and their computers smashed.

"Qasr El Hamra, a University hostel in Ramallah housing 12 female students, was also invaded on Saturday. The Israeli occupation forces invaded the women's dormitory, Qasr El-Hamra, in Ramallah today, March 30, breaking windows, doors, and causing major destruction to the furniture while claiming that they were looking for weapons. Twelve female students have been stranded in the dormitory since the Israeli forces re-occupied Ramallah on Friday, March 29, and imposed a 24-hour curfew to the area. While on their mission inside the dormitory, the military forces disconnected telephone lines, leaving the students isolated from the outside world.

"The students have been living for the past three days without food, electricity or water. Medical personnel were permitted on Sunday to deliver them some food but the food is running out, and the Red Crescent personnel have been prevented from moving them to a safer place. The women are unable to step out of the hostel due to the presence of snipers on the adjacent buildings. The 12 female students stranded at the women's dormitory in Ramallah - Qasr El Hamra - have run out of food and water supplies. The Red Cross was able to bring them some bread and a few cans of food to last them one day. There is no electricity in the dormitory, and the students cannot leave the building to go pump water manually from the wells as the tanks of the Israeli occupation forces are stationed exactly in front of the dormitory. University officials are trying to get the help of the Red Cross to get them out of the dormitory and transfer them to a safer place. They are being held hostage with only a few loaves of bread to sustain them."

Selwyn Manning - Editor Spectator.co.nz

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