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MID-EAST REALITIES © - www.MiddleEast.Org - Washington - 7/26: Everywhere the settlements continue to expand even as the Israelis constantly twist their words as well as the facts. The Israelis know very well what they are doing and what they want -- they are taking the land and the resources from the indigenous people and then isolating the people in what amount to ghettos and concentration camps calling them "autonomous" areas. Everywhere the means of repression and control continue to expand -- military checkpoints, Jews-only roads, barbed-wire fences, huge trenches cutting off entire villages, computerized pass cards. It is a system of military domination and racist subjugation now considerably more advanced than when the white South Africans attempted to impose Apartheid down the throats of the Black population. Everywhere there is now the constant threat of assassination from tanks, attack helicopters, disguised commandos, missiles, snipers, and trick explosive devices. A wicked regime of home demolitions, sadistic torture, killings and forced submission to brute power is being used against an indigenous population which has now suffered for generations and been severely provoked to valiant forms of resistance and the new sacrifice of suicide bombings. This collection of reports from various sources in just the past few days tells some of the real story:
JERUSALEM, July 26 (Agence France-Presse) - Israeli police and troops arrested 11 Palestinians in separate swoops in the West Bank overnight in line with the government's policy of "intercepting terrorists", army radio said. Two Palestinians belonging to Yasser Arafat's Fatah movement were snatched on a volley-ball field near Qalqiliya in the northernWest Bank by a special border-guard unit. Five others suspected of throwing stones at Israeli cars were arrested by police in the village of Hussan near Hebron, while three more accused of "terrorist activities" were seized by troops at Deir Istia near Nablus. The government's policy to combat the 10-month Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation includes the killing of activists allegedly involved in anti-Israeli attacks as well as large-scale arrests.
JERUSALEM (Associated Press - 26 July) -- Thousands of Palestinians, warning that suicide bombers were ready to strike, marched through the West Bank town of Nablus in a noisy funeral procession Thursday for a senior member of the radical Hamas movement killed by Israeli forces.
Masked Hamas men carried the coffin of Saleh Darwazeh along the crowded streets, while about 20 militants fired guns into the air.
The supporters of Hamas, which has carried out numerous suicide bombings in the current conflict, said many more attackers could be called upon. ''There are hundreds more, there are a million,'' the crowd chanted.
Israeli troops at a hilltop base killed Darwazeh on Wednesday with several ground-to-ground missiles that slammed into his red Volkswagen as he drove through Nablus.
Israel said Darwazeh was involved in several recent attacks that killed eight Israelis and wounded more than 100. Darwazeh was also preparing another large bombing, the army said.
Meanwhile, an Israeli-Palestinian security meeting, mediated by the United States and aimed at easing the current tensions, broke down after only 90 minutes and failed to produce any breakthroughs.
Israeli army spokesman Yarden Vatikay said the security coordination meeting was ''not good'' and was filled with recriminations.
The Palestinians presented the Americans a list of 50 suspected Jewish extremists they want arrested by Israel. But Israel refused to accept it. Israel has given to the Palestinians a list of dozens of Palestinians suspected of involvement in attacks and demands that the Palestinians arrest them.
Palestinian intelligence chief Amin al-Hindi said he did not see the point in continuing the regular talks as long as Israel continues its ''policy of assassinations.''
The Americans organized the meetings in an effort to work out some semblance of calm in the Middle East, where more than 500 Palestinians and 100 Israelis have been killed in 10 months of bloodshed.
The two sides declared a cease-fire last month, but it has proved ineffectual.
The United States and other countries have criticized Israel's policy of attacking suspected Palestinian militants, like the one carried out Wednesday in Nablus.
But Israel insists the strikes are necessary to prevent further Palestinian attacks, saying that the Palestinian Authority has refused to rein in militants. In most cases, Israel says it hit the person targeted. But the Palestinians say bystanders have also been killed.
Late Wednesday, Israeli soldiers destroyed a Palestinian police post across from the Jewish settlement of Morag in Gaza after Palestinians opened fire, wounding a soldier and a settler. About 40 settlers were demonstrating against Palestinian gunfire attacks when the clash erupted.
EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana, meanwhile, said Wednesday the European Union is pushing the Mitchell plan as the best way to try and end Israeli-Palestinian violence.
Based on recommendations made by a fact-finding commission led by former U.S. Senate majority leader George Mitchell, the plan calls for an end to violence, a crackdown on Palestinian militants by the Palestinian Authority and a freeze on building in Jewish settlements in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
''We think we have to get ... the Mitchell report implemented as soon as possible,'' Solana told reporters after talks with Jordanian Foreign Minister Abdul-Illah Khatib in Amman.
''This is our aim and I think it is the aim of a good number of countries.''
[Palestine Media Center - 25 July]: The story of Mustafa Yassin started on Friday afternoon. Mustafa was sitting with Iman, his wife, and Farah, the one and half year old daughter. They were watching the news when they heard a noise on the roof of their one-story house.
Iman said that she asked Mustafa to find out what it was. He opened the window and saw that there was a group of under cover units who had Israeli army soldiers standing behind them. They asked Mustafa to come out of the house. He opened the door and Iman heard a shot. She went out to see what was going on when she saw the under cover units dragging her bleeding husband on the floor.
"I tried to go near him but the soldiers grabbed me and my daughter, and threw us on the floor, but I stood up and ran towards him. Mustafa raised his head and said," they shot me and I'm done". They put him besides an olive tree, I saw him move but then he died."
The Israeli under cover units killed Mustafa in front of his wife and little daughter. Iman continued, after killing him, they entered the house looking for arms but they couldn't find any".
The Israelis claimed that Mustafa was a member of the Islamic movement Hamas and that he was on their wanted list. But his wife denied his being a member of Hamas or any other movement.
Mustafa was a travelling salesman who worked inside the Green Line. A few days before his death while he was at work the Israeli soldiers arrested him for a few hours and checked his I.D., but he wasn't on their wanted list, so they released him.
His brother Ahmad Yassin said, "My brother wasn't involved in any political activity. His only interest was his family and his work to support them. This is a crime against a citizen peacefully sitting with his family inside his home. I don't know what law allows the killing of a man in his house in front of his wife and one and a half year old daughter."
Mustafa is one of many Palestinians killed without any reason. Israel always claim after such killings that the person killed was on their wanted list and that he was an activist in one of the Palestinian movements. Just a few days before this incident on July 17, 2001, Israel assassinated four people in their home claiming that they were on their wanted list. One of them was an active member of the Israeli Palestinian Center for Research and Information (IPCRI) which brings together Israeli and Palestinian teachers in various programs of reconciliation between the two sides which means that he was a man of peace.
The Israeli Occupation Forces have continued their severe violation of the human rights and the International Humanitarian Law.
Yesterday Israeli soldiers shot Rifat Saber an- Najjar, a fifteen-year-old child from Rafa with live ammunition in the heart. It has been mentioned that the boy was buying some agricultural materials from a store 400m far from an Israeli military site, near Salah ad-Din gate; on the borderline that separates Egypt and the Palestinian occupied territories.
On the other hand, Mustafa Yasin, 19 years old, resident of Anin village in Jinin has been assassinated by especial forces that were disguised as chicken sellers. At the beginning, they went to a chicken store belongs to Soliman Saleh whom they claim that he is wanted to the Israeli authority, but they did not find Soliman. Then they moved to Mustafa's house and shot hem in the leg once he opened the door, them they took hem to unknown place.
Yasin was arrested on Sunday, 27/7/2001, due to his illegal work inside the green line, but he was released, as he was not among the wanted people for the Israelis. Witnesses assured that they saw Mustafa walking while being led by those especial forces. This proves that he was assassinated while under arrest.
The Israeli occupation army has also shot the Palestinian fisherman Muhammad Zayid, twenty-eight years old in his left leg yesterday evening.
The Israeli Occupation forces continue to escalate their aggression against the Palestinian territories. In east of Gaza, opposite to the settlement of Nhal Ouz, they broke into some areas at 10.30 am and bulldozed some agricultural lands belonging to: 1. Soliman Saleh Shamali, 22.5 dunams planted with olive trees. 2. Soliman Khalid Helis, 15 dunams planted with olive trees. 3. Rajab az-Zaza, 7.5 dunams planted with olivetrees.
It is worth mentioning that the Israeli Occupation forces continue their comprehensive siege on the Palestinian territories where they have closed Salah ad-Din main road, which connects the southern and northern governates of Gaza.
The Occupation Forces based in the military sites at al-Heker road are acting in a humiliating way against the Palestinians who travel through that road which is the only transport road between the eastern and southern governates of the Gaza Strip.
Moreover, The Israeli forces continue to annoy and out pressure on the Palestinian passengers who travel through Rafah land terminal that connects Gaza with the outside world. The Passengers are some times forced to spend at least 5 days in the open air, at the Egyptian side of the terminal due to the slowing down of travel procedures and the reduction of number of the Palestinian staff working there.
In another escalation, the Israeli Occupation Forces announced early this morning imposing a comprehensive siege on Jericho where no one is allowed to leave the city. Besides, a curfew was imposed on Anin village last night.
On the basis of the above, Al Mezan Center for Human Rights considers the continuation of war crimes against Palestinian civilian by the Israeli Occupation Forces to be extremely dangerous. It warns of the consequences of the continuous drop of the economic situation under the siege and closure as a collective punishment.
Gaza Strip: Israeli Occupation Forces: Wounded Mohammad Sweilah, 10 years, with shrapnel in Rafah. Wounded Mohammad Fayez Al Batnegie, 21 years, and Mohammad Mohammad Zayed, 28 years, with live bullets when the Israeli forces directly shot at them. Wounded Mohammad Hamza Abu A'rnoub, 26 years, with shrapnel when they fired at his home in Khan Younis. Beat Ali Mohammad Al Za'bout, 80 years, whom was later found unconscious on his field near "Netzarim" settlement. Bombed and opened fire at homes in Salah Al Din area in Rafah. Dredged the borderline in Rafah. Israeli settlers: Destroyed agricultural land, uprooted Orange trees, damaged a well and some equipment in Rafah.
Jericho District: Israeli Occupation Forces: Placed a closure on the city of Jericho. Closed the Karama entrance to Jordan, and prevented Palestinians from leaving or entering Palestine.
Ramallah District: Israeli Occupation Forces: Opened fire at residential homes in the town of Betunya, wounding Maram Ismail Selma, 4 years, and her brother Hamza, 2 years. They also opened fire at Al Taweel mountain area, Ein Areek and Surda villages. Arrested Saher Zuheir Ahmad Sabahi, and Mohammad Subhi Abu Qamar at the Surda-Ramallah checkpoint. Israeli Settlers: Murdered Nasser Hassan Ali Abu Al Eish, 32 years, when they hanged him from a tree near Al Bireh. Wounded two people when they stoned the residents of Al Mukheir village.
Nablus District: Israeli Occupation Forces: Attacked Khaled Mohammad Yousef Hamed, 35 years, while he was working on his land. Opened fire at pedestrians, and residential areas, causing damage to homes. Opened fire, threw gas and sound bombs at residential homes in the villages of Kufor Al Deek, Burqein, and Al Zaweyah. Opened fire at the home of Ibrahim Hawasheen, which led to the destruction of his windows, bathrooms, and water tanks in Beit Iba. Arrested eight people when they stormed into the village of Kifel Harith. Tightened its siege on the villages of Beit Furik, and Beit Dajan.
Jenin District: Israeli Occupation Forces: Stormed into the village of Ya'bed, and used tear gas, and sound bombs to scare the residents of the village. Stormed into and searched the home of Mohammad Saleh Sliman in the town of A'neen.
Hebron District: Israeli occupation forces: Arrested residents from the villages surrounding Hebron. Israeli settlers: Placed tents on the land of Zakariya Al Bakri in Tel Al Rumeida with the intent of confiscating it. Stormed into, damaged and robbed the home of Aymen Abu Al Ghilyat. Burned installations in Al Sahleh area, and attacked the Palestinian firefighters when they tried to reach the fire.
Tulkarem District: Israeli Occupation Forces: Erected three military checkpoints at the entrances of Jabara, Al Kafriyat, and Qifeen villages. Deployed military forces into the area surrounding "Beit Hefir" settlement. Dredged land, and uprooted olive, and almond trees in Al Shweika area. Hovered over Tulkarem in 4 military helicopters.
Salfeet District: Israeli Occupation Forces: Opened fire, threw tear gas and sound bombs at residential homes in the villages of Deir Istia, Hares, and Salfeet.
[Source: July 25,2001 - Palestine Media Center]
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| Source: http://www.middleeast.org/articles/2001/7/305.htm |