Tuesday, 30 July 2002

ISRAELI ARMY BLINDFOLDS AND DETAINS CHILDREN [Ramallah] This afternoon Israeli soldiers outside Al-Amaari refugee camp detained three boys aged between 10 and 13. The boys were handcuffed and blindfolded and taken into a house already occupied by the IDF.

Internationals, including US citizens, are on the scene with the boys^ mothers, but their pleas for information on the children^s welfare have as yet been denied. No reason has been given for the boys' detention.

Video footage of the incident is available from Adam Shapiro on the phone numbers below.

Adam and Huwaida: +972(0)52-642-709 or
+972(0)67-473-308
ISM office: +972-(0)2-626-4844

Palestinians Killed:
Madeline Nasasra (9 months), Nablus

Israeli Terrorism:
Infant Dies in Ambulance after Israeli Delay, Nablus
Armed Israeli Settlers Unleashed in Occupied West Bank
Ongoing Military Escalations in Gaza Strip
Tightened Israeli Military Measures Amidst Curfew throughout Occupied West Bank

Palestinian Resistance:
Two Settlers Killed in Ambush near Nablus
Palestinian Individual Sneaks into Nablus Settlement, Wounds Two Settlers
Suicide Operation in Jerusalem leaves Five Wounded

******************************************************************
Hear Palestine will only be released on an intermittent basis during the month of August.
******************************************************************

Israeli Terrorism
Infant Dies in Ambulance after Israeli Delay, Nablus
A 9-month old baby died this morning at Beit Forik military roadblock, east of Nablus, when Israeli soldiers prevented the ambulance from crossing out of the village to a hospital. Months old Madeline Nasasra was accompanied by her father at the time.

Israeli soldiers held the ambulance at the military roadblock for several hours despite the intense heat and the infant's deteriorating condition. Medical sources reported that the cause of the baby's death was directly related to the delay.

Armed Israeli Settlers Unleashed in Occupied West Bank
Only armed Israeli settlers (and soldiers) can wonder around the streets of Palestinian towns and villages in occupied West Bank. The original residents are all placed under curfew. Meantime, Israeli settlers waged several attacks against Palestinian civilians and property in a number of West Bank towns under direct Israeli military occupation.

Hebron
A group of armed settlers invaded the Ministry of Religion in the Old City of Hebron and vandalized the building. The armed settlers prevented the employees from reaching the building as well as held and abused a number of them.

Nablus
Israeli settlers from `Yitshar' settlement established illegally in the village of Borin, south of Nablus, this morning set fire to hundreds of dunums (1dunum=1000m2) of land cultivated with olive trees. The land belongs to the residents of Hawara and Borin villages. 

Witnesses reported that olive fields east of Borin are on fire, while the village's only Fire Brigade and the residents attempt to put it out using limited means.

Settlers reportedly continue to open fire in the area and occupation military forces prevent Nablus Municipality fire brigades from reaching the location of the fires.

Ongoing Military Escalations in Gaza Strip
The Israeli army at dawn today shelled residential areas north of Gaza City. Israeli tanks based in `Dogit' settlement fired missiles and heavy machine gun fire towards homes surrounding the American School for no apparent reason.

This morning the Israeli army also invaded the Beit Hanoun area, north of the Gaza Strip. Several tanks and a bulldozer headed towards the al-Azaba residential towers in Beit Hanoun while opening fire randomly in its direction. The same towers were also targeted repeatedly during the past few weeks from settlements in the north of Gaza. Beit Hanoun residential area was also subjected to with heavy machine gun fire attack last night Israeli tanks also fired 3 missiles during the unprovoked attack.

The Israeli army established a new military location near `Netser Hazani' settlement, west north Khan Younis. Witnesses reported that Israeli military forces placed an observation tower in the area surrounded by cement blocks and enforced with heavy weapons. The residents expressed great worry concerning the new military location, especially that they are subjected to Israeli military attacks from the settlement and its surroundings on a nightly basis.

Tightened Israeli Military Measures Amidst Curfew throughout Occupied West Bank

Nablus
The Israeli army at noon today besieged Jama'in village, southwest Nablus, and imposed a curfew on the residents, following a Palestinian operation carried out near the village earlier in the day (See full story below).

A major Israeli military presence was reported in areas surrounding the village and Israeli soldiers open fire intensively in the air to warn the residents against leaving their homes. All roads leading to the village have also been closed.

Jenin
The Israeli army carried out wide-scale arrests in Jenin today amidst a curfew and tight military siege.

A number of homes and farms in towns and villages, namely Ya'bid and Kufer al-Ra'i, in Jenin were confiscated today and transferred into military bases. Israeli tanks in the process destroyed trees and agricultural land in the area.

Hebron
The Israeli army arrested dozens of Palestinian civilians from Yatta, al-Samou' and Beni N'im villages today. The Israeli army invaded the mentioned villages and imposed a curfew on the residents amidst a tightened military closure.

Qalqilya
Israeli soldiers arrested at least one civilian at dawn today from Qalqilya city during brutal home raids in al-Qar'an residential quarter.

On another front, the Israeli army tightened the imposed military siege on the city and carried out military reinforcements at the entrances, main junctions and within surrounding villages.

Salfeet
The Israeli army carried out wide-scale searching activities in the area between Jama'in village and the north of Salfeet. A curfew is imposed on the residents of the area, while Israeli occupation soldiers spread and search.

Palestinian Resistance:

Two Settlers Killed in Ambush near Nablus
Two Israeli settlers were killed this morning (10:00 am) in an ambush set up by Palestinian resistance fighters near Jama'in village, Nablus, north of occupied West Bank, which is placed under complete military curfew.

Fateh military faction (Kataeb Shuhada al-Aqsa) claimed responsibility for the attack, which comes in response to the Israeli government continuous crimes committed against the Palestinian people.

Palestinian Individual Sneaks into Nablus Settlement, Wounds Two Settlers
A Palestinian armed with a knife sneaked into `Itmar' settlement at dawn today and wounded two settlers (a woman and her husband). The man is reportedly moderately wounded and the woman slightly. The Palestinian youth was shot dead by Israeli soldiers.

Suicide Operation in Jerusalem leaves Five Wounded
A Palestinian youngster, Muhsin Ata, 17 years old, from Bethlehem carried out a suicide attack on al-Anbia Street, center of Jerusalem, today wounding at least 5 Israelis, most of then slightly.

Fateh military faction, (Kataeb Shuhada al-Aqsa) claimed responsibility for the attack. It is expected that the explosion went off by mistake ahead of time.