[mobglob-discuss] [Fwd: [palsolidarity] The Destruction of Rafah...]

Sun Oct 19 20:07:50 PDT 2003

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: 	[palsolidarity] The Destruction of Rafah...
Date: 	Mon, 20 Oct 2003 04:04:42 +0200
From: 	International Solidarity Movement <Huwaida at palsolidarity.org>
Reply-To: 	Huwaida <huwaida at palsolidarity.org>
Organization: 	International Solidarity Movement
To: 	<palsolidarity at yahoogroups.com>

We apologize for the volume of email today and for the delay in getting 
this report to you.  We know we're not a news site and only try to 
report to you what we see, when we can.  Truely the response of the 
international community to the near complete destruction of Rafah is 
shameful.  Thousands of Palestinian civilians have been terrorized, over 
1200 left homeless, over 100 injured and 16 killed in Rafah over the 
last 6 days. 

In the West Bank Palestinian farmers are told they now need permits to 
be on their land; they try to reason with the Israeli soldiers who 
have near total control of their lives.  This morning at one of the 
gates in Jayyous, soldiers' orders were to only let farmers over the age 
of 28 pass to their land.  One hour later, with no explanation or 
apparent reason, that order changed to only those over the age of 38.  
The farmers that didn't get through to farm their land today will try 
again tomorrow.... even those that are still detained into the night by 
the Israeli military. Some farmers try to sleep in tents and sheds on 
their land to avoid this harassment, though the Israeli military has 
told them that this is illegal....

Yesterday a 17-year old boy mentally disabled boy, Amjad, was taken by 
the Israeli military from his village of Jayyous.  He was released 12 
hours later after being beaten by Israeli soldiers....

==========================================

*THE DESTRUCTION OF RAFAH....*

*More Palestinians are killed as the Al Barazil occupation continues***

Saturday 18^th October, 2003

Mohammed Q.

The Israeli occupation army has been rampaging throughout Rafah for the 
past two weeks, taking advantage of nearly complete American 
acquiescence and international silence.  The ongoing wave of Israeli 
military attacks on Rafah neighbourhoods has thusfar resulted in the 
killing of 16 Palestinians and the injuring of over 100 others. Israeli 
tanks and bulldozers have destroyed entire neighbourhoods, leaving 
hundreds of civilians homeless.

The occupation of the Al Barazil refugee camp in Rafah is now into its 
third day and more deaths have been reported.  In the early hours of 
Saturday morning, the Israeli Army carried out more attacks against 
Palestinian civilians in the Al Barazil refugee camp.  At approximately 
3:00 a. m. Israeli tanks opened random fire everywhere inside the area 
and we could hear a number of huge explosions which we later realized 
were coming from the Israeli side.  Sources at the Al-Najar Hospital in 
Rafah said that this morning, a woman and her son were murdered by the 
Israeli invaders when a tank shell was fired into the family's home.  
Wedad Alagramy, 53, was hit by tank shell shrapnel in the chest and 
shoulder; Her 20 year-old son, Husam, was also killed; Both were inside 
their home. The remaining family members all sustained injuries.   

A leader of the southern Gaza military wing of Hamas was killed today at 
5 a.m.  Tareq Abu Elhessen, 39 years old, was shot in the chest with 
several bullets.  In addition to the three dead, nine other Palestinians 
were injured, three seriously.  Dr. Ali Musa, the director of the 
hospital, described the killing of civilians in Rafah on a daily basis 
by the IOF as an "extra-judicial execution."

ISMers in Rafah managed to phone one of the embargoed people inside Al 
Barazil on Thursday 16th October.  He told us that Israeli soldiers 
announced with loud speakers that the Palestinian civilians in Al 
Barazil had to evacuate their homes, as part of a process which would 
result in the destruction of these homes.  On Friday 17th October 
sources from inside Al Barazil informed ISM Rafah that the Israeli Army 
had demolished two houses, one belonging to Kawthar Abu Elwan and 
containing four families, and the other belonging to Naseer Aljamal and 
containing two families.  They also destroyed Al-Noor Computer Centre, 
belonging to Abdelazeez Ewedah, as well as the ice cream factory and two 
other shops belonging to Lotfi Abu Taha.  The Israeli Army raided the 
three-storey home of Khaleel El-Jamal forcing the family members into a 
single room on the ground floor and taking up sniper positions.  They 
did the same with the four-storey home of Tawfiq Barbakh and the 
three-storey home of Tala Temraz.  That morning two Palestinians died 
after being shot by Israeli soldiers.  Waleed Abdelal, 20 years old, was 
shot in the head and Waleed Abdel Wahab, 36 years old, was shot in the 
neck and chest.

The people of Hay Salaam and Al Barazil have been suffering food 
shortages over the last 48 hours and that the Israeli Army has refused 
all attempts made by authorities in the town to get supplies in.  Locals 
are reporting that the Israeli military has not allowed the Red 
Crescent, along with representatives from the Rafah Municipality and the 
UN, to get food supplies to the civilians inside both of the stricken 
areas and that these teams came under fire from Israeli tanks while 
attempting, though no one was hurt.  The Israeli army is still in Hay 
Salaam, maintaining strict control of the area.  Residents are now 
enduring a fifth day of severe restrictions.  They have been trapped in 
their homes and help is urgently needed. 

The Israeli military blew up a house this afternoon in Hay Salaam.  I 
was about 200 metres away when I heard the enormous blast.  Sometimes, 
on our way to Abu Ahmed's house, we used to follow the road that goes to 
the graveyard and then turn right.  The house was on this road.

In Yibnah today it was even scarier.  A tank positioned by the Towheed 
Mosque opened fire.  The local journalist I was with and his people ran 
into a small street inside the camp.  I was not able to run so fast 
because I was a bit far away, so I hid behind a pile of sand 'till they 
stopped.  We could hear the fired bullets passing overhead.  I am very 
surprised that no-one was hit in the head among the people who were in 
the street, I guess about 15 to 20 people.  Some got down to the 
ground.  I could only see the journalist and his people when they ran.  
They fired about five bullets at once and they stopped for a few 
seconds, then they fired more, about three or five, but for sure it was 
at a bit less than two metres from the ground and it was M-16 bullets 
from a soldier in the tank.

For more information in Rafah:
Mohammed - +972-67-741-662
Laura - +972-67-850-734

For pictures, see: www.palsolidarity.org 
<=%22http://www.palsolidarity.org%22>

For previous reports from Rafah, please see: 
http://www.palsolidarity.org/reports/journals_reports.php?area==Gaza 
<=%22http://www.palsolidarity.org/reports/journals_reports.php?area==Gaza%22> 

*Please help the children of Rafah*:
http://www.palsolidarity.org/pressreleases/PR_18Oct03_07_06_05GazaKinderUSA.htm 
<=%22http://www.palsolidarity.org/pressreleases/PR_18Oct03_07_06_05GazaKinderUSA.htm%22> 

_TAKE ACTION_!!:

Please register your protest!  Our governments are staying silent, but 
let them know that we're not. Here are a few numbers in Israel, the US 
and the UK.  We apologize for not listing all government contact 
information.  We ask you to please look up the appropriate addresses in 
your country.

*For **Israel** *

Israeli Foreign Minister, Silvan Shalom Fax: 011-972-2-5303704 e-mail: 
_sar at mofa.gov.il_

Israeli Defense Minister, Shaul Mofaz Fax: 011-972-3-6916940, or 
011-972-3-6976990 e-mail: _sar at mod.gov.il_

Prime Minister Ariel Sharon fax: 011-972-2-566-4838 or 
011-972-2-651-3955 or 011-972-2-651-2631

Coordinator of Activities in the Occupied Territories (Yusuf
Mishlab)
Phone: +972-3-697-5302
Fax: +972-3-697-6306

Israeli Embassies
_http://www.embassyworld.com/embassy/israel1.htm_ 

Israeli Embassies in the US

Washington DC

3514 International Dr. N.W.

Washington DC 20008

Chargé d'Affaires a.i./Deputy Chief of Mission

Mr. Rafael Barak

Ambassador's Office

Gershon Kedar, Counselor

Tel: (202) 364-5590

Tel: (202) 364-5578

Fax: (202) 364-5560

Defense and Armed Forces Attaché

Tel: (202) 364-5403

Fax: (202) 364-5406

Major-General Moshe Evry Sukenik

Political Section

Tel: (202)364-5581/2

Fax: (202)364-5490

Ron Prossor Counselor for Political Affairs

Benjamin Dagan Minister Counselor for Middle Eastern Affairs

Jacob Dayan First Secretary

Homeland Security

Dr. Yossi Draznin, Minister Counselor

Tel: (202) 364-5608

Fax: (202) 364-5491

E-mail: _mod at israelemb.org_ 

/*Permanent Mission of Israel to the United Nations in New York */

_http://www.israel-un.org/_ 

Consulate General of Israel in New York, United States of America

URL: http://www.undp.org/missions/israel/

800 Second Avenue,

New York, NY 10017 (15th floor)

Tel: (212) 499-5510

Fax: (212) 499-5515/6

*For the **United States***

US Congress Representatives, call the Congressional Switchboard at (202) 
224-3121 or 1-800-648-3516.

Also call the State Department and demand action.

STATE DEPARTMENT 1-202-647-5150

President George W. Bush, Fax 202-456-2461, e-mail 
president at whitehouse.gov <=%22mailto:president at whitehouse.gov%22> .

*For **UK*

Please call THE FOREIGN OFFICE 020 7008 1500, Also please contact your 
MP and Prime Minister.

*For **Canada*:

Minister of Foreign Affairs Bill Graham, House of Commons, Ottawa ON K1A 
0A6; Fax 613-996-3443 _Graham.B at parl.gc.ca_

*In **England***

Rt. Hon Jack Straw MP,
The Foreign Secretary,
FCO,
King Charles Street,
London SW1A 2AH

Phone: +44 20 7270 2059 Fax: +44 20 7839 2417

INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY MOVEMENT
www.palsolidarity.org <=%22http://www.palsolidarity.org%22>

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