As I’ve been reporting in this blog, Israel has been killing a lot of Palestinian civilians in addition to its assassinations of Rantisi and Yassin in Gaza. The reports come in fast and furious, and they sometimes keep running totals, and can thus get confusing. Yesterday (April 23) there was a report of three shootings in Qalqilya bringing the total killed to 20 in the previous 48 hours. I will include the text of that report below.
Another killing in Biddu, of a protestor against the wall, was reported on April 21 (see below).
And another child, shot dead in Jenin by Israeli special forces (see below).
I’d apologize for being repetitive, but it’s not me — it’s just the same brutal policy being played out over and over…
Take a look at a nice photojournal by an International Solidarity Movement activist.
The original reports.
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Army Kills 20 Palestinians in Two Days
IMEMC & Agencies, April 23, 2004
Israeli Special army unit killed Thursday overnight 3 Palestinians and wounded one in the West Bank city of Qalqilyah, raising the number of Palestinians killed in army operations in the West Bank and the Gaza Strip in the past 48 hours to 20.
According to army source, soldiers, who arrived to the city center, spotted the four men near a car. Soldiers opened fire after the four refused orders to stop and attempted to flee the place.
As a result Abdul-Rahman Nazal, an operative of Fatah’s military wing, Mohamed Nazal and Mahmoud Odeh, Fatah political activists, were killed and Atef Shaban, the leader of Al-Aqsa Martyrs brigades in the city, was seriously wounded and moved to the hospital in a critical condition. In a similar incident early on Thursday, soldiers killed three, claimed to be armed, Fatah activists in the West Bank city of Tul Karm.
Also on Thursday, troops pulled out of northern parts of the Gaza Strip after a three days invasion in which 17 Palestinians were killed, including 3 children, and more than 40 were wounded to various degrees.
Two of the children killed Thursday in Beit Lahia, North of Gaza city were identified to be, Muna Abu Tabak, 9, and Asma’ Jalaik, 4. Army source claimed that the operation in Beit Lahia aimed at preventing resistance operatives from firing Qassam rockets at nearby Israeli settlements.
As of the return of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon from his Washington visit, army escalated its operation inside Palestinian areas considerably.Palestinians believe that Sharon was encouraged to escalate military actions as a result of the support he received from the American Administration.
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INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY MOVEMENT
Wed April 21, 2004
Another Palestinian shot in Biddu
Eyewitness report
ISM Biddu
21 Apr 04
[Biddu, NW Jerusalem] Five citizens of the West Bank village of Biddu have been killed by the Israeli military over the last month and a half during protests against the Apartheid Wall that the government of Israel is building on their farmland. Despite the use of excessive and lethal force against protesters, the people of Biddu remain committed to resisting the Wall through non-violent protests.
Today 30 residents of Biddu, 10 internationals and 10 Israelis marched to the land for the first time since 23 year old Diya’ Abu Eid was killed as he stood in an olive grove three days ago by an Israeli sniper. Carrying signs saying, “5 Dead: Stop the Killing Now” “Stop Killing Innocents”, and “The World is Watching”, the protesters stopped on a hill overlooking the the construction site, about 400 meters from the bulldozers and Israeli Soldiers and Border Police.
The Israeli military responded by posting snipers, and readying mounted police and jeeps, but they remained 400 meters from the protesters for two hours. Eventually, ten Palestinian youths left the protesters and moved to with 100 meters of the Israeli military. They began throwing rocks that didn’t reach the soldiers. Though the rockthrowing posed no threat to the soldiers, two Palestinian protest organizers went down to talk with the youths and move them back to the larger group. As the organizers were talking with the youths, suddenly, four Israeli soldiers sprinted down the hill towards the young men. As the remaining protesters watched events unfold from the hill 300 meters away, the youths ran from the soldiers. One of the four soldiers then fired a single shot at the youths, striking 23 year old Rabia’ Al Khudour in the back. The bullet travelled through his back and exited his stomach.
The Doctor who treated Rabia’ at the scene confirmed from the entry and exit wounds that he was shot with a live bullet. Before using live ammunition, the Israeli Soldiers and Border Police used none of the standard crowd control techniques – teargas, rubber bullets or even warning shots.
Rabia’ was transported to Mokassed Hospital in Jerusalem where he underwent surgery and fortunately is now in stable condition. His ambulance was followed to the hospital by an Israeli military jeep. His family fears that in addition to being shot, Rabia’ will now be arrested.
The Israeli soldiers and Border Police were never endangered by rock throwing. They gave no warning before opening fire with live ammunition on Rabia and the other youths. The people of Biddu continue to wonder why the Israeli military remains so intent on killing unarmed protesters, and the foreigners and Israelis present were shocked that the soldiers moved immediately to potentially lethal force on an otherwise quiet day.
For more information, please contact:
Shora: +972.67.254.910
ISM Media Office: +972.66.505.237
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INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY MOVEMENT
Sat April 24, 2004
For Immediate Release
ISRAELI SPECIAL FORCES ASSASSINATED TWO AND SHOT DEAD YOUNG BOY
IN JENIN
[Jenin] In the Southwest neighborhood of Jenin, near the Municipality, Israeli special forces assassinated Kamal Toubasi and Said Hardan as they were driving their car. A third casualty, 13 year-old Mohamed Azzouka was killed during the invasion as he was near the scene. ISM contact Ali Sammoudi eye witnessed the Israeli special forces open fire on the Palestinian boy. Ali was also wounded in the face with a live bullet that entered his left nostril and exited through his right cheek.
The special forces were reinforced by 2 Apache helicopters overhead 6 tanks and approximately 20 jeeps. The operation started at noon and the Israeli military pulled out after two hours.
The four Palestinians were transferred to Jenin Governmental Hospital where three of them died. The injury sustained by Ali Sammoudi does not endanger his life.
Reuters and Ramattan Studios have video footages and AFP have photos from the military invasion.
This assassination operation takes place in a context of escalating violence from the Israeli military. Only 2 days ago, in a similar operation in Qalqilia, Israeli troops killed 3 Palestinians. A man was shot near Ramallah, three were killed in Tulkarem and another Palestinian was shot near Hebron in recent days. Also 2 Palestinians where killed during non-violent anti-wall demos in the Jerusalem/Ramallah area.
For more information, please contact:
Ali Sammoudi: +972.59.305.241
Jenin Governmental Hospital: +972.4.250.1057
Huwaida: +972.67.473.308
ISM Media Office: +972.66.505.237
