International Human Shields to Step In
The Palestinian Centre for Rapprochement Between People 28/8 2001
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International civilians are stepping in as human shields and will put themselves in between Israeli tanks and the Palestinian civilian areas that the tanks are aiming at. Additionally these internationals will be spending the next nights in Beit Jala until the occupation forces leave the city and cease their shelling and shooting of Palestinian civilians
Last night the Israeli military again used heavy war artillery to terrorize Palestinian civilians as helicopters hovered over Beit Jala, Bethlehem and Beit Sahour and military tanks fired at civilian neighborhoods in these towns. Israeli soldiers rolled their tanks into Beit Jala last night, occupying civilian homes and Israeli soldiers and tanks have occupied the Aida Refugee camp.
The International Solidarity Movement continues to call on the United Nations and the international community to provide Palestinians with protection from the brutal aggression of the Israeli occupation forces. We call on our respective governments to take immediate action to force Israel to comply with international and human rights laws.
For more information or if you would like to join us, please call: Heidi: 00 972(0)52-290-173 Neta: 00 972(0)52-481-261 PCR 00 972 2 2772018
Press release attached
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INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY MOVEMENT Tuesday, August 28, 2001 For Immediate Release
Israeli Occupation Forces Extend Control Over Beit Jala & Beit Sahour International Human Shields to Step In
International Human Shields based in Palestinian territories and serving to protect Palestinian civilians from the brutal Israeli Occupation Forces simply by their presence in targeted areas of Israeli aggression are taking action this afternoon in Beit Jala to work to remove soldiers from the homes of Palestinian civilians. Additionally these Human Shields will spend the next nights in Beit Jala until the occupation forces leave the city, and cease their ongoing shelling and shooting of Palestinian civilians.
Israeli Occupation Forces stormed into Beit Jala and Beit Sahour with tanks, soldiers and Apache helicopters under the cover of darkness and reoccupied areas of the town and houses of innocent civilians. This, combined with the political assassination of Abu Ali Mustapha yesterday represents a significant escalation of the conflict by the Israeli government, and another move towards Prime Minister Sharon’s endgame in which all Palestinian lands are occupied and Palestinians are forced to leave their homes or face the wrath of the Israeli military – one of the most sophisticated and deadly armed forces in the world.
And what are the Palestinians to do? If they do nothing, they face ethnic cleansing, condemned by the world in places like Kosovo, Bosnia and Rwanda, but accepted with silence in Palestine. If they resist with nonviolent means through demonstrations and protests, they face the wrath and force of the Israeli army, border police, and special security forces that use rubber bullets, sound grenades and live ammunition. If they use force – as glorified by Western countries with respect to their own histories in fighting occupation, resistance to despots and liberation – with their limited weapons and complete tactical and military disadvantage, then they are condemned for being “true to themselves” as if they only know violence, and face advanced military technologies, such as Apache helicopters, F-15 and F-16 fighter jets and the most advanced tanks in the world.
The so-called “conflict” here is actually a war – prosecuted by arguably the most capable military machines and militarized societies in the world (Israel), against an occupied civilian population that has been condemned throughout the world as aggressors, when in fact it is the victim of repeated and ongoing brutality, force and occupation for over thirty years.
The International Human Shields, through their own efforts and in putting themselves at grave personal risk, will bring these self-evident truths to light through their efforts in stopping the aggression of the Israeli Occupation Forces. No country, no government has the right to terrorize a civilian population, and it is the responsibility of all good men and women to stand up and say, “NO!” to these illegal and immoral actions by the Israeli government.
For more information, please contact Heidi: 00 972(0) 52-290-173 or Neta: 00 972(0) 52-481-261
George N. Rishmawi Projects’ Coordinator The Palestinian Centre for Rapprochement Between People Star Street No. 64 P.O.Box 24 Beit Sahour – Palestine www.rapprochement.org Telefax: +972-2-2772018