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Occupation forces intensify closures on the Ramallah-Birzeit Road June 13, 2001Hundreds of Birzeit University students and staff stranded with no means of returning to their homes as a result of the Israeli occupation forces closing off the Ramallah-Birzeit Road to pedestrian crossing.  An arbitrary decision today by the Israeli occupation forces prohibited pedestrians from crossing the checkpoint on the Ramallah-Birzeit Road. Commuters attempting to cross on foot, were shot at by the Israeli forces using rubber-coated steel bullets, sound bombs and tear-gas canisters and were forced to traverse the rocky valley, randomly being shot at by the occupation forces. Unable to walk through the valley, a woman carrying her two-year old child attempted to cross the checkpoint on foot to reach her house, but was shot in the leg by the Israeli forces. Today's intensification of the closure is yet another example of the Israeli occupation forces' continuous violation of international human rights conventions and declarations. Now in its second week, the closure has had its toll on the people. With the abrupt decisions by the Israeli occupation forces to randomly prohibit pedestrians and/or cars to pass, and by harassing commuters, both students and staff are reaching the University exhausted, depressed, humiliated and frustrated, incapable of proceeding with their daily activities and carrying out their various responsibilities including their work and study load. Education is a basic human right called for in both the Fourth Geneva Conventions and the United Nations Human Rights Declarations. Nevertheless, our students continue to be denied this basic human right and forced to withstand violence, harassment and humiliation to reach their University.
We at Birzeit University request your support in lifting the siege on Birzeit and the surrounding villages. Please continue to write your letters of protest to the following people to place pressure on them to remove the checkpoint and stop Israeli aggression against Palestinian civilians:
Birzeit University |