International Solidarity Movement
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Human shields' protect Beit Jalla Residents

Published in Ha'aretz Daily

by Amos Harel
August 03, 2001

Thirty human rights activists from Israel, Europe and America have moved in with Palestinian families in Beit Jala to act as "human shields" against heavy IDF firing into the village across the wadi from Gilo.

The IDF says it is trying to find out exactly where the activists are staying for fear that wounding or killing any of them would create an international incident. The group, calling itself "the International Solidarity Movement," says its mission is to prevent harm to innocent Palestinians in the village when the IDF retaliates with artillery and missiles for rifle fire from Palestinian snipers.

Several Palestinians and a German doctor have been killed and dozens have been wounded by IDF fire at Beit Jala in response to sniper fire at Gilo.

At least two of the 30 are Israeli women and the group says more activists are due to arrive soon. Neta Golan, who has been living in the village for the past few weeks, told Ha'aretz yesterday the activists are staying with Palestinian families in homes that have already been shelled.

"I'm living with a family in which a five-year-old boy lost a hand from Israeli fire a few weeks ago. On Wednesday night, shells hit the building." Another activist left a house with the family moments before a missile struck it.

Golan says the activists "are not deluded into believing" that they can prevent shooting, "but we hope to draw international attention. It's clear it would be more upsetting to the IDF to hit one of us than some innocent Palestinians."

Golan says she has spotted Palestinians firing from Beit Jala toward Gilo. The IDF says it has spotted three women from the group in a house snipers have used as a base in the past. Golan concedes the women were in the house, but not while there was any firing from it.

"We aren't here to provide cover for Palestinian snipers," she says, "but for the civilians who are hit by Israeli fire." She says most Palestinian shooting is ineffectual and called the IDF responses "exaggerated."

She said nobody from the IDF has contacted her to find out where she or the group is staying. IDF sources say the army is aware of the existence of the group in Beit Jala and is trying to avoid hitting any of them. They say that attempts to reach an arrangement with Palestinian officers to prevent fire from Beit Jala failed this week following the helicopter attack on the Hamas offices in Nablus. The sources say the Palestinian officers are "afraid" to confront the gunmen in Beit Jala.