ISRAELI OPENS FIRE ON INTERNATIONALS

[Surda, Palestine] Brief updates from Kevin Neish in the occupied territories:

Today, the Israeli soldiers shot 8 people in the town of Beit Jala, who were non-violently protesting the re-occupation of the town. They wounded 7 internationals from the International Solidarity Movement (ISM) and one Palestinian journalist who works with the Associated Press agency.

Hello; I just want to be sure you know that my husband, Kevin Neish of Victoria, B.C. is one of the International Peace Observers that participated in this march to Beit Jalla. He has a cell phone with him and can be contacted at 011 - 972 - 56 62 -1977 G.Neish

Hi everyone; I just talked with Kevin - Israel is truly at war as Sharon said in his speech last night. The ISM group that Kevin is with, participated in a march today toward Beit Jala. They were marching along with their arms up in the air, some with international flags, and then I guess when the army took a threatening stance, the leadership ordered a retreat - "back up", still with arms raised - but even with them backing up the army turned their tanks on them - with live ammunition. Kevin said it appeared that they were focusing mostly on Palestinian Press, but damage was not confined to them. One American woman took a shot to the gut and is presently in a hospital, alive but seriously wounded. A British man got injured in the forehead, another in the leg. These were just what occurred within Kevin's awareness. He doesn't know the extent of the damages - except that many were injured. He was not. We know that Israel wants all the eyes of foreigners to leave, be it international observers, peace-keepers, or journalists. I am sure the ISM group will continue to be engaged in serious discussions amongst themselves as the situation escalates, as to what actions they will engage in. Kevin has been two nights in the refugee camp of Aya, somewhere in the outskirts of Bethlehem, and he is back there again tonight, hoping to protect 'the people' from the expected onslaught now that Easter is over.

For more information, call Huwaida at 052-642-709 or Palestinian Center for Rapprochement at 02-277-2018.