[Deir
Istiya- Kifel Hares] -American and British activists
today were joined by a group of Israelis to continue dismantling
Israeli military roadblocks around Palestine villages in the Salfit
area.
Yesterday
internationals worked in the rain to remove roadblocks closing
the villages of Hares and Yasouf in the Occupied West Bank.
Every
village in the West Bank and Gaza has effectively been under siege
for over 14 months,since
the beginning of Intifada II. The Salfit region has been under
total closure for approximately six months creating a severe humanitarian
crisis, with no vehicles being able to enter or exit including
ambulances.
Over
70 foreign civilians worked with Palestinian villagers, using
their hands and other hand tools to remove the mounds of sludge,
rock and cement that the Israeli Army uses to close off the villages.
The group successfully removed roadblocks in both Deir Istiya
and Hares, but not without encounters with Israeli settlers in
the area who stopped to shout profanities at the group. Two British
women were physically attacked by two male settlers who pushed
the women down and proceeded to kick and shout at them.
After
the group left the area for the day, Israeli soldiers began to
harass pal villagers who were attempting to drive through the
openings in the roadblocks. In each of the two villages soldiers
confiscated the keys of Palestinian drivers as they were driving
through the roadblocks, using their vehicles to recreate the obstruction.
The internationals
are staying in pal villages in the area despite the Israeli Army's
order to evacuate.
Tomorrow,
Saturday, December 22, 2001 the group will be traveling to Nablus,
which was reinvaded last night by tanks and where three Palestinians
were killed. For more information contact Huwaida at 052-642-709.
Digital photos available upon request.
The International Solidarity Movement (ISM) is comprised of
local Palestinian and foreign civilians working to raise awareness
of the Palestinian plight for freedom and an end to Israeli military
occupation. We call on Israel to immediately implement UN Resolutions
and abide by international law. We urge the United Nations and
our respective governments to take decisive action to ensure Israel's
compliance therewith.
