Update on the Situation in Occupied Palestine, 23 July 2003 by Hear Palestine 1:15pm Thu Jul 24 '03 *Nablus: Israeli Soldiers Hold Dozens of Residents **Tulkarem: An Escalation of Israeli Provocative Measures **Israeli Soldiers Raid Shu'fat Refugee Camp Again **Jenin: Residents Randomly Arrested **Ramallah: Israeli Army Closes Atara Military Roadblock **Qalqilya: Israeli Soldiers Raid Homes print article ***************** HEAR PALESTINE ***************** Wednesday, 23 July 2003 NEWS **Nablus: Israeli Soldiers Hold Dozens of Residents **Tulkarem: An Escalation of Israeli Provocative Measures **Israeli Soldiers Raid Shu'fat Refugee Camp Again **Jenin: Residents Randomly Arrested **Ramallah: Israeli Army Closes Atara Military Roadblock **Qalqilya: Israeli Soldiers Raid Homes ************************************************************************ NEW ***** *Nablus: Israeli Soldiers Hold Dozens of Residents* The Israeli army held, since this morning held dozens of residents heading from Asira al-Shamaliya, Zata and Ajinsya towards Nablus and prevented them from movement, while practicing provocative measures against them. ************************************ *Tulkarem: An Escalation of Israeli Provocative Measures* The Israeli army forced dozens of residents to sleep overnight in public cars in front of a garbage dump after closing al-Kafriyat military roadblock preventing people from reaching their homes. Those in cars were prevented from crossing or returning since noon yesterday. Efforts by the coordination office, International Red Cross and human rights organizations did not help. Those who were held overnight reported that anyone who tried to approach the soldiers to convince them of letting them pass was severely beaten. The Israeli army continues to impose a tight military curfew on the town of Far'on and Irtah suburb, south of Tulkarem, since yesterday. Heavy military presence is reported in the surroundings of these areas and around the dividing wall in Wadi al-Tin. Attack helicopters hovered over the area today. Israeli armored machineries dug the road at Far'on junction at the entrances of Izbat al-Jarad and al-Sarafa quarters as well as Irtah suburb road, destroying it intentionally in order to prevent people from crossing in their cars. Major military reinforcements were carried out in the surroundings of Tulkarem. The Israeli army also closed Beit Lid-Anabta-Tulkarem sand road and spread its army patrols throughout its eastern fields. Residents were prevented from reaching Tulkarem. Israeli armored jeeps wondered through al-Ras, Kufer Sour and Kour where Israeli soldiers intentionally provoke the residents. This afternoon, Israeli soldiers fired tear gas bombs at homes in the city of Tulkarem. ************************************ *Israeli Soldiers Raid Shu'fat Refugee Camp Again* Israeli occupation soldiers supported by hundreds of policemen invaded at dawn today Shu'fat refugee camp and carried out house-to-house searches. Over 4000 residents were held under tight military measures. Anyone with a West Bank identity card was arrested. The residents said that the Israeli occupation authorities are escalating provocative and oppressive measures against them for the sake of settlement expansion projects in the area. ************************************ *Jenin: Residents Randomly Arrested* The Israeli army, at dawn today, arrested a number of residents from Kufer Ra'i, southwest Jenin. One resident was arrested from Jenin city during Israeli military raids and searches. Early in the morning the Israeli army withdrew from the center of the city to the outskirts to re-impose a tight military siege. ************************************ *Ramallah: Israeli Army Closes Atara Military Roadblock* The Israeli army closed Atara Bridge, north of Ramallah. The residents of Bani Zeid and Salfit were subjected to oppressive measures by the Israeli army. Since early morning, Israeli soldiers occupied home roofs in Atara Village. Israeli soldiers at Nabi Saleh Village main road, where a metal gate was set up, the only exit for the villages of Bani Zeid, the northwestern areas of Ramallah and al-Bireh, held the residents for hours under oppressive measures for no apparent reason. ************************************ *Qalqilya: Israeli Soldiers Raid Homes* The Israeli army raided homes in Qalqilya city today and arrested at least 2 residents. add your comments Source file

Sources please by jf 10:09pm Fri Jul 25 '03 print comment Do you verify your information or do you take The Palestinian's word for it? Palestinian claims are sowewhat subject to doubt. Bogus stories of poisoning wells, multiple rapes, imaginary massacres of thousands should prevent automaatic aceptance of the the latest atrocity story. For the latest example the following was recently reported in an Israeli left wing news paper that apparently also made the mistake of beliving an unverified story: "A Palestinian who claimed that he was held and beaten for 30 hours at an Israel Defense Forces checkpoint now admits that it was actually the Palestinian security services who held him and beat him. For four days, over and over, Afif Barghouti, 31, told family, friends and journalists of how Israeli soldiers had held him at the Qalandiyah checkpoint for some 30 hours, blindfolded and with his hands tied, and beat him. They did not even let him go to the bathroom, he said. He also told the story to an attorney friend, who hurried him to the hospital in Ramallah for a check-up. That was on Sunday, July 20, shortly after the soldiers had allegedly released him. The Palestinian press ran prominent photos of his bruised and battered back, accompanied by his story. According to these reports, he had tried to pass through the checkpoint on his way to a plastering job in A-Ram. His identity card also contained his membership card in Fatah, and that, combined with the name Barghouti, was enough to make the soldiers decide to hold him and abuse him, he said. (Another Barghouti, Marwan, is a senior Fatah official currently on trial in Israel for alleged involvement in the murder of dozens of Israelis.) There was certainly no doubt that Barghouti had been beaten. His back was red from the blows, his head bore a round burn mark where a lighted cigarette had been stubbed out on his skin. His hands were swollen, and he had trouble moving both his hands and his head. Haaretz English Edition published his story yesterday ("Anyone who walked by, kicked,") along with the IDF Spokeswoman's response, in which the army said that it was looking into the allegations. Afif Barghouti has now admitted to his lawyer friend that he had made the whole story up. " Perhaps truth does not matter, It's the point that counts. add your comments

rephrase that a bit by John Veldhuis 10:41am Mon Jul 28 '03 print comment Zionists claims are sowewhat subject to doubt. Bogus stories of anti-semitism, terrorism, and the necessity of the transfer of thousands of Palestinians should prevent automatic acceptance of the latest atrocity story. add your comments

john by goldberg 10:58pm Mon Jul 28 '03 print comment ..what is it? are you done with your medal and sword polishing.and back to your computer,need your hate fix? i am sure you can get some wwtwo newsreels to qvell over. add your comments

pals: if you cannot beat them then join them> by hmm. 11:19pm Mon Jul 28 '03 print comment The palestinian authority is immitating its occupier. The occupiers often publish photos of their brethren being torn to shreds on public streets in order to vilify the opponent and generate international sympathy. In most cases these Crimes Against Humanity are instigated by the occupiers who benefit most from the loss of their peoples lives by exploiting it later for economical and political gains. (an additional ten billion dollars in sweetheart packages and seizing additional land with immunity) They always find Palestinians to be their scapegoats and place the blame on them without ever as much as sharing the blame... add your comments