Israeli Army Rounds-up 85 in Beit Ummar by By KR Kamphoefner 8:35pm Tue May 28 '02 Soldiers broke the arm of Tahreer Shauket al-Alami, 27, his father reported. He also said many men were beaten as they were taken into custody, while soldiers also allegedly broke the windows of some houses they entered. A mentally handicapped man, Ahmed, was beaten during the soldiers' round up. The doors of a house belonging to two brothers were shot up. Soldiers broke out the glass doors of the refrigerator in the Palestine Grocery store belonging to Khadir el-Mohsen el-Alami, age 62. print article Beginning about ten o'clock Sunday night, the Israeli army went door-to-door in Beit Ummar, ordering Palestinian men to report to the checkpoint. Beit Ummar residents said a gas explosion had occurred earlier on Road 60, but they didn't know whether a Palestinian or an Israeli had caused it. The men were ordered to dress, put on their shoes, and bring their jackets, Sofian Abu-Ayyesh an aviation engineer, said. Eight-five men, ranging in age from 16 to 70, were reportedly detained all night. "They told us, we will release you, if you tell us who set the explosion," said Ayman Abu-Ayyesh, an architectural engineer. "We said, 'we don't know who did it. We were all in our bed asleep." Soldiers broke the arm of Tahreer Shauket al-Alami, 27, his father reported. He also said many men were beaten as they were taken into custody, while soldiers also allegedly broke the windows of some houses they entered. A mentally handicapped man, Ahmed, was beaten during the soldiers' round up. The doors of a house belonging to two brothers were shot up. Soldiers broke out the glass doors of the refrigerator in the Palestine Grocery store belonging to Khadir el-Mohsen el-Alami, age 62. When the women of the village approached to see the condition of their husbands and fathers, the army tear-gassed them. The men were required to sit on stony ground overnight, without food or water. For three or four hours in a row, the men were required to sit with their knees folded under, hands on their necks, bending forward. They were ordered not to move or talk. When someone talked, he was kicked, according to Abu Ayyesh. The Abu Ayyesh brothers said the army finally offered water in the morning, but in a very humiliating way. They brought in the water tank, but no glasses, removed the top, and ordered the 85 men to drink. When they refused, one solider fired his gun just two centimeters away from one man's head, Sofian Abu Ayyesh, said. The Mayor of Beit Ummar, Rashid Awwad went Monday morning with some of his staff to negotiate the release of the village men. He was not permitted to sit, but rather was made to stand for three hours in the sun. He was also struck with a gun butt and kicked in the leg. He said, "What they are doing is terrorism." Awwad represents the 13,000 residents of the Beit Ummar area. Ayman Abu-Ayyesh felt the worst thing about the experience was the soldiers' insults. He said, "They spoke to us like we were insects." He said only two of the soldiers were polite, but the others "dealt with us in a very ugly way," said Ayman Abu Ayyesh. "I think that is not the way to deal with human beings. We are not animals. They were very awful, very nasty. There aren't enough words to express how disrespectful they werethey were not dealing with us in a civilized way." "Peace comes from minds and hearts," said Sofian Abu Ayyesh, "but they think peace comes from a gun." add your comments