CHAPTER TWENTY NINE - Part 4 of 7

ISRAELI WAR CRIMES AND CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY COMMITTED AGAINST PALESTINIANS DURING THE INTIFADA DECEMBER 1987-APRIL 1990

 

KNESSET MEMBER ADMITS THREE PALESTINIAN DEATHS WERE MURDERS

On February 26, "Israeli Knesset member Didi Zucker sent to Yitzhak Rabin, Israeli defense minister and the military prosecutor General Amnon Sitirshuof, details of three cases that he believes caused deaths to Palestinians after they were beaten severely when the Israeli army dispersed demonstrators. Zucker called for an investigation into these cases: The first case is related to Iyyad Aqel, 17 years old, from Al Bureij camp in Gaza Strip. According to four affidavits, while dispersing the demonstration in the Bureij camp on February 7, Israeli soldiers burst into the house of Aqel and began beating Iyyad and Khaled Aqel. After that they detained both youths and transferred them in a military vehicle to a field in the northern part of the camp. There they beat them repeatedly until they lost their ability to walk. After that citizens of the camp took them to the hospital where Iyyad died after a few hours.

"The second case related to a 68 year old Palestinian who was beaten severely in his house on February 12. Two witnesses testified that they saw blood gushing from his mouth, which indicates the possibility of internal bleeding.

"The third case related to Khader Terzi who was admitted to a tent in Ansar II camp when he was unconscious, with 26 more detainees. He was wounded in the neck and was unable to talk. The Israeli authorities refused the request of his comrades to transfer him to a hospital. Testimony indicates that this youth never received any treatment after he was beaten, because if he had received medical care it could have saved his life." (127)

ISRAELI SOLDIERS LEARN THEY ARE COMMITTING WAR CRIMES IN THE OCCUPIED TERRITORIES

'A group of Israelis, including military reservists, published an 8 page booklet which they distributed to soldiers in the highways and bus stations calling on them to disobey illegal orders for beating or torturing Palestinians. The group, calling itself 'There is a Limit,' (Editor's note: http://www.yeshgvul.org/index_e.asp) based its warning to Israeli servicemen on the legal opinion of lawyers and on the Fourth Geneva Convention. The booklet advised Israeli soldiers: 'If you are given an order which appears to be illegal, such as beating people in order to punish them, or an order to torture a prisoner, then you should be aware that military law stipulates that you should not obey such an order." (128)

The last week of February, 1988, was "the most violent week to date since the beginning of the Intifada on December 9, 1987. Thirteen Palestinians were killed by Israeli army bullets during clashes and demonstrations all across the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Using the pretext of dispersing demonstrations, Israeli soldiers and Jewish settlers viciously attacked demonstrators in the village of Aboud, northwest of Ramallah, killing two Palestinian cousins, Ahmad Al Barghouti and Raied Al Barghouti. Eleven other Palestinians fell as martyrs to Israeli bullets during that week." (129)

"Israeli terrorism was also directed at infants and children. A three month old infant, Jihad Abu Jabal, and a two year old child, Nidal Abu Jabal, were treated for tear gas suffocation.

ISRAELI POLICY OF KIDNAPPING PALESTINIANS

"In Al Shujaieh on February 29 Jewish settlers kidnapped a ten year old child, Ahmed Subeihi. In a village near Bethlehem Israeli soldiers kidnapped three youths, Mousa Hamideh, age 18, Khalaf Al Homir, age 19, and Mohamad Hamideh, age 19, and fractured their limbs during severe beatings.

"In the Beit Hanina neighborhood of Jerusalem Jewish settlers kidnapped 14 year old Samer Ghassan Ayoub and beat him mercilessly ."

Meanwhile, on February 29, "General Amiram Mitsna ordered the closing of areas that he considered troublemaking. All media had been prohibited from entering Nablus, Tulkarem, and Jenin by Israeli army order." (130)

EXTENT OF INTIFADA ADMITTED

"Israeli defense minister Yitshak Rabin admitted that the Israeli army cannot be deployed heavily in 500 Arab villages at the same time.

"Former chief of staff Rafael Eitan said that 'these rascal Arabs are controlling us.!'

"Israeli soldiers told the newspaper Haaretz that the beating of two Palestinians by four Israeli soldiers seen on television world wide would not be considered violent or barbaric if compared with what routinely goes on in the occupied territories.

"A leader of Kach thugs who attacked and beat up citizens in Al Ram and Beit Hanina villages near Jerusalem complained to Davar that what his thugs did was not enough. Shmuel Ben Yeshai said, 'It was too little!"' (131)

SETTLERS ATTEMPT TO BURN PALESTINIANS ALIVE

"News report from the occupied territories revealed that six Palestinian workers were subjected on February 12 to an attempt to burn them alive by a group of Jewish settlers. The workers escaped death but four out of the six received several burning wounds as a result of the fire. These reports indicate that the incident happened in "Kadima," a Jewish settlement near Kfar Saba, west of Qalqilya, when the six workers were sleeping in a shack near the Jewish settlement. Testimony by 23 year old Fateh Saleh Atatrah, from the village of Yabad, who was one of those workers subjected to burning, said that on February 11 a group of Jewish settlers came by to question him about where he was sleeping and the number of workers who lived with him.

"He added that at midnight on February 12, while the six workers were asleep in their shack, the Jewish settlers sneaked into the area, and sprayed the shack with gasoline. After they closed the door with a lock from the outside, they set it on fire aiming at killing all six Palestinians.

"The workers succeeded in breaking the door down with axes while their clothes caught on fire. They received several burn wounds, and some of them were taken to Meir Hospital in Kfar Saba for treatment. Fateh Atatra, 19 years old, and Asaad Abdul Karim Dhaher, 19 years old, remained in the hospital for three days, after which they were taken to Al Ittihad hospital in Nablus.

"Two other workers, Adnan Abdul Karim Dhaher, 30 years old, from Yabed, and Hosam Samih, 19 years old, from Tulkarem camp, sustained injuries." (132)

"Other crimes by Jewish settlers took place in Hebron on March 1, where settlers attacked several Palestinian houses and beat up their occupants. Settlers also attempted to kidnap two infants from the village of Heja near Nablus, but were chased away by the villagers.

IRON PIPES USED BY ISRAELIS FOR BEATING

"On March 1, Israeli soldiers used iron pipes as well as clubs to beat up two 21 year old Palestinians, Monther Ahmad Ziad and Moamar Ahmad Ziad, from the village of Madama near Nablus." (133)

BRITISH LABOR LEADER CALLS OCCUPATION FASCIST

"Ken Cameron, Secretary of the Firemen's Union in England, who is on a visit to the occupied territories, said that the way the Israelis treat these demonstrations is a Fascist system. He said, 'I was astonished when I visited the hospitals and met the wounded, and at the use of dum dum bullets' (which is the kind of bullet which pierces the body and is universally prohibited from being used even in battles between warring armies). (134)

JUSTICE IN ISRAELI COURTS

"An Israeli Court Judge in Jerusalem released the Jewish settlers who killed two Palestinians in Aboud village after he discussed the case for a total of only four minutes." (135)

CHEMICAL WEAPONS USED BY ISRAELI ARMY

"It has been confirmed by medical testimony in the occupied territories that Israel is using special unknown weapons against the Palestinians under occupation.

"Medical sources told the Palestine Press Service in Jerusalem that two men and a woman from Halhul, located in the southern part of the West Bank, were brought to 'Al Makased' and 'Augusta Victoria' hospitals in Jerusalem. The three Palestinians were suffering from strange symptoms after they inhaled gas from bombs which were thrown at them by Israeli soldiers that day.

"The sources added that medical tests revealed that the three suffered convulsions in all limbs, stoppage for seconds in their breathing: displayed uncontrolled movements, and closure of their urinary systems. The three were in a semicoma which lasted 24 hours.

"The sources added that comparing these cases with other cases where people were subjected to suffocation from tear gas, the current case indicates different symptoms. The patients needed double sedatives of medicine in order to control their abnormal movements, and they quiver all over their bodies. Also they were in a condition of interrupted loss of consciousness.

"According to testimonies which were obtained by medical sources from the three patients after they recovered, the Israeli army used tear gas different from the customary gas which was used before. These bombs contain several chemical components. When they are detonated, these chemicals emit heavy smoke and a red flame.

"Medical sources added that these chemical components caused the excitement of the nervous system and the brains of the three patients, and also caused a temporary damage to the respiratory system in the brain, and choking in the throat and the air channels in the head. The sources noticed that among the residue from these substances is the change in the normal color of the blood to a light color, something which indicates the direct impact of these chemicals on the blood. The three cases required intensive care for three consecutive days. Doctors could not determine if these chemical would have any future side effects on these patients. At the same time medical sources said that the Israeli army has resorted lately to anew kind of bullet. These bullets are equipped with high frequency, and after they hit they leave deeper holes and wounds in the body.

"The sources added that these new bullets are more dangerous than the normal types." (136)

Meanwhile "normal" Israeli atrocities continued as the Intifada entered its fourth month. On March 1, "Jewish settlers kidnapped a youth, Ayman Yousef from Beit Ummar, who was taken to the Kiryat Arba Jewish settlement. A 14 year old girl, Samia Alwan, from the Al Zaiton Quarter in Gaza city, was shot in her head, face and chest by Israeli soldiers. In Rafah, in the Gaza Strip, Israeli soldiers burst into a girls secondary school. They shot Eiman Abu Libdeh, a 16 year old girl, in the face with rubber bullets. Israeli soldiers broke into Al Shifa Hospital in the Gaza Strip and beat up doctors and nurses and destroyed the equipment in the surgery department. Israeli soldiers continued to refuse to allow food supplies to enter the town of Qabatia, near Jenin. In Hebron the Palestinian flag continued to fly defiantly." (137)

ISRAELI PROFESSOR DESCRIBES ISRAELI PRACTICES AS NAZI

On March 2, the "Israeli weekly magazine Koteref Rushit printed an article by Professor Yeshahiahu Leibowitz answering opinions of Professor Kalman Zeidmenhoff, a former Israeli Supreme Court Judge. Professor Leibowitz wrote:

'The former Supreme Court Judge allowed the use of bodily coercion in a moderate way. Therefore, we can deduct that we should have differentiated between the Nazis and moderate Nazis. The first send kids and youth to gas chambers, the moderate Nazis bury them alive. Isn't Israel a fascist country'?'" (138)

On March 3, "Scores of Palestinians were injured from beatings and bullets throughout the occupied territories. Demonstrations took place throughout the occupied territories where Palestinians defended their right to national dignity with their bare hands and with rocks against Israeli rifles and tear gas. It was revealed that in the previous week daring Palestinians had even hoisted two Palestinian flags near Tedhar Jewish settlement in the Negev." (139)

NEW CLUBS INTRODUCED BY ISRAELI ARMY

"According to Al Hamishmar newspaper, on March 3 the Israeli army in the occupied territories is replacing its wooden clubs and sticks with clubs made out of solid fiberglass material, coated with black plastic. The length of the new clubs is sixty centimeters." (140)

POISONOUS GAS USED ON GIRLS' SCHOOL IN GAZA STRIP

"On March 3 Israeli troops discharged poisonous gas in the Girls' School in Rafah in the Gaza Strip. More than 300 girls suffered from suffocation after inhaling the substance. One girl, ten year old Khitam Sabri Arram, choked to death from the poisonous gas." (141)

PALESTINIAN ARABS INSIDE ISRAEL LIGHT FIRES OF FREEDOM

On March 4 "Military sources in Israel voiced worries about the visible solidarity between Arabs inside Israel and those of the West Bank and Gaza. Palestinian Arabs inside Israel apparently ignited fires on March 3 which destroyed an Israeli chicken farm and an Israeli flower farm. Another fire destroyed an electricity generator in Nahusha Jewish settlement. In Nazareth two molotov cocktails were thrown at an Israeli bus in the central bus station." (142)

ISRAELI SOLDIER REFUSES TO SERVE IN THE OCCUPIED TERRITORIES

"Hadashot newspaper reported on March 4th that veteran Israeli soldier Yehuda Radei, who refused to serve in the occupied territories, was sentenced to 25 days in jail. Radei had written a special message to his colleagues who served with him in the Israeli army:

"For 20 years I served in the ranks of the Israeli army without any objection. But I can no longer be a part of this army because of what they commit in the name of democracy and law." (143)

The type of "democratic and lawful" actions of which Radei complained were exemplified on the same day when Israeli army units broke into several houses in Bruqin village near ~ulkkem. Israeli soldiers destroyed the furniture in these houses. Israeli army helicopters dropped more than 150 tear gas canisters on the village during the raid. They bravely shot Saleh Al Maghari, age 12, in the leg. (144)

MORE ISRAELI ARMY BRUTALITY

On March 7 "It was reported that the Israeli army had killed six more Palestinians and wounded more than 107 over the weekend just ended. Among the victims was 4 month old infant Hanaa Bakri, who suffocated from poisonous gas; Wasaf Hassan Awad, age 25, who was three months pregnant and was shot by an Israeli bullet in the stomach, and Sara Mohamad Ali, age 35, who received an Israeli bullet in the head." (145)

INTERFERENCE WITH PALESTINIAN EDUCATION

"On March 7 Israeli soldiers prohibited students, teachers and employees from entering the University of Bethlehem. Israeli troops also burst into the Science and Technology College in Abu Deis, expelling the employees, and declared the college as a so-called closed military area," (146)

INTERFERENCE WITH PALESTINIAN AMBULANCES

"On March 7 the Municipality of Bethlehem presented a complaint to the Israeli occupation authorities after Israeli soldiers prevented ambulances from arriving at the areas where injured needed to be taken to hospitals." (147)

ECONOMIC COST TO ISRAEL OF INTIFADA

'Haaretz newspaper reported on March 7 that an Israeli company affiliated with the Histadrut Federation of Labor said that the Uprising will cost Israeli factories at least 200 million dollars." (148)

ARABS INSIDE ISRAEL EXPRESS DEFIANCE

"Al Ittihad, published inside Israel, on March 7 printed a defiant message stating that 'the statements made by the security sources that the army will be given the mission of imposing control on the Arabs in Israel when they express their solidarity with their Palestinian people do not terrorize us. Our Arab people will continue to do its duty. The action of those Israeli leaders who are terrorists by profession will only isolate them." (149)

THREE PALESTINIAN INFANTS MURDERED

On March 8 "The death toll of Palestinians included three infants murdered by the Israeli occupiers. Yousef Hassouneh, a 3 month old infant, died in Deir Al Balah camp. Shirin Mohamad Alyan, a 4 month old infant, died in Jabalia camp, and a seven day old infant died in Al Fawar camp near Hebron. All died as the result of suffocation from Israeli tear gas.

"In Nablus three girls were wounded by Israeli rubber bullets. Sumaya Shameh, age 18, was shot in the back. Abeer Miaari, age 16, was shot in the neck. Ekhlas Yousaf, age 17, was shot in the head. In Hebron two young girls were wounded by Israeli rubber bullets. Abeer Al Oweiwi, age 19, and Zuhdieh Al Oweiwi, age 21, were both shot in the back.

"Jewish settlers kidnapped four Palestinian youths from the village of Waran, near Nablus. Israeli soldiers kidnapped two youths from Jabalia camp in the Gaza Strip. The Israeli army totally demolished two houses in a village near Ramallah. Israeli soldiers and Jewish settlers broke into many houses in Al Yamon village and attacked their occupants. Israeli helicopters dropped more than 200 tear gas canisters on demonstrators in the village of Bruqin near Tulkarem.

"Courageous' Israeli soldiers brutally kicked with their boots a 40 year old woman in Bethlehem, but although she was seriously injured, Fadwa Saleh Abu Ladan remained defiant.

"Jewish settlers killed Kahader Hamideh, age 35, a resident of Mazraah Al Sharqieh, northeast of Ramallah. The settlers came from Shilo settlement." (150)

THREE MORE PALESTINIANS KILLED

"On the next day, March 9, the Israelis killed three more Palestinians. This time Israeli morality showed improvement. The dead were not infants, but unarmed young Palestinian men, Jamil Hijazi, age 19, from Tenniseya near Ramallah, Mohamed Faris, age 22, from Silwad northeast of Ramallah, and Bassam Al Badarin, age 25, from Al Samoa village near Hebron. All were killed by live Israeli bullets.

"In Silwad the Israeli army prevented the entrance of ambulances to evacuate the wounded, including Mohamad Othman Faris, who suffered from a bullet in the back and subsequent internal bleeding and Mohamad Abdul Aziz Harned who was shot in the mouth with an Israeli rubber bullet.

NEW INFERNAL MACHINE USED BY ISRAELI ARMY

"On March 7 the Israeli army introduced a new infernal rock-throwing machine which threw volleys of rocks the size of golf balls at demonstrators in the Balata camp near Nablus. Five residents of the camp were injured. The machine can discharge rocks in all directions at a range of 25 meters.

"At Askar camp near Nablus a 3 year old infant, Maha Abu Rizik, was injured in the head by an Israeli rubber bullet, and a 28 year old woman, Samiyeh Nasr, suffered several fractured bones after being severely beaten by brave Israeli soldiers.

"In Balata camp Raied Abed Fattouh, age 16, was shot in the mouth by an Israeli rubber bullet which destroyed his jaws.

"In Al Ein camp near Nablus a 13 year old girl, Abeer Yousef Shihadeh, sustained fractured bones in her hand after she was beaten by Israeli soldiers using clubs.

"In Edna village near Hebron Israeli soldiers broke into several houses, destroying their contents and spoiling all food substances. Nine villagers were injured in beatings perpetrated by the Israeli soldiers. In Kufur Hares near Nablus a gang of Jewish settlers, accompanied by Israeli soldiers, broke into several houses and beat up their occupants.

"Another example of many incidents taking place all over the occupied territory at the same time was the abortion of a 27 year old Palestinian woman in her fifth month of pregnancy after she inhaled Israeli tear gas in Qalqilya." (151)

1,000 ISRAELI ARMY OFFICERS APPEAL TO SHAMIR TO JOIN PEACE PROCESS

Such behavior on a daily basis as recounted above, which are only examples of Israeli brutality in the occupied areas, completely destroyed the Zionist myth of the alleged "purity of Israeli arms." Even many hardened military veterans of the Israeli army began to lose stomach for the sustained atrocities on a daily basis which the Israeli army was perpetrating. "On March 9, 1,000 Israeli army officers of various ranks signed a petition directed to Prime Minister Yitshak Shamir asking him to respond positively to the peace process. They wrote that preferring 'Greater Israel' over a good relationship between Israel and its neighbors creates a grave concern with them." (152)

SWEDISH FOREIGN MINISTER CONDEMNS ISRAEL

On March 9, Swedish Foreign Minister Stephen Anderson, who was visiting the occupied territories said that his country "condemns Israeli violence against the Palestinian people and called for the establishment of an independent Palestinian state on its own soil." (153)

FOUR YEAR OLD CHILD BEATEN WITH CLUBS

Appeals from the Swedish Foreign Minister, and even from 1,000 Israeli army officers, fell on deaf ears at the top of the Zionist establishment.

On March 14, "forty residents of Al Bureij camp in the Gaza Strip were wounded by rubber bullets or were severely beaten with Israeli clubs. One of the victims, Mohamad Al Othmani, a four year old child, was severely injured while being beaten by brave Israeli soldiers using clubs." (154)

SOLDIERS HANG PALESTINIAN FROM TREE AND TORTURE HIM

"In Nablus a gang of Israeli soldiers on March 14 attacked Omar Afaneh, age 24, with clubs and sticks. Israeli soldiers dragged him to a tree from which they hung him after tying his legs with electric wire. They then pelted him with rocks and beat him with clubs and gun butts.

"In Al Amari camp near Ramallah three girls were wounded by Israeli army bullets: Inshirah Al Touchi, age 16, received a bullet in the head and several rubber bullets in her chest. Sahar Al Marbou, age 20, was shot with rubber bullets in her face and chest; and Fadwa Shuheit, age 17, suffered from suffocation from poisonous gas.

"In Balata camp Abdallah Abu Hanieh, age 55, was attacked by Israeli soldiers who broke into his house for the second time. He was beaten with clubs and hospitalized for the second time since he had been first beaten by Israeli soldiers in February.

YOUTH LOSES EYE FROM BRUTAL BEATING

"Majid Al Rajoub, age 17, from Dora near Hebron, lost one eye as a result of beating by Israeli soldiers. "In Jenin camp a ten year old child, Omar Mohamad, was severely injured after being beaten by Israel soldiers using clubs. His offence was having raised a Palestinian flag." (155)

ECONOMIC WARFARE AGAINST THE INTIFADA

On March 14, "Israeli forces prevented Jericho farmers from sending their agricultural products to Jericho market. The Israeli army also prevented bakeries and pharmacies from opening their doors and did not allow fuel trucks to enter the city." (156)

SETTLERS ATTACK NUBA VILLAGE

"In Nuba village, 20 kilometers from Ramallah, Jewish settlers from Mebohoron settlement disconnected the electricity of the village, uprooted 20 olive trees and distributed threatening leaflets.

"However, in Halhul a gang of Jewish settlers attempting to attack the town were repelled by residents who pelted them with with rocks." (157)

TWO GIRLS AND INFANT SHOT BY SOLDIERS

"On March 15, among numerous Palestinians reported wounded, were two girls from Qalqilya, Maha Mohamad Ibrahim, aged 18, and Eimam Hussein Jabara, age 20, who were both shot in the head by Israeli bullets. In Al Amari camp near Ramallah a 3 year old infant was shot with rubber bullets by Jewish settlers who were firing in the air and shouting 'Kill the Arabs! '" (158)

ISRAELIS CUT OFF FUEL SUPPLIES TO GAZA

"Israeli occupation authorities on March 14 began enforcing new economic measures against Palestinians living under the occupation. These illegal collective punishments included preventing any commercial vehicles carrying fuel oil to cities in the Gaza Strip." (159)

ANOTHER PALESTINIAN TIED TO A TREE AND TORTURED

"On March 15 five Israeli soldiers tied Ismael Abu Assaad, age 18, from Edna, to a tree and beat him severely with their clubs and gun butts. (160)

PREGNANT WOMAN SHOT WITH LIVE BULLETS

' a n March 15 in Jabalia camp Awatef Al Hou, in the fourth month of pregnancy, was shot by Israeli soldiers and wounded. Dozens of other Palestinians were wounded throughout the occupied territories." (161)

PALESTINIAN CHOKES TO DEATH FROM POISONOUS GAS

'On March 16, Israeli soldiers also murdered three Palestinians in the West Bank. Israel cut off all telephone communications between the occupied territories and the United States." (162)

"Among the many injured in the Gaza Strip on March 17 was a 12 year old girl, Majdieh Abou Ibeid, who was slashed in her face by Israeli soldiers.

"In Tulkarem camp Ahmad Attiyeh, age four, was injured in the head by Israeli soldiers when they broke into his father's house.

"In the village of Showeikh near Tulkarem seven members of the family of Adel Rashid Ghanam were injured by poisonous gas after Israeli soldiers dropped gas canisters into their homes.

"In Hebron Israeli soldiers tossed poisonous gas canisters at the entrance of the Beit Ummar village mosque injuring 20 Palestinians. One who was in serious condition was a 45 year old woman, Tammam Mohamed Khalil.

"In the villages of Freideis Zaatara and Beit Toamar, Israeli soldiers and Jewish settlers destroyed drinking water pipes with bulldozers, resulting in the shutting off of water in the villages.

"In Jabalia Israeli soldiers burst into the secondary school and viciously attacked the students. Nawal Zamlat, age 5, was wounded in the head and Khadigeh Qanzaa, age 7, was shot in the face with rubber bullets.

"On the night of March 16- 17 Israeli soldiers arrested 183 Palestinians." (163)

PALESTINIAN SHOT IN THE HEART

"On March 17 Sobhi Abou Sharar, age 25, a resident of Khan Yunis in the Gaza Strip died from a bullet in the heart, causing instant death, when Israeli soldiers cold-bloodedly opened fire on residents of the city.

"On March 17, Israeli military authorities removed 200 Palestinian prisoners from Gaza to an unknown destination. They had been held in Athlit prison, which is occupied by about one thousand detainees." (164)

"The number of Palestinian prisoners from the Intifada has risen so dramatically that Israel was forced to convert three schools in Jenin into detention centers.

'Al Ahli hospital in Gaza admitted 12 more residents who had been subjected to poisonous tear gas or were beaten by clubs wielded by Israeli soldiers. Among them were Karima Al Shawa, age 14, Jihad Abu Alka, and Hamadi Jaber, a 4 year old child.

RAMPAGE OF DESTRUCTION BY SOLDIERS IN NABLUS

"On March 18, Israeli soldiers went on a rampage in Nablus. They attacked stores, throwing their merchandise into the street. They demolished the front door of a pharmacy and destroyed all medicine and medical supplies in the pharmacy. The Israeli army continued to prevent the arrival of vegetables and other food into the city. (165)

FIVE MORE PALESTINIANS KILLED

"In the next three days five more Palestinians were killed, among them 70 year old Hussein Faris Kamil from Qabatia after he inhaled poisonous gas used by the Israeli army in his t0wn." (166)

ANOTHER PALESTINIAN DIES OF POISONOUS GAS

"On March 23, Mostafa Faroukh, age 60, of Al Shati camp in the Gaza Strip died of poisonous gas inhalation effects. Israeli soldiers had thrown tear gas canisters into his home the previous week.

RABIN GIVES SETTLERS A LICENSE TO KILL

"It was disclosed that on March 22 the Israeli Ministry of Defense had given a green light to Jewish settlers to fire on those who throw Molotov cocktails." (167)

This green light amounted to giving a licence to fanatic settlers to kill Palestinians at will. All they needed to justify killing was to claim that they saw their victim with what appeared to be a molotov cocktail - even if it was only a coca cola bottle from which the Palestinian was drinking.

"General Amiram Mitsna of the Central Region Command and General Yitshak Mordechai of the Southern Region Command signed orders empowering any military officer to arrest and detain any suspect of security violations for a period of six months. The number of Palestinian prisoners in the Intifada reached 4,000 by March 23.

"Gad Yaacobi, Israel's Minister of Communications received a protest on March 23 from the Israeli League for Human Rights concerning his disconnecting of all telephone communications in the occupied territories." (168)

YOUNG CHILDREN WOUNDED BY RUBBER BULLETS

On March 23 "Many Palestinians were mutilated by rubber bullets fired by Israeli soldiers. They included Mohamad Ghanam, age 8, Ettaf Al Farouj, age 15, and Adia Al Farouj, age 15, of Saier. At Al Rimal school in Gaza Israeli rubber bullets wounded Saada Al Quds, age 13, Wadad Al Mohtaseb, age 14, and Randa Al Terzi, age 13."

THE WAR AGAINST PALESTINIAN OLIVE TREES

In an escalation of their economic war against Palestinians, "Jewish settlers attacked Beit Awwa olive orchards on the night of March 22-23, uprooting 320 trees with bulldozers. 'In Abu Deis village, east of Jerusalem, on the same night Israeli soldiers demolished all fences adjacent to the main street and uprooted olive trees.

"In Showeikeh village near Tulkarem, on March 23 Israeli soldiers demolished the main drinking water pipes providing water to the village, and uprooted trees." (169)

INTIFADA HURTS ISRAELI ECONOMY

In an admission published in Tel Aviv on March 22, "Minister of Economics, Gad Yaacobi, said that the Palestinian uprising until now had cost the Israeli economy half a billion Israeli shekels." (170)

ELEVEN MORE PALESTINIANS KILLED

The death toll in the Intifada continued to rise. Among the young Palestinians whose "lives were snuffed out by Israeli soldiers was Hussein Kamel Odeh, age 19, of Salfit, who received a bullet wound in the heart when Israeli soldiers cold-bloodedly fired point blank into demonstrators on March 28. While he was dying Israeli soldiers beat him as his blood poured from his body." (171)

RABIN ONCE AGAIN THREATENS PALESTINIANS

'Speaking to regional activists of the Israeli Labour Party in Ramat-Can, Israeli defense minister Yitzhak Rabin threatened the Arabs and said, 'You should remember that we did not exhaust all means at our disposal.' Rabin's threats came on the eve of the declaration of new regulations. Rabin added that, 'There will be more regulations which aim at checking the licenses and identity cards of the Arabs, Arab workers will not come into Israel and the bridges will remain open only for foreigners and diplomats.' Rabin also said that 'communication and media representatives will find extreme difficulties entering these territories' and that 'the objective of closing the territories is to isolate it from the Israeli Arabs.'" (172)

HELICOPTER RAID OF NUR SHAMS CAMP

"In Nur Shams camp clashes erupted between Israeli soldiers and Palestinians after Israelis burst into the camp by landing from helicopters. Israeli soldiers fired live bullets and were assisted by Jewish settlers. They also discharged tear gas canisters which caused six cases of choking with poisonous gas. Israeli soldiers burst into several houses and destroyed furniture and beat up the occupants and vandalized their cars. (173)

PALESTINE PRESS SERVICE OFFICE CLOSED

On March 30, "Israeli authorities ordered the closing of the Palestine Press Service office in East Jerusalem. The closure went into effect until September 30, 1988. The order was issued by General Amiram Mitsna, the commander of the central district in the Israeli army. General Mitsna issued the order based on emergency laws of 1945, which were implemented during the British Mandate on Palestine.

"The military order stipulates the closure of the Palestine Press Service and all doors which lead to it as long as the order is in effect. It also charges any violator of the order with violating the defense orders of emergency regulations which call for actual prison sentences.

"The Palestine Press Service which was ordered closed by Israeli authorities today is considered the only local news service in occupied Jerusalem. Since 1978 it has been a constant provider of news to western media vehicles and world television networks, mainly by full coverage of daily events in the occupied territories.

"The Palestine Press Service which was established by Palestinian writer and journalist Raymonda Hawa Tawil, scored a real success and gained credibility in making it a strong and reliable news source for foreign media in Israel". (174)

SETTLERS KIDNAP 12 YEAR OLD BOY

"According tonews accounts Jewish settlers kidnapped 12 year old Amjad Al Najaja from Nahalin village near Bethlehem, while he was returning to his house. They took him to Daniel Jewish settlement near his village.

Also on April 4, the health condition of 19 year old Yusra Abu Khafer, from Jabalia camp was deteriorating after she lost one of her eyes when she was beaten severely by Israeli soldiers." (175)

SIX PALESTINIANS KILLED ON APRIL 2; FIVE MORE KILLED ON APRIL 3

"On April 2 the Israeli army killed six Palestinians: Jamil Al Kurdi, 55 years old, from Gaza; Ahmad Khamis Al Kurdi, 4 years old, from Gaza; Alaa Ahmad Al Kurdi, 21 years old, from Gaza; Salim Al Shaier, 19 years old, from Bethlehem; Jihad Mostafa Assi, 23 years old, from Beit Lahia near Ramallah; and Khamis Mahmoud Ahmad, 41 years old, from Deir Al Sudan near Ramallah. (176)

"Five more Palestinians were killed on April 3: Maamon Abdul Rahim Jarrad, 17 years old, from Tulkarem, who was hit with a bullet in the heart; Ali Diaf Abu Ali, 10 years old, from Yatta village near Hebron, who died of wounds he received during Land Day, March 31; Nasser Abdallah Ikmeil, 20 days old, who died from suffocation caused by poisonous gas which he inhaled three days before. The infant was from Qabatia. Kahlail Jaber Hamzai, 18 years old, from New Askar camp, who was electrocuted when forced by Israeli soldiers to remove some posters which were pasted on an electricity pole. The fifth martyr is from Howarah, near Nablus: Falastin Ali Al Mirawi, 4 months old, from Rafah, choked to death when she inhaled poisonous gas the previous Monday. Another three month old infant who died of gas inhalation is the son of Mrs. Suad Al Hassan from Jenin. When she was arrested ten days ago, her infant was left with no proper attention, resulting in his death. (177)

HARASSMENT OF PRESS CONTINUES

In Jerusalem "Israeli police and border guards raided on April 4, the offices of Ai Fajr English language newspaper in the early morning. They conducted a wide-range search and interrogated all workers and employees of the paper. This is the third time that Israeli authorities have resorted to such arbitrary and agitating actions against the newspaper."178 Press clampdowns were totally ineffective as a measure to prevent news of Zionist atrocities from leaking out, and dissension mounted among the Zionists themselves.

ANSAR III CONCENTRATION CAMP DETAINEES APPEAL TO THE WORLD

'Palestinian detainees and prisoners in Ansar III camp in the Negev appealed urgently to international organizations, human rights advocates and the Red Cross and asked that these groups and organizations pay them a visit in order to check first hand their living conditions, which are deteriorating increasingly." (179)

OFFICERS APPEAL FOR "PEACE FOR LAND" SOLUTION

"In Tel Aviv the Israeli Peace Now movement appealed on April 3 through a petition signed by 1600 persons, among them reserve officers, who advocated a 'Peace for Land' solution, and expressed their opposition to 'Greater Eretz Yisrael' policy. Among the signatories were 2 Brigadier Generals, 24 Lieutenant Colonels, 85 Colonels, 140 Majors, and more than 500 lower-ranking officers, in addition to 20 pilots, including three pilots who had been prisoners in Egyptian and Syrian hands.'' (180)

SOLDIERS BURY ANOTHER PALESTINIAN YOUTH ALIVE

"According to news reports, on April 2 Israeli soldiers buried alive with rocks a Palestinian youth from Al Bireh, after he was wounded. The news pointed out that the youth remained buried for one hour until citizens hurried to remove him from under the rocks and transferred him to a hospital." (181)

ONE MORE MISCARRIAGE FROM BEATING

On April 4 "Fatmeh Abu Asbeh from Halhul had a miscarriage after she was beaten severely by Israeli soldiers. Reports pointed out that 75 Palestinians from Al Seilch Al Harthieh near Jenin and 130 Palestinians from Al Yamoun were arrested during the last few days. 1 1 youths from Jabalia camp in Gaza were detained." (182)

ISRAELI OFFICER EXECUTES PALESTINIANS IN COLD BLOOD

"Eyewitnesses from Al Yamoun village near Jeninrelayed the story of the murder of 24 year old Hussein Shahin who was killed on March 30. Witnesses said that they saw with their own eyes how a group of Israeli soldiers cordoned the youth when he raised his arms. Then Israeli soldiers arrested him. An Israeli officer ordered him to sit on the ground and fired at the youth's head. He died instantly." (183)

"Eyewitnesses also relayed the story about the murder of 50 year old Wajeeha Rabie from Deir Abou Mishael village near Ramallah, and the wounding of her 85 year old husband and her 22 year old Mousa and 28 year old Aissa on March 30. The sons said that the Israeli army ordered the mother and father and their two sons to stand up facing the wall and fired on them, resulting in the murder of the mother after she was hit with a bullet in the chest and the wounding of the rest of her family ." (184)

SETTLERS FIRE INDISCRIMINATELY

On April 5, "26 year old Saleh Abdul Rahman Al Lidawi from Al Mazraah Al Qabalieh sustained serious injuries after he was hit with a bullet in his stomach when Jewish settlers attacked the village and opened fire in all directions at villagers who were planting their fields." (185)

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