1) American Woman Peace Activist Killed by Israeli Army
by Ibrahim Barzak
Associated Press
March 16, 2003

GAZA CITY, Gaza Strip - An American woman in Gaza to protest against Israeli operations was killed Sunday when she was run over by an Israeli bulldozer, witnesses and hospital officials said.

Witnesses said Rachel Corrie, 23, from Olympia, Washington, was trying to stop the bulldozer from tearing down a building in the Rafah refugee camp, witnesses said, when she was run over. She was taken to Najar hospital in Rafah, where she died, said Dr. Ali Moussa, a hospital administrator.

Greg Schnabel, 28, from Chicago, said the protesters were in the house of Dr. Samir Masri. "Rachel was alone in front of the house as we were trying to get them to stop," he said. "She waved for bulldozer to stop and waved. She fell down and the bulldozer kept going. We yelled 'stop, stop', and the bulldozer didn't stop at all. It had completely run over her and then it reversed and ran back over her," he said.

The Israeli military and the U.S. State Department had no immediate comment. Groups of international protesters have gathered in several locations in the West Bank and Gaza during two years of Palestinian violence, setting themselves up as "human shields" to try to stop Israeli operations there.

Corrie was the first member of the groups, called "International Solidarity Movement," to be killed in the conflict. Several have been arrested in previous clashes with Israeli forces, and Israeli authorities have deported some members.

Schnabel said there were eight protesters at the site, four from the United States and four from Great Britain. "We stay with families whose house is to be demolished," he told the Associated Press by telephone from Rafah after the incident. Witnesses said she was wearing a brightly-colored jacket when she was run over.

Schnabel said Corrie was a student at Evergreen College and was to graduate this year.
The International Solidarity Movement is backed by Palestinian groups. Mansour Abed Allah, 29, a Palestinian human rights worker in Rafah, witnessed the incident. He said the killing should be a message to the U.S. President George W. Bush, who is "providing Israel with tanks and bulldozers, and now they killed one of his own people."

Israel sends tanks and bulldozers into the area almost every day, destroying buildings near the Gaza-Egypt border. The Israelis say Palestinian gunmen use the buildings as cover, and arms-smuggling tunnels dug under the border terminate in the buildings.
According to interim peace accords, Israel controls the border area. There are almost daily clashes between Palestinian gunmen and Israeli soldiers in the area.

2) Slain Protester Active in Peace Movement
By PAUL QUEARY
.c The Associated Press

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) - The American protester who was crushed by an Israeli bulldozer as she tried to protect a Palestinian home had long been active in the peace movement at home and in the Middle East.

Rachel Corrie, 23, a student at The Evergreen State College in Olympia, died Sunday while trying to stop the bulldozer from tearing down a Palestinian physician's home. She fell in front of the machine, which ran over her and then backed up, witnesses said.

In an e-mail earlier this month, Corrie described a Feb. 14 confrontation with another Israeli bulldozer in which she referred to herself and other activists as ``internationals.''

``The internationals stood in the path of the bulldozer and were physically pushed with the shovel backwards, taking shelter in a house,'' Corrie wrote in the e-mail, distributed in a March 3 news release by the International Solidarity Movement.

``The bulldozer then proceeded on its course, demolishing one side of the house with the internationals inside,'' she wrote.

The International Solidarity Movement is a Palestinian-led group that uses nonviolent methods to challenge Israeli occupation in Gaza, including standing in front of the bulldozers Israel uses to destroy houses of suspected collaborators with Islamic militant groups.

Other protesters with Corrie said she was wearing a brightly colored jacket when the bulldozer hit her Sunday.

``Rachel was alone in front of the house as we were trying to get them to stop,'' said Greg Schnabel, 28, of Chicago. ``She waved for the bulldozer to stop and waved. She fell down and the bulldozer kept going. We yelled, 'Stop, stop,' and the bulldozer didn't stop at all.''

Israeli military spokesman Capt. Jacob Dallal said her death was an accident. The U.S. State Department had no immediate comment.

Corrie was already a committed peace activist when she arrived at Evergreen State, a small campus is known for devotion to liberal causes, said Larry Mosqueda, one of Corrie's professors and a fellow activist.

``She was concerned about human rights and dignity,'' he said. ``That's why she was there.''

Corrie was also a prominent organizer among the city's peace activists, organizing events for the Olympia Movement for Justice and Peace, including an alternative observance of last year's observance of the first anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

``She just always had constructive approaches to things, creativity, and an upbeat positive attitude toward doing the things that we had to do,'' said Glenn Anderson of Olympia, who worked with Corrie on that event.

03/16/03 15:05 EST

---

3) Nine Palestinians killed in Israeli raids in Gaza
By Dan Williams and Nidal al-Mughrabi

NUSEIRAT, Gaza Strip, March 17 (Reuters) - Nine Palestinians, including a four-year-old girl, were killed during Israeli swoops in the Gaza Strip on Monday that touched off fierce battles with gunmen, witnesses said.

The bloodshed in Nuseirat refugee camp in central Gaza and around the town of Beit Lehiya in the north was a fresh blow to U.S. and British attempts to promote the prospect of Israeli-Palestinian peace as possible war in Iraq approaches.

Israeli infantry in armoured personnel carriers, backed by several tanks and attack helicopters, rolled into Nuseirat, a stronghold of the militant Islamic group Hamas, before dawn and left several hours later after demolishing a house.

The incursion came a day after an Israeli army bulldozer killed an American woman protester in the Gaza Strip as she demonstrated against a house demolition in the southern town of Rafah. The army called the death a "regrettable accident."

At Nuseirat, Mohammed a-Sa'afin, a local leader of the Islamic Jihad militant group, took to the roof of his home after Israeli special forces surrounded it.

"Give up, think of your children," an Israeli officer shouted at him. Sa'afin replied with pipe bombs and a volley of bullets from his Kalashnikov rifle. He was shot dead. His brother Sami, wanted by Israel for alleged militant activity, was detained along with six other local men.

Palestinian witnesses and hospital officials said six other Palestinians, including a 13-year-old boy and a four-year-old girl, whose age medical officials initially put at two, were killed during the fighting. At least 12 people were wounded.

"We were all squeezed into one room, hiding, because of the heavy fighting outside. Israeli tanks were near our house," said a relative of four-year-old Elham al-Assar.

"Elham stood inside the house with her brothers and cousins. A single bullet penetrated the house and hit her in the chest."

Israeli military sources said the aim of the operation, one of dozens the army has launched in the Gaza Strip since the start of a Palestinian uprising for statehood in September 2000, was aimed at detaining militants behind attacks on Israelis.

In an operation near Beit Lehiya in the northern Gaza Strip, Israeli forces shot dead two members of the Palestinian naval police, Palestinian security officials said. The army had no immediate comment on the aims of the incursion.

PEACE ACTIVIST KILLED

Rachel Corrie, the 23-year-old American killed on Sunday, belonged to the Palestinian-led International Solidarity Movement (ISM) whose declared mission is to end "Israeli occupation in Palestine through non-violent means."

The Israeli army said Corrie, from Olympia Washington, and other protesters had been acting irresponsibly by "intentionally placing themselves in a combat zone."

"It is important to stress that the windows of the bullet-proof bulldozer are very small and the visibility is very limited, and the bulldozer operator did not see the woman," the army said in a statement.

"The Israel Defence Forces express sorrow and continue to investigate the incident."

The ISM said: "When the bulldozer refused to stop or turn aside, she climbed up onto the mound of dirt and rubble being gathered in front of it, wearing a fluorescent jacket, to look directly at the driver who kept on advancing.

"The bulldozer continued to advance so that she was pulled under the pile of dirt and rubble."

Violence has persisted despite a stepped-up U.S. initiative to unveil a long delayed peace "road map" intended to end the violence and establish the groundwork for a Palestinian state.

U.S. President George W. Bush, hoping to win European and Arab support for any war with Iraq, said on Friday that Washington would release the peace plan once a new Palestinian prime minister with "real authority" to usher in reform and rein in militants takes office.

At least 1,941 Palestinians and 726 Israelis have been killed since the uprising began.

03/17/03 04:59 ET

4) 'Hear Palestine'- 13-03-03

Thursday, 13 March 2003

NEWS
**Jabalya Refugee Camp: Palestinian Youth Dies of Injuries
**Salfeet: Civilian Wounded in Settler Attack
**Hebron: State of High Tension Following Death of 2 Settlers
**Tulkarem: Ongoing Military Operation in Saida; 2 Homes Demolished
**Gaza City: 2 Farmers Wounded in Israeli Fire
**Bethlehem: 2 Homes Demolished; Father Kidnapped
**Nablus: 12 Arrested in Israeli Arrest Campaigns
**Jenin: Arrests in Silat al-Harithiya, Qabatya and al-Yamoun
**Jerusalem: Soldiers and Settlers Terrorize Al-Thawri Residents
**Qalqilya: Resident Arrested at Dawn

FEATURES
**Al-Najah University Students Suffer at Military Roadblocks

************************************************************************
Wednesday (12 March 2003) - Tulkarem: Israeli Army Captain Killed, Another
Wounded; Palestinian Youth Killed in Confrontations
A Palestinian youth was killed and at least 2 others were wounded and
arrested, and an Israeli army captain was killed and another wounded in
armed confrontations that broke out yesterday morning in Saida Village,
north of Tulkarem, during an invasion of a large number of Israeli soldiers
and armored vehicles during the hours of dawn.
The occupation army imposed a curfew on Saida Village, Tulkarem, under
intense fire and held dozens of men and youngsters from the village (age
15-60 years) under the threat of weapons, in hunger and cold, while the 2
wounded Palestinians were held by the Israeli army in the courtyard of a
school, preventing medical teams from reaching them and offering them
medical aid.
Only in the afternoon did the occupation army allow a Palestinian ambulance
to enter the village in order to pick up the body of Rami al-Ashqar (20
years old), after holding his corpse for 7 hours. Medial sources reported
that al-Ashqar was hit with several bullets in the head and in other parts
of the body and that he was left to bleed until his death. Medical sources
also assume that Al-Ashqar was liquidated after he was wounded.
A number of women from the village reported that their sons and husbands
were held in the school since early morning under inhumane conditions,
preventing them from eating, drinking or getting warm. Over 100 people were
held in one room in the school.
The occupation authorities prevented the International Red Cross
representative and members of the international solidarity popular committee
from reaching the school, or even entering the village, claiming that those
detained have been given blankets. The Israeli army captain informed members
of the mentioned delegations that the Israeli army would not leave the
village until the man who killed the army captain was arrested.
A number of women in the village and a number of international solidarity
members who managed to enter the village to stay in a number of homes
reported that the Israeli army is searching homes in the village, one after
the other, in a provocative manner, intentionally terrorizing the residents
and children and destroying and ruining their belongings.
Members of the international solidarity teams and the residents estimated
that over 1000 Israeli soldiers were present in the small village, inhabited
by less than 1500 residents, in addition to dozens of jeeps and armored
vehicles.
Al-Ashqar was a member of Islamic Jihad.
Israeli military sources declared last night that 16 Palestinians from Saida
Village, near Tulkarem, were arrested, most of them members of Islamic
Jihad.
In Qalqilya, 8 residents were (moderately-critically) wounded, when an
Israeli Special Force (Musta'ribin or soldiers dressed as civilians) opened
fire towards the residents in the city. Some of the critically wounded were
among the arrested from the city. The Israeli occupation army in the morning
imposed a curfew on Alar village through loud speakers.
In Hebron, two children were wounded at noon with rubber coated metal
bullets in an attack waged by occupation soldiers on school students near
al-Ibrahimi mosque. Last night and at dawn, the Israeli army carried out a
wide-scale operation of raids and arrests in Wadi al-Qadi, al-Rajabi
quarter, al-Masharqa al-Tahta, Jabal Johar (in the Old city and
surroundings) and Doura Town, south west of Hebron.
In al-Bireh, occupation soldiers arrested 2 youths, after besieging a
5-story (Al-Nijma) building and forcing all the residents out with their
hands over their heads. After checking the identity cards of the residents,
Mahmoud Khasib (38 years old) and Murad al-Soudani (30 years old) were
arrested.
In Jenin, the occupation army invaded Jenin refugee camp at dawn. Armed
confrontations broke out. Dozens were held at a military roadblock near Aba
al-Sharqiya village, east of the city.

Tuesday (11 March 2003) - 7 Homes Demolished in West Bank and Gaza Strip
The Israeli occupation army Tuesday morning and Monday night demolished 3
homes in Hebron, 2 in al-Rajabi quarter near al-Ibrahimi mosque under the
claim that one of the carriers of the armed attack of Monday night was
hiding inside and a third in Ras al-Jora area, north of the city under
claims that explosives were found in the house during searches this morning.
Demolition activities carried out by the occupation army throughout the
night following the armed attack that resulted in the death of one Israeli
soldier and the wounding of 4 others ended at around 10:00 am, by
transferring a 3-story home and an adjacent home into a pile of rubble.
In Gaza, the occupation army this morning bulldozed 2 homes and closed a
water well, near al-Mighraqa Village, along 'Netsarim' settlement, south of
the Gaza Strip. Local sources reported that the occupation army started
since early morning to demolish the homes and bulldoze surrounding
agricultural land, despite the fact that the area was quiet and did not
witness any kind of unrest.
In Khan Younis, the occupation army withdrew in the morning from al-Qarara
town, north of Khan Younis, leaving behind destruction and bulldozed land.
The occupation army had invaded the town within several meters.
In Rafah, the occupation army bulldozed a home and wounded two residents in
al-Salam quarter and Tel al-Sultan. 3 tanks had invaded al-Salam within a
distance of over 200 meters in the evening, bulldozed the home of Juma'a Abu
Arar and his brothers, without warning. Damage was also inflicted on an
adjacent home.
In Jenin, the occupation army blew up, at dawn, a home in Silat al-Harithiya
town, while a tight military siege continues to be imposed on Jenin City.
The occupation army also invaded Jenin refugee camp under intense machinegun
fire.
In Bethlehem, Israeli soldiers arrested at least 7 residents in a campaign
of home raids and searches throughout the city. In al-Bireh, Israeli
soldiers disguised as civilians kidnapped 4 Palestinian Taxi drivers from
al-Balou' area. Two other residents were arrested from al-Ama'ari refugee
camp following an invasion of the refugee camp under intense fire.
In the Gaza Strip, 3 residents were arrested at dawn from their homes in
Beit Hanoun.
On another front, the occupation army handed over to the Palestinian side
the bodies of the two Palestinian youths killed near 'Kfar Darom'
settlement, east of Deir al-Balah, at midnight Monday - Imad Abu-Gharqoud
(21 years old) and Mohammad Ayash (22 years old) from al-Nusseirat refugee
camp. They were killed while attempting to sneak into 'Kfar Darom'
settlement.
************************************************************************

NEWS
******

*Jabalya Refugee Camp: Palestinian Youth Dies of Injuries*

Samir Muhra (23 years old) from Jabalya refugee camp died this morning
affected by wounds subjected during the Jablya massacre on the 6th of this
month. This raises the number of Palestinian civilians killed in the Israeli
attack on Jabalya refugee camp to 13.

Muhra was hit in the head with live ammunition.

************************************

*Salfeet: Civilian Wounded in Settler Attack*

Ya'qoub Amer (57 years old) was wounded today in an attack by a group of
settlers west of the town of Salfeet. The settlers physically attacked the
shepherd Amer. Medical sources in Rafidya Hospital reported that Amer is in
moderate condition and suffers from various serious fractures throughout the
body.

************************************

*Hebron: State of High Tension Following Death of 2 Settlers*

2 Israeli settlers were killed today in Israeli fire, on the settlement
bypass road between Yatta and Beni N'im, south of Hebron. Israeli military
sources, at first, claimed that the settlers were killed by armed
Palestinians disguised as Israeli soldiers, but later changed their
statement to confirm that they were mistakenly killed by Israeli soldiers
who suspected that the settlers were armed Palestinians carrying out an
attack on an Israeli settlement. The settlers declared that the 2 settlers
were shot dead from a helicopter.

In the meantime, the occupation army continues to carry out an intensive
military operation in Hebron. Several homes were raided and searched in the
town of Yatta today and a number of residents were arrested.

A curfew was imposed this morning on the commercial center of Hebron. Shop
and stool owners were forced to return to their homes under the threat of
weapons and a number of them were physically attacked.

A curfew was also imposed on the Old City of Hebron.

Israeli soldiers raided homes in the surroundings of al-Ibrahimi mosque,
al-Rajabi quarter, Abu Sneineh, Jabal Johar and al-Masharqa today.

The occupation army also closed all roads linking the city of Hebron to
Bethlehem and Jerusalem, completely isolating the city.

According to Israeli media sources, the Israeli government has taken a
decision to exile the family of Mahmoud Al-Qawasmi, who carried out an
attack on a bus in Haifa recently, to the Gaza Strip in the near future.

************************************

*Tulkarem: Ongoing Military Operation in Saida; 2 Homes Demolished*

The Israeli occupation army continued today to carry out a wide-scale
military operation in the small village of Saida, north of Tulkarem, today
for the second day running.

This afternoon, the (2-story) home of Zaher al-Ashqar was demolished. At
noon, the (2-story) home of the detained wounded Mustafa Hamad was blown up.
Several adjacent homes were damaged in the process.

The occupation army had issued three demolition orders in the village today
to Saher Ajaj, Raed Ajaj and the father of Sa'id al-Ashqar who was killed
yesterday.

In the meantime, a curfew continues to be imposed on Saida for the second
day running. Military reinforcements were carried out in the village and its
surroundings.

Several homes were raided and vandalized and many residents were physically
attacks. The residents' chicken, sheep and water wells did not escape
Israeli destructive measures.

At least 15 people were arrested from the village while many others were
held for long hours under extremely tough conditions in the village's school
courtyard. Many of those released at dawn today reported being severely
beaten up by soldiers for no reason in addition to being handcuffed and made
to stand under the rain throughout the night.

************************************

*Gaza City: 2 Farmers Wounded in Israeli Fire*

Israeli soldiers, at noon today, invaded Abu Safiya area, on the outskirts
of Gaza City, and opened fire at a number of Palestinian farmers wounding
two of them.

************************************

*Bethlehem: 2 Homes Demolished; Father Kidnapped*

This morning, Israeli bulldozers demolished two homes in al-Walja Village,
north of Bethlehem. The homes belong to Hussein Abu al-Tin and Oda al-A'raj.
The village was placed under tight military siege. The demolition comes as
part of an Israeli plan to expand 'Har Gilo' settlement at the expense of
the residents' land. Tight military measures were carried out in the area.
Journalists were prevented from approaching the location of the demolition.

Israeli "Special Forces" kidnapped Sheikh Maslaam Sha'ban (44 years old)
while he was giving his children a lift to school this morning. Sha'ban's
car was stopped near the Church of Nativity. He was then severely beaten up
in front of his children and kidnapped.

Military reinforcements were carried out in various areas in Bethlehem
today. Israeli soldiers continue to raid and search homes.

************************************

*Nablus: 12 Arrested in Israeli Arrest Campaigns*

The Israeli army arrested a number of residents at dawn during an invasion
of Balata refugee camp under intense machinegun fire. A number of homes were
raided and searched and at least 6 youths arrested.

The Israeli army also invaded Ein al-Maa refugee camp, blew up the front
door of Amin al-Mabrouka's home and of Dr. Bader Bader's clinic. Windows of
dozens of surrounding homes were smashed as a result of the explosion.
Al-Mabrouka was arrested.

Two students were also arrested from the center of the city.

In Sura Village, west of Nablus, occupation soldiers arrested 2 residents.

Israeli soldiers also raided Jama'in Village, southwest of Nablus and
arrested at least one resident.

Dozens of people were held at the southern entrance to Nablus City today and
prevented from crossing. Identity cards were confiscated and several
physically attacked for no reason. Despite the tight closure, residents
attempted to reach the city through extremely long and rough routes.

************************************

*Jenin: Arrests in Silat al-Harithiya, Qabatya and al-Yamoun*

The Israeli army, at dawn today, invaded Silat al-Harithiya town and
arrested a number of residents from the Jaradat family. Several homes were
raided and searched tightly.

The Israeli army also carried out a campaign of homes raids and arrests in
the towns of Qabatya and al-Yamoun. At least 5 youths were arrested from
both towns.

A curfew was imposed on the residents during arrests, while soldiers opened
fire.

************************************

*Jerusalem: Soldiers and Settlers Terrorize Al-Thawri Residents*

The residents of Al-Thawri residential quarter, south of Al-Haram Al-Sharif,
complained about new military limitations imposed at the entrance of the
quarter.

3 military roadblocks were placed in the middle of the quarter and entrances
and heavy military presence was reported at the entrance to settlement blocs
in the adjacent Silwan neighborhood.

The residents expressed worry heavy settler movements in the residential
quarter under heavy military protection.

************************************

*Qalqilya: Resident Arrested at Dawn*

Israeli occupation soldiers, at dawn today, arrested the resident Basim Abu
Samra (37 years old) from his home in Qalqilya City.

************************************************************************

FEATURES
**********

*Al-Najah University Students Suffer at Military Roadblocks*

WAFA - The Israeli siege has an increasingly grave affect on the students of
Al-Najah University, as is the case with students from other universities.

They leave their homes in the morning not knowing what awaits them at the
Israeli military roadblocks. They could be subjected to killing, torture,
stripping, returning home by force. Israeli roadblocks are everywhere. If
students wanted to avoid the danger, they are forced to climb mountains and
walk in mud.

Alaa Jabarin from Jenin City is a student at al-Najah University. He says,
"I never thought of living in Nablus but the delays and humiliation we are
subjected to on the roads forces us to live in the city close to the
university." He adds, "One time, a soldier ordered me to take my clothes off
in Zawata area for 6 hours, and after all this they did not allow me to
cross to the city and forced me to return to my home."

Jabarin says, "It has become clear to the students that whoever lives
outside the city stays outside the city and whoever lives inside stays
inside."

The student Sadam Abu Hazim says, "We are in a state, what we suffer at
Israeli military roadblocks was reflected negatively on our university life,
continuous and intentional abuse against the students by occupation soldiers
makes us want to stay at home to avoid the provocative measures."

Rami Aziz, a student from Hebron, says, "The road from Hebron to Nablus used
to take 2 hours, but now takes 8 hours and is very expensive."

To enter into Nablus, the residents and students are forced to take side
routes on foot to avoid the imposed closure.

Mohammad Sa'id from Tulkarem describes his suffering at Beit Iba military
roadblock, where he was held for 7 hours under the rain with other students.
He said, "After walking for long hours from al-Naqoura to Beit Iba in order
to avoid the soldiers, I did not succeed, I was surprised to find a group of
students from al-Najah held by Israeli soldiers under the rain under
extremely humiliating conditions, such as verbal abuse and forcing us to
walk in waste water."

 

Hear Palestine is a free press service offering daily mailings from the occupied Palestinian territories. Material is analysed and compiled from the Arabic press, radio and television transmissions, and direct interviews by Karma Abu-Sharif.